Wednesday, June 9, 2010

Pictures posted on Facebook of Run For The Wall in Corydon

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE LINK TO CORYDON INDIANA'S PICTURES

So many communities welcome Run For The Wall each day of the ride.  I've come up with some numbers.

There is 1 Run For The Wall.
There are 2 Routes, Central and Southern
Each Route has 3 chase vehicles that help with down bikes and riders
There are 4 extra days that RFTW participants are together - 2 in California for orientation/training and a mini reunion, and 2 in DC for the visit to the Wall and Rolling Thunder.
Each Route has 5 people in the Lead Element called the Missing Man Formation. 

|  | the first two bikes, Left leading, Route Coordinator Right - State Coordinator (changes each State)
|    this rider rides with a "missing man" to his right (this position changes each leg of the Run

|  | the Route Chaplain and Missing Man Coordinator ride these two spots


Each Route has 6 platoons made up of motorcycles, and one with motorcycles that pull trailers or trikes.
There are 7 Board of Directors for Run For The Wall, Inc.

After leaving California the Southern Route stops in 8 more states.

Once they leave California Central Route goes through 9 states. (see the map of both routes here)

The ride itself is 10 days.  We leave on a Wednesday and arrive on the Friday before Memorial Day weekend.

We registered 620 people in California for the 2010 Run.
Not all of them traveled all the way to DC with us.
Southern Route registerd an additional 700 + people and CR almost another 700 across country.

The Routes totaled over 90 stops for Fuel or to visit VA Hospitals, Veterans Memorials or Schools or to overnight in a community.  That's over 90 communities across America that HOST Run For The Wall.

Pretty impressive.  Can you tell we love what Run For The Wall does for Veterans with a TOTAL VOLUNTEER STAFF!!

Thank you America!!

Saturday, June 5, 2010

My Run For The Wall Mascot stayed at the Wall Friday Night

I'm listing the items that Sugarbear - my "mascot" for RFTW 2010 collected across country.



A flag pin in the shape of the USA Top Left Lapel
A RFTW 20th Anniversary POW, American Flag Pin (Bottom Left)
A 2003 (that was my first RFTW) HonorBound Motorcycle Ministry Pin (top right lapel)
A 2010 RFTW Pin (on the back by the miniature RFTW backpatch)
A 2010 Rancho Cucamonga, CA pin
Beads handed to us somewhere along the route signifying POW/MIA and American Flag colors
A Psalm 91 Scripture Dog Tag and a Cross Penny hanging with it.
 Still smiling after thousands of miles!!

It looks like my mascot is waving good bye.  The bear started out white, but rode on my motorcycle tank bag all the way across country, without a bath.  I see the reflection in the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall, it was emotional.  I have other pictures coming, my cell phone didn't do the greatest here.

Wednesday, June 2, 2010

Run for the Wall and the School at Rainelle, WV

Run for the Wall news article

I found this article from a local newspaper about our trek through Rainelle, WV.

The kids have grown up with us coming through their community.

A few years ago the 5th grade class wrote a book "Veterans Reign in Their Own Parade."

You can click on the link above to view the article.