Please check out link below for a story that was done by a local news station. http://www.kcci.com/video/16715522/

More Than 1,000 Bury 'Lost' Iowa Veterans Amanda Lewis reporting :                                            The Missing in America project   www.kcci.com/video/19289052/

7 Veterans laid to rest channel 13 chopper raw footage http://video.whotv.com/global/video/popup/pop_playerLaunch.asp?vt1=v&clipFormat=flv&clipId1=3688844&at1=Sales - WorldNow 13&h1=13Raw: Chopper 13 Video of Processional Escorting Veterans' Remains for Burial

Escorting  7 Veterans to thier  Final  Journey                               http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hw6gKo-fvfw 
      

                    Des Moines Register interview

Hawg heaven: Harley trike pulls homemade caisson for funerals
By MIKE KILEN • mkilen@dmreg.com • August 4, 2008

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Say your motorcycle gang is getting on in years, facing the prospects of final joy rides.

Do you follow the conventional way to the final resting place, puttering out in a quiet glorified station wagon?

Lloyd Robbins thinks not. The Harley rider of three-plus decades figures people should ride to heaven behind a hawg. He built a glass-sided caisson to pull with a Harley-Davidson Electra Glide trike and in June launched Iron Hearse Destinations.

"When biker people die it's wild how many people will come to the funeral," said Robbins, 50, of Des Moines.


They revel in the idea of a rider's last road trip being a poker ride to the sky.

But it wasn't motorcyclists who inspired the Navy veteran. It was his brothers in arms. A few years ago, Robbins saw a magazine ad showcasing glass-sided caissons, once drawn by horses for military and government funerals.

He mentioned it to his father, who served at Iwo Jima. "I'm a veteran!" he enthusiastically replied.

Lloyd Robbins said, "I think people should see if it's a vet with the flag over the coffin. It's the honor, dignity and respect they all deserve."

The idea festered until Robbins launched the project last year, noticing that several such services existed in other states but there were none he knew of in Iowa.

It took nine months to build the $5,000 caisson out of the same materials used in road signs. He painted "Final Journey" on it and bolted on a "JURNY" license plate. Robbins wears a white shirt buttoned to the top, a black vest and one spur on his riding boots.

"Back in the Calvary days, they take the dead's boots and turn them around in the stirrups and the rest would wear one spur out of respect for their fallen brother," Robbins said.

In his first month, he's led a funeral procession for a motorcycle rider in Waterloo and a veteran in Illinois. One widow hopped on the seat behind him in her dress, pleased that her husband would know she was carrying him on his last ride in a 103-cubic-inch Harley.

Robbins' idea came full circle a few days ago.

His father, Kenneth Robbins, 91, who is in hospice care dying of cancer, handed his son three paper towels. "I'm gonna ride out in your hearse," he said. "I don't ride in a dirty hearse."


business has served two funerals within the last month. He led one procession with the widow rid-ing on the seat behind Robbins because she said her husband would be happy with how his last ride was arranged


To hire the hearse
Iron Hearse Destinations charges $500 for the first 50 miles and $1 for each mile beyond 50. Free service to military veterans, firefighters and police officers killed in the line of duty within 50 miles of Des Moines. Call Lloyd @ (515) 314-3294.

ABATE of Iowa ~Free Way Flyer ~ August 2008

Iron Hearse Destination – Final Journey
by Tami Gunn-Conner “CHAR”

To some it’s the journey, not the destination. To Lloyd and Angelia Robbins it’s the Final Journey.

Five years ago Lloyd saw an article in a magazine about the “caisson” horse drawn funeral services. He was intrigued by it and began to research it. In 2007, after attending a funeral for a biker friend, he did some final research and made the decision to build his one-of-a-kind Trike driven hearse. There is none like his in the state of Iowa. After the nine months of production he made his first showing on June 20th at the Indianola Bike Down to “I” Town Bike Night.

Initial reactions varied from the excited “Cool, I’ve never seen anything like that before!” to the simply “I think it is interesting but I don’t want to really think about that now,” to the people who looked in disbelief and said “How morbid!”

But it is not morbid to Lloyd. He explained the history to me: In the Old West when a military member passed away the body was pulled by a horse drawn wagon with the casket draped with our American flag. The riders in the military procession wore one spur on their boots, instead of the daily customary two spurs, as a sign of loss and respect. The clothing was white collarless shirts with black vest, pants, and boots. And that is how Lloyd presents himself and his service – with respect to the deceased, their family, and their and for remembrance.

Lloyd, a member of CMA, ABATE, and HOG, is also an ordained nondenominational minister. Although his company is not affiliated with any of these organizations he has gotten a lot of interest from their members. Lloyd feels his service will be used by a variety of people since personalization of funeral services as taken precedence in today’s world. In planning his business Lloyd had in mind the Old West era, the biker community, and our military veterans. Although the service seems made for an exclusive type of people it is available to anyone.

Iron Hearse Destinations – Final Journey is based out of Des Moines, Iowa but Lloyd will drive to wherever his services are requested.

A general description of the service is for Lloyd to meet with the family at the church or funeral home where the casket is then placed in the wooden and glass enclosed hearse. From there the services vary. Some people may just want the casket taken straight to the cemetery. Others have the option of having the deceased take one Final Journey. Maybe it is a ride through the country, or out around a lake, or one last drive by the homestead. If the family has a special car or truck, with a hitch on it, Lloyd will drive that vehicle and pull the hearse behind it rather than drive the Trike, if that is requested. Lloyd will work with the family to find the personalization that they are looking for.

The basic rate for such a service is $500 for the first 50 miles. Additional mile increase the rates. Anybody belonging to a motorcycle or Car Club or is a US military veteran receive a 10% discount off the services. If anybody is killed in the line of duty his services are done at no charge, beyond 50 miles will be a gas charge.

You can see a piece that was done by KCCI in Des Moines at http://www.kcci.com/video/16715522/. For more information visit http://www.ironhearsedestinations.biz/ or call Lloyd at 515-314-3294.

THROTTLER MAGAZINE Feb. 2009

Iron Hearse Ride to the Sky

Lloyd Robbins brings innovation and dignity to riders passing on

By Alec “Chop” Brynnenson

One day we will all need to take the trip, and the ride to our final resting place will most likely be in a hearse. But have you ever thought about what exactly the hearse will look like?

Lloyd Robbins of Des Moines created Iron Hearse Destinations after he saw an article on a motorcycle hearse in a magazine about six years ago. After pondering the thought and talking about it with friends, Robbins thought he might have a niche for Iowa.

Robbins, a Navy veteran, built his glass-sided caisson to give people a unique way to arrive at their final resting place. Pulling it behind a Harley-Davidson Electra Glide trike,
Robbins wears a white collarless shirt and black vest, black pants, boots shined and one spur, representing the loss of a loved one, veteran, or fellow rider.

“It gives appeal to the bikers but yet at the same time it attracts the military, police, and fireman because of the glass-sided caisson’s 19th-century styling,” says Robbins. “This will give honor and dignity to the people who use it as they make their way to their own Boot Hill. It’s an old-fashioned idea with a modern day twist.”

Once everything was in order, the build took Robbins roughly nine months and cost around $8,000.

“My biggest cost out-of-pocket was to Hinrich’s Construction, who designed and built it from the frame up,” Robbins says. “There were many other businesses involved that donated or discounted prices to help me get the hearse up and rolling. Brian Rictchie and Richard Kellogg donated their time to build the frame, and did the electrical work. The biggest contribution was the use of the Harley trike that is currently owned by
C &C Cycle in Chariton.”
 
The frame is made of square hallow tubing, and the hearse itself is made of marine board and tempered glass. Licensed as a trailer, Robbins says his biggest hurdle was finding an insurance company that would bond and insure the hearse while in operation.
 
Robbins currently works full time for Capital Express in Des Moines as a courier.

“Without their support and understanding, I would not be able to have the time off I need to do the funerals,” Robbins says.

Prior to building the hearse, friend Johnny Molher introduced him to the Iowa funeral board.
“I showed them pictures of other hearses that were already built,” Robbins says. “They liked what they saw, and gave me their proverbial blessing. One funeral home thought it was a nice personal touch, and it didn’t require them to purchase the hearse themselves.”

Robbins’ first funeral was in the rain and hail driving to Waterloo.

“I thought it was an honor to take this gentleman to his final resting place because he was a fellow veteran, and the Honor Guard was also there. When I was driving down Highway 20, several cars pulled up next to me and gave me the thumbs up.”

Personalizing his service for the loved one’s family is very important to Robbins. Whatever the family wants, they get.

“At a recent service, the wife rode with me on the trike to escort her husband on his final motorcycle ride. It was really special,” he says. “My plans are to have a CD player installed so I may play the loved one’s favorite music while I drive them on their last run.”    

Robbins works closely with the funeral directors and the families, too. He makes sure his services are available to any funeral home that asks, and he’ll take that one last ride with the loved one if that is what the family would like — as long as it is done with honor and dignity.

“If we all could talk about death like we do a birth I believe everyone would know what their loved one’s final request would be. It is more comforting to know you did what the loved one wanted, instead of guessing and feeling unsure of yourself,” Robbins says.

As for how far Robbins will drive for a funeral, he says he doesn’t know. He’s been as far as 280 miles away in Illinois, but obviously, the cost of fuel is a factor.

Iron Hearse Destinations’ basic rate of $400 includes the first 35 miles. Over 35 miles, an additional charge of $1 per mile will be added. Anyone who is a car or motorcycle club member or a U.S. military veteran will receive a $25.00 discount. For anyone killed in the line of duty — either military or civil servants — the base rate will be waived and for special circumstances that require overnight stays or long distance travel, there will be additional fees. Payment is due prior to leaving for the final journey.
 
Contact Lloyd Robbins at (515) 314-3294 or log on to www.ironhearsedestinations.biz. Other motorcycle hearse services around the country are at http://bdmotorcyclehearse.com/other_m_c_hearses.html