Author: Ed "Wind Dog" Brundage

March is already here and that leaves us with 72 days until KSU. Most people are busy with their daily lives. Children, Grandchildren, work, friends which is just life in general and produces our greatest personal joys. You also need to focus on your needs to make this journey enjoyable and personally rewarding. Riding a motorcycle requires some intense preparation and planning.

Have you been getting in physical shape? Riding a motorcycle for 10 straight days will require at least a stretching regime to keep your legs from cramping. Please start walking with your spouse, or some light weights or stretching or something that will reduce any discomfort from being in the “seat” for hours at a time.

Is your bike ready for your trip to Ontario, then to DC and then home? My mechanic does what he calls a “Safety Check” where he changes oil (All three holes), checks the tires to ensure enough tread is available to get you across the country and home, all bike systems, brakes, pads, cables, system connectors, axles, bearings. My instructions to him are to look at this bike with a parent’s eye like you were going to give it to your son or daughter to make this journey.

Please go over it after you get it from the shop and ensure all bolts, hex screws and all other bike parts are tightened down. Anything falling from your bike must be delt with by everyone following you. That is your personal safety tip.

The final preparations are underway to make this adventure the most rewarding, healing journey you have experienced. Following the principle of “Servant Leadership” all team leaders are busily at work dotting all the I’s and crossing all the T’s ensuring a ride that holds no hidden surprises. No one likes “Murphys Law”.

The route itinerary is almost completed and should be available by the end of the month or shortly after. This will only be available to you in a digital format, but you will be able to download it to your phone, laptop, pad or print out a hard copy. This will tell you what the route will be doing from Day to Day, stops through each day, Fueling and staging locations, host hotel information, emergency telephone numbers for chase vehicles and medical needs, hand signals used by RFTW and any daily special instructions from your road guards.

The schedules for Ontario and Springfield, VA are in there final preparations and should be published shortly. These will provide you with additional information about required events like registration, required meetings, their locations and additional event opportunities. There will be rider training offered this year in Lot D by your professional Road Guard community if you would like just a little more practice before jumping on our country’s freeway system. More to follow in next month’s newsletter about these schedules.

For our FNG’s (Friendly New Guys/Gals)

I am personally excited about all the opportunities that are available for you this year. Missing Man formation rider, Flag escort, food line priorities (Maybe), Arlington National Cemetery (Tomb of the Unknown) and many others. The Board of Directors has acquired permission for 75 bikes to go to the Tomb for the ceremony. The Route Coordinators are currently discussing the number of bikes per route that will be assigned.

To my Vietnam Brothers and Sisters

Prepare yourself for a “welcome home” celebration from many individuals and organizations across the country. This will be a journey for you that I sincerely hope will help you bring closure to any issues you still may be suffering from in our war. I stand with and beside you daily in this healing journey. We have a dedicated Chaplain Corps available for you at any time.
Lastly, Get out on that motorcycle and ride. If the weather permits, try and get some longer rides in since we will be in seats between 430 to 250 miles per day. Once is not bad, however you will be riding for 10 days straight.

Stand by for more information to follow as we get closer to KSU!

“Is it May Yet”

Ed “Wind Dog” Brundage
2025-Midway Route Coordinator
2023-2024 Advance Team Lead
2013-2022 Fuel team, Asst Fuel team Lead
2008-2012 Central Route ATW

Let me introduce myself. My name is Ed Brundage and my road name is Wind Dog. I am honored to have been approved by the Board of Directors to be the Route Coordinator for the Midway route for 2025.

I am a retired Marine Infantrymen and served for 25 years in uniform. In addition, I had a second career in Law enforcement which was sidelined by a little bout of cancer. However, I am currently cancer free and fully retired.

This year is the year of the Vietnam Veteran so I thought I would share my experience as a combat Marine so that you may understand how healing the RFTW journey is for many veterans.

All veterans returning from Vietnam were wounded. If not physical wounds, they suffered from emotional and psychological ones etched into them by the horrors of war.

Like many of those returning veterans, upon my return I was not treated well by some of my fellow Americans. So to diminish the personal pain of that treatment I placed all of those memories of cherished relationships and hardship suffered together by fellow brothers in arms into a mental lockbox. This lockbox was only opened in the presence of fellow veterans who had liked experience.

Life moved on and I suffered in Silence until early in 2008 a very close veteran friend told me about Run for the Wall and its healing properties. I was extremely skeptical but as soon as I rode under that first freeway overpass filled with American patriots waving American flags I felt a pride in my country again I had not felt in years.

The meals shared at the many churches, Harley Dealers and others, the stops at the veterans’ homes, the children’s schools with all of them waving American flags and screaming USA and so much more.

The culmination of all three routes arriving in Washington is celebrated at the Apex of the Vietnam memorial to signify the end of the mission.

With the support of new brothers I had gained along the route, I was able to find the names of my lost brothers whose names were etched into that wall.

I finally was able to release the personal “survivors’ guilt” I had carried all those many years. In addition to the anger that I carried for the minority of Americans who had scarred me with their painful words and deeds.

The first line of the RFTW mission statement Is: To promote healing among all veterans and their family and friends. This ride does SO much more.

Since my first ride I have dedicated myself to supporting the Run for the Wall in any capacity I can to provide that same experience to all veterans and patriots.

Statistics show that too many veterans are taking their own lives at an alarming rate. If we can provide this healing journey and save the lives of some, I believe that is a win.
“Service before self”     “ Never forget”      “Say their names”

On a different matter, weather permitting, please start riding your bike, longer distances as you can, you will be riding 250 to 400 miles per day on the run and you need to be prepared Physically and mentally.

Please take advantage of the RFTW forum on the website. You will find it at the top of the page as a drop down under Connect. There are many discussions already posted there, and you can ask any question you wish. I have always had many responses from riders on all four routes who have learned many lessons on prior rides that may be very helpful.

To the many FNG’s (Friendly New Guys and Gals) Welcome to the Midway route. Your leadership and I are dedicated to the principle of “Servant Leadership”. We have been working diligently to ensure you can experience the same personal feelings they felt on their first and subsequent runs. The first words that come to mind about what you will experience are Healing, emotional, life changing and fulfilling.

You are part of the Midway family! 102 days to KSU (Kick Stands Up) for you new guys.

We Ride For Those Who Can’t.

Is it May YET?!

Ed “Wind Dog” Brundage
2025-Midway Route Coordinator
2023-2024 Advance Team Lead
2013-2022 Fuel team, Asst Fuel team Lead
2008-2012 Central Route ATW