Run for the Wall 2011

I have a friend who is participating in "Run for The Wall".....10 day motorcycle ride from So. Calif. to Washington, D. C. He will be writing his story along the way & I will post it here. I did this a couple years ago & people loved it. Hope you will too. Will start posting tomorrow.

RFTW 2009 - Rolling Thunder (Doug)

Sunday morning was Rolling Thunder - all the bikes come together in the Pentagon parking lot and run to the Wall. The term comes from the Vietnam War and is descriptive of one of the sounds of war and power. When 400,000 motorcycles start their engines, you can hear them for blocks. At 0530 I'm up and ready to go. Off to the Pentagon and find that the lot all ready has a few thousand bikes staged. I take my bike to the "VIP Escort" area as I have the privilege of having a Gold Star Mom riding on my back seat. Their are a hundred or so of us and their are a couple of "deuce and halfs" for the GSMom's/Dad's that don't have helmets. Their is zero shortage for scoots, just a shortage of the required helmets. No shortage of GSM/D''s, unfortunately. We spend the next couple of hours talking to friends from different groups, listen to the scoot noises and basically relax. At 1100, a bus pulls into the far end and off step the Gold Star Mom's/Dad's. The riders sitting on a grassy hillside near the bus stand and applaud. As the GSM/D's start walking thru the assembled bikes, row after row of rider's stand, come forward and form a corridor that the GSM's/D's walk thru. And we cheer and salute as row after row comes to attention to recognize these brave people and the sacrifice they live with.

At 1145 the last of the bikes are staged. It started at about 0430 - over 6 hours. At 1155 a lone B52 does a low fly over and then at 1200, we roll. Many of the participants are Vietnam Vets, but everyone is there for the vets. Being in the Gold Star contingent, I'm out of the lot by about 1208, and passing a Marine SSgt standing at attention, presenting arms. (He had his orders to deploy delayed so that he could be there to render this honor) And he will hold that until the last bike passes. The ride goes a pretty good distance in a large circle - I'd say about 3 miles. 3 miles of 3 or 4 deep people waving, cheering, saluting, holding the signs, being very respectful. One of the largest turnouts I've ever seen. Wanting to high 5, touch, thank, salute - it is a great day for vets of all time. We stage at about 1245 (took that long to go around) and walk over to the Wall (I needed to get a couple of rubbings). We walk over to Thunder Alley, and watch the last bikes come thru to final staging - about 1545. And the Marine SSgt can order arms. An amazing site.

As we drove in the parade, we passed thousands of bikes that elected to sit and watch rather than do Rolling Thunder. THOUSANDS. I have no idea how many veterans were here nor do I know the final count on bikes in and/or around DC and/or the Pentagon.

Doug

RFTW 5/24 & 25 & 26 (Final Post for 2008)

This is the last blog for this year.

Three days, again, as the last two days - blur. 24th - up at 0415 and staging bikes. This is the last day on the road so you can feel a lightening up of the tension. Its about a 260 mile run (3 legs) but not much going on than moving. In Tom's Brook we meet up with the Southern Route group and head off for Arlington. The Advance Group, after getting everyone moving, zips off to Arlington and the staging area. Pulling into Arlington we're greeted by much of the Southern Route Riders, the support crews, and many of the locals. We actually pull into a parking lot across from the host hotel, stage and then in small groups, zip across. Kick stands down, relax, check into hotels and then a half dozen different activities for people. My oldest daughter joins me (along with her husband and my youngest grandson) and we go the Sunset Parade at Marine Barracks. The next morning - one group to Arlington for the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier - we are the only group allowed into Arlington Cemetery on our bikes. Another group down to Marine Museum at Quantico. And another group - etc. There are so many things for us to do you have zero down time, thankfully. Trip to the Wall is not pretty - 100,000 + visitors makes it difficult but we do our End of Mission - leave our POW flag (we brought it all the way!). Evening dinner at a local church.

Sunday Morning - up at 4, stage ALL bikes. 6:30 - launch to the Pentagon for the 21st Annual Rolling Thunder. I stayed behind as I had some obligations but made it to the Mall at 1200 and The WAllwatched 3 hours of bikes coming by - 400,000 plus motorcycles (latest count). Very impressive and has to be seen live.The Mission is over for this year. The RFTW is an amazing event - well organized - well executed. As a new Road Guard I made a few mistakes. Hopefully I'll be invited back to do next years. What a bunch of people. The leadership has their acts wired. The Run people can not be beat. And the rest of the people - sacrificing their time, money, and emotion - its a huge family that jells perfectly. And, they carry a message that is vitally important!! Its been my honor and pleasure to ride with this group and the staff, all of which are great individuals. A very well trained group that hopefully I will be able to mimic. I hope you all have got something out of my daily postings. Next year, join me on the run.

In closing - tonight I went by The Wall, after dark. Still pretty busy, lots of people, including some kids not being respectful - I talked to a Ranger and they were asked to leave. A woman asked me to pose with her little girl in front of the Wall. I visited the 3 service men statue - on watch and looking to the Wall for their comrades in arms. The Three Nurses Memorial was covered with flowers. I left the two packets (for two different Marines) at their panel's. I saluted. And I visited. I listened, I heard, I saw. In an earlier blog I misquoted something - "Never again will one generation of veteran's abandon another". Not in my lifetime. On this Memorial Day, thank you my brothers and sisters, for your sacrifices. I will never forget.

The Mission Rules.