Motorcycles are parked outside of University Medical Center. A group of VFW motorcycle riders volunteered to escort the ambulance carrying Rep. Gabrielle Giffords to Davis-Monthan Air Force Base this morning, as she is transferred to a rehabilitation facility in Houston. The congresswoman rode with this group in May 2009, when they escorted the remains of Civil War-era veterans from Tucson to Sierra Vista. Credit: Jim Nintzel

Motorcycles are parked outside of University Medical Center. A group of VFW motorcycle riders volunteered to escort the ambulance carrying Rep. Gabrielle Giffords to Davis-Monthan Air Force Base this morning, as she is transferred to a rehabilitation facility in Houston. The congresswoman rode with this group in May 2009, when they escorted the remains of Civil War-era veterans from Tucson to Sierra Vista.

  • Jim Nintzel
  • Motorcycles are parked outside of University Medical Center. A group of VFW motorcycle riders volunteered to escort the ambulance carrying Rep. Gabrielle Giffords to Davis-Monthan Air Force Base this morning, as she is transferred to a rehabilitation facility in Houston. The congresswoman rode with this group in May 2009, when they escorted the remains of Civil War-era veterans from Tucson to Sierra Vista.

Update: Shortly before 9:30 a.m., Giffords’ ambulance left UMC.

This article appears in Jan 20-26, 2011.