HOMER, N.Y. -- Traveling thousands of miles across the country has taken the Rolling Honor Riders to Homer, New York. They met friends and family of Shawn Falter who died in Iraq in 2007 on Tuesday. On Wednesday they gathered at the baseball field dedicated to Falter last year.

"It's almost hard to describe what it means to have them come. Shawn joined the Army because he loved this country and he wanted to do something bigger and join a bigger family. These guys just coming here and showing their respect to us and to honor him is just part I guess of what I saw is the family that these guys have," said Linda Falter, Shawn's stepmother.

Kirk Alkire was Falter's first sergeant. He organized the trip because he says it's important for him to see the places his fallen men grew up.

"It's very emotional, sure, to see the place and see the people and meet so many great people that have come up and talked so nicely about Shawn and what he meant to the community. It's really great," said Alkire, the founder of the Rolling Honor Riders.
Falter's stepmother says Shawn played a ton of baseball as a kid and she couldn't be happier that this park was dedicated in his honor.

"Shawn played little league from the time he was seven up through his high school years here, so it was quite an honor for the whole family to always come down and always have this memory of him," said Falter.

Visiting Falter's hometown is the second stop on the bikers journey to visit people they've only been in touch with by email and telephone.

"I didn't know what to expect and never thought we'd have this much outpouring of support and appreciation," said Alkire.

Falter hopes the connection the Rolling Honor Riders have made with her and her family will last long after they head out of town.

"The minute they pulled into the driveway, a friendship struck that probably will go on for a long time, I hope," said Falter.

The riders are visiting two more families in Alabama and Louisiana.