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 - Days 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 (Doug)

Day 5 - Weatherford, Tx to Monroe, La, 4 stops, 350 miles.

Another great day for the Mission - we've grown some but I'm not sure to what numbers. You can join/register every nite when we stop and for a short period of time in the AM. We always welcome the FNG's has its what keeps us going as an event. More bikes but not really any new style paint jobs.

The Road Guards I'm having the pleasure of riding with are great. Friendly, competent to the max, knowledgeable. Great bunch.

Church service - non denominational (like 'Nam and most conflicts) and then on the road at 0800 (for Spike, who I understand just had a birthday, the big hand is straight up and the little hand.......... never mind). Breakfast was on our own which means I had my coffee and some oranges. Or, I ate at the hotel as it would have been free. We got free gas this AM (RG's only) so another little savings!! First destination is Terrell on I -20. And of course, as we drive, people on the over passes and along the sides of the road. In Terrell we get greeted by about a hundred, gas up, pee stop, water, and we're gone!!! Off to Longview - and we're flying. Heading for lunch and a longer break. I'm wearing summer riding clothes but its still comfortable and I don't have to worry about rain as much. In Longview we're fed lunch by the local VFW. Most meals are BBQ oriented, but they're free. And plenty

of liquids, oranges and bananas. We had an hour some a few got to cat nap, but then swoopin' time is here! And we're off to Minden for a quick gas stop before moving on to Monroe (our nite stop). Yet again, people waving us on. More flyovers from the local Guard (I assume). More and more dedicated Americans. A fairly quick day because of the distance we need to cover although we did have two smaller ceremonies. And everyone is so sincere about it.

Day 6 - Monroe to Meridian, 3 stops, 208 miles.

Ceremony in downtown Monroe. Welcome us and pray for the fallen and MIA. Everyone understands the Mission. I think I forgot to mention that most of Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi we have State Trooper escort. No stopping for lites, stop signs - nothing so we are making excellent time. Lunch in Jackson is provided by a Harley Davidson Dealership situated near a Memorial. And the kids again do the lunch and show us thru the Trail of Honor. Again with a lot of emotion for us. Afterwards, off to Meridian. This was is something else. Almost all the way we have one or two aircraft flying around us. Helicopters hovering or fixed wing making flyovers and doing it all very dramatically. Overpasses filled to over filled. People in larger numbers sporadically along the sides. When we crest a small rise and start across a fairly large bridge, we are given the heads up to two rotary wing aircraft hovering at the other end - very close to the ground. The prop wash beats us pretty good but boy does it bring back the memories. Two choppers - one slick for medevac, one Cobra armed to the teeth. Not happy memories, just memories. Then thru the downtown area, a few dozen turns and we're at the dinner/nite stop. Visit with the patients at the VA. More food. More people thanking us, more ceremonies, more prayers. More everything. More emotions. Kids all over the place wanting to touch us, talk to us, have their picture taken with us. Be a part of this. Great kids and awe inspiring.End of Day. The Mission Rules!!

Day 7, Meridian to Chattanooga, 298 miles, 3 stops.

When ever we have a day with about 300 miles things have to move quickly. The average speed so far is about 54. That's actually quite fast but when you're moving this many vehicles it makes a long day. Breakfast at the "AG" Pavilion and then we're gone. We're up to about 450 scoots. Along the way - more people on the bridges cheering and saluting. Its almost the norm. We visit a VA hospital (about our 4th) and they feed us. Good healthy food which actually tasted good. Not to mention, yet again, free. We spend some time talking to the patients - always bitter sweet - we know they wait for this day to come and it makes me wonder where all there families are - but they seem to enjoy our coming and visiting.and then we're off to Chattanooga. In Chattanooga we're welcomed by a pretty good crowd. And then we eat although I have no idea who supplied the food. BBQ, pulled pork, etc is getting old but its free. We say goodnite to our hosts after the ceremonies and head for our hotels.

Day 8, Chattanooga to Wytheville, 276 miles 4 stops.

Departing Chattanooga we stop to lay a wreath at the Confederate Cemetery. Quite impressive. We stop in Knoxville for Crispy Creme - I have no idea who paid, but it wasn't us. My brother in law came down but I was only there for a few minutes. Its a truck stop so its BUSY and we spend some time just dodging trucks. Same thing the RG's do on the freeway. More pushing and cruising. The highways are a lot narrower here so we need to very careful. Its getting more difficult to move the pack and we've grown some. Lunch in Bristol at another Harley Dealer. Then we pick up a Police Escort into Wytheville Memorial Park. We are greeted there by the middle school and they show us around the Memorial and the trucks with unbelievable paint jobs - all honoring the fallen. Off to the Moose Lodge for a steak (STEAK) dinner.In the morning the kids serve us breakfast in the cafeteria and afterwards put on a patriotic show for us. Every kid is smiling and telling there stories. Just wonderful. And very teary eyed.

Day 9, Wytheville to Roanoke, 125 miles, 1 stop.

There is a reason for this very short mileage day. We're headed for the Montvale School for a wreath laying and some stuff from the school. A huge welcome for us. The kids take us inside for lunch and to see that they have hung posters with each of our names on them - we need to sign them and then at the end of day, they take the posters down and put them in their archives. Then the kids put on a show involving some cute skits, military hymns, and singing. You have to be there to appreciate this. The kids are happy and smiling and having a great time with the songs they are singing. It would be wonderful if our politicians could come from this part on the country. America to the max. After the ceremony we get a group shot of the 34 of us RG's and then get everyone ready for the trip to the D Day Memorial. BTW, we are up to 625 scoots and of course we're on the narrowest of roads.

Even with the Virginia State troopers its difficult to move. We're playing bump and run but trying to get back up to the front is difficult. The National D Day memorial is huge and beautiful. There is a wall depicting the Rangers trying to scale to attack the Germans but they're taking a beating. There is a large water area depicting the beach front with a dead soldier on the beach and another struggling thru the water. There is a water system that "shoots" air thru the water making it look and sound similar an actual assault. Very good. At the hotel now. Dinner was on our own.

Tomorrow is the last day of the trip - we get in to DC at about 1:30 which means shower time before CMC House.

The closing of the Mission and my thoughts in a couple of days.

Never forget.

The Mission Rules.

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.

RFTW 20/21/22/23

Greetings - my mind is very dead right now. EMOTIONS, EMOTIONS - not to mention the driving. I'm lumping four days together here because that's how it is in my mind right now!!

Driving - as a Road Guard we see a lot of things people in the pack don't. But at a price. Our day starts at least an hour before anyone in the pack. We get up and out, coffee, and then set up our Road Guards all along their route to the staging area. At the staging area, the staging crew takes over. In theory, we relive each other for coffee, food, head calls, etc - probably the only time of the whole day where that almost works. Then we get divided into two groups - the regular Road Guards that travel with the pack primarily insuring security, continuity, cohesiveness, etc. And the Advance Group - they go out ahead and set up the road/intersection blocks, provide direction at crucial road junctions, and set up at the new area. Both groups spend a lot of time going back & forth or in and out. We probably due 150% more miles and I KNOW we burn up more gas then the pack. We also burn up the roads. Of course, we always hit the speed limit - while accelerating and decelerating. There is no truth to the rumor that I was driving frequently at 114mph. We try to encourage the riders, we compliment the good ones, and give direction to others, all the time remembering that both they and we are here voluntarily.

We see every movement and event thru a different set of eyes. After doing a Road Block where I saw all the participants come by, I then mount up and carefully, following the posted speed - give or take 40 MPH, I go from the tail end to the lead unit - flanking the pack, running in the open lane (or opening the lane), Following other cars, etc. Passing 300 motorcycles doing the limit, smoothly to boot, gives you some very warm fuzzies. Impressive to see that amount of bikes performing, in essence, a ballet. NOT easy for people that have never ridden together to have the confidence in themselves or the other drivers, but everyone learns.

I have to lump these four days together - they're a blur in my mind and anything I saw or felt is not dependent on which city. I will finish this page with bullet type comments -
kids on street corners, overpasses open fields, in their Mom or Dad's arm, held by their hand, leaning out windows - all with parents, grand parents friends and neighbors - all cheering, waving, holding signs, flags and OUR hearts. All saying thank you.

Young Marine Sgt that comes to welcome us and say thank you - just finished his fourth tour in Iraq and is visiting his Dad. We all shook hands - and - Dad had brain surgery and will be gone in 3 months - Welcome Home.

Kids in day care centers waving and cheering. I always want to stop and tell them thanks.

Kids in two towns wanting shine our machines for us.

Bartender down stairs that gives a free round to every Rider!

Free gas in Hurricane for the Road Guards.

Governor greets us in Kentucky.

Free breakfast lunch and diner in every city.

POW/MIA displays in every city.

Beautiful motorcycles.

Got to go - I'm dead.

Doug

RUN FOR THE WALL XX

I found this video & knew it needed to be shared. Tissue advisory!!

RUN FOR THE WALL-5/19/08

Up at 5:15 - I slept in. Over to the staging area in front of the hotel. Cup of coffee times 4 or 5, then flag detail - in this case, waving a flag to show the riders where to stage their bikes for todays Mission. Then some coffee. Couple of oranges. At 0615, a special detail of about 45 bikes (and including me) take off for the Topeka VA. Its about an hour and we'll only spend about 45 minutes with the staff and patients - but its enjoyable all the way around. The patients cover most of the Wars and vary from relatively injured to severely injured. And a pretty good range of ages. And a few riders will go into the lock down wards to spend a few minutes with the less fortunate.

Getting to the VA we had to cover a half dozen intersections one of which was a real pain - main artery. But, we did stop all the traffic and even those people waved and cheered for us. Or with us!! When we leave, we will catch up with our main body and zip thru a toll booth paid for by the townspeople. On the freeway we have a mishap - someone had not secured their hat and off it flies. The two bikes in front of me saw the hat (weren't aware what it was) and did a combination of swerving and locking their brakes. The bike in front of me went down with the driver and passenger. After a trip to the hospital, they both went home with some abrasions and one destroyed helmet.

The rest of the day was traveling to our over nite - Wentzville - where they had a few hundred people to greet us and really really good food. Roast beef, mashed potato's, and al the rest of the trimmings. They have camping at the site, but with the rain and everything, very few decided to take advantage of it. Dozens of intersections with the (what's become) the normal amount of people waving flags, waving their arms, cheering, etc. And kids all over the place, again and again. NO negatives, all positives. Overpasses full of people with flags, constantly. Again, also, in the middle of no where, in towns, everywhere. And they all thank us for doing the Mission, and look for nothing in return.

Falling asleep - take care!!

The Mission Rules,
Doug