Run for the Wall - Pre-Trip

Today was our first full day spent with our Run for the Wall Family. It was a great day in Rancho Cucomonga, CA, not just because of the weather, but due to the fact we were able to catch up with so many of our family. Because we are scattered all over the United States, we do not always get to stay in touch with each other. At least once a year we have the opportunity to get together with most of our "family" and spend some quality time.

For those of you not familiar with Run for the Wall, it is an annual motorcycle event that starts in Los Angeles County and takes 10 days to get to Washington, D.C., ending at the Vietnam War Memorial ("The Wall"). People can join the group at specific stops along the way, so nobody is required to start in California and go all the way to Washington, D.C.. "Run for the Wall recognizes the sacrifices and contributions made by all veterans who have served our nation. Veterans of recent conflicts and those currently on active duty are especially welcome to join us as we ride for those who cannot."

The mission statement for Run for the Wall is as follows: "To promote healing among ALL veterans and their families and friends, to call for an accounting of all Prisoners of War and those Missing in Action (POW/MIA), to honor the memory of those Killed in Action (KIA) from all wars, and to support our military personnel all over the world." Run for the Wall strives to maintain a save, supportive and private atmosphere in which all participants can reflect and heal on their journey to the Vietnam Memorial in Washington, D.C. in the hope that they can return home to a new beginning.

I have been participating in Run for the Wall since 2005. At the time, I had been looking for something to do for my vacation, and was talking to a co-worker and good friend about possibly attending this event. As it turns out, he was a Vietnam Veteran and wanted me to go to the "Wall" to visit on behalf of some of those he had known and lost in the War. I chose to take the trip on behalf of my friend, who could not go. The first morning that I appeared to attend (I picked up the group in Phoenix, AZ), if it had not been for the wonderful people at registration, I would have been so overwhelmed, that I may have chickened out and found something else to do for vacation.

As it was, the people that registered me, made sure I knew where to go and who to look for. They made sure I was taken care of and assigned a place to stage my motorcycle in anticipation of leaving by 8 am. For someone who had never been in a motorcycle group of more than 50, it was scary being in a group of over 200. There were other new riders joining in Phoenix, there were people called Platoon Leaders who lead groups of us towards Washington, D.C.. There were also Road Guards who were essentially responsible for keeping us safe on the road and helping advise us on better riding techniques. Honestly, the Road Guards scared the daylights out of me. These people were seriously good riders, very intense and not afraid to tell you what you need to do to improve. They were never rude, or mean, and wanted to help. They just scared you when they would zoom up beside you (while you are riding down the road) to tell you that you need to straighten up. You end up wanting to ride like they do, and I worked very hard to make sure they had nothing bad to say about my riding.

After the first 100 miles, I started not being so tense, the death-grip on my handlebars started to lighten up and my heart started pumping at a more normal rate. After lunch (about 200 miles now) I really started getting into the swing of the ride. What was really impressive was the fuel stops. They had a system down that they could gas up over 200 motorcycles in less than 30 minutes. That is a sight to behold. Everything they did was on a schedule. There were people assigned specific tasks, people assigned to point us all in the direction we were supposed to go, people to direct us to snacks, people making sure we drank enough water (especially important as we rode across the desert) and people just moving around making sure you were safe.

After I completed that trip in 2005, I knew that this was an event that I must attend every year. The friendships that were formed, seemed so much stronger than any other friendships that I have had in the past. In less than 10 days, I went knowing only 2 people on the Run, to now riding with over 400 of my closest friends. What is really fun is that every year since, I meed up with my first 200 of my closest friends, and then find several hundred more as the Run progresses to Washington, D.C..

If you ever have the opportunity to even do one leg of Run for the Wall, it would be an unforgettable experience. If you would like more information on Run for the Wall, their website is http://www.rftw.org/, or you can e-mail me at hawgwash1@yahoo.com. It is now time for me to get off the computer and get back to catching up with my "family".

Until tomorrow...