Lee Erwin Reporting
lerwin@clarksvillenow.com
Guthrie, Kentucky. – Wounded, injured and ill Soldiers arrived at Fort Campbell Friday, September 19 after a 164 mile bicycle ride from Fort Knox, Kentucky. The event was the 2nd Annual Bluegrass Rendezvous Bike Ride. The course has been dubbed Route Scruggs after Bluegrass musician legend Earl Scruggs.
The Warrior Transition Battalion (WTB) Soldiers, staff and support team from Fort Campbell met with Fort Knox Soldiers September 18 and rode 97 miles to Bowling Green, Kentucky and then after an overnight stay the group rode the remaining 67 miles to Fort Campbell.
The bikers made a brief stop at the Hi Road Exxon Service Station in Guthrie, Kentucky Friday which is where Clarksvillenow.com caught up with the close to 30 riders. One of the riders, Leo Santamaria, is a Vietnam Veteran who at the age of 67 is considered an inspiration to the younger Soldiers.
Fort Campbell garrison leadership, WTB staff and Soldiers as well as the 101st Airborne Division Band welcomed the riders with a finish line celebration on Post. The event is for Soldiers who are going through recovery and transition.
WTB physical therapist, Rebecca Murphy, one of the event coordinators and also one of the riders talked about the event. “It is all about uplifting and encouraging Soldiers that they can succeed or experience physical adaptive fitness regardless of their medical conditions,” Murphy said.
The Officer in Charge (OIC) of the ride, John Clement said the ride Friday was in honor of Private First Class Jacob Ward. Ward was a cavalry scout at Fort Knox who took his own life last year after coming home from deployment. Clement added the ride was also for POW’s and MIA’s.
See photos here: