Day 9 - Wytheville, VA to Lynchburg VA 130 miles

     Day 9 might be short on miles but it is long on precious experiences. The day began in Wytheville, VA.


The Students from Spiller Elementary came out and performed a little patriotic concert for the riders. I have posted a few videos of their performances on Facebook if you want to check them out, very touching.

The best part of the day was watching a few of the veterans meeting their pen pals for the first time. The school set up a pen pal program where a veteran was paired with a student and they wrote to each other all year.

Pictured above is Captain meeting his pen pal and below is Old School.














After leaving Spiller we traveled to Midvale Elementary school where we had a box lunch with the students. The students were so excited to have us visit. The Midvale students also put on a performance for us. I posted a few of the songs they performed on Facebook if you want to check them out.

We went on into Lynchburg where we had yummy pulled pork sandwiches at the Harley Davidson Shop. The Lynchburg shop has the largest collection of t-shirts of any shop I have been to. And I have been to A LOT of Harley shops.




Finally tonight, I'd like to give a shout out to the hydration team. They drive a truck and trailer at the back of the pack hauling, water, gatorade and snacks for the riders. It's a thankless job! I only know the name of one person on the hydration team. I am going to be sure to fix that tomorrow. Here are some photos of the hydration team at at work. Thanks guys, we'd be shriveled up leather without you.

Day 7 - We LOVE our Road Guards - Meridian MS to Chattanooga TN,

Some say Day 7 is one of the hardest days on the run. The ride into Chattanooga is challenging to say the least. There are many interstate changes, hot ramps and loads of traffic to deal with.  The road slopes and if the traffic stops on the slope it's hard to keep your bike upright. Many a bike has been dropped coming into Chattanooga.

Thanks to the ROAD GUARDS,  the group made it into the Thunder Creek - Harley Davidson without incident. So tonight we are doing a tribute to our beloved
ROAD GUARDS!

Road Guards wear yellow sleeves and red caps. They are responsible for getting us down the road. They block traffic, direct the riders and they probably ride double the mileage the rest of us ride. It is a difficult job and not easy to come by. I'll have to double check on the requirements. Feel free to comment if you know what the requirements are. It's not a job I aspire to.

Don't you just love the gloves?

Road Guards keep everyone safe, riders and spectators.




More great stuff to come tomorrow.

Day 2 - Phoenix, AZ to Las Cruces, NM

When you spend 6 hours alone on your bike you have a lot of time to think. I planned out all the things I was going to share with you about today. Then Santa Ed invited me to sit in while he was being interviewed for a documentary on Vietnam Veterans and Run for the Wall.  Totally changed what I was going to share.

I was invited because Santa Ed considers me the "Charlie Mike" of the mission. Charlie Mike stands for "Continue the Mission". I am not a veteran but because of my passion to care for and serve veterans and active service members the mission will continue. Santa Ed does not want, the Vietnam Memorial to turn into just another tourist attraction. He wants everyone to remember that every name on the wall was a person that could have had a life. But because they went to the war in Vietnam their life was cut short.  And the thousands that did come home from Vietnam were never the same.

We as a country, as a society, must never forget the sacrifices our service men and women make so we can live in peace!
That is why I ride. I ride for those that can't.

"The nation which forgets it's defenders will be itself forgotten"
Calvin Coolidge

I heard a very funny announcement over the radio today. "Watch out for cattle, New Mexico is free range country, cattle may be on the road". What the heck??? Did you know New Mexico has a free range policy? Yeah, me either.  From Deming to Las Cruces, free range. Your cattle can just wonder wherever they want.


Sleep well and remember when you say your prays tonight to pray for our service men and women and our veterans.

Preparing for Run For The Wall - 2016

Bags are packed, bikes have been checked and rechecked. Tomorrow morning we leave for Ontario. Monday and Tuesday there will be leadership meetings. Wednesday morning the riders briefing and send off begin at 7:00 am. Looking forward to seeing all our friends and RFTW family.

As in past years, I will blog every night to bring those of you at home along with us on the run. Through out the day I will post on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. You won't miss any of the happenings if you follow us on our social media sites.

FNG - BUTTONS

You may have noticed the FNG buttons on everyone vests. The FNG stands for "Fine new Guy or Gal" (shhhh, we all know the military version). The FNG buttons let everyone know that you are new to the RFTW family. Everyone is just a little more helpful, a little more informative when it is your first rodeo.

You may also have noticed that some people have an FNG button that is upside down. The custom is that once you have completed your first year and you make it to the Vietnam Memorial, a seasoned rider turns your FNG button upside down. Often times riders will ask a platoon leader or someone that they especially connected with to turn their button. Don and I were given the honor of turning some of our platoon members buttons this year.

Day 8 @ Tyner/Silverdale Confederate Cemetery

One of my favorite stops on the Run for the Wall- Southern Route is the Tyner/Silverdale Cemetery, located just behind the Thunder Creek Harley Davidson Dealership. This little cemetery has been neglected for years. The RFTW family donates money to help maintain and restore the cemetery.

A brief history of the cemetery: There are approximately 75 - 100 Confederate Soldiers buried at the Silverdale Cemetery. They are from General Bragg's army and they died in a nearby hospital. The names of some of the soldiers are a mystery. The cemetery continues to identify those buried in the cemetery but headstones can only be requested by family members.

General Braxton Bragg succeeded General P.G.T. Beauregard as commander of the Army of Mississippi shortly after the battle of Shiloh and on July 21, 1862 ordered 27,816 men to Chattanooga, TN in preparation for his famed Kentucky campaign. These med had been in camps in northern Mississippi where poor water, shallow wells, mosquitoes and dysentery had made many of these soldiers sick. Some were still recovering from wounds received at Shiloh. The number of troops sent to Chattanooga made it necessary for most of them to be located outside of town. Brigadier General J.M. Withers' division was placed at Tyner's Station on the railroad 10 miles from town. The men buried at Silverdale are from General Withers' division hospital. His division consisted of men from Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi and South Carolina. The hospital was housed in 100 tents.

This poor little cemetery is getting by on a wing and a prayer. RFTW has been instrumental in helping with what little maintenance it does get. While visiting we met Mike who is passionate about helping maintain the cemetery. He loads his lawn mower onto his truck and after work stops to mow the cemetery. His wife is not super happy about the time he spends away from the family or the money he spends on gas for the mower. I am not sure of the dollar amount RFTW donated this year but I am sure it will help with many projects to maintain and restore the cemetery.

I have purchased two of the cemetery patches. I hope there are more patches to purchase next year. Having a background in the funeral business and having a Confederate soldier from Georgia in my family makes this a very special place for me.

The history of the Cemetery comes from A Condensed History of the Cemetery as told by Jerry Wormsley for the Chattanooga Are Relic and Historical Association.

DAY 10 - ALL THE WAY

Day 10 dawned bright and beautiful. Tree of Life Ministries was our host for breakfast and the morning meeting. Many of the agencies and groups that supported us through Virginia were thanked. Jim Zellers, the Virginia State Coordinator did a great job arranging all the stops, food and gas, thanks Jim!

WE MADE IT ALL THE WAY! We pulled into Arlington with much fan fare. The midway route lined the curbs clapping and cheering us into the staging area. Such a bittersweet moment to have completed the mission. 10 days of being driven with one purpose, one goal and one target, Charlie Mike, Complete the Mission.

Pulling into Arlington, VA and the completion of the mission.

Tomorrow we will ride into Arlington National Cemetery and visit The Wall to pay our final respects.

Day 9 - Missing Man Formation

During each leg of the Run for the Wall there is a missing man formation. The missing man formation is two motorcycles in tandem (#1 is the route coordinator, left  and #2 the state coordinator  right) then the rider selected to ride as the missing man and two more motorcycles in tandem (#5 missing man chaplain and #6 missing man coordinator).  FNG's are encouraged to apply to ride a missing man formation. Flame the missing man coordinator then assigns the riders to a leg. I missed it last year as an FNG but sent in a request this year.

About a month ago I received an email from Flame telling me I would ride the missing man formation on the 9th day, second leg. she said it's only a short leg but it's a very special one. I didn't think anything about it with all the preparations for the run, until yesterday. Then I looked at the schedule and saw that it was indeed a short run (15 miles) but it was very special. Flame gave me the special experience of riding in the lead pack to Montvale Elementary School.

We left the Exxon Gas Stop with numerous Virginia State Police riding out front with their blue lights a blaze. It was beautiful! Something you can't see from the middle of the pack which is where I am as a tail gunner for the 4th Platoon. Then the road guards ride out with their lights a blinking and then the lead pack. Because the lead pack sets the pace there is no need to keep your eyes fixed on the bike in front of you. It was so refreshing not to worry about staying close to the bike in front of you and worrying they would slam on their breaks.

As we came around the corner and up to the top of the hill, there was Montvale Elementary School with all the children out front dressed in red white and blue and waving American Flags. The tears welled at the beautiful display of patriotism before my eyes.  I get very emotional over children and flags for all kinds of reasons. Flame gave me a wonderful gift that she had no way of knowing ahead of time(maybe she did). I took some great video of the kids singing, I'll post them later updates.

The next generation of patriots are being raised in Montvale, Virginia.

From the Elementary School we left amidst much flag waving and cheering. We rode 13 miles to the National D-Day Memorial. As the majestic smokey mountains came into view, my breathe caught at the beauty of the lush, green valley. Definitely a view I would not have seen in the middle of the pack. The rode wound around for a few beautiful miles and once again we came up upon a small rise and laid out before us was the National D-Day Memorial Park. It was gorgeous. I wish I could find the words to describe it for you.  This was one of the most amazing experiences in my life. Once again tears welled up in my eyes. We had to wind around quite a bit before we parked. What a treat to be in front of the pack to have such a panoramic view.

Once we parked I turned around to Flame and she was grinning at me. I got off my bike and went to give her a big hug. I gave her an inquisitive look, I did not understand how she could have known how meaningful both of those legs were to me. She just smiled and said, "when I saw on Facebook all of you posts about Remembrance Poppies, I knew this was the leg for you". Wow, was it ever!!! Thank you Flame, I will never forget today!!!  Maybe someday, I will share the what and why both of these legs were so meaningful to me. How Flame put it altogether is a mystery to me.

The National D-Day Memorial is one of the nicest memorials I have ever seen, and I have seen a lot. I suggest if you ever go to visit, find a docent to show you around, they have so much information and insight to share. Definitely adds to the experience.


So day 9 has come to an end and there is just one more day left.  What a bittersweet time. I am glad I won't be riding 80 MPH in the pouring rain another day. Sad it is over and the friends/family I have met will be scattered around the country until next year when we all come together again. I have learned so much, felt so much and experienced so much.  I have so many people to thank but tomorrow is a super early day. The alarm is going to go off at 4:30 AM so it's lights out, until tomorrow.

Day 8 - Donut Day

Another great day on the mission. We travelled from Chattanooga, TN to Wytheville, VA a total of 285 miles done in just four legs. It was a little dicey getting out of Chattanooga. The Platoons stayed tight but with a lot of rubber banding which is not fun for a tail gunner.

The day began with a wreath laying ceremony at the Silverdale Cemetery. I purchased a cemetery patch for the second year in a row. It was half the price of last year's patch :)

Here is a link to the cemetery's Facebook page if you would like to learn more. https://www.facebook.com/pages/Silverdale-Confederate-Cemetery/202558459780441

Once we rolled out of Thunder Creek Harley Davidson we rode 79 miles to the Knoxville Truck Stop. This is one of my favorite stops on the entire route. The community comes out to show their patriotism and support of Run for the Wall. I must admit though, it's the donuts. Dunkin Donuts hands out hundreds of FREE donuts to all the riders. I love them, I ate two.  No calories on vacation, right?

 Last story for tonight, this was shared with me by Gonzo, the one on the right with his friend Weasel. They were telling me about the coin Weasel is wearing around his neck. It is a coin that their buddy was wearing when he was killed in Afghanistan. The coin was returned to his mother who asked Gonzo to take it on Run for the Wall with him. Gonzo carried it half the way and then handed it off to Weasel who will carry it the remainder of the way to the Vietnam Memorial.
A great tribute to the fallen because,  at Run For the Wall
"We ride for Those who Can't"

Day 5 & 6 - A game changer

Sorry to skip a day of posting. Yesterday was a very, very emotional day. Let me give you a little recap.

I rode tail gunner the first two legs yesterday. I have decided I like the tail gunner position. Once I figured out the purpose and function of the tail gunner, I kind of like it. I am pretty good at maintaining a steady speed and not getting caught up in the speed up, slow down, hit the brakes pattern so many riders get into. Maintaining a steady speed helps the platoon behind you set a steady speed. It's a nice job, you get to interact with the riders, learn about them and learn their story. Why they are on the ride, if and when they served in Nam. What they hope to get out of RFTW, all good stuff.

The last two legs of the day Slacker had an errand to run so Old School asked me to ride as AAPL, Acting, Assistant Platoon Leader. I thought he was feeling sorry for me because he knew I had, had a rough day. I didn't know Slacker was gone. So anyway, rode two legs as AAPL. It's pretty easy to ride at the front of the pack, you only have one bike to watch and match speed with. It gave me time to think and ponder some things and events of the day.

Jump to the evening program at the Shriner's Hall in Monroe, LA. I was still pretty much a mess, I had been mentally working through my emotions during the evening program. There was a slide show of war pictures, funeral pictures and military pictures, some pretty graphic stuff. Then the POW MIA ceremony was performed by the Monroe High School ROTC. By this time I had worked out that I needed to get over my bad day because I wasn't on the Run for me, I was on the run to help the Vietnam Vets that needed my help to get to the Wall and to listen to them when they wanted to share an experience or their feelings. The saying, if you're feeling sad, go lose yourself in service and you'll forgot your own woes. By the time the program was over, I knew that's what I needed to do.

Everyone stood up to leave the hall, I turned around to file out and there sitting across a table from me was a Vietnam Vet with his elbows on his knees and his face buried in his hands crying. I pushed the tables aside and pulled him into my arms. He cried and cried on my shoulder as we stood there hugging. He said, "this is the first time in 45 years I have cried". He talked about the 50 caliber guns he used to fire or something about big guns, I admit I don't know anything about that stuff. I don't need to know, what I do know is that he was in pain and I was there to hug him, to love him and to help him heal.

Yesterday was a life changer for me. I have a much deeper understanding of PTSD and of the pain our veterans face upon their return from war. I love our military and veterans so for me to have a DEEPER understanding and appreciation is a pretty big deal. i understand so much more than I did when I came on the 2015 Run.

Sorry, this was just a bunch of words but I thought readers should know that amidst all the fun pictures and patriotic ceremonies the mission is what is important. To help heal ALL veterans, that is why we ride.

Day 4 - Mini Marines

Wow, another great day. We have been riding a day and a half and are still in Texas! What the heck?

Our first stop today was at the Permian Basin Vietnam Memorial. It is a beautiful place with very powerful visual displays that emotionally deliver a very hard punch to the Vietnam Veterans. Many shed a tear or two as memories came flooding back. I have provided a link to their website if you would like to pay a virtual visit.  http://www.veteransmemorial.us

At the basin the colors were presented by, I believe they are called Junior Marines, I call them Mini-Marines. Are they not the cutest things? I know, I know, Marines are not "cute" but these are!

I spoke with the youngest one's mother (Pictured here). His name is Rieker and he loves participating in the Junior Marines. He took his job as a member of the color guard very seriously, as you can see.

Also at the basin there is a Native American  that blesses the riders and all the bikes. 

I believe all of the gas today was donated, I can't remember giving the fuel team any money. All of the food is donated for all ten days. I will try to get a list of all the organizations that donate food and money for gas to post here to publicly thank them. 

I think I am getting the job of tail gunner down but every run it seems something comes up that I am not sure of. Old School (Platoon Leader) has got to be sick of my questions. He patiently answers them though. 

As we came into Colorado City today there was quite a bit of traffic. All the LA Riding paid off! Traffic is no big deal to this Southern California girl! 

Mileage today, 351 miles and yes we are STILL in Texas! Till tomorrow, God Speed and good night! 

Day 2 - Riding Sideways

I have never ridden a motorcycle sideways, didn't even know it was possible. Crossing the Arizona desert into New Mexico there was a strong wind warning. Hahaha, we found the wind and rode right through it. All the bikes were riding sideways trying to counter act the wind gusts that were trying to blow us over. Woohoo, what a ride!!!!

We have enjoyed catching up with friends we met last year, like Sergeant Major, out of Texas. He served 34 years as a Marine, three time purple heart recipient.  Picture below. I guess he is happy to see me too :)

Photo by Ron Stewart Photography, thanks Ron!

The police escorts are so helpful and make the trip across a state go so much smoother. New Mexico had six police escorts guiding us into Las Cruces. These six guys worked hard riding from one freeway on ramp to another, shutting it down until all the bikes passed and then riding ahead to block the next on ramp. They did this for roughly 100 miles. I think they have fun doing it as much as we enjoy watching them.

Funny thing, I am the tail gunner for fourth platoon. Every time a police bike would pass into my view, I would hear someone on the radio say 4. I finally figured out someone was stating that the police escorts were approaching the 4th platoon, roughly the middle of the pack. While riding I couldn't imagine that the police were transmitting on Channel 2, the channel we were using.  When we stopped for dinner I asked if it was them saying 4 every time they passed me. Sure enough, it was. I guess they didn't want to clutter up the airwaves saying 4 over and over on the police bands.  Pretty cute boys I think.

We traveled 398 miles today, serious wind, a little rain, a little wind storm and a nice cloud cover that kept things cool. I am so busy herding the platoon down the road I don't have too much time for visiting. Hopefully tomorrow I'll have a little more time for stories. Tomorrow, 345 miles, Las Cruces, NM to Odessa, TX

RFTW -2 days, check-in & Meetings

Hahaha, check out that outfit. This is what I will be wearing for the next 13 days.

We arrived at the host hotel in Ontario, checked in and attended the Platoon 4 leadership meeting. Super informative, and well run. I think Platoon 4 has the best Platoon Leader of any Platoon and am thankful I was assigned as tailgunner to "Old School" he was organized, gave clear instructions and expectations.

He shared with us his story, actually many stories. I will share them at some point but not tonight.

As a tail gunner I have a few jobs. Check the gear on every bike in our platoon, make sure nothing is going to fly off while on the road and to stay alert to road conditions, traffic and that the platoon is moving down the road without any issues. The tail gunners are also to  give the Platoon Leader a count of how many bikes are in the platoon every morning. Relay any messages from the front of the pack to the back. That's incase the CB radios can't transmit the distance, we might be spread out for a couple of miles.

Tonight I have to memorize ALL the hand signals, there WILL be a test in the morning. I also had to hook the orange sleeves onto my vest. I am not to leave my hotel room without the lovely orange hat and orange sleeves. (putting those on my vest was a bit of a challenge).

Well, off to bed, we have another meeting at 8:00 AM and at 9:00 AM.  Then we have to add the Platoon stickers, tail gunner stickers and registration tie to our bikes.

Lessons Learned from 500 Miles in the Saddle

Practice = Improvement

The whole purpose of practicing is to improve. As I reflected on the 500 miles we rode this weekend I formulated the things I learned that will be most beneficial for me in May when we begin the Run For The Wall. 

1. Loose clothing is NOT good when riding at 75+ miles per hour with a 20 knot head wind. I opted to wear a very nice 2014, long sleeve Run for The Wall, Men's medium shirt that I purchased last year. I thought the thick cotton would be little warmer and the long sleeves would protect me from the sun. A men's shirt is baggy on me and that made me a less than pleasant experience as my shirt kept blowing up under my arm pits. So cruising along at 75+ I was constantly pulling my shirt down and tucking it under my butt or between my legs. Grrrrr, very annoying. Next Time: wear a women's fitted shirt. 

2. Handy Gadgets to have and use: Cruise control is 'da bomb!!! Oh my gosh, I fell in love with cruise control. I haven't taken the new bike on the open road to utilize the cruise control until this weekend. I see why Don insisted I get a bike with cruise control. 

Push to release gas tank cover: Oh my gosh, this little button is a dream. No more fumbling for the key after pulling into the gas stop. Just push the button and the cover pops open. One less thing to think about in the chaos of the gas stops. 

3:  Custom Parts are worth it: The custom seat and extra reach handle bars Don installed were an excellent choice. The bike fits perfectly. The seat was comfortable, after 250 miles I felt great. 

Next week's practice runs will involve the new CBs Don is installing. I will also be putting on the tour back (thanks for the suggestion General's Driver) to see how the bike handles fully loaded. 

If any veteran Run for the Wall riders have any preparation suggestions, please leave a comment.  A special thank you to my wonderful Jack of all trades, husband, Don for insisting on outfitting me with the best. Love you honey. 

Photo Selection

I have been looking at "Run for the Wall" photos almost all day to the point that I am dizzy. It is so hard to choose which photos will make the cut and which will not. I thought I'd share a few nice ones I came across today.

A park Ranger makes a rubbing at the Vietnam Wall

Paying Respects at The Wall

Every time I visit a National Cemetery I am reminded of the price of freedom. 

One little muffin

One little muffin can represent so much. The good folks of Meridian, MS served the riders breakfast at the Lauderdale County Agricultural Center. It didn't seem to be a very affluent community but these good people baked hundreds and hundreds of muffins for us. It was extremely touching.  Such a simple, humble gesture showed how much these good people appreciate the sacrifices made by our veterans.

Lost in a sea of Harleys

No matter how hard I tried to triangulate our location, after every lunch break I would lose our black Harley amidst the hundreds of other black Harleys on the ride.  This picture shows perfectly how easy it was to become lost in the sea of Harleys. Before next year I need to devise a new system cause triangulation didn't work so well.

Day 1 - Rancho Cucamonga, CA to Phoenix, AZ

Today was beyond belief. I have cried, laughed, sweated, met new friends and heard some incredible stories. It has been a long day and tomorrow is going to be the same. I have so much to share. I will try to be brief so I can sleep and you won't be bored. 

Let's start with the tip-of-the-day: when the 10 minute horn blows you better have a full tank of gas and an empty bladder. Good stuff to know. 

Our first gas up was an experience, truly an organizational miracle, 200+ bikes gassed and back on the road in 30 minutes.  There are so many bikes and they pull in so close, it gets a little hairy. When we stopped in Blythe while waiting in line to get gas, I jumped off the bike ran into the mini-market bought two Diet Cokes and was back on the bike before Don was finished gassing up. So happy to get my diet coke fix. 

I think I'll finish today's blog post with a:

Today's Heroes Board

Meet Sam-he served 32 years in Vietnam and Desert Storm. Recipient of 4 Purple Hearts. Sam is super friendly and has been very kind to us. 

Meet Cory - he served 10 tours in Afghanistan before suffering a serious injury. Cory was brought to the dinner in Phoenix by his parents. What a sacrifice this family has made. 

We met so many heroes today and heard so many stories. I can't blog them all. I will have to save some of them for "Riding For The Wall - The Book". Hopefully it will be out this year. 

I am grateful to participate in this year's ride to the wall. I am humbled to see and hear the sacrifices made by so many so I can enjoy the wonderful blessing of living in this free country. Please share the two heroes I have posted here don't let their service be forgotten or go unnoticed. Until tomorrow!