Happy September Run for the Wall riders!! As we slip into the doldrums of late summer/early fall, I sincerely hope this finds you and yours doing well!
RFTW Mission Statement
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.
RFTW Philosophy
We strive to maintain a safe, supportive and private atmosphere in which all participants can reflect and heal on their journey to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington D.C. and the Middle East Conflicts Wall Memorial in Marseilles, Illinois in the hope they can return home to a new beginning.
In 2015, Ken “Wish” Hargrove included the following in a newsletter update. It speaks volumes, and is as appropriate today as it was then:
“We Ride for Those Who Can’t”— Six simple words with a very deep and wide meaning. You first-timers, or “FNG’s” as you are known, should be prepared to laugh, to cry, to have your breath taken away and to be humbled.
“We Ride for Those Who Can’t”— We ride for the veteran or family member who is unable to make the ride themself, When doing so we are responsible for carrying their need for healing cross-country to The Wall or from Wall to Wall.
“We Ride for Those Who Can’t”— We ride for our fellow riders who are in need of healing and in need of support as they are welcomed home, many for the first time ever.
“We Ride for Those Who Can’t”— We ride to bring awareness of the POW/MIA issues and the thousands of our brethren who have yet to be brought back home and to shine a light on the government’s lack of attention to this solemn commitment to leave no one behind.
“We Ride for Those Who Can’t”— We ride out of respect and support for our current serving military who are in harm’s way and who are at the beck and call of our nation’s needs.
Remember – There remain 1575 still missing which means more than 1575 families who are still looking for answers…Say Their Names – Tell Their Stories – Never Forget
Ann and I, along with many others, attended the Angel Fire reunion and as always, it was a memorable event. 138 RFTW riders and friends from all four routes came together to perform maintenance and lay 537 remembrance bricks at one of the most moving monuments in the country. We said each of their names, their stories were shared. We collectively helped ensure they will not be forgotten. I know many of our riders attend similar events at other locations. If you weren’t able to attend the Angel Fire reunion this year, perhaps you can attend the upcoming event in Kerrville, TX, another great event.
With that in mind, I would like to remind folks that we receive many positive comments about the regional/state lunch or dinner get togethers. These have proven to be a great way to keep the spirit alive and get the word out; some even take practice formation rides post lunch just to keep the skill set active. If you are considering hosting one of these events, we heartily encourage doing so. Just because it isn’t May doesn’t mean we can’t keep the message alive. And if you need assistance in contacting RFTW riders in your area, please send an email to Risk.Management@rftw.us and Lance can assist in providing names and email addresses to support your efforts. Please note that we do NOT and will NOT release registration information other than names and email addresses for those in your area. Once released, that information may be used only to support RFTW focused events.
If you have been to our website recently, you’ll notice that we now have recurring donations in addition to one-time donations. Donations from our website go to RFTW or to a route, and may not be directed to a team or segment of a route, nor used to purchase pre-paid fuel. The donation links are intended to provide you a convenient direct method of donating to RFTW or your favorite route.
As our registration director was drilling down into the 2024 registration, we again found a significant number of people who were no-shows. As may occur life sometimes interferes with our best plans. If after registering, you find that you will be unable to participate, the donation of your fees will be very much appreciated. But there were several responses to the survey sent out that indicated that someone registered simply to “donate” their registration fee to the Run. While we certainly appreciate them, we really need dedicated donations to be made through the donations portal. Our State Coordinators rely on registration numbers in their planning processes, and no-shows can become quite costly to those who are so generously donating food. If it looks like you will not be able to make the run, please send an email to Risk.Management@rftw.us. Lance can then adjust the route numbers, and we can have a more accurate count for planning purposes.
Registration will open on September 11th. Merchandise is working on some “bundle” packages, and our Run 2025 shirt will be available. Remember early registration saves you money.
As much as I hate to be the bearer of not so good news, I need to inform you that our registration fees are going to increase this year by $15. Coast to coast Early Bird registration starting on September 11th is now set at $60 per person (for a complete list of registration fees, click here). Our insurance costs went up nearly 40% this year; we are trying to advertise more on social media to attract new riders, and we are working to keep our merchandise up to date; but rising costs impact nearly every facet of the Run. Considering what a registered RFTW rider receives on a Coast-to-Coast route this amounts to only $6 per day. When compared with other cross-country rides, RFTW registration is thousands of dollars cheaper. We have to respond to these rising costs as we cannot continue to lose money. Keeping RFTW alive and financially solvent since COVID has been and continues to be an uphill battle.
Eric Fort, our Midway RC for 2025, has set up a fund-raising event called A Step to Remember. You can support Eric’s efforts through this Facebook event. I invite you to look at this event and consider contributing to this superhuman effort. This is truly personal for Eric, and that he is contributing to RFTW in remembrance is very special.
New DC Landing
View on Google Maps. In case you have not yet heard, we will be landing at new host hotels in D.C. in 2025. We simply cannot depend on the availability of the former host hotel any longer, and to be quite honest, I, along with many others, was disappointed in the condition of the hotel and the service and menu selections in the dining room. The other three hotels in Arlington were willing to pick up the slack, but room/parking costs and the lack of a place to “land” drove our decision to move. The new hotels, located in Springfield, VA, are very near an American Legion that is within walking distance. Getting onto the interstate to travel to the Mall and ANC is very easy. The AL post is already opening their doors to us, much like the Elks do in Ontario. They plan on serving meals, etc., even to the folks leaving for Sandbox on Sunday. Room rates will follow soon. Here is a link to Google maps showing the location of our DC landing area:
As discussed in my August newsletter, the Board, in concert with our 2025 RCs, found the need to clarify some operational procedures and instructions. We need our riders to understand that first and foremost, RFTW is a MOTORCYCLE event. While cages and Slingshot-type vehicles are welcome, they CANNOT ride as part of the pack or as part of a team. Similarly, if you are a team lead, you must be on a motorcycle riding with and leading that team. If you are in a cage or Slingshot-type vehicle in support of a team, you CANNOT ride with that team; you MUST ride either well-ahead or behind the team. Our RCs will be enforcing these practices as cages and other non-motorcycle vehicles have been observed on multiple routes riding far too close to our motorcycle groups. Doing so is an unsafe practice that is simply not acceptable.
Like the proliferation of cages and non-motorcycle vehicles, dogs seemed to be a bit problematic in 2024. Between unleashed pets bothering people who were trying to eat and owners not cleaning up after their dogs, we have received multiple complaints. Why some folks think it is okay to let their dogs run loose around a large group of people is beyond me. As such, all dogs must always be kept on a leash and under the direct control of the pet owner. No exceptions. Please keep your pets on a leash and under control.
Finally, I hope you have received word that the RFTW forums are again open and ready for you to use. We encourage you to use this community as threads are much easier to follow. If you have not yet taken a look at the new forums, please do so.
I leave you with this: It is not the worst thing to die in war, it is not the worst thing to be missing in war. The worst thing is to be forgotten in War.
No one left behind is more than a standard we all live up to. It is a way of life. It is part of our Mission. If you or someone you know find themselves struggling with their mental health, please know you can contact the VA Veteran’s Crisis Line by dialing 988 then press 1 or text 838255 and speak or chat with a qualified responder.
Let us dedicate ourselves and our efforts and remember to keep our focus on the Mission. It is why we ride!
Say Their Names – Tell Their Stories – Never Forget.
Back to Basics. Back to the RFTW Mission.
Is it May yet?
John “Turkey” Staub
