“He’s got some good ideas for it,” said Mason. “He’s trying to make it around what the guys are doing and the stuff they deal with over there in Iraq.”

“It’ll have the springer front end, camouflage paint, maybe incorporate some bullets along here,” said Borror. “Kind of old school military.”

There are other organizations who have helped the 833rd and their families, like veterans groups, a sorority and a local computer business. But the collecting of donations and the showing of the bike throughout Iowa will have an added bonus: awareness of the sacrifice being made overseas.

“It definitely brings it back up on people’s minds,” said Handling. “These guys are giving up a year of their life to give us the life we have.”

Mark Newman can be reached at 683-5358 or by e-mail at mgnewman@mchsi.com.

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Roger Borror can be contacted at 799-0444, or by e-mail at Wapellocc @hotmail.com.