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Central Route Coordinator News – February 2018

Guess what?  It’s February and we are a few days away from the 100 day mark when we lift the kickstands in the Ontario, CA staging area on May 16th.  The leadership teams are in place and ready to serve.  You can check out the various teams at this link https://rftw.us/central-route-hub/ then click on the “2018 Central Route Contact” button.

The State Coordinators for each of the states we are passing through are putting final touches on our gas and lunch stops, plus our overnight hotels and dinners.  Our State Coordinators are the backbone of making this event successful and we owe them our utmost gratitude.

We are currently working on the 2018 Itinerary and anticipating it will be published sometime in late March or early April. So far it remains pretty much like it was in 2017 except for a date change for each day.  If studying last year’s itinerary, remember we always depart Ontario, CA on Wednesday.  If you do that you will get the right date.

The RFTW Board of Directors is holding their first Face to Face meeting of the year on February 10th.  The Route Coordinators and Assistant Route Coordinators from Central, Southern, and Midway routes are invited to give respective reports and hammer out logistics for Ontario and Washington DC. Here is a great post to read that will be very helpful in the time of crisis.

I’ve been in contact with Jimmie Royce, who is our 50-50/Raffle Rouser this year.  He has been working very hard on obtaining some very, VERY nice items to auction off at our daily morning meetings.  I would advise to be within earshot of the PA system every morning.

February Safety Tip:  Passing….  One of the maneuvers that we face is to get platoon elements around slower moving traffic.  There are a couple of ways to achieve this task, however, a method that we have found which works well is the “Snake Around”.  But it has a drawback, which I’ll explain in the last sentence or two.  It works something like this.  When the platoon leader determines that the passing lane is clear, he will signal and move into the passing lane.  The riders behind will each head check the lane and when clear move over as well.  If we are passing on the left, for example, the left track rider will wait for his riding partner in the right track to get well clear of the traffic before moving back into the travel lane.  When the right track rider makes the move back, the left track rider will do the same keeping pace.  To complete the passing maneuver, it is the responsibility of each right track rider will get well clear of the truck/auto before moving back into travel lane.  DO NOT simply follow the motorcycle in front of you, that is a deadly trap that many falls into.  Do one or both of two things to be sure you have a safe distance before moving over.  You should do a head check and/or check your mirror to be sure you can see well above the top of the truck/auto.  Pulling in too early is a common mistake and it takes real concentration not to put yourself and others in danger.

My Wall is Your Wall,
Harlan “Whitebirch” Olson

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President’s Message – February 2018

Here it is February 3rd, and only 101 days to KSU (Kick Stands Up!) — although you still have plenty of time to maintain your bikes and your own personal health for this very special mission.

Yes, your health is as critical to this mission as your motorcycle. The mission requires riders stay focused on riding in formation, and quickly adjusting to changing speeds and conditions. The mission requires this focus to get all our riders to Washington, DC safely. It is 10 days of focus and concentration interspersed by moments of such greatness that you forever will be amazed.

As of this writing, we have 907 people Pre-Registered for the 30th Annual Run for The Wall.  John “Wicked” McKee is updating this total every couple of days, and can be viewed on the front page of the RFTW website, as people register.

Our registration is open 24/7. Just head to www.rftw.us and sign-up for one day or 10 days – whatever you choose you will be welcomed. We have posted our hotel lists for all three routes, and if you join us along the way check out the hotel locations, so you can pick up your registration packages at the host hotel, or at the next day’s morning briefing and get ready for the mission.

Our Route Coordinators and the Board of Directors have continued the planning process throughout the winter. Currently, we are working on route itineraries which should be ready by April.  In the meantime, check out the posted 2017 itineraries, and date adjust for 2018. 2018 will be mostly the same in regards to stops, etc.

Our Ontario, CA itinerary will see one change on Tuesday afternoon/evening. In place of a banquet we will have mandatory all-routes meetings in the Ontario Convention Center Parking Lot C (KSU lot). We will a have a colors ceremony followed by the Combat Heroes Bike Build presentation. After the presentation we will introduce each Route Coordinator who will speak and then direct their riders to a designated area for their specific route. You will all have a chance to meet your platoon leaders and familiarize yourselves with the mission and our riding methods. Your platoon leaders will help answer your questions and you will have plenty of time to get to know each other. There is no rush during this scheduled event—we have the parking lot until 2000 hours! If you have any suggestions on further enhancing this segment for both riders and leadership, please let us know.

By the time this is published 50 RFTW riders including M-25 will be travelling to Alvin, Texas, to help veterans repair their homes damaged by Hurricane Harvey. Harvey is tied with Hurricane Katrina as the costliest tropical cyclone on record, inflicting at least $125 billion in damage, primarily from catastrophic rainfall-triggered flooding in the Houston area. Work begins on Monday because of generous RFTW riders who wanted to help. Check the Forum beginning Feb. 5—we will attempt to send pictures, so Kirk Olson can post them to keep you all up-to-date on how the work is progressing.

Is it May yet?

Les “Easy” Williams
President
Run for the Wall Board of Directors

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Southern Route Coordinator News – January 2018

Greetings from sunny southern New Mexico! I know that many of you have been buried under piles of snow over the past few weeks, but Spring is coming, and you know what is right behind that!

We are now less than 4 months to KSU on May 16 in Ontario, California and your Southern Route leadership crew has been working hard to make this 30th Run the best it can be. There will be a few changes this year that should ease some of the route challenges we’ve had in the past and we’ve built on lessons learned from last year with a revised plan for Platoon rotations. I’ll publish more of the details as they become final but here’s an overview of where we’re heading…

Day 1 Destination – Getting out of Phoenix from the west side of town on Day 2 has always been a challenge. The early morning rush passing through town presents us all with an immediate thrust into heavy commuter traffic just as all our riders are beginning to settle into the Run. To alleviate much of this issue, we’ll be landing on the east side of Phoenix at the end of Day 1 where we’ll be hosted by Chandler Harley Davidson. These extra few miles will allow us to pass through the heavy afternoon traffic in the relatively well protected HOV lane before exiting directly to the host location. The next day’s departure should be much easier as we roll out on I-10 well beyond the heavy inbound traffic.

Day 5 Route – I think I’d rather ride crossways over a railroad track than ride over the 15 miles of humps and bumps along I-20 through Shreveport, Louisiana – especially with 400 bikes flowing through behind me! With the construction completed on the I-220 bypass, we’ll be taking the extra 2 miles to get around that less than desirable stretch of highway with smoother sailing on a new stretch of pavement. Unfortunately, we’ll still be galloping along over the rest of I-20 into Monroe but we all know what will be waiting for us at the Shriner’s Hall – WORTH IT!!!

Platoon Rotation – Like it or don’t, the Platoon rotations last year were an experience that generated a lot of discussion. This year, we’ll be running a revised rotation plan that gives everyone a shot at the smooth air near the lead of the pack but will be accomplished over a shorter span of days at the beginning of the Run. When we cross the Mississippi River into the dense traffic of the southeast, we’ll all be settled into place and looking good!

Our Road Guard Captain, Bob “Captain” Mazzone has done a great job so far in coordinating an awesome cadre of Road Guards and has a plan to make this another safe Run For The Wall. Big thanks to Kelley “Gonzo” Perry for working out the route and timing details.

Also a big thanks to all our State Coordinators for their hard work in arranging the hotel accommodations and group rates that play such a big part in making this Run affordable. But you should all keep in mind that they do MUCH more than just call ahead to the hotels. They also plan ahead for all of our stops, act as the point of contact for supporting organizations all across the country and generally put themselves out as the Face of the Run until our thundering herd arrives on the appointed day in May. So when you see one of these folks in a maroon colored “State Coordinator” hat – be sure to give them a big Thank You Hug as they welcome you home in their state.

I would like all riders to remember why we ride. We ride for accountability for our POW’s and Mia’s from all wars. There are many things that go on in our everyday that we lose sight of the mission, but for some of our run family there is never a day that goes by without losing sight because their loved one’s that have not come home. After many years of involvement on the run I have become close with a small number of those families and it’s my personal mission to help bring closure for them. I am not a veteran but many of my family members are and have done their part to protect and serve this great country and allow us our freedoms. My way to give back is to help organize and lead the 30th run to keep our mission strong and remind the public that are people who do care and will continue to push forward this mission.

That’s about it for now, Bugs is calling me again and I gotta get back to work!

See you all in May!

“Ride With Heart”

Chad “Slacker” O’Dell
Southern Route Coordinator 2018

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Midway Route Coordinator News – January 2018

Hello RFTW Family!
I would like to introduce myself.

My Name is Mike “Bandit” Huber, it is a great honor to be selected by the RFTW Board of Directors as the Midway Route Coordinator for the 30th Annual Run For The Wall. Our BoD has also selected Glenn “Wombat” Waggoner as our Assistant Route Coordinator, and Ken “SixString”Dugas as our Road Guard Captain.

I served in the US Army in Vietnam with the 1st Cavalry Division, 229th Assault Helicopter Battalion, and the 1st Aviation Brigade, 129th Assault Helicopter Company.

My first year on RFTW was 2003, on the Southern Route, and I rode in the pack 2003, 2004, and 2005. In 2006, I was asked to join the Fuel Crew, and in 2007 I was asked to become a Road Guard. There I found my niche. From 2007 to 2015 I was a Southern Route Road Guard, and in 2016 my wife “Sassy” and I decided to do the Midway Route. It was there Sassy and I rode as Ambassadors.

In 2016 I was asked by Mark “Diesel” Breland to be his Assistant Route Coordinator for 2017. It was a Great Honor to accept the position.

I would like to say that we are a Family… ONE MISSION THREE ROUTES. Whichever route you choose to take you will not be sorry. You will be a part of the RUN FOR THE WALL FAMILY… You will experience The Heart Of America like never before. The RFTW has been a life saver for myself, and I know many others… As my friend and Brother from another mother, one of the Founders of RFTW, Vietnam Vet and retired Marine Gunnery Sgt. James Gregory puts it, “You may have done Sturgis or Daytona. But if you have not done RFTW with a bunch of Vets at 65 miles per hour, you ain’t done…NOTHING!”

The Midway Route Hotel List is posted at the Midway Route Hub.  If you find that one of the “Official” hotels on the list is booked. Please be proactive and book a nearby hotel, at the best rate you can find. It is NOT REQUIRED that you stay in a “Host” hotel, or one on the provided list. The only requirement, is that you be at the morning meeting before we leave a stop.

Also, it is NOT REQUIRED that you go ALL THE WAY and or do the entire Run from California to Washington, DC on any route. Join us at any overnight stop, and check-in point, and then ride with us for as many days or miles as you’d like.

In closing be sure and go to the Central Route Hub and see Central Route Coordinator Harlan “Whitebirch” Olson’s Video. What a Great Job of explaining how RFTW works.

Sassy and I look forward to seeing you in May… Is it May yet!

Michael “Bandit” Huber
2018 Midway Route Coordinator

Bandit and Sassy

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Central Route Coordinator News – January 2018

I sincerely hope you all had a joyous Christmas holiday with family and friends. Janelle and I sure did, as we drove to Decorah, Iowa and Minneapolis, MN to be with grandkids and family. It was very cold there and I remembered why we live in Colorado.

It’s not May yet, but it is January and that is when the hotels on each end of the 2018 Run opened the registration desks in Ontario, CA and Arlington, VA (Washington DC). I trust that you have started making your overnight arrangements, whether it be hotels or camping.

Because we received some negative feedback after the 2017 Run regarding camping facilities in the After Action Reports, I had asked our State Coordinators to put extra thought into arranging for riders who use camping facilities. As I was gathering hotel and camping information from the State Coordinators for publication on January 1st, I think that request has been met.

I gotta add, when you see a State Coordinator next May, be sure to stop and give them a hug and thank you for their hard work. They are the best!

We’ve had a couple requests to add Breakouts in central Kansas area, so that should make a total of 6 Breakouts along our route if it comes to fruition. This is in addition to the Outreach program.

Eamon Tansey, our Assistant Route Coordinator, tells me he will be finalizing the plan for the Outreach Program stops within the next few weeks. I find this added aspect to the Central Route exciting and hoping it is well received.

I remind you that online registration is open at http://rftw.us for the RFTW 2018 Run event. Early registration is a BIG help in our planning for a successful 2018 Run.

January Safety Tip: In looking at previous years accident reports, it is quite evident that most accidents in the Pack occur due to a speed change. One of these occasions is in the process of getting the Pack up to highway speed after one of our many stops. Once the Route Coordinator, in the lead element, has entered the roadway, he will not exceed 35 MPH until the Last Man vehicle has reported on the highway. There should be no reason for your speed to exceed 40 to 45 MPH to close any gaps to get into place. It is the responsibly of the Platoon Leaders to set a reasonable pace to get the platoons in position as we await the call from the Last Man vehicle. Once that radio report is received, the Route Coordinator will incrementally increase speed until our highway speed is reached, not to exceed 65 MPH.

My Wall Is Your Wall,
Harlan “Whitebirch” Olson

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President’s Message – January 2018

Here we are in January already. I hope you all have a very happy and prosperous New Year. The Board of Directors and the Route Coordinators have been busy with planning the 30th Annual Run For The Wall. The results of some of that planning can now be accessed on the Route Hubs (Central Route, Midway Route, and Southern Route) of the website with the 2018 hotel lists. Moreover, the Houston Hurricane Relief Project volunteer sign-up has been going very well. As of this writing, we have 19 volunteers who will gather in Alvin, Texas, on Sunday, February 4, 2018 for registration and briefings. We are very proud of everyone who participated in the fund raising. Now the hands-on work begins on several veterans’ homes. Connie and I will meet you all in Alvin ready to help get local veterans back into their homes. I am still waiting for details on motels/hotels, and will post on the Scuttlebutt tab when received. Anyone wanting to sign-up just CLICK HERE.

Another result I am happy to introduce is the new logo for RFTW. Created by the sustainability committee and approved by the BoD, this logo contains all the values that Run For The Wall has embraced over its 29 years of operations. The logo has bright red, white and blue colors which represent our patriotism and love of country. The colors represent our mission, the “…sacrifices and contributions made by ALL VETERANS who have served our nation. Veterans of recent conflicts and those currently on active duty, Non-veteran Supporters and Patriots are especially welcome to join and ride with us as, We Ride for Those Who Can’t.”

The Motorcycle in the logo recognizes how we conduct our mission. The Gold Wings represent the angels who have kept us safe on each run, while the Headlight supports the promise we have made to those POW/MIAs and their families. “We Will Not Forget.”

The Vietnam service ribbon will still be visible on many items, including the RFTW website. The new logo does not diminish the fact that RFTW was started by Vietnam veterans. It will always be our recorded history. The new logo was created to ensure that RFTW does not die with us Vietnam veterans, but carries on through the next generations.

Les “Easy” Williams
President
Run for the Wall
Board of Directors

RFTW Logo with Shadow

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2018 RFTW Hotel Lists Posted

The Hotel Lists for all three routes: Central, Midway, and Southern are now posted within the respective Route Hubs under > Run Info from the Main Menu of the RFTW Website.

These also include booking links for Ontario, CA and Washington, DC/Arlington, VA.

Central Route Hotels
Midway Route Hotels
Southern Route Hotels

See you in May!

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Midway Route Coordinator News – December 2017

Here it is December, and Christmas is around the corner.  Let’s all be sure to remember our Military and their families.  There will be so many of our Brothers & Sisters that will not be able to be Home for Christmas.

2018 will be here before we know it, and so will May!

I would like to report that the 30th Run For The Wall is continuing to shape-up. Our State Coordinators, Leadership, and BoD are working hard to make our 30th RFTW great.

I hope to have the Midway welcome video up on the RFTW site in the next few days.

It will be May sooner than we think, so please start getting your bike and yourself ready… While not technically a requirement for you to participate and ride with RFTW, you would do yourself a favor by seeking out an MSF2, Advanced riders course, or Ride-Like-A-Pro Course, etc. I would strongly recommend you take it… This is not a joy ride, it is a 10-day MISSION across the Heartland of America, If this is your first time, you will be glad you did it.  Those of us with years of RFTW’s under our belt, continue to take these courses, including our Road Guards.

If you have not Pre-Registered, please do so. This helps the BoD, and the Route Coordinators have a count on people joining their route. It also makes Check-in easier for you, no matter where you join us, whether that be Ontario, CA or somewhere in the middle of the country.

Please also read Les Williams’ President’s Message.

THANKS TO ALL, AND HAVE A MERRY, MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Michael “Bandit” Huber
2018 Midway Route Coordinator
GOD, COUNTRY, HONOR
FREEDOM IS NOT FREE
ONE MISSION | THREE ROUTES

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Details of RFTW-DRUSA Houston Relief Effort and Sign-up

Below is the schedule, dates, times, and sign-up form for the Run For the Wall and DRUSA relief effort for Houston from Hurricane Harvey.  The goal here is to help as many veterans that were affected as possible.  Now we need your muscle, labor, and couple days of your time, if you are so able to assist in that way.

 

RFTW / DRUSA PROJECT

DATE: February 6-10, 2018
HEADQUARTERS: Emmanuel Worship Center
2427 FM 528
Alvin, TX 77511
Pastor Avelino & Lily Da Silva

ACCOMMODATIONS:

Emmanuel Worship Center will provide:

  • classrooms for couples
  • Large room for single ladies
  • Large room for men
  • Those staying at Emmanuel should bring
    • Bedrolls
    • Air mattress
    • Towels

Motel will also be made available (Bill Terry)

PROJECTED PROJECTS

  • Five homes with need of (There will be veterans homes but not limited to veterans)
    • some clean out and preparation
    • Light plumbing
    • Minor electrical work
    • Carpentry
    • Drywall hung and finished (final texture done by company that has been contracted)
    • Paint
    • General Handyman type work
    • Insulation
    • Trash Hauled off??
  • Realizing the impossibility of completing a project in 4.5 days, realistic goals will be established with the homeowner prior to engaging the job.

BUDGET

  • $22,000 donated by RFTW
  • $28,000 donated by DRUSA
  • $10,000 per house

TOOLS & EQUIPMENT

  • Field Kitchen (Bill Terry)
  • Shower Trailer (Gordon Knox – arriving 2-5-18)
  • Tool Trailer
    • Mark Richardson
    • Danny Stewart
  • Tools needed
    • Hand tools for carpentry
    • Hand tools for minor plumbing work
    • Hand tools for minor electrical work
    • Drywall hanging and finishing tools (several cordless drills with screw drivers)

SCHEDULE

FEBRUARY 4

  • Bill Terry arrives and speaks at the church for preparation
  • Gordon and Yvonne Knox arrive with shower trailer and no harm forms to be filled out
  • David Moore arrives with the steps for the shower trailer
  • Gary and Carolyn arrive late

FEBRUARY 5

  • Shower Trailer setup on location
  • Field Kitchen will arrive
  • 10am – ???pm – Registration
    • Yvonne & Carolyn will handle the forms and registration
    • Everyone will register at Emmanuel on Monday
  • Final prep of all projects
  • Finalizing of teams (goal is to integrate RFTW, DRUSA and M25 into teams)

FEBRUARY 6 – 9

  • Breakfast 7 am
  • Work 8 am to 5 – 6 pm
  • Dinner 7 pm
  • Lunch & snacks will be provided by runners to the jobs

FEBRUARY 10

  • Breakfast 7 am
  • Non-denominational service 8:00 am
  • If needed, return to project and work until noon
  • Projected departure after lunch

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President’s Message – December 2017

Hello, Everyone –
Can you believe it is December already? The RFTW 2018 planning process is moving along smoothly and all route hotel lists will be ready for publishing after the start of the new year.

Hotel arrangements in Ontario, CA are being finalized by our California State Coordinator, Carol Olmstead, and Arlington, VA, hotels are being wrapped up by John Staub. To find these hotel listings please check at: www.rftw.us on the route hubs on Jan. 1, 2018. Once again, please be patient when dealing with hotel employees, this includes when making reservations, and also during the check-in and check-out process in May. All these hotels are the product of years of hard work and relationship building, and we do not want to lose them. Remember, we treat everyone we encounter WITH RESPECT!

As you prepare for May: One way to enhance rider safety training—in addition to all-important riding courses—is to read motorcycle safety articles. One very good place to find these safety articles is the American Motorcyclist magazine. The November issue contained information from a congressionally mandated “Motorcycle Crash Causation Study.” That study found that, “Traffic scanning errors by the drivers of other vehicles contributed to 70% of motorcycle crashes!” Another causation was, “Only 8% of riders who crashed had taken a course for experienced riders.”

Moreover, findings encourage regular training, “It is especially important to recognize that periodic re-training and advanced courses can help refresh your knowledge and skills, and provide new information and techniques that were not available when you took your basic riding course.” This mission is very different from what you may be familiar with, so sign-up for one of these courses and ride with confidence during our 30th Annual Run For The Wall.  MSF and Ride-Like-A-Pro, are a good places to start.

On another note, I am pleased to announce the Hurricane Harvey fund drive has met and exceeded its goal. Many thanks to our ridership and a generous Oklahoma donor for your kindness towards a very important effort. Meetings will be held in Houston to assess labor needs during the third week of December. Once these assessments are concluded, dates will be set for the work to begin. Watch for more details in my January message.
On behalf of the Board of Directors, Connie and I want to wish you all a Merry Christmas, a Happy Hanukkah, and very Happy New Year to everyone.

Is it May yet?

Les “Easy” Williams
President
Run for the Wall Board of Directors