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<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS";
color:blue'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS";
color:blue'>Ladies and Gentlemen,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS";
color:blue'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS";
color:blue'>Just a reminder…<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS";
color:blue'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS";
color:blue'>Today on the escort of Sgt. Jasso from DFW Airport to Homestead
Funeral Home in Grand Prairie we lost 4 (it is my understanding) flag bikes
from the formation due to broken/bent, etc. flag poles. As a general rule
we ask our escort vehicles to try and keep their speed to 50 mph when we have
big flags in the procession. I was riding directly behind the police cars
and, believe it or not, we were sitting right on 55 mph or a little less the
whole way. We were going into a breeze which added to the pressure on the
flags. Also, if we have the “accordion” effect from our
spacing being a little inconsistent and we speed up and slow down within our
formation, that can also cause stress on the flags and poles.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS";
color:blue'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS";
color:blue'>Please double check your pole, flag and mounting system prior to
every mission to make sure all is in good order and please make sure you have
good equipment in the first place. A lighter weight flag, such as
polyester, may not look quite as good as a cotton flag but it puts less stress
on the pole and is considerably lighter than a heavy cotton flag. A
flexible pole, such as fiberglass is also a consideration. Even though
the Ride Captains speak to the escort personnel about road speed prior to
leaving a location once we hit the street it’s not really in our hands
any more. If your flag equipment won’t handle the stress, please
pull out of the formation, roll up your flag and then come back to the rear of
the formation. Many riders have had the trial and error method of finding
what works and what doesn’t on mounting flags and all are happy to share
their knowledge. Most have found that if you plan to ride inside of a
tornado, you ought to be OK. Seriously, though…if you plan on riding
70 mph with a 25 mph head wind, your flag and pole should hold up to whatever
we do.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS";
color:blue'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS";
color:blue'>I’m in no way trying to be critical of anybody’s set up
or of anyone who may have lost a flag today. Sometimes things just
happen. Even our most experienced riders have reached back all of a
sudden and found a handful of air where their flag should be. Sometimes
the metal or the weld has even failed in a perfectly good piece of steel and
that failure couldn’t have been anticipated under any
circumstances. I’m just trying to remind everyone who flies one or
more big flags, or is thinking about mounting the big flags, to check your
equipment regularly and to take every precaution to be safe. We do an
awful lot of riding here in North Texas and it’s important that everybody
be safe, happy and healthy at the end of every mission.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS";
color:blue'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS";
color:blue'>Thanks to all of you for being “always there.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS";
color:blue'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS";
color:blue'>Steve Lucas<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS";
color:blue'>Deputy State Captain<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS";
color:blue'>North Texas PGR<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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