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Midway ROUTE 2026 – Day 1 Ontario CA to Flagstaff AZ

The anticipation was so thick this morning that you could actually cut it with a knife. All three routes had converged onto the same lot in the same morning, something that hasn’t been done in several years. 

Radio chatter was heavy with checks, open mics, and conversations within the same parking lot but none of it could be understood. 

Bikes revving by as they twisted their way through the sea of people and bikes, just hoping to find a way through to their staging area. Volunteers at their tents handing out coffee, waffles and sandwiches while wishing everyone a safe journey. And all that was only between 5 and 5:30 AM. 

Platoons gathered their FNGs (fun new guys/gals) and briefed them on expectations, nerve calming antidotes, and even slipped in a few stories from years past. 

Midway was ready. 

The sound of the bugle finally brought all the routes together for introductions, welcoming speeches, and the two  infamous questions that everyone has been so longing to hear. 

Is it May yet?  YES IT IS!

How far are we going?  ALL THE SAY!

And at 7:00 sharp, Midway was the first to launch, straight out to the street where a crowd had gathered to cheer us on, news coverage overhead in the helicopter broadcasting our every move. 

It was an overcast morning In Ontario, cool too. Enough to put a coat on, but veteran riders warned against the heavy coats knowing as soon as we reached the rim of the desert the heat would be on. But getting out of the LA basin had a little more in store for us as we plowed through dense fog while climbing up the slope. Cool, damp, and thick. 

Just as predicted, the sun broke through at the top of the rim and quickly heated things up from the low 50s to the mid to high 90s. 

Our first parade was through the Marine Corps Logistics Base in Barstow where active duty members, families and co workers lined the street to celebrate and watch us ride our journey east. 

Just down the road Ludlow was our first fuel stop where the hospitality and service was great. However, this was also where the little gremlins began to emerge on our trip. Nothing serious, but enough small things over several riders were noticed, from bikes failing to start, or up and shutting down while on the road. But nothing was left to chance as the chase crews jumped into action to help remedy code issues, heat related problems at over 102, or even bringing a little bit of gas to help our folks on their way. Everyone was brought safely through to our next fuel and lunch stop at the Mother Road Harley Davidson in Kingman, AZ. 

Our journey continued on through the desert and up the mountain towards Flagstaff where the VFW #1709 and the local Boy Scout troop treated us to a wonderful spaghetti dinner. 

Stories were told, lessons were learned, and thanks given to everyone that went above and beyond their duties as riders completed their first day of the Midway Run. 

It has long been known that the Midway Route is the ‘Family Route’, and today proved it once again with what I like to call Midway’s UN-Official motto: Family means No One gets left behind. 

Tonight everyone is beaten, tired, and ready to see what tomorrow will bring, new tips and tricks as well bugs and gremlins worked out of the system and left in the desert. 

Until tomorrow night, 

Ride Safe

Ride Smart

and always keep the shiny side up.



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SR Day 1 – Ontario, CA to Casa Grande, AZ

Wed, May 13, 2026

Ontario, CA

Ontario International Airport – Lot D

On Wednesday, May 13, the three Run For The Wall (RFTW) routes that run from California to Washington, DC – Southern Route (SR), Midway Route (MR) and Central Route (CR) – gathered in Parking Lot D.  A number of organizations provided breakfast for the riders.  We in the SR departed just after 7:00 AM with a LEO escort.

Coachella, CA

Shelee’s Travel Center

At Coachella we were greeted by members of the Twenty Nine Palms Band of Mission Indians. Active-duty service members from the nearby Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center also participated in welcoming and then sending off the riders.

The sponsors also presented the RFTW SR leadership with a banner.  The lighted sign in this picture is essentially the same as the banner.

Leadership recognized Jake “Hot Stuff” Marshall, who is a Road Guard this year.  Jake’s grandfather, Doug “Sergeant Major” Lyvere, passed and left his Honda Goldwing to Jake.

Blythe, CA

Our next stop was to get fuel at the Exxon in Blythe, CA.  After filling up we rode 3 miles to the Colorado River Fairgrounds for lunch served by volunteers from the area.  While we ate, local elementary school children presented a patriotic program, including the singing of our National Anthem and the Pledge of Allegiance.

Tonopah, AZ

Our next fuel stop was the Pilot Travel Center in Tonopah, AZ.  While there, the Missing Man Team dedicated the last leg of the day to the memory of Lennie “Big Red” Hodson.  When asked to say a word, one of his good friends noted that Big Red was scheduled to be the Asst Route Coordinator last year, but stepped up to Route Coordinator when the man scheduled for that position had to tap out.

Casa Grande, AZ

Elks Lodge #1957

At the Elks Lodge #1957, several sponsors received plaques recognizing their contribution.  When Karoni Forrester was called on she introduced Dan Deloria.  Dan has lots of experience finding aircraft parts at  The Boneyard (Davis-Monthan Air Force Base) in Tucson, AZ.

Dan was working with Keith Fitch to determine whether the aircraft parts found at a crash site were from an A-6A aircraft.  Keith sent pictures of a section of tire, but the numbers were upside down and looked like 22 when they were actually 55.  Keith sent pictures of another possible tire, but it was way too large.  Dan went through the parts manuals for the A-6A aircraft and determined that it was a fuel bladder.  The A-6A has eight fuel bladders holding about 300 gallons each.  Now that the aircraft was positively identified as an A-6A, the search for remains continued.

The dog tags of the pilot were found.  A credit card for Karoni’s dad, Capt Ron Forrester, USMC, was found.  And a tooth and bone fragment were found with his DNA.  So after 51 years Missing in Action (MIA), Captain Ron Forrester had been found and Gold Star Daughter, Karoni, found closure.

This SitRep is a work in progress.

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CR – May 14, 2026 – Day 2 to DC – Williams, AZ to Gallup, NM

Today was a beautiful day in Williams.  Every year as we stage, we are heading east. The sun is blinding as we stage on the street but so warm.
Today was the first day for all the fund raising.  We had great response and lots of items were auctioned.
Jim  read a bio to be carried to the wall.  These bios are very surreal.  You think of the families that have lost a loved one.
Say their name, never forget.
Boots is our Head Road Captain.  Day 1 with all new riders and this big of a group can be a bit tough for the FNGs.  So Boots goes over a few things to help them.
Can you guess how he got his name?

In the platoons, we got over hand signals.  Here James is demonstrating a fast “slow down”. Meaning  the bikes in front of us are slowing down quickly and may be breaking.

There are currently 6 platoons with 2 wheels and 3 platoons for trikes and bikes with trailers. The 2 wheel bikes rotate positions in the pack.  We were first yesterday and today we are 6.  This is a much tougher position. There is a lot of rubber banding (speed up…slow down) the further back you are. As the days tick by this will get better

Yesterday: 1,2,3,4,5,6
Today: 2,3,4,5,6,1

One positive thing is that I can get great pics of most of the pack.

Check out this…. looks like a funny tree… really a cell tower.

Here is a shot of some of the road guards as they pass us.
Remember I showed a few custom painted bikes before we left?  Lance’s bike is spectacular!!

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First stop Winslow

Anyone an Eagles fan? Remember the song “Standing on the corner in Winslow AZ”.  Well here it is.

As we head to a gas stop just before Winslow, there is a 9-11 Memorial.

It has 2 pieces from the Twin Towers. 
 
Fun Facts:
The centerpiece consists of 14 and 15 foot beams that were entrusted to the citizens of Winslow by the City of New York, making them the largest pieces given to any community in the nation These metal beams serve as a poignant tribute to the men and women who lost their lives during the September 11th attacks.
Heading thru down to head for lunch, I think we had past every school in town. I love this enthusiasm. They are screaming “USA” and waving flags. Here is our future.
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Lunch at Holbrook American Legion.
They always have a band. Each year they seem to get better. And now they look like high school age. Thanks guys you are sounding good. They have always played out of the back a truck.
Inside we are treated not only with lunch but entertainment.
First there is a lady that sang the Star Spangled Banner. This version was sung slow, and very sincerely felt by the singer. Every word delivered with passion. The room was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Anyone have a tissue? my allergies are kicking in.
The Navajo kids danced several dances they have been working on. Amazing. And the colors are so vibrant.
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The gentleman announcing the dancers in 72. He father was a “Code Talker”

Code Talkers

Code Talkers are people in the 20th century who used obscure languages as a means of secret communication during wartime. The term is now usually associated with the United States soldiers during the world wars who used their knowledge of native American languages as a basis to transmit coded messages. In particular, there were approximately 400–500 Native Americans in the US Marine Corps whose primary job was the transmission of secret tactical messages. Code talkers transmitted these messages over military telephone or radio communications nets using formal or informally developed codes built upon their native languages.

On the road again and we head to Gallup, NM. I never get tired of seeing this. It continues to remind me of the mission we are all on.

he closer we get to Gallup we see people every where…
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Check this one out!!! They are on a little hill off the highway. Image how long this took to set up.
Police in the median. We were supposed to get a police escort all the way cross New Mexico. 2 Cars are sitting here. Not moving. Where are the motorcycle officers? We are now about 10 miles in the border.
OH HELLO!!! there they are. Coming thru the grass median… I think we were coming thru a bit early.
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Ok Boys let’s get going!!

I love this sign. “Most Patriotic Small Town in America”.
After seeing the people along the highway for at least 5+ miles before we get this the exit, it is well deserved.
Just wait….for the next 14 miles (we took the milage), there are people all over. Waving flags and yelling. Here are a few examples but you should see all the pics I took. I finally stopped and just enjoyed the patriotism. You think this country has lost it, look at these.
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Check out the bikes as we roll thru.
How cool is this… heading into Red Rock State Park.
Couple of RFTW guys as we enter the park.
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As we get off the bikes, I walk over to Dan. He was an FNG last year but started in the middle. He said his allergies were kicking really bad, so we gave him a tissue. Hope you feel better soon, Dan.
From here we hear the drums and chanting. They have been here for several hours praying for our safety here and for our journey to DC.
We are then asked to join them dancing around the circle. Here are the leaders.
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Here is one of the last code talkers.
RFTW at its best. Nice dancing to all.
Kim met up with the women carrying the flags. This is the first time the Women Warriors of the Navajo Nation carried the Colours at the Gallup Ceremony.
PHEW!!!! What a spectacular day.
Guess what!!!??? We get to do more tomorrow.
All the people we have met so far in just a few days, tells you that we are still a nation of pride.

Temps: 55-84
Route: I40
Miles: 224

Quote of the Day:  Home of the free, because of the brave

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CR – May 13, 2026 – Day 1 to DC – Ontario CA to Williams, AZ

IT IS HERE.  The day we get to ride.  There has been a lot of planning, by a lot of teams.

Reminder: Run for the Wall 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.

It is a beautiful day and no rain.  It will be a day of mostly riding.  The longest (402 miles) and hottest (got to 104 today).

Every place we go, we have to stage.  We run in platoons, about 10-15 per platoon.  In order to start moving, everyone must be in their platoons.  So every stop you see these signs.  I will show more of these later.  Organized chaos.

Presentation of the colors and reveille

We say the Pledge of Allegiance.
The Star Spangle Banner was played. And had a prayer for the safety of all riders and healing of all veterans.

John Staub is the president and presided over the meeting today. He acknowledges the following: FNGs, veterans, patriots, active military, blue star and gold star families, red star family members.

James “Gunny” Gregory is the founder of RFTW.  He welcomed all.

He said he could not believe it has been 36 year. He thanked us for continuing the mission.
HOW FAR WE GOING??  ALL the WAY
Everyday, the RC or ARC will read 2 bios.  They are those still MIA. We ask that someone carry this person’s bio to the wall.  READ THEIR NAME, NEVER FORGET.  The bios are then placed on the Vietnam Wall.
A sea of bikes.  They sound good and LOUD once that all get started
Lance is one of our road guards.  This is his third year being a rookie.  You have to go all the way as a road guard to rid of the rookie status.  Sooo the other road guards gave him this. It is his Rookie Wrangle Rope. ( I think I got this right).
We got a police escort on to the highway.  Can you image closing I-10 in California during rush hour!!
Started our very foggy but nice a little way down the road.
Check out this flag… nothing around it.  Little signs of patriotism is still around.
Check out some of the bridges as we head out of town. How long do you think this took to organize… for the RUN that goes by in probably 5-6 minutes.  Amazing.
Our first gas stop, I catch up with Gomez.  Gomez was on the first time we went on the Run.  He is one of our veterans and still today does a lots for them.  He is always joking around and has a smile on him face.
Next thing I know the tables have turned. (Just FYI the lady in green is me – hahaha)
And the other side of him…. as we leave and head down the road.

Another very important part of our mission is the missing man.  It is an honor and privilege to ride this position for someone, usually KIA or MIA. The escort “Rides for those who can’t.”

Tom “Bones” and his wife Denise are our Missing Man Coordinator.  He does a lot of work scheduling every leg, every day with someone.

The person’s name is put in the Missing Man position.  Every leg on the Run is covered.

Missing Man Formation:

Route Coordinator                    State Coordinator

Escort                                        Missing Man (space)

Missing Man Coordinator        Head Chaplin

Many of the riders will stop and pay respect to the person in the Missing Man place.

We are in Barstow for our gas stop and Bernadette is one of the state coordinators for California. In doing her job of getting gas stops, police escorts, ….. she came upon this lady whose husband died in the Gulf War. She asked her if she wanted to ride the missing man. What an honor…

Here is what it looks like on the road:

Next gas stop and another look at our stagers.  Check out the sign…. sorry no more pics here, I went in and got an ice cream.  It was into the 90s by now.

I take a lot of pics of this beautiful country of ours.

More well wishers on the side of a hill!!!!  Holy Cow we live in a great country.

As we ride the road into Needles for lunch, the road is lined with these rock formations.  This one say USMC.  One was Army, Navy…. talk about patriotism.

It is now 102, and everyone is delayering.  There is music playing by the high school band

…and a lady holding a sign…. (Cooling Station).Towels for around our necks, water, ice…it felt sooo good.

Turkey REALLY wanted to cool off!!

The mayor welcomed us to Needles and declared May 13, 2026 RFTW day.

The local priest said a prayer for all the rider for a safe travel… he then blessed us with holy water…felt great.

They concluded with one of the high school students singing our National Anthem. It was pretty cool as some of the riders joined her.

Inside for lunch (it was air conditioned) the younger students had paper hanging

As we get ready to go, I see Jim, the route coordinator, (road name is “Who?’) and he had a monkey as a mascot on the back of his bike.  Someone gave this to his an said
“If you can train a monkey to ride a motorcycle, the road guards will get him to DC”.
Back on the road and we take a side step for ride thru Seligman on historic Route 66.
Sign says “Roadkill and Cafe”
Our road guards and leadership done the road.
More bridges
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Last stop of the day, Williams, and it is 83 out.  Last year it was 30.
Small town, no traffics lights, big hearts…
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OMG, there is Walrus and Tophat. 2 of RFTW retired road guards.  Walrus used to use the umbrellas when he was directing the pack if it was hot.  TOOO funny.
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Dinner was great and checkout the dessert table… I have started gaining my Run 10 pounds right here.

 

It was one of our longest days, and everyone looked pretty exhausted.

Get some sleep and we start again tomorrow.

You prayer warriors are doing great.

 Destination: Williams AZ

Temps: 65-104
Route: I10, I15, I40
Miles: 402

Quote for the day:  Freedom is not free

 

 

 

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CR – May 12, 2026 – In Ontario – Prepare to Ride

Hi everyone.  I would like to introduce myself.  My name is Jean Gault, aka “Mama G”.

This is my 10th year on the Run.  I have the privilege to report the events, stories and pictures from the day.

 This will be a very long post, but I hope you will get a good feeling of what the Run is about, and I hope it will help with understanding the logistics of getting all the riders across the United States.

 As we prepared for tomorrow, several of the riders went to Riverside National Cemetery.

I have been to Riverside several times over the years and never had a welcome like this from a few of the Patriot Guards out of Riverside.
We were allowed to park around the Medal of Honor Memorial
The Memorial.

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Google:

Riverside National Cemetery (RNC) is a cemetery located in Riverside, California, dedicated to the interment of United States military personnel. The cemetery covers 1,250 acres (510 ha), making it the largest cemetery managed by the National Cemetery Administration.  It has been the most active cemetery in the system since 2000, based on the number of interments.

Riverside National Cemetery is home of the Medal of Honor Memorial, one of four sites in the United States recognized by the U.S. Congress as a National Medal of Honor Memorial Site. The Medal of Honor Memorial walls feature the names of all medal recipients.

 The names of over 3500 Medal of Honor recipients is inscribed on the polished granite. The recipients are listed in decoration date order, arranged by conflict period beginning with the Civil War all the way thru Iraq / Afghanistan.

Definition for Medal of Honor:
          The highest US military decoration, awarded by Congress to a member of the armed forces for gallantry and bravery in combat at the risk of life above and beyond the call of duty.

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On the plaza leading up to the memorial is a symbol for each branch of the military.

There are the two granite panels as you enter into memorial.

“For conspicuous Gallantry and Intrepidity at the risk of
life above and beyond the call of duty”

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Guest speaker

Our guest speaker is a Gold Star child from the Vietnam era. Here is his bio (from RFTW site):

Tony Cordero is one of five Gold Star Children of Air Force Major William Cordero who went missing during a June 1965 bombing mission over the Ho Chi Minh Trail. While Tony’s father is considered to be ‘accounted for’ by DPAA, a menu of unanswered questions – and the absence of any excavation of his father’s crash site in Laos by any US agency – have left the family with questions about the ‘minimal remains’ mysteriously recovered and buried in 1969 in Arlington National Cemetery. 

In 1989, Tony founded ‘Sons and Daughters In Touch‘ the nation’s first organization dedicated to supporting America’s Gold Star Children. During the following 37 years, SDIT has located more than 8500 Gold Star Children whose fathers were lost in the Vietnam War and are now remembered on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, DC. In 2003, SDIT led the largest-ever Gold Star Pilgrimage to Vietnam during which 50 ‘sons and daughters’ and 20 Vietnam Veterans spent 18 days traveling from Saigon to Hanoi to stand in the places where their fathers gave their lives. Today, SDIT provides care, community and connections to this Gold Star community, builds bridges with older and younger Gold Star communities, and uplifts all veterans. SDIT was proud to be one of three Honorary Commemorative Partners of the Department of Defense’s recently concluded 50th Anniversary of the Vietnam War Commemoration.

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Tony talked about when they lived in the Philippians, his dad had a motorcycle.  He would ride it back and forth for his day serving.  When he got home, Tony remembered him giving the kids a ride in the cane fields. There were 5 of them.

The granite walls.

Some of the names we saw were Theodore Roosevelt, Douglas MacArthur.  Names with stars represent that they have received more than one medal.  There are 19.

Mary Edwards was the only female. Single names represent the native Indian. She was not married and had no children.

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 In 2015, our FNG year, we had the privilege to ride with Leroy Petry.
He is the third name on the left under Afghanistan.

Eric A Slover was just recently added:

Google:

During the American raid that captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, Slover was the flight lead in the cockpit of the first helicopter, a MH-47 Chinook. The helicopter came under severe machine-gun fire and Slover was hit four times in his leg and hip. Maintaining control of the aircraft despite his wounds, Slover safely landed the helicopter, allowing the operation to continue. Slover was awarded the Medal of Honor by US President Donald Trump at the 2026 State of the Union Address.

A comment that was made by a guide several years ago: This is not a medal you want to “win”.  These people gave of themselves for their fellow Americans.  Some have given the ultimate sacrifice: their life.

There are cypress trees all around the Memorial.  They are planted in groups of 9 because 9 represented the smallest military unit.

To date there are about 270,000 buried here. There are about 8000 interments per year, which translates to about 22 interments per day.

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At the Cemetery is a Memorial for POW/MIA.  The 9 black solid granite pillars represent prison bars. Inside the statue are water samples from 7 seas.  Also rocks from each branch’s military chapels are inside.

For several years RFTW has been has been ask by a lady in Louisville for RFTW to carry POW/MIA flag and book across the US to the Wall. The book represents a Kentucky Vietnam vet that is MIA. The mission is to get it signed by as many people as we can.  The book is to let the families know their loved ones are not forgotten.  Once we get to the wall, we will bring the book and flag back it will be given to the families.

This year the book if for John Bethel Tapp.  It is being carried by FNG Patrick Bullock. Thank you Patrick.

Another memorial we saw was the Veteran Memorial.

Google:

The Statue, an unknown lifeless body of a soldier in which the boots and hands are the only things visibly distinguishable, sits atop a 12-foot pedestal. As the face of the soldier and most of the body is hidden with a large cloak.  The unknown soldier represents any man or woman, any rank or division and stands as a silent memorial of every American who has given their lives in combat.

 If you ever get a chance to visit Riverside, please do so, it is amazing.

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As I write this every day, I thought I would give you the definition of roles people play to get us cross country.  I have also listed the number of how many for each.   Here is a list you may want to reference.  Remember these are all volunteers.

TEAMS (ahead of the pack)

  • Advanced road guard– 8 = first to go out and confirm there are no issues on the roads. Ex: detours, traffic issues, … even have been known to clear some debris off the road to keep us safe.  They will also be the ones at all road exchanges, so everyone makes the turns.
  • Staging – 25 = Get to the next stop ahead of the pack and set up for each platoon to be staged
  • Fuel– 20 = They get to the gas station and clear all pump for the platoons to come in.  There is no one at the gas pump when we arrive.  They, along with the road guars, direct the pack how to get to the pumps and leaving the pumps
  • Ambassador – 15 = Thanking the people on the bridges or in the towns for coming out and supporting the Run.
  • Hydration – 3-4 – They carry water, Gatorade, snacks and are at every gas stop.  All donated by someone or organization
  • Registration – 2-4 = In every city, they are there when we arrive, and every morning before we leave.   Since not everyone can ride 10 days, many will ride only a few days.  This team gets them signed up.
  • Merchandise team– 2 = travels with the Run selling t-shirts and other trinket
  • Photographer– 1 =Takes pictures along the way and post to the web site
  • Raffle Rousers– 2 = This team will be working all the riders prior to the morning meeting.  This is where we will be running 50/50, auctions,.. as our way to raise money.
  • Outreach Team– 6

This team will visit Gold Start families.  They will go to the family and as they get there, each team member introduces themselves.  They will express their condolences for their loss and thank them for service and sacrifice to their country. The Pledge of Allegiance is said and a RFTW pin is given to the family members.  There is also a Gold Star patch and a certificate of appreciation from RFTW.  A green bracelet is also given as a symbol of hope.  They will pray with them and many times cry with them.  Thanks, Outreach, for your time with our Gold Star families.

 

THE PACK FORMATION:

  • Road guard – 25-30 = they have many jobs: stop traffic on all entrance ramps, guides us thru towns at each intersection, help direct at fuel stops, and whatever it takes to keep us safe.
  • Missing man-5 – Route Coordinator (RC), state coordinator, person representing the missing man, missing man coordinator, chaplain.
  • Leadership – 6-8 = Assistant Route coordinator (ARC), mentor (this is the RC from last year), leadership, any dignitary, …. this changes daily. Could be the mayor, POW… we never know who will be there from leg to leg.
  • State Coordinator – Total 10 for the length of the Run.  Usually 1-2 per state.  They work with the local police, state highway patrol, sheriff for escort prior to the Run.  Also coordinates with the local town for our meal stops.  So, During the Run, they will ride in the leadership group while going thru their state.
  • Platoons– 10-15 = each platoon has a platoon leader, assistant platoon leader and 1 tail gunner.  In the middle are all the participants.  There are usually 10-12 platoons.
  • Medical team– 3-4 = there for any injuries or illnesses
  • Chaplains– 3-5 = this is a very key role.  Many are on this for healing.  Many remember comrades lost in war.  This is a very emotional trip for everyone.
  • Last man– 1 – conveys to RC when the last bike is on the road/ expressway
  • Sit Rep Reporter– 1 – This person gives a summary of the day
  • Chase vehicles– 3 = They have trailers and will pick up anyone running out of gas (yes this does happen) or breakdowns.

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Totals:

If you add all this up, it is around 120 people that have roles.

Participants = 15-20 per platoon – so 200-250

At any given time, we are at 350-450 riding as a unit.

Additional Terms:

Blue Star Family – a family with a member currently serving in the Armed Forces of the United States

Gold Star Family – family member that has died during a Military Operation

FNGs = Fine new guy/gal.   We welcome them to the RFTW family.  When we see one (they wear pins that have FNG) they get hugs…..  Pretty cool to be one as everyone comes to hug you.

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The bikes have banner are them.  Here are a few examples:

Lastly for the day was our Central Route all hands meeting.  We give everyone a chance to see the volunteers and their roles. One thing CR does is raise money across the country for the kids at Rainelle elementary school in West Virginia.  There was a women that we all grew to love.  Her love for the Run was infectious. Unfortunately she was killed in a motorcycle accident.  Her step-father make this shadow box for her memory.  This was auctioned off and the money raised will go to the kids.  I am sure she is watching over us as we cross this great country.  Rest in Peace Audrey.

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How far are we going?  All the way!!

Destination: Ontario
Temps: 65-85
Route: na
Miles:na

Scooter had a shirt that is thought was worth showing you:
Quote for the Day:

Live a life worth their Sacrifice

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2026 Prerun in Ontario, CA – Riverside National Cemetery

ẞSouthern Route 2026 SitReps

On a cool sunny Southern California morning about 50 riders from Run For The Wall (RFTW) gathered at Elks Lodge #1149 in Ontario, CA and rode to Riverside National Cemetery. The local Sheriff’s Department escorted us safely to the entrance of the cemetery.

Shortly after arriving we were called to gather and listen to Gold Star Son, Tony Cordero, tell about his family’s experience with their father, Missing In Action (MIA) Air Force Major William E Cordero. Tony used several examples from popular movies, including Top Gun, Top Gun: Maverick, and Forrest Gump to talk about what it is like to be Gold Star Children. In one example, Tony compared our participation in RFTW to Forrest Gump giving money to Gold Star family, Bubba’s mother and children.

Tony encouraged us to find his father’s headstone and place a coin on it to show that we visited. He explained that it is easy to find, just to the left of the Space Shuttle Challenger and Columbia Memorials, located near the Memorial Amphitheater in Section 46. His sister Terry was also there and they both thanked us for all we do to honor and remember MIA service members and their families.

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Riverside National Cemetery Guest Speaker

For those of you that will be riding out to Riverside National Cemetery (RNC) Tuesday, our guest speaker is a Gold Star child from the Vietnam era. Here is his bio:

Tony Cordero is one of five Gold Star Children of Air Force Major William Cordero who went missing during a June 1965 bombing mission over the Ho Chi Minh Trail. While Tony’s father is considered to be ‘accounted for’ by DPAA, a menu of unanswered questions – and the absence of any excavation of his father’s crash site in Laos by any US agency – have left the family with questions about the ‘minimal remains’ mysteriously recovered and buried in 1969 in Arlington National Cemetery. 

In 1989, Tony founded ‘Sons and Daughters In Touch‘ the nation’s first organization dedicated to supporting America’s Gold Star Children. During the following 37 years, SDIT has located more than 8500 Gold Star Children whose fathers were lost in the Vietnam War and are now remembered on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, DC. In 2003, SDIT led the largest-ever Gold Star Pilgrimage to Vietnam during which 50 ‘sons and daughters’ and 20 Vietnam Veterans spent 18 days traveling from Saigon to Hanoi to stand in the places where their fathers gave their lives. Today, SDIT provides care, community and connections to this Gold Star community, builds bridges with older and younger Gold Star communities, and uplifts all veterans. SDIT was proud to be one of three Honorary Commemorative Partners of the Department of Defense’s recently concluded 50th Anniversary of the Vietnam War Commemoration.

Tony has been married to his wife DeAnna for 42 years. Together, they have four children and six grandchildren. He lives in Yorba Linda, CA and, after graduating from the University of Southern California, made a career out of public affairs work in a variety of industries.

RNC has many memorials such as the National POW/MIA Memorial,  Medal of Honor Memorial, Gold Star Families Memorial and others that are worth spending some time at so please be sure to see and pause at each one. Here are a couple of links to help you.

  1. Map: https://www.cem.va.gov/cems/maps/Riverside901.asp
  2. Details: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Riverside_National_Cemetery

Hope to see you there!

Alan “Xbox” Steiner
Director of Operations
Run For The Wall
https://rftw.us

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TWENTY-NINE PALMS BAND OF MISSION INDIANS TO HONOR VETERANS DURING RUN FOR THE WALL WELCOME EVENT

Twenty-Nine Palms Band of Mission Indians

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Coachella, CA (May 13, 2026) – The Twenty-Nine Palms Band of Mission Indians will proudly welcome participants of Run for the Wall on Wednesday, May 13, 2026, as 400+ motorcyclists make their first fueling stop of the day at Shelee’s Travel Center.

Run for the Wall is an annual cross-country motorcycle ride from California to Washington, D.C., dedicated to honoring our nation’s veterans, raising awareness for those still missing in action, and supporting military families. This long-standing tradition unites veterans, active-duty service members, and supporters from across the country in a meaningful display of remembrance, patriotism, and respect.

As riders roll in around 8:00 a.m., they’ll be welcomed by the Twenty-Nine Palms Band of Mission Indians and their team, ready to host the first stop on their journey East. Participants can top off their tanks with complimentary gas, then fuel up with food, snacks, drinks, and plenty of water from Kupi Shop. It’s the perfect one-stop to get both engines and spirits running strong for the road ahead.

Active-duty service members from the nearby Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms have been invited by the Tribe to attend the event. They will participate in welcoming and sending off the riders, acknowledging the event’s mission, and honoring the contributions of those who have served.

“We are truly honored to welcome the riders of Run for the Wall into our community,” said Chairman Darrell Mike of the Twenty-Nine Palms Band of Mission Indians. “Their heartfelt commitment to honoring our veterans, remembering those who are still missing, and standing alongside military families speaks deeply to who we are and the values we hold close—service, respect, and a strong sense of community. Their journey is a powerful example of turning miles into meaning.”

The welcome event reflects the Tribe’s continued commitment to supporting military members, veterans, and community partnerships throughout the Coachella Valley and Morongo Basin region.

Event: Run for the Wall
Date: Wednesday, May 13, 2026
Time: Riders arrive at approximately 8:00 a.m.
Location: Shelee’s Travel Center – 46355 Dillon Rd., Coachella, CA

About Twenty-Nine Palms Band of Mission Indians and Business Enterprises
Spotlight 29 Casino, Tortoise Rock Casino, Shelee’s Travel Center, and 29 Brews are wholly owned business operations of the Twenty-Nine Palms Band of Mission Indians, a Chemehuevi people whose traditional territory includes parts of California, Utah, Arizona, and Southern Nevada. In 1867, a Clan of Chemehuevi settled at the Oasis of Mara. The Twenty-Nine Palms Band of Mission Indians are their descendants. Today, the Tribe’s lands consist of one Reservation separated by Joshua Tree National Park over two counties from Coachella, CA to Twentynine Palms, CA.

The Twenty-Nine Palms Band of Mission Indians will continue to focus on providing opportunities of growth and prosperity for the Tribe’s future generations. For more information, visit 29palmstribe.org.

Twenty-Nine Palms Band of Mission Indians
RFTW SR Rider

Contact:
Dan Schmerzler : Twenty-Nine Palms Band of Mission Indians
E: daniel.schmerzler@29palmsbomi-nsn.gov
C: 415-786-6651
M: 442-300-4694

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New Lot D Departure Process

This year, there are several important changes to the departure process from Lot D that everyone needs to be aware of.

New this year, all four-wheel vehicles (hereafter referred to as “cages”), including support vehicles, will not be allowed by law enforcement to depart Lot D with the motorcycles as part of the pack. The exception is for routes that have a four-wheel vehicle designated as the last-man vehicle, as well as all chase trucks. These vehicles may stage with their respective routes as in previous years.

There are two parts to our departure process. First is the departure from Lot D onto E. Holt Blvd, which is under the authority of the Ontario Police Department (OPD). Second, the California Highway Patrol (CHP) will shut down I-10 to allow each route to enter the freeway without traffic interference.

This year, CHP will not allow all three routes to depart together. As a result, there will be a break between the Southern and Central Routes so I-10 can reopen to traffic for approximately 10 minutes. Due to significant construction along this section of I-10, CHP is requiring us to stagger departures in order to maintain traffic flow to the airport and for the general morning commute.

Because of these changes, everyone must follow the departure protocol outlined below:

  • When arriving at Lot D on the morning of May 13, all cages will be directed by Road Guards to stage at the west end of the parking lot. Last-man vehicles and chase trucks will be directed to their normal staging areas.
  • At the conclusion of the morning meeting (06:25), all advance teams and cage participants must return to their vehicles immediately.
  • Advance teams must depart Lot D through the west gate (the same gate used for entry) prior to 06:45, which is within 20 minutes of the end of the meeting.
  • At 06:45, OPD will close E Holt Blvd, and Road Guards will direct all cages from all routes to exit Lot D through the west gate.
  • Any cage not ready to depart by 06:45 will be held until all routes have departed and OPD has reopened E Holt Blvd. They will not be permitted to leave independently once the motorcycle routes begin departing.
  • The Midway and Southern Routes will depart as usual beginning at 07:00, at the discretion of OPD. OPD will close E Holt Blvd during departure, and CHP will close I-10.
  • After the Southern Route’s last-man vehicle (Road Guard or bike/trike) enters I-10, CHP will reopen the freeway to traffic for approximately 10 minutes.
  • The Central Route will remain in Lot D until directed by OPD to stage on E Holt Blvd. It will not follow the other routes or enter the freeway at that time. The timing of the Central Route’s move to E Holt Blvd staging will be determined by OPD.
  • Once CHP is ready to close I-10 again, OPD will direct the Central Route to depart and enter the freeway.
  • E Holt Blvd will then reopen, and anyone remaining in Lot D may depart at that time.

For FNGs, this will be your first experience with our departure process, so these changes will not affect you in the same way. For everyone else, please make sure you read and understand this protocol thoroughly. It is critical that all advance teams and cage participants move promptly back to their vehicles and avoid unnecessary delays.

Again, all advance teams must be out of Lot D before 06:45. All cages will depart at 06:45 under the direction of the Road Guards and OPD. If you are late, you will not depart until after the Central Route. Also, just a note for those traveling on I-15, there is some construction on this highway as well so be sure to stay alert.

If you have any questions, please contact your Route Coordinator (RC) or reach out to me directly.

See you all in about a week!

Alan “Xbox” Steiner
Director of Operations
Run For The Wall
https://rftw.us

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May 2026 Central Route Coordinator Newsletter

Well, it is finally May and some of you may be already on the road to Ontario, while others are still getting ready.  Whatever the case may be, it is RUN FOR THE WALL time!

In less than 2 weeks we will be kickstands up, “Riding for Those That Can’t,” heading east on our annual pilgrimage to our Nation’s Capital. The Central Route Team is ready and for 10 days we will be on the road together, where we will meet old friends, make new friends, have some awesome experiences, and tell some tall tales.

As always, please remember our Mission Statement:

 

Mission Statement

To promote healing among all veterans and their family and friends

Call for an accounting of all Prisoners of War & Missing in Action (POW/MIA)

Honor the memory of those Killed in Action (KIA)

Support our military people all over the world.

The final editions of the Schedule of Events for Ontario and Washington, D.C as well as the official 2026 Central Route Itinerary have been uploaded to the Central Hub. This is your 10-day schedule for May.  Read and understand it. A lot of time and hard work went into putting the events together.  Put it on your phone or print a hard copy for yourself.

Don’t forget about the these very important events:

Sunday, May 10th   Mother’s Day.

Monday May 11th    Mandatory FNGs meeting starting at 2 pm in Lot D

Tuesday May 12th   Mandatory ALL HANDS MEETING  starting at 2pm in the Citrus Room at the Holiday Inn

Wednesday, May 13   Be at Lot D, packed up, fueled up, checked out of your hotel, and ready to go. Reville starts at 5:55 am

Ontario Registration and Check In

Check in for riders start at 0900 Monday, May 11th at the Elks Lodge.  For those not starting in Ontario, the registration team will be available approximately 30 minutes before the pack arrives at the end of the day until 30 minutes or so after their arrival. I highly recommend you check in at registration in the evening. You can check in at registration in the morning, but you could be pressed for time trying to find your platoon, eat breakfast, get through all the introductions, and attend the mandatory morning meeting.

Remember, you will need to provide proof of a valid and current driver’s license, registration and insurance at check-in.

Emergency Contact Forms.  Although one is required, I highly suggest you have two. One on your person and the other somewhere in your bike.

If something happens to you and it requires you to be transported, the form that is on you will go with you to the hospital. The hospital staff will make their notifications but probably doesn’t know the status of your personal items or your bike.  With another form on the bike, RFTW representatives as well as Law Enforcement will know who to contact and what to do with your bike and personal items just in case you are incapacitated and are transported before a RFTW representative can arrive at the scene.

There will be alot of equipment to move around in Ontario. If you happen to arrive early and see people in RFTW hats carrying boxes, please ask if you can help. A tremendous amount of work has been going on behind the scenes since last July getting to where we are today. One aspect of the work is our equipment inventory.  Our last man coordinator, Tommy “Two Chains” is the ultimate pack rat since he inventoried and stored all the equipment you see in the photos below.

At least 8 boxes of plaques are also being delivered to his house.  Tommy cleans inventories and stores all this near his house, periodically checks on it and finally delivers it to Ontario in May. After the Run he brings it back to the LA area and starts the cycle all over again.

During the Run, there will be daily reports, known as SitReps written and posted by “Mama G” on social medial and the RFTW website.

To read the daily SitRep, and other important information about the Run, visit the Central Route Hub for more information. https://rftw.us/central-route-hub/

Volunteers

Staging is in desperate needs of volunteers as well as a Friends of Bill Coordinator! The work hours, pay and benefits package are probably one of the best on the Run.

One of our chase vehicles had to drop out due to mechanical issues. I know it’s late in the game but if someone has a truck and trailer able to haul a couple of motorcycles, please contact Tommy Two Chains at trcranford3@msn.com

If you are interested in volunteering to help on the Run, please let me know.

Donations

Part of what keeps this Run going is the generous Donations we receive from the Public and Run for the Wall family. RFTW is a 501(c)3 so if you know of anyone that wishes to donate, please direct them to our donation page. Donate – Run For The Wall®

During the Run, we have fundraising events to help our beneficiaries along the Run.  One of these events is our daily raffle where we have several awesome donated items to raffle off.

Bring cash for the Platoon Challenges, Service Bucket Challenges, 50/50 raffle and auction items. The money collected will all go to our charities along the way.

If the stuff you won in the auction doesn’t fit on your bike, don’t worry we can get it to D.C for you.

Fuel

If you did not sign up for the prepaid fuel option before May 1st (applies only to 2 and 3 wheeled vehicles), you will need to purchase a fuel sticker at registration for $65 cash. No cash is accepted at the gas pumps.  If you don’t have exact change, no change will be given at registration, and we thank you for your donation.  The money collected will cover your RFTW fuel stops from Ontario, CA to Washington, DC.  Thanks to our many donors across the country, whose generosity allows us to keep our fuel costs down. Without them our prepaid fuel costs would be much, much higher.

The Pre-Paid fuel costs also help defray the cost of fuel for our support vehicles, like the Chase Truck Team drivers, Last Man Vehicle, and Hydration Vehicle.

Day Rider rate for fuel will be $15 per day payable at registration.  Subject to change.

Purchase of the Fuel Sticker is mandatory.

You will purchase a fuel sticker, using CASH, at check-in when you pick up your registration materials in Ontario, or any of our overnight stops where you register and check-in.   You will then receive the sticker to put on your bike.

All Riders please remember to fill up your motorcycles each evening on your own, at your own cost, before arriving at staging in the morning (Spot checks will be happening).  If you do not have a full tank in the morning, you will be sent away to fuel, possibly missing breakfast and the mandatory morning rider meeting.

When we leave Ontario, CA we have our first gas stop Barstow, CA The next gas stop is Ludlow, CA  where at last report, the price of fuel is over $8.00 a gallon.  The gas stop after that is in Arizona next to Needles, CA,  where fuel is much cheaper than Ludlow.

The distance between Barstow and Needles, CA is 150 miles. Because of the high price of fuel in California, if you are able to make it from Barstow to Needles without fueling in Ludlow, it would be much appreciated in order to save our limited funds.

Again, if you feel the need to top off your tank in Ludlow, please do so. But if you can safely make it to Needles, please consider not topping off in Ludlow.

 

Kansas Turnpike

IMPORTANT: All riders and support vehicles will need to verify their license plate at the  time of check-in.  Otherwise, you may receive a toll bill from the Kansas Turnpike Authority.

If you have a DriveKS or KTAG account, you will need to deactivate the tag of the vehicle you will be using for RFTW before May 18, or you may get a toll charge.

If you tap out and do not catch up with the pack or deviate off of the turnpike and return, you may receive a toll bill in the mail.

 Morning Meetings

There have been some questions from those that do not wish to ride in the pack but want to participate in the RFTW activities.

If you have registered for the Run but choose not to ride with your assigned platoon, you must stay at least ¼ of a mile behind the last man vehicle. If you decide to ride ahead of the pack, you must do so at least 2 miles ahead of the Road Guard Captain and/or the police escort (if they are in front). By riding outside of the pack, you will not have the support of the chase vehicles, in case you have a mechanical issue or medical emergency.

AGAIN, regardless of where you ride, if you have REGISTERED for the RFTW and wish to partake in the RFTW EVENTS for that day, you must attend the Morning meetings!

There will be a mandatory rider meeting every morning.  This meeting is to inform the riders of any changes to schedule and any other issues that may have come up the previous day.

Morning meetings are mandatory.

 

Springfield, VA and Washington, D.C.

Friday May 22 Springfield Arrival

We arrive in Springfield, VA with the Southern Route and the Midway Route will arrive approximately 1 hour later. It is tradition and custom to greet the arriving riders,  so make yourself available to line alongside the road leading to the parking garage to greet the Midway Riders.

You will be allowed to check into your hotel after the closing ceremony at 5pm

There will be a shuttle from the host hotel in Springfield to the American Legion.

Saturday, May 23

A group Picture of all the cross-country routes will be in front of the Lincoln Memorial at 9 am.

After that we walk to the Vietnam Memorial to pay our respects and lay our RFTW Plaque at the apex.  We will then be “MC.” (Mission Complete)

Parking in D.C.  

Unfortunately, no reserved parking is available this year.  I would recommend you take some form public transportation (Uber, Metro, etc.) to the Lincoln Memorial/Vietnam Wall where our group photo takes place and where we honor our fallen at the wall. If you decide to ride to the Lincoln Memorial/Vietnam Veterans Memorial, you must park in a legal parking area. Do not park on the grass, in no parking zones, on the sidewalk, etc. If you park there, you may be subject to your bike being ticketed or impounded.  Also, the LEO may notice your RFTW stickers, banners, etc. and make a report of that, possibly jeopardizing future RFTW events in the area.  It is the 250th anniversary of the founding of our country, and there will be other Veterans and tourist groups present during the Memorial Day weekend in D.C. so it will be a busy, crowded weekend and parking will be limited.

Arlington National Cemetery and the Tomb of the Unknown

As in the past, RFTW has been granted access for 75 motorcycles to enter the Arlington National Cemetery and lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Central has been allocated 28 motorcycles with 56 seats available to enter these  hallowed grounds. The priority for those to represent the Central Route will be FNG’s. If you are interested let your Platoon Leader or FNG Coordinator know. Depending on the numbers received we may have to have a lottery system to determine who will go.

If you are selected for riding into Arlington National Cemetery, remember that anyone over the age of 18 entering the cemetery on a motorcycle —to include both rider and passenger—must present a REAL ID-compliant identification at the security check point.

Visitors who arrive by vehicle and park in the Welcome Center parking garage, walk, take the Metro or use a ride share service to ANC will not be required to present a REAL ID, as they will be required to go through standard physical security screening within the Welcome Center.

REAL ID-compliant is a state-issued REAL-ID or these other forms of acceptable identification:

DoD Common Access Card

DoD Uniformed Services ID Cards (military retiree or dependent ID)

Local DoD Access Cards and Passes (i.e. Defense Biometric Identification System Card)

U.S. or Foreign Passport or Passport Cards

Transportation Worker Identification Cards

Veteran’s Health Identification Cards

Federal Personal Identify Verification Cards

Non-Federal PIV-Interoperable Cards

State-issued Enhanced Driver’s License (EDL) or Enhanced Identification Card (EID)

An acceptable photo ID issued by a federally recognized Tribal Nation/Indian Tribe, including Enhanced Tribal Cards (ETCs).

No Weapons of any kinds including knives!

Do not bring your GMRS radio!

 

Rolling to Remember

Rolling to Remember previously known as Rolling Thunder.  For those not participating in Sandbox, Rolling is an event you may wish to participate in. This is not an RFTW-sanctioned event and participation is entirely voluntary.  Please read April 2026 President’s Message for more information about this and the wreath laying at ANC.

 

AAR’s

After Action Reports (AAR). You will be hearing more about this in the future, but it is your opportunity as a participant in RFTW to provide feedback about your experience on the Run, both good and bad. All AAR’s are taken seriously and read by the Board and Route leadership. AAR’s in the past have resulted in changes in operating procedures. So your feedback matters.

 

REMEMBER TO HYDRATE!

CHECK YOUR GEAR!

PLAN FOR RIDING IN COLD, WET OR HOT WEATHER!

GET YOUR SERVICE DONE!

It’s time to kick the tires and light the fires for RFTW XXXVI!

How far are we going?

See you all in Ontario!

Jim “Who?” McDonough
XXXVI Central Route Coordinator