Author: Lance Wheeler

Greetings from beautiful Colorado Springs, CO

IS IT MAY YET?

Almost! We are less than 47 days away from KSU for the Midway departure from Ontario on May 13. I hope that everyone has prepared: Bike, self, family, etc.

There are so many things to do to prepare for a mission like ours. Mental preparation for the long days and short nights, the emotional experiences, the focus and attention needed. Physical preparation for the body to cope with demands we place on it along with hydration, nutrition, exercise, medications. Notifying family and friends of our plans, locations of hotels, contact names and phone numbers, medical power of attorney, and others.

Two things we can all do to prepare ourselves and increase safety – Core strength and skills. Have you started, or continued, to work on these?

Physical fitness is important for safe riding and one of the most overlooked, but the most important aspects of physical fitness is core strength. Riding long days, several days on end, demands a lot from our body. We sit in the same position for hours and days, focused on the road ahead, those beside us, traffic, speeds, etc. What keeps your body upright? Your Core.

The core is the group of trunk and hip muscles that surround the spine, abdominal viscera and hip. Core muscles are essential for proper load balance within the spine, pelvis, and kinetic chain. They spare the spine from excessive load and are essential for load transfer between the upper and lower body. The core is comprised of two areas.

1. Core Trunk Muscles: Abdominals; thoracolumbar; lumbar and lateral thoraco-lumbar muscles
2. Core Hip Muscles: Hip flexors, extensors, abductors, adductors and rotators.

Without these muscles being properly conditioned, strengthened, and toned, the rest of the body takes the stress, particularly the back. Most riders complain of back pain after long hours in the saddle, often blaming it on degenerative discs, previous back injuries, surgeries, weight, etc. All of these can certainly increase discomfort, and we all search for solutions to reduce the discomfort and pain like backrests, belts, coats rolled up behind the hips and lower backs, ibuprofen, acetaminophen. In reality, the core muscles are likely weak, putting pressure on the tiny muscles of the back and asking them to support the upper body, which they were never designed to do.

Start now and work every day for 10-15 minutes on your core. There are literally hundreds of exercises available online and from physical therapy, occupational therapy, physicians and other medical professionals. You don’t need to go to the gym, lift heavy weights, or run a marathon. You can do many of them sitting at a desk, standing at work or home, while washing dishes, even while laying in bed. Add some stretching to your routine as well, particularly the hamstrings. Physical Therapists estimate that as much of 70% of recurrent back pain can be eliminated by simply improving hamstring flexibility and core strength. Any athlete will tell you that the base for their fitness is core strength. Without it, all the training and weightlifting in the world won’t help them achieve the next level of greatness.

Your skills behind the handlebars improve as well with a strong core. When you need to maneuver, stop suddenly, avoid an object, lean into a corner at speed, and even balance your bike while stopped, you’ll need the skills to do so and the core strength to support the actions. Have you dusted off your skills? Have you been practicing in parking lots, on the road, or other areas? Are you ready? Skills are perishable and we can all do more to keep those skills sharp.

We are pleased to announce yet another opportunity to sharpen your skills. On Monday, May 12^th, Bernadette Staples and I will be coordinating some practice sessions in Lot D, Ontario. We will have various patterns established with cones for you to knock the rust off and show yourself what you’re capable of. There will be some coaches available to give feedback and pointers to help you improve as well.

We will have two sessions available:

• 9AM – noon
• 2PM – 5PM

Since this is not structured, please come as you have time, for as little, or as long as you wish. It is not necessary to sign up, just show up when you have time after getting checked in at registration. Everyone is welcome. This isn’t for one group or skill set, this is for everyone. Last year we had a lot of fun, some laughs, some team building and some improvement. We had riders who had never navigated a cone, some who teach rider skills, and even one who races professionally. We all have room for improvement, and we can all benefit from being more skilled, safer riders.

Please consider joining us on Monday for some practice. If there are specific things you’d like to work on, let us know and we’ll facilitate that and help you improve. We can all ride, now lets all ride with skill!

I’m excited to see all of you in May!

Sincerely,

Lance ‘Batman’ Wheeler
Run For the Wall
Director of Risk Management
e:  risk.management@rftw.us

Together We Ride!

Volunteer Waiver Facts

This message is intended for all Run For The Wall Volunteers (those in leadership positions) on all routes.

Recently, there have been many rumors and innuendo regarding the waivers required for all volunteers positions on the Run this year. These rumors are damaging and are are causing problems with no basis. I want to address those and provide everyone with the facts.

The insurance market has become extremely challenging in all lines of business. Some areas are more challenging than others, with motorsports being near the top of that list. Run For The Wall falls into the motorsports category. When we secured the insurance policy for the 2025 Run For The Wall event, the insurance carrier required that anyone in a volunteer position complete an additional waiver of liability. The waiver that we are all being asked to sign is the same waiver all riders sign when they register. Word for word, it is the same waiver language, the only difference is this waiver identifies the person signing as a volunteer, not simply a participant. Our insurance carrier wants to have a separate set of waivers for those who are not just participants, and this includes every member of the Board Of Directors. This waiver has been required of all participants when registering for years.

Understand that this is a non-negotiable stipulation of our insurance policy and without it, not a single kickstand can be raised in support of our mission.

I have received multiple emails and calls regarding legal liability and responsibility. Please know that I have been in constant communication with our broker. My profession is Risk Management in the insurance industry and I work in this space daily and have a comprehensive understanding of the requirements and liability. This waiver does not place any leader or volunteer in a position that would make her or him liable for an incident. Our General Liability policy does not apply to activities on the road, i.e. underway. The General Liability policy is to cover the facilities and places we visit on all routes, in the case our activities at a school gym or museum, for instance, would cause damage to the facility. As it relates to the Run, a rider’s personal insurance is the policy covering any incident. This includes staging, moving down the interstate, in towns, basically any time wheels are turning during the organized event. This is the reason we require all riders to provide insurance that is verified at check in.

As a Risk Management professional, a board member and someone acting in a leadership position on the Run, I have signed the waiver again. I ask that everyone else do the same so we can make this anniversary Run the event it has the potential to be. As a volunteer you certainly have the right not to complete the waiver, but understand that if you choose not to, you must surrender your leadership position. In this case you are still free to ride with RFTW as a participant.

Respectfully,

Lance Wheeler – Batman
Director of Risk Management
risk.management@rftw.us

Hello RFTW Family!

Many of you may have received an email from Docusign with an attachment to sign. If you are a volunteer, in any position, on any route, you will receive this attachment for your signature. This is a requirement of our insurance carrier for the 2025 policy.

This is not spam and the link/associated attachment is not a phishing email or malicious link.

Please open the attachment and Docusign will indicate where your signature belongs. Once completed, I will receive a confirmation email with your signed attachment. I will collect these and provide them to the insurance carrier to comply with their requirements.

If you did not sign the attachment, or deleted the email, never fear, Docusign is set up to send reminders every 5 days until signed, so you will have another opportunity.

If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to me via email at risk.management@rftw.us

Lance ‘Batman’ Wheeler
Director of Risk Management/Registration

Greetings from beautiful Colorado Springs, CO

On February 1, 2025 registration fees will increase for regular participants and the Day Rider Registration will open. If you haven’t yet registered, take advantage of early bird pricing and register before the end of January. Registration numbers are used by State Coordinators and Route Coordinators to plan logistics of the Run and stops. The earlier we all register, the easier the planning is.

We are currently running about 13% behind registration numbers for the same time last year and in 2023 so please get the word out to everyone you know and encourage people to get signed up. One leg, one day, one week, ATW, the mission is the same.

The Day Rider program was implemented a couple of years ago due to excellent feedback from participants.  Knowing that the “Last Minute Moe” fee in effect after May 1^st might turn people away, we took that great feedback and turned it into a plan. The Day Rider program remains unchanged from last year and the requirements are explained here.

Day Rider Registration

A Day Rider will be defined as anyone who rides with or participates in RFTW activities, at or between up to three consecutive overnight stop locations on Central, Midway, or Southern Route or two consecutive locations on SandBox Route.  The ground rules are as follows:

• May be applied to any Motorcycle, 4 Wheel or Auto-cycle Participant.
• Maximum duration: Check-in on the evening of first location, participate through morning of the last location, but does not depart with the pack.
• The 3 (or less) overnight stop locations must be consecutive and on the same Route.
• The overnight stop location decides your Day Rider start and stop location, it does not matter if you spent the night there or not.
• Overnight stop locations include Ontario, Washington DC, and Marseilles
• Day Riders will be issued a special wrist band and ribbon to signify their participation.
• Day Riders will have full access for participation on all Route events during their registered period.
• The Day Rider Registration Fee will be equal to that of the Early Bird fee of the respective Route, i.e. $60 for Central/Midway/Southern & $20 for SandBox

Day Rider Registration Extension

If a Day Rider completes their registration period and decides to extend further down the road (yes, it has happened) the Route Check-in Teams will be prepared with a special in-person registration process that will allow the rider to apply their already paid Day Rider fee toward full registration.  After paying the difference in price to current full registration, they will be issued the regular wrist band and ribbon covering the rest of their journey.  This option may be exercised only during the Run.

How the Process Will Work

On 01 FEB 2025, when the fee structure shifts to “Regular Registration” pricing, there will also be a new selection on the registration pages for a Day Rider check box that will allow for the reduced fee as noted above.  To be eligible for Day Rider status, the registration MUST indicate a Ride-to location as either one of the next two overnight stop locations after the Sign-in location on the selected Route.  For example, on Midway route, a Day Rider may Sign-in at Albuquerque, NM and Ride-to Memphis, TX.  With that selection, they may check-in at Albuquerque (evening or the next morning) and ride with the pack Memphis, TX and even join in morning activities the next day – two full days of the Run.  If they would like to continue with the pack beyond Memphis, the Registration Extension option will allow them stay on the Run.  The Day Rider Registration Option will be available starting 01 FEB and will be in effect throughout the full execution of the Routes in May.

Don’t wait till May!

If you plan to register as a Day Rider or are coordinating a group of Day Riders, please get everyone registered as soon as possible.  It won’t make a difference in your cost, even if you register today, but it will help our State Coordinators with getting the best attendance info possible to our supporters along the Route.  Our awesome State Coordinators need your support! ALSO – if you registered before 01 FEB even for just 2 days on the road, you’ll have the option to extend past those 2 days on the Run at no additional charge, all part of the Early Bird deal!

Of Special Interest

I receive and personally review and answer every contact form directed to registration. I will work diligently to ensure the particulars of each registration are correct and help riders make changes when needed. Many of these forms have asked why the confirmation email was not received by the rider. Junk/spam filters in various email servers have caught many of these emails. For all the things technology is good for, there are also challenges. I’m happy to re-send confirmation emails when needed, and I encourage every registrant to check junk/spam folders in the 24 hours after registering if you have not seen the email come to your inbox.

The way forward

Like every organization, Run For The Wall has made adjustments for the changing environment in which we all live today.  Even so, your Board and Route Leadership keep the Mission at heart and keep those people who benefit from their efforts as their focus for all decisions and actions.  Your feedback and constructive suggestions are taken very seriously and will turn into course corrections whenever they reveal a path that better serves both Mission and People.  Every one of the Board and Route Leaders are also participants just like you, and they want to see our Run and its Mission continue long into the future.  Mutual respect and confidence that we will each perform our role in getting there is the fuel that will keep us all moving forward.

I’m excited to see all of you in May!

Sincerely,

Lance ‘Batman’ Wheeler
Run For the Wall
Director of Risk Management
e:  risk.management@rftw.us
Together We Ride!