On October 11, 2008, Bob Higdon completed his "Courthouse Quest," a 150,000-mile motorcycle journey in which he rode his BMW motorbike and visited every courthouse in every state in the continental U.S.!  The trek to 3,069 courthouses took him five years and three days, from September 28, 2003, to October 11, 2008.

Autographed T-shirt commemorating the event.

Bob Higdon, right, receiving a memorial gift from Shane Smith.

Higdon's friend Shane Smith had told him that if he would save the Pike County, Mississippi, courthouse for last, Smith would have a special celebration for him at Smith's house in McComb.  So that's just what happened!  Motorcycle companions from all over North America greeted Higdon at the courthouse where photographs were made.  Then everyone rode to Smith's house for a special flag-raising event to mark the occasion.  Smith had always wanted a large flag and flagpole in his yard.  A friend of his told him there was a thirty-foot-tall flagpole available from the old downtown McComb McDonald's Restaurant.  After buying a flag from "the flag store" in Jackson and preparing the surface and raising the pole near the front of his house, Smith and his friends were ready for the special event. 

Career high-mileage motorcyclists at the event: L to R, Tom Loftus of Fairfax, VA: 1,085,000 miles; Ardys Kellerman of Lexington, TX: c. 900,000 miles; Dave McQueeney of El Segundo, CA: 1.5 million plus miles; and Lyle Grimes of Westwego, LA: 1,170,00 BMW miles, plus 216,000 Brand X miles.  At the time of the event, Bob Higdon was just a couple of thousand miles shy of the Million Mile Mark.

Friends stood at attention while Vietnam veterans Rick Williams of Macomb, Illinois, and Melvin Dye of Summit, Mississippi, raised the flag for the first time, with The Star-Spangled Banner playing over the outdoor speakers.  For the rest of the evening, friends and acquaintances told stories, gave recognitions, and celebrated over pork loin, gumbo, shrimp etouffee, and thin-fried catfish.

Rick Williams, left, and Melvin Dye, raising the flag.

The Dedication Plaque

The flag as seen in a motorcycle mirror.

More photos can be viewed online at www.photoworks.com/members/tmorgan100.  (Click on "View all" to see albums not pictured on the first page. 

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