Happy Easter! As I sit down to write this, we’re 44 days away from KSU. It’s getting closer… Can you feel it? If you sit back and close your eyes, can you hear it? Time seems to be moving faster, plans are being finalized, and hopefully, your hotel reservations are complete. Are you ready? Have you checked all your gear, updated your GMRS radio, and tested your headset? Is your bike ready – new tires, fresh oil, and all the nuts and bolts that tend to vibrate loose? Is your body prepared? Have you been exercising to handle longer riding days, weather changes, and altitude? Are you emotionally ready? Do you have a plan if your bike breaks down? Do you have clothing suitable for the weather you might face on your route? This is a mission, and for it to succeed, we all need to be prepared to do our part. Since before we finished the Run last year, our volunteer State Coordinators (SC) and others have been diligently working on the details for each route. It takes a coordinated effort of thousands to ensure the success of each route. I tip my hat to everyone who has worked so hard to prepare for Run 2026!

There are some updates to share. As you may have heard, RFTW and Am Vets have joined forces so that anyone registered as a rider for RFTW 2026 can receive priority staging for Rolling to Remember. Here are some important points to keep in mind: Rolling to Remember (RtR) is not an RFTW-sanctioned event. Participation is entirely voluntary. A group of riders familiar with DC traffic patterns will be traveling from the Springfield American Legion Post to the designated staging area for Rolling to Remember. Anyone who has previously taken part in this year’s Run for the Wall is welcome to ride with that group and stage in with the RFTW riders. RtR is separate from RFTW and should not be seen as an RFTW-sanctioned event. RFTW riders will need to display their ribbon on their left side, as always. It might also be helpful to keep your wristband on until after RtR, just in case. Am Vets requests that we arrive together, with no stragglers, please.

Staging for the RtR event will be at the AL post parking lot, starting at 0715 with a 0745 departure. Please do NOT enter the parking lot until SB has departed. We will likely divert ALL traffic from the AL parking lot after 0600 so SB can safely hold their mandatory all riders meeting. Important note for SB riders: you MUST be in place and attend the 0600 mandatory riders meeting.

Itineraries for both pre-Run Ontario events and Springfield and D.C. are now available on the RFTW website. Just navigate to your route and make the appropriate selection.

On Monday, May 11, from 0900-1100 and again from 1500-1700, Bernadette “Flat Tire” Staples and Lance “Batman” Wheeler, both certified instructors, will host a Riders Skills practice session at Lot D. We cannot accommodate everyone, but if you are an FNG or need to practice your slow riding skills—such as those needed when pulling into or leaving gas pumps, maneuvering around the staging area, hotel, and similar situations—please sign up by emailing risk.management@rftw.us. Space is limited, so I suggest signing up early.

As we move from planning and preparation to actually executing our Mission, our Platoon Leaders and Road Guards step up to meet their responsibilities on the Run. They work with a group of riders who may have never ridden together before, let alone in formation, and help turn the group into a cohesive team. You might also see the Platoon Leaders working closely with the Road Guards to guide you across this great nation safely. Like the morning meetings held by the RCs, the Platoon Leaders will also hold morning meetings, usually with a Road Guard present. These morning meetings are MANDATORY—you must attend to ride with the pack that day! If you’re not comfortable riding in a certain formation or if you’re unsure about doing so, talk to your Platoon Leader or Assistant Platoon Leader. They are there to help and guide you. The same applies if a PL or RG offers guidance or asks questions; they do so out of concern for your safety. The PLs and RGs are experienced riders and have your best interests at heart. Your safety and the safety of those around you depend on listening to their guidance.

As the RCs are preparing to select FNGs who will enter Arlington National Cemetery for the wreath-laying at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, there are some key rules we must follow. All riders approved to ride into ANC MUST enter and leave together—NO EXCEPTIONS. Please do not rap your pipes; doing so is disrespectful to other visitors and to those interred there. This is a place of peace, quiet, and reflection.  Please do NOT deviate from the scheduled event. Those chosen to ride into ANC cannot take time to visit other graves, go on tours, or do anything else. We are there for one purpose only—to lay a wreath and honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice. If you want to visit other graves or take a tour, please return to the visitor’s center AFTER you have left with the group.  Our standing with the ANC Operations group and our future entrance into ANC hinge on our respect for their rules.

Unfortunately, the Gulf War memorial will still be under construction when we arrive. That prevents us from holding a ceremony this year, but we’re closely monitoring the construction so that next year we may be able to pay homage at that memorial. Stay tuned over the coming year as more information becomes available.

We are still seeking a unique individual to join the Board as our new treasurer.  The announcement can be viewed here.  In the meantime, we are also seeking someone to serve as an assistant to our treasurer.  If you are interested, please send an email to treasurer@rftw.us with a brief outline of your knowledge and experience with standard electronic tools, such as spreadsheets. This could lead to a position on the Board if you are interested.

The route shirts fundraiser went very well. If you weren’t following the fundraiser, each route designed a shirt that represented its route, and each shirt sold raised a donation for that route. I don’t yet have the final numbers, but initial figures show that the Central Route sold 190 shirts, the Southern Route sold 113, the Midway Route sold 95, and the Sandbox Route sold 81. A $10 donation per shirt is added to each route’s account for use on that route. Angie announced the upcoming mailing dates, so keep an eye on your mailbox.

The RFTW Podcast with Boots and Hitch continues to highlight what makes RFTW a unique organization. I encourage you to take a listen. Each episode explores a distinct aspect of RFTW, featuring interviews with individuals who have contributed to its development.  Check it out!!

As you pass through the food line at your stops, remember that an entire group of people took time out of their lives to make sure you get sustenance. Look for a donation jar nearby and drop a few dollars in to help cover the cost of whatever service they are providing. Each route goes through towns where locals are often barely getting by, yet they still donate to our mission. Even if we find ourselves in the wealthiest town in America, show appreciation by saying “Thank you”, picking up your trash, and if you can, by making a donation. Your kindness makes a difference. And keep in mind, nothing is truly free. We often receive donated gas and food, but nothing comes without a cost, and somebody paid for it. Each of us is an ambassador for RFTW.

A few final points. RFTW does not endorse any political candidate, stance, or opinion. We are a veterans’ support charity, and we ask everyone to respect that. There is no place for politics during the Run; there will be time for that later. Lastly, our world is always changing. Events can attract people whose ideas and beliefs might not match ours. Stay alert, and if you see something wrong, speak up. Don’t just ignore it; inform a leader.

With that, I leave you with a few thoughts regarding why we ride.

“If you are able, save them a place inside of you and save one backward glance when you are leaving for the places they can no longer go.

Be not ashamed to say you loved them, though you may or may not have always.

Take what they have left and what they have taught you with their dying and keep it with your own.

And in that time when men decide and feel safe to call the war insane, take one moment to embrace those gentle heroes you left behind.”

—- Major Michael Davis O’Donnell KIA 1 January 1970 Dak To, Vietnam

—- Michael Davis O’Donnell is on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Panel 12W, Line 040.