Veterans Ride on ABC Good Morning KOTA Territory

KOTA (ABC) – Rapid City, SD
Good Morning KOTA Territory

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​KOTA 8/3/2015 5:36:53 AM:…“everybody made it safely, everybody had huge smiles on their faces the whole trip, no incidents whatsoever. we had great times and great experiences.” vanostrand>> the bikers received a warm welcome from onlookers as they pulled up to the finish line of veterans charity ride sponsored by indian motorcycle. ferguson>> joshua ferguson veteran>> “it’s nice to see all the flags up here.” bondi>> “it was awesome to go down maint and have it closed off. wow, it’s jaw dropping.” vanostrand>> many of the Indian models have sidecars to accommodate the riders who have undergone multiple amputations. bondi>> “20 of us. as far as the combat vet, wounded warriors, paraplegics that are with us there’s one navy, one air force, and there’s a little over a dozen of us. and then there’s the rest half of army and half marines. vanostrand>> many of the riders say they developed a great camaraderie along the way. ferguson>> “it’s surreal. it’s funny how you just kind of click with people through shared experiences, shared stories even though it may be different places, different times.” bondi>> “it took a couple days to break in and see who’re the strong riders and who needed a little help, but right now we travel like we’ve known each other for years.” vanostrand>> so what was the most enjoyable part of the ride? ferguson>> “i love the back roads, i love the scenery.” vanostrand>> the veterans even got a surprise from a celebrity. bondi>> “we were supposed to have our bikes delivered to us at the hotel. they lied to us and said the trailers were broken so we had to go to this shed. we opened up the doors and there was jay leno and all of our bikes in his garage and he gave us a personal tour. ” vanostrand>> for most of the veterans, it’s their first time at sturgis. ferguson>> “it still feels kind of dream-like. i’m waiting for someone to pop the bubble. ” vanostrand>> after signing this wall, and a photo op, the heroes are ready to enjoy the rally. ferguson>> “still waiting to look around and meet some folks. that was a huge part of the trip.” make sure you check in with kota territory news throughout the week on our website, facebook, and twitter pages for the latest rally news and updates. we will be live at the rally all week long. eg>> . we will see sunny to partly cloudy skies in rapid city today with a high near 86 degrees. in sheridan and gillette, …