Fourth of July – A Day to Ride and Remember

The Fourth of July weekend is coming, and while we’re all looking forward to getting out on our bikes and riding, we wanted to reflect on what the Fourth of July means.

In 1776, when our Founding Fathers signed the Declaration of Independence, they were probably very happy – for about a minute – and then they realized they had thrown down the gauntlet and invited one of the most powerful nations on Earth to a brawl.

The next few years would be full of turmoil, violence and death, but in the end a ragtag group of men and women who valued independence more than their lives did the impossible – they beat the British army and navy and won their freedom.

Over the next century, America would tear itself apart in a civil war that resulted in millions dead, millions more wounded and lives and the country shattered almost beyond repair.

Again, our nation moved forward and swelled its ranks as immigrants from all over the world flooded her shores. While the reception they received wasn’t always the warmest, they stuck around and helped build the nation.

Prosperity would be followed by economic times that again threatened to destroy America, but the resilience of her people kept the country alive and prosperity returned.

Two world wars would follow, and America would find herself as the world’s strongest and soundest nation. Internal strife would visit her again and again, but always in the end the nation stood strong.

From the moment we declared our independence until this very day, Americans have known that to keep something that precious alive and strong, it would require sacrifice, work and the ability to remember what our forefathers had committed themselves to almost three hundred years ago.

So this Fourth of July, before you climb onto your bike, or hit the beach or sit back and watch fireworks, remember what it is to be an American – and the sacrifices that this nation made to get where we are today.

That spirit has carried the United States of America through her darkest days, and will continue to do so well into the future.

Happy Fourth of July, from Pete’s Cycles.

Posted in: