Category: Central Route 2022 SitReps

Daily Situation Reports and happenings from the 2022 Central Route of Run for The Wall, May 18-28, 2022.

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Day 1: Ontario to Williams

Welcome to the 2022 Central Route Run For The Wall (RFTW)! I am Redleg. I’ll be bringing you daily reports of the many amazing moments the Central Route experiences on our mission across the country. If you are reading this, you are likely familiar with the mission and history of the RFTW, for those who are not I thought it important to put it here at the start of our journey to focus us on why we ride.

The RFTW Mission Statement
To promote healing among ALL veterans and their families and friends, to call for an accounting of all Prisoners of War and those Missing in Action (POW/MIA), to honor the memory of those Killed in Action (KIA) from all wars, and to support our military personnel all over the world.

The RFTW Philosophy
We strive to maintain a safe, supportive, and private atmosphere in which all participants can reflect and heal on their journey to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, DC, and the Middle East Conflicts Wall Memorial in Marseilles, Illinois in the hope they can return home to a new beginning.

RFTW Goals
To guide the participants across America.
To educate future generations on the importance of accountability in wartime actions, emphasizing that no one should be left behind.

Wow, today was amazing!
After a two-year hiatus the RFTW was once again rolling out of Ontario California enroute to Washington DC. The day started early, with last minute registration starting at 0545 and riders from the Central, Midway, and Southern routes staging at the Ontario Convention Center parking lot D for a spectacular sendoff, which started at 0645. Donuts, coffee, and breakfast burritos were graciously donated and handed out by volunteers from local service organizations, the National Anthem was sung, and chills were experienced as about a thousand patriots pledged allegiance to the flag of the United States of America. Thank you to the Marine Corps Walking Color Guard from the Marine Corps Logistics Base in Barstow CA for presenting the Colors. As is done every morning, the day was started with prayer, a safety briefing, and several groups of people were honored…FNG’s (Friendly New Guys and Gals), Active-Duty Military, Medal of Honor recipients, Blue Star families (those with family members currently serving), and Gold Star families (those who have lost an actively serving service-member).

It is extremely difficult to describe the enthusiasm of the supporters we encountered on today’s journey. The day was filled with countless hugs, handshakes, laughs, and smiles all exchanged by riders and patriots encountered at our send off and at each of our stops. Supporters waited in the blazing sun to wave flags from overpasses, and city streets welcoming home our veterans and those we ride for. We stopped for gas in Barstow CA, Ludlow AZ, and Kingman AZ. We enjoyed lunch in Needles CA, which was sponsored by the Needles Chamber of Commerce. Upon our arrival in Williams AZ, dinner was provided by the American Legion Post 13. Everywhere we went, patriots of all ages were there to welcome us home and to encourage us as we fulfill our mission.

Needles California
There’s just something about the town of Needles that makes the insane heat there just fade (at least a little) into the background. If one rides away from Needles hungry or unhappy, they’ve missed what Needles has to offer. There are many people we encounter on the run that have spent countless hours in preparation to host our riders for a meal or a gas stop. The first place we stop for a meal is Needles; the people there get us off to an incredible start. Lunch was served in an air conditioned room! I’m not quite sure if I should call our lunch taco salad, or beef nachos with all the fixings. Maybe the best thing to call it was “delicious.” Outside, we were provided with bananas, ice cream, cold drinks, and cooling bandanas to help us across the desert. The entire visit was set to the backdrop of music from not one, not two, but three bands! The music was great, but seeing people still learning to play instruments made me smile. A bit of a side note about me, for my undergrad years I majored in music so the gift of music in the hot sun filled my soul for the remainder of the day’s ride. Thank you Needles for declaring today Run For The Wall Day and for providing such a “warm” welcome. The special tablecloths were really cool!

Williams Arizona
What’s not to like about parading along historic Route 66 in Williams! We entered the city on historic Route 66 from the West and paraded through warmly lit neon in the light of a soon setting sun and the radiant smiles of patriots who waved us into town. Williams is in the desert, but I assure you, there was a bit of rain in many riders helmets. The welcome we received on the streets of Williams was matched by the amazing bar-b-que so generously cooked for us by the volunteers at American Legion Post 13. The meal Post 13 provides always warms both our stomachs and our hearts. If lunch in Needles wasn’t clue enough, it’s at this point in our mission that FNG’s realize they will not go hungry unless they choose to do so. The generosity given to the riders through a labor of love represented in the ample bar-b-q and fixins in Williams paired with the spread at lunch meant no rider was going hungry today and there won’t be anyone hungry going forward either.

In one corner of the room, Post 13 has a solemn reminder of why we ride. It speaks for itself.

Patriotism on the Highways
One of the things that always makes it rain inside our helmets is seeing people who have come from who-knows-where to stand on overpasses and freeway frontage roads out in the middle of nowhere to waive flags in acknowledgement that this is a parade for those who have never received what they were due upon returning from war. Thank you to all who came out to spur us on. One moment that made it rain a bit in my helmet today was when we came upon a trucker who appeared to have broken down on the highway. There was a support vehicle assisting him. As we passed, he stepped toward the highway and held his hand over his heart. In his moment of trouble, he took the time to honor us.

Thank you
It is with sincere heart felt thanks that we express our gratitude to the many people who made today possible. We are so very grateful for the send off from Ontario, lunch in Needles, and dinner in Williams. Your sacrifice is recognized. We will honor it as we continue the mission.

Today’s stats
Miles: 402
Temps started in the high 50’s, peaked at 106, and ended in the mid 70’s.
There were 192 bikes in the main pack, and as always a significant number of riders on all of the support crews.

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Ontario

The short time spent in Ontario is filled to the brim with activities. From information and planning meetings, to registration, to the Quartermaster issuing all of the things leadership needs to get the job done there is an unending buzz of activity. Amongst all of the preparation efforts there is still the focus on the mission.

Tomorrow a contingent of riders will visit the Riverside National Cemetery. The enormity of RNC is imposing on its own but add to it the National Medal of Honor Memorial, the POW/MIA Memorial and the Veterans Memorial and you have a weighty feeling even in the midst of the peaceful water features and lush green grass. Knowing the Central Route’s FNG meeting coincides with the departure of riders to RNC, I took two of the FNG’s I invited on the Run to RNC today. These are the words Glenn wrote about his experience,

“This morning three of us rode out to Riverside National Cemetery, the largest cemetery in the National Cemetery System, which was created in 1862 to create military burial places. Riverside National Cemetery (RNC) was created in 1976, covers 1,250 acres,and is beautiful and peaceful. While we were there, at about 10:00 on a Monday morning, we witnessed one funeral procession, heard a 21-gun salute, and heard ‘Taps’ floating to us across a beautiful pond. I’m told RNC is the busiest cemetery in the National Cemetery System, and I believe it. RNC contains three national monuments; the Medal of Honor Memorial, the POW/MIA Memorial, and the Veterans Memorial. They were all somber, powerful and impactful, but the POW/MIA Memorial just wrecked me emotionally.”

Glenn is not alone. We saluted or held our hands over our hearts as the funeral procession passed by, then did the same when we heard the 21 gun salute and taps. When they were complete, there was not a dry eye among us. What followed as we approached the POW/MIA memorial was even stronger. There is no way to not be “wrecked” by the image so carefully sculpted to depict the suffering and hardship those in captivity endure. We are so very blessed by those who have gone before us to secure our freedoms.

We ride for those who can’t is not just a motto, it is a way of life. We look for opportunities to actively draw men and women under the umbrella of the mission by speaking to people about their service or the service of their loved ones. Today, just before leaving RNC, Glenn, who I quoted above, asked if he could go back to the Medal of Honor memorial to take a few more pictures. We had plenty of time so of course we said yes. Glenn rode back to the memorial ahead of myself and the other rider who went with us as we hadn’t yet fully geared up. Upon parking near the memorial I witnessed a woman standing over a grave marker where she’d just placed fresh flowers. Her posture was one we all recognize, it was one that demonstrated a heavy heart and loss. I felt the need to approach her to tell her of our mission and to let her know that she is not alone. Jan, we will carry your burden with us, you are not alone. The loss of Carol is recognized and honored. As Jan and I spoke she told me that her sister was supposed to join her at the cemetery but had a conflict. Jan felt she needed to come anyway. As we were parting, she said “now I know why.” Indeed, I would not have approached if Jan were not alone. Nobody should walk out their grief alone. We ride for those who can’t. We listen, remember, and join hearts so that people like Jan and her mother Carol are remembered and are not alone.

The afternoon concluded with me witnessing my daughter, who recently graduated high school, becoming officially pinned as an FNG (friendly new gal) and experiencing the tremendous gift of the Combat Veterans Bike Build. This year, there were two bikes built and given to veterans who have themselves given much. Tomorrow is the last day of preparation, Thursday we ride.

A quick note about photos. I will generally add a few photos to the daily SitReps but I am not the Central Route Photographer. I’d like to point out that in the Central Route Hub on this website you can find a link the the images the official photographer will post. I encourage you to click through those to better “see” what I’m doing my best to describe to you as we cross the country to complete our mission.

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The Alaska Airlines Fallen Soldier Cart

It’s almost time for the Run For The Wall. Riders are leaving their homes on their individual journeys to Ontario for the start of the mission. It is each of these individual stories that combine hearts and minds into one purpose to fulfill the mission of the Run For The Wall. Everyone has their own story, their own reasons for riding, their own troubles and victories. As a group, we listen and care for one another as we execute the mission of riding for those who can’t and peacefully drawing attention to the 81,600 servicemen and women who are still unaccounted for.

One of the stories woven into the Run For The Wall is the escort of the Alaska Airlines Fallen Soldier Cart across the country for delivery to an airport where it will serve to honorably carry the remains of fallen military members to and from aircraft. This year, the cart is traveling from the Seattle Tacoma (SEATAC) airport where it was constructed by Alaska Airlines volunteers, to Ontario and then on to Kansas City with the Central Route. The cart departed SEATAC this morning and will arrive in Ontario on Saturday, May 14th. It was at the cart’s first stop in Rochester, WA that I met up with it to thank the escort riders, and Jim Rea, the organizer of this year’s cart. My purpose for going to see the cart was to honor those making the escort journey and to help some of my friends and family in my home state understand a bit more about why we ride. Being a member of the Central Route, I will of course have opportunity to escort the cart, but seeing it in this context as a patriot citizen with others who cannot ride was fulfilling. Those I took with me were grateful for the opportunity to experience firsthand the patriotism that is still alive within Washington state and the rest of the country. It was with grateful hearts and tears in our eyes that we waved, saluted, and raised the flag for the escort and the cart as it departed Rochester on its journey southward to Ontario.

My personal journey to the 32nd Run For The Wall will start tomorrow, but the mission for most of us lasts all year. Today’s experience with the cart and one of the Patriot Guard Riders who escorted it from SEATAC to Rochester was a reminder that we should always be ready to listen to the stories of our brothers and sisters. After the cart and its escort departed, my family and I were in the parking lot packing up our flags and preparing to ride the 45 minutes back home when a gentleman began to tell his own story of woundedness. I gave the hero as much time as I could to unload some of what he was carrying. I hope it was enough. Everyone has value, everyone is important, and to lose anyone to their struggles is a tragedy.

Those carried by the Alaska Airlines Fallen Soldier Cart have their stories honored by the volunteers who sacrificed to build the cart and to carry it to airports across the nation. Their stories are also remembered by their Gold Star families and those who support them in their time of need. Every man and woman participating in the Run For the Wall has their own story as well. It is those stories when shared and honored that bring restoration and healing to the brokenness caused by military conflict. I look forward to bringing you the story of the Central Route this year and some of the individual stories that make the greater story of the 32nd Run For The Wall so much richer.

Departure of the Fallen Soldier Cart from Rochester Washington