Sorry to hear of your loss, I know its tough. I lost quite a few friends over there, also, but none as close as yours. I have ridden the east from Florida to Canada, and enjoyed every mile, and met up with quite a few who had participated in the mess, and rode to celebrate just making it home.
but for us pepsi ruled as in indian country you had to be aware at all times from the time we left the plane to we walked in to a base of some sort we lived on the edge