The DAY OF HONOR concert at the HiFi Amphitheatre in Atlanta GA on October 7th 2006, with hot country duo Big and Rich was the birth of the RAWHIDE ROUNDUP Motorcycle and Classic Car ride.
Rawhide Ride I was at the request of Big Kenny, a motorcycle enthusiast and John Rich, a corvette lover. Rawhide Ride I was organized by Floyd Riester with the help of Larry Sanchez of College Park GA and his great coordination with the College Park Police Department. Thanx to them and the Georgia Highway Patrol all 150 riders rode 125 miles and arrived at the concert safe and sound and enjoyed a meal fit for a king provided by the Chic Fil A folks from the Dwarf House in College Park. The Ride was named after Colonel Rawhide Boland, 1st of the 503rd Battalion Commander who in Okinawa mustered his troops with the song 'RAWHIDE'.
All had such a great time memorial director Floyd Riester decided to try and continue the fundraiser at the 173d Airborne Association Reunion Held 2007 in Rochester MN. This Ride consisted of about 35 Riders and 2008 was continued with abut 50 riders with Rawhide Ride III. Rawhide Ride IV, in Columbus GA was more of a party than a Ride but after a review of the post, donations were again raised to help support the building of the memorial.
The dedication of the memorial this June could not go unanswered by RAWHIDE RIDE V with a trip the weekend before from Columbus GA to ANDERSONVILLE to visit the civil war prison camp and the National Prisoner of War Memorial site.
As long as the veterans of the 173d Airborne Brigade can ride, Rawhide Rides will continue to support the memorials in the years to come.
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