Category: Central Route Coordinator News

Greetings from sunny Southern California! My name is Tom Miller, and it is my honor and privilege to have been selected as the 2020 RFTW Central Route Coordinator. For those of you who don’t know me, my first run in 2008 was “A Once in a Lifetime Experience” that I have repeated every year since. I spent two years on the Staging Crew, followed by eight years as a Road Guard, the last three as Road Guard Captain. I served under Eamon Tansey in 2019 as Assistant Route Coordinator.

As an 18-year-old, I enlisted in the United States Army in 1967. From March 1968 to March 1969, I served with the First Cav Division as an Infantry Squad Leader. After returning from Vietnam, I spent the last 14 months of my enlistment as a Drill Sergeant in Fort Jackson, South Carolina. I have always been proud of my service, and proud of all my brothers and sisters who have served our country, and all those family and friends who have supported our military. This is why Run for the Wall has been so important in my life for the last 13 years.

Joining me as part of your Leadership Team are Bruce Bartolomeo, as Assistant Route Coordinator, Kirk Olson as Road Guard Captain, and Jenny Ward, as Leadership Support Lead. All three of these talented individuals bring a lot of experience, enthusiasm, and dedication to the job, and I feel fortunate to have them with us.

The finalized itinerary for all RFTW Routes, including Central Route, will  be complete and published in the early spring.  Take a look at the posted 2019 itinerary.  2020 will most likely be the same with some possible adjustments.  Just date adjust for 2020.  We leave Ontario, CA on Wednesday morning, May 13, 2020 and arrive Washington, DC the Friday afternoon of May 22, 2020.  If you are new to RFTW and want to get a feel for what riding with us and RFTW is like, please also check out, the New Participant tab and the 10-Days in May section of the RFTW website.  There you will also find an FAQ section.

As of this writing, our teams and crews are being put together, so if you are thinking of volunteering to serve the Run, now is the time. The 2020 RFTW Central Route Volunteer Form is on the Central Route Hub of the RFTW website. The form explains minimum requirements for each job. If you meet the requirements, I encourage you to complete the form and hit the submit button.

On the subject of volunteering, we had a great reunion at Angel Fire and Eagle Nest, New Mexico over Labor Day Weekend. The Central Route has a long-standing tradition of coming together during that weekend to volunteer our service at the New Mexico Vietnam Veterans Memorial. During our time there, we lined the sidewalks with over 500 personalized bricks dedicated to former and current military personnel. This brings the total number of bricks respectfully placed by RFTW participants to over 5,000. VietnamVeteransMemorial.org

I know we’re 236 days out, but it is never too early to start getting in shape for the Run. Those of you, who are coming back from past runs, know well how grueling those ten days on the road can be, especially in adverse weather conditions. I encourage you to start an exercise program and stick with it for the long haul! I know two long time RFTW vets who have a good-natured bet going to see which one of them can lose the most weight before May! Whatever it takes to stay healthy enough to ride!

Regards,
Tom “Boomps” Miller
Run for the Wall®
2020 Central Route Coordinator

Central Route

Only 23 days to go and 587 people are registered  for Central Route

Only 23 days to go before you start on the greatest motorcycle ride in the world.

If you are an FNG please read the New Participant section on the webpage “RFTW.US”, 10 days in May and FAQs.

Don’t forget to pre-register! Pre-Registration ends on April 30th at midnight.  This will help those organizing the Run with knowing the number of meals and fueling spots to cater for. This will also save you $20.00.  You don’t have to pay your registration fee until you turn up at your starting point.

1. Prepare your bike, tires, etc.
2. Start drinking extra water
3. Don’t over pack

This is a great experience and to fully appreciate it please enter the Run with an open mind and no negative attitudes. To operate this route takes a lot of effort on our volunteer leadership, so if you are directed to do something or move somewhere just do it.  While on the Run during the day there is no time to explain why you are being asked to do something. When we arrive at our destination for the night please feel free to ask as many questions as you would like.  Our Leadership teams are there to help you.

Cars and Slingshots are very welcome on the Run and if registered can participate in all our events.

Important: Vehicles and slingshots cannot travel in the Pack or fuel with the Pack. The best spot would be a couple of miles ahead of the Pack.

 Note:  Even if you preregister, you still must bring all your documents to the registration point, license (motorcycle endorsed) bike registration, up to date insurance. If you are bringing a minor you must have a notarized permission letter.

This has to be checked by registration in-person before you are assigned a platoon.

Every year we have some folks who turn up who forgot their docs.

If you do not have the proper documentation, you cannot participate in RFTW.

It would be a shame after planning for this great mission.

Looking forward to seeing you in May

Eamon “ Boomer” Tansey
Central Route Coordinator 2019

Central Route    Mar 2019

 

Only 74 days to go

Points of interests.

 

Safety

 

1. Start drinking more water
2. Increase your exercise
3. Learn to ride in a group, especially side by side.
4. Plan to have your bike checked, tires, brakes etc.

On the Run

1. Have $100.00 in ones, fives and tens for fuel. (no change given)
2. Cars and slingshots are very welcome but can’t ride in the main pack and must fuel separately
3. Don’t over pack
4. Notify your credit card providers that you will be travelling. Make a copy of all docs and keep it at home, i.e. credit cards, license, registration etc.
5. Follow instructions from leadership, Platoon leaders, Roadguards, Fuelers, Stageing etc. They are all there to ensure your safety.
6. Thank all of the people at towns and stops across the country that donates their time and contributions to make this the ride of a lifetime.
7. Leave all stops cleaner than when we arrive, pick up all trash.
8. Prepared to be overwhelmed by the welcome and patriotism you will receive

 

Note:  Even if you preregister, you still must bring all your documents to the registration point, license (motorcycle endorsed) bike registration, up to date insurance. If you are bringing a minor you must have a notarized permission letter.

This has to be checked out before you are assigned a platoon.

Every year we have some folks who turn up who forgot their docs and that is a shame after planning for this great mission.

If you do not have the proper documentation; you cannot participate in RFTW.

 

 

 

Central Route    FEB

 

Only 100 days to go

 

 

 

The time will go very fast so this is the time to prepare yourself and the bike for the Run, tires etc.

 

Packing- often one of the mistakes new people to the Run (FNGs) make is packing too much. The old adage of putting out what you think you need and then taking half out is very true. You will pick up t-shirts along the way some are given to us others we will buy. I take along 3 or 4 rolls of quarters and some laundry pods. There are laundry facilities along the route. There are tips for riders on the Forum (rftw.us)detailed by veteran riders.

 

 

Don’t forget to pre-register; this will help those organizing the Run with knowing the number of meals and fueling spots to cater for. This will also save you $20.00 plus you don’t have to pay until you turn up at your starting point.

 

Note:  Even if you pre-register, you still must bring all your documents to the registration point, license (motorcycle endorsed) bike registration, up to date insurance. If you are bringing a minor you must have a notarize permission letter.

This has to be checked out before you are assigned a platoon.

 

Every year we have some folks who turn up who forgot their docs and that is a shame after planning for this great mission.

If you do not have the proper documentation; you cannot participate in RFTW.

Happy New Year

Hope you had a Merry Christmas

Only 133 days to go

The Hotel list is out, thanks to the hard efforts by the State Coordinators 

I understand we are all on a budget and have to watch our expenses on the Run but if possible support the Hotels on the RFTW list as the State Coordinators have made commitments with these hotels to block out a certain amount of rooms.

New Year resolutions: The Run is very fatiguing and the enemy of safety is fatigue, so if you add getting fit for the Run to your New Year commitment that would benefit you and your platoon mates, just doing a 30 minute walk a day would help.

Don’t to forget to pre-register, this will help those organizing the Run with knowing the number of meals and fueling spots to cater for. This will also save you $20.00 plus you don’t have to pay until you turn up at your starting point.

Don’t forget to take a minute silence on the 11th November at 11 am, this was when  World War 1 ended in 1918, its the 100th anniversary.

Approx 116,000 US servicemen died and 60,000 Australians among all the other countries servicemen  that lost their lives.

I would recommend that all FNGs for 2019 to read the 10 days in May article under the new participant heading.

Also don’t forget to register online, it will help with organizing the Run plus save you $20.00. Remember online registration is $30.00

Walk Ins $50.00. You need not pay until get to Ontario.

 

 

 

I attended the all routes reunion in Kerrville TX, this was organized by the Southern Route and what a great event this was, I would encourage all route members to attend this event. The venue was great and the rides well organized.

The State Coordinators are working with the hotels on the route to make sure there is rooms and rates ready for publishing in January.

Registration: Please pre-register online, this will help the leadership prepare for the route, also it will save manpower in having to enter data into the system by hand afterwards. The cost of pre-registration is only $30.00 and you don’t have to pay until you arrive at point of destination. If you decide to walk in and register the cost is $50.00.

Whether you pre-register or walk in you still need to present your Docs to the registration team.

 

Lest we forget,

Eamon “Boomer” Tansey
2019 Central Route Coordinator

G’Day,

Just back from a great weekend at Angel Fire NM, I always think of this special place as the spiritual home of the Central Route. There were riders from all Routes helping place the bricks. We laid 580 + bricks, the most that we have ever laid and the last brick laid was for John McCain, it was very moving when his brick was placed, with a bagpiper ( Kim Greeley) leading and the NM national guard walking behind. Thanks to the generosity of the RFTW riders we were also able to collect enough money to lay 15 more bricks for Gumps colleagues.

The process for the 2019 Run is moving along with leadership being picked and the State Coordinators working hard to make sure everything runs smooth in their particular state.

Registration :  If you would like to help the Run operate smoother please register online, you don’t have to pay the registration fee of $30.00 until  the day you are joining the Run. By doing so it will cut down on all the manual data entry that has to be done for walk-ins, its just one or two volunteers doing all the data entry .

If you decide not to pre-register  the walk in registration fee for 2019 will be $50.00

Note: even if you do pre-register you still need to bring your MC license/ insurance/MC registration to the registration point so that they can be checked. If you are bringing a minor with you, the release document must be notarized.

 

G’day

My name is Eamon “ Boomer” Tansey. I have been selected for the great honor of being Route Coordinator for the Central Route in 2019.

I served in the Australian Army and one year of that spent in Vietnam.

My Assistant Route Coordinator is Tom Miller who is also a Vietnam Veteran US Army. His experience as a Road Guard Captain and his leadership skills will be of invaluable help in setting up the Route for 2019.

Road Guard Captain for the Route will be Kay Klemme who as Assistant Road Captain in 2018 did a brilliant job.

Run for the Wall is for  Veterans and supporters of all Theaters of War

Over the next few months I’ll be setting up the Central Route Teams for 2019

Thank you to Harlan Olson and his Team for a job well done and making the 30^thRFTW a success.

 

I look forward to all Vets and Non Vets joining me in 2019

 

Eamon “Boomer” Tansey

 

 

MISSION COMPLETE

The 30^th Run For The Wall event is in the history books.  It has been my distinct honor to serve as the Central Route Coordinator.  I was blessed to have an AWESOME team that I could rely on to accomplish the work that needed to be done to make The Run a success.  I was informed by John McKee that in his report to AMA, the Central Route registered 719 riders.

My goal was to complete the Mission with zero accidents; unfortunately that goal was not met.  I suppose when you consider that with nearly 2000 participants and collectively over 3 million miles traveled in an activity that carries risk, the odds for attaining the zero goal was slim.  My thoughts and prayers go out to those who were affected by any incident.

After Action Report:  I encourage those who participated in the 2018 Run to take the time to complete an After Action Report so improvements can be made for the 2019 event.  The After Action Report can be found on our web site, www.rftw.us.

How do you thank dedicated people who gave so much of themselves over the past eleven months to plan and execute an event like Run For The Wall.  I hesitate to name names because someone always gets left out.  It begins with State Coordinators, who coordinate the fuel stops, lunches and dinners and arrange for hotels and camping sites to accommodate us on our overnight stops.

Then I must thank Eamon Tansey for accepting my invitation to become Assistant Route Coordinator.  He proved to be invaluable in organizing and adding the Gold Star Families Outreach Program, led by Ken Nicholas, to the Central Route.  He selected a team that carried out the program that proved to be a huge success.  In addition, Eamon led the platoon breakouts that visited several memorials along our route, expanding our visibility to communities.

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the Chaplain Corps, lead by Curtis Hubbell.  Their prayers for a safe and good experience began long before May 16^th.  I could feel their prayers and support during the difficult times on our journey.

The Registration Team, led by Kris Allen, played an integral role in registering riders and getting them assigned to platoons.  Great job!

The Ambassadors Team led by Eric and Sonia Amman has become a very important asset to Run For The Wall.  This Team runs ahead of the Pack.  One of their tasks is to look for our supporters on overpasses and to thank them for their support.  This Team was designed to use RFTW old timers to give them a place to serve.  I look forward to putting in my name after I serve my Mentor role next year.

Then there’s the Leadership Support team made up of all the various tasks, beginning with:
Finance                                                 Jenny Ward, Larry and Jean Gault
Missing Man Coordinator               Tom Pogue
Itinerary/Handbook editor             Kirk Olson
Leadership Support Vehicle           Everett Paeper
Sit-Rep Writer                                    Roger Hageman
50/50 Rouser                                      Jimmie & Judy Royce
Photographer                                      Dan Ecksten
Videographer                                      Mike Malta
Quartermaster                                    Dan Koster
Friends of Bill Coordinator              Jerry Ewing
The Medical Team led by Barb Bell and Wade Wills attended to our medical needs in various situations as they arose.  In talking to one of the medics, hydration or rather lack of, was a contributing factor in many of their calls.  Thank you.

Speaking of hydration, what would we do without the Hydration Team, led by Ron Masten?  They followed us from stop to stop providing us with water and snacks.  A big help this year was the 16-ft truck provided by Penske Truck Rental of Loveland, Colorado.

Then there’s the Merchandise Team, made up of Lillian and Doug Hunt, who pulled the Central Route merchandise trailer from stop to stop to sell RFTW items to local supporters who come out to see us.  This is an important part of funding our Mission.

How could I not mention the Last Man & Chase Vehicles Team, led by Jim Sloan.  I heard so many stories of the selfless giving of these team members to help riders that were having a difficult day.  At one point near the end of our journey, I was told that the Chase Team had picked up 54 bikes and delivered to dealers along the way.  Plus they had repaired 29 bikes on the side of the road.  Well done, team!!

Then there is Dave Talley and the Communications Team.  They worked behind the scenes to talk with truckers on the CB radio, asking them to be patient with us and our Mission.

The Fuel Crew led by George Creacy and Dennie Georgette made our gas stops quick and efficient considering the number of riders we had this year.  Several times during The Run, I would stand and watch as they orchestrated the refueling operation.  A thing of beauty.

The Staging Crew, led by Steve Berniklau and Rick Behymer, flagged the riders coming out of the fuel pumps and directed them to their assigned platoons.  This team guided us to our assigned platoons every morning and at every stop.  Another well oiled and organized team of dedicated individuals.

I saved the next two teams for last, because they are the ones in charge while the Pack is in motion.  First up are the Platoon Leaders who are responsible for their individual platoons.  They are responsible for maintaining spacing between platoons and riders within the platoon.  It is a teaching and coaching job which they did well as I watch some videos taken from overpasses.

Road Guards — just as the name implies!  That band of brothers (and sisters) lead by Tom Miller.  On several occasions, I witnessed Road Guards who put their safety aside to protect a rider from intruding trucks and autos.  They are the first ones to arise in the morning to help us find the staging areas.  While we are in motion, they monitor the riders looking for those who are out of place or causing a rubber banding condition by their riding style.  In addition, to all that, they monitor weather conditions looking for anomalies such as micro bursts.

Thanks to everyone who served in various capacities this past year to make my job easier.

My Wall Is Your Wall,

Harlan “Whitebirch” Olson
Central Route Coordinator