Category: Midway Route SitReps

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2024 Central Route Itinerary Posted @ www.RFTW.us

Central Route Itinerary Cover 2024

Aloha RFTW O’hana –
May is 30-days away, and KSU is in 44-days!

We are pleased to announce that the Official 2024 Central Route Itinerary is complete.

It can be viewed and downloaded here:
https://rftw.us/central-route-hub

Additionally, if you want to PRINT a hard copy BOOKLET for yourself, the best thing to do is use this PRINT version, and print using the PRINT BOOKLET Option with Adobe Acrobat or Acrobat Reader.

  1. Put on your phone version – Click here
  2. Print booklet version, using Print Booklet function of Adobe Acrobat – Click Here (Save file to your computer first.) — Instructions on how to PRINT BOOKLET Here. Must be able to print on two sides of paper. Click here for instructions.** The MAP pages are on the LONG EDGE in the PRINT Version, and they are rotated for easier viewing in the Phone version.

To download and put the itinerary on your Apple iPhone click on the itinerary link at the Central Hub, then follow these instructions below.

Save and View PDFs to the Books app on your iPhone or iPad

Use Apple Books to save and view PDFs.

Tap the link above and get the itinerary PDF to open it.

  1. Tap the Share button .
  2. Swipe left over the app icons and tap Books.
    The Apple Books icon
    If you can’t see Books, tap the More button. Then tap Books.
    The Apple Books icon appears when you tap the More button.

Your PDF will open and save automatically in the Books app. You can find it later in the Library tab.

If you own an Android, follow these instructions:
https://www.adobe.com/acrobat/hub/how-to-read-pdfs-on-android.html

See you in May!

Kirk “Pretty Boy” Olson 
Asst Route Coordinator 2024 | Central Route
Run for the Wall®

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Central Route Coordinator Newsletter Town Hall and Communications Zoom

Aloha Run for the Wall O’Hana

I cannot believe we are almost in April already! Time is starting to move faster for the team putting together the Run!

 

An email was just sent to all Central Route REGISTERED Participants with a zoom invitation to the Town Hall Meeting on Tuesday the 26th of March at 1300 Hawaii time (1600 CA, 1700 Mountain, 1800 Central & 1900 Eastern).

If you did not get the email (Sent to the email address you put on registration) check your spam or other folders.

Additionally we will be holding a zoom on Thursday to discuss the GMRS communication system we will be testing this year on Central Route. Link for that meeting is below:

Communication Zoom Invite

Nick is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Topic: Central Route Communication Meeting
Time: Mar 28, 2024 01:00 PM Hawaii

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89099549846?pwd=a3BjRnFhTXNPc0JscDFxbUpMZExjQT09

Meeting ID: 890 9954 9846
Passcode: 273260

 

Kirk Olson and Harlan Olson will be spearheading this discussion and will be covering several things to help you get your radios ready for Ontario. We will have a meeting in Ontario on Tuesday the 14th of May to do a “Check Run” with the system and assist with any issues or questions, however time will be limited, so we are encouraging everyone to get their system set up and working prior to Ontario. Please reach out to Harlan Olson at harlan.olson@rftw.us if you have questions about the communications system.

In other news things are progressing well. I will put out a newsletter in April detailing a few things that are changing this year (Route changes, different lunch locations etc./nothing major)

Important Links
For any questions you may have, check out our FAQs first.  Then your next level of inquiry can be
directed to your platoon leadership or team leaders of the team you have a question about. We’ve got a strong cadre of leadership in the Pack Platoons and they are a great source of information, as is our FNG Liaison, Bernadette “Flat Tire” Staples, for our first-timers. All contact information is available in the Central Route Hub on the RFTW website.  Additionally, familiarize yourself with our Rider Code of Conduct.

Be safe and start getting your bike and Body ready for the MISSION and see you soon.

MUCH ALOHA TO MY ‘OHANA
Nick “Richboy” Hentges
RFTW Central Route Coordinator 2024

Check out the Central Route Facebook Group.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1422773938330162

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Midway Route Coordinator March News Letter

Well, here it is the Middle of March already!!!!  We are growing in numbers daily.  We now have about 90 FNGs and 255 riders signed up.

Spring has sprung for you I hope!!!  It is time to get your ride out and go over it from top to bottom in preparation for the run.  Tires/ Oil/ CB are important but you yourself is the key—-Please put a few miles on riding in preparation also.  Riding skills only improve by riding!!!  You also need to begin Hydration.  We ride through some very arid/hot and humid country over the 11 Days so HYDRATE_HYDRATE!!! You will hear that frequently.

Our State Coordinators are working hard to ensure we have the support we need across the nation.  They have done a great job!  If you have not registered, I encourage you to do so, as soon as possible.  We develop the daily meal plans based on registration.

We have not had much response to our plan of remembrance.  You don’t have to be on the run to submit a name.  If there is someone that has passed away in 2023 that has participated on the Midway Route could you please forward their name and the date of passing to zoewhat1@aol.com.  Thank you and may we remember them always!!!  SAY THEIR NAMES!!

Again, I remind everyone that the itinerary will be out by the first of next month on the Midway Hub. It will not be published in a hard copy book this year.  I encourage all of you, to either create a file on your electronic device or print and laminate a copy prior to your departure from home.

We have one promotion running right now managed by Gina Cutrer and Randy Olgin.  It is posted on the Midway RFTW site and Facebook.   A $1000.00 cash drawing to be drawn at the all-hands meeting on Monday before our departure on Tuesday.  The tickets for the cash drawing are one for $10.00, Seven for $50.00, twenty for $100.00, thirty for $150.00.  You can use ZELLE Midway.Route@rftw.us to pay for the cash drawing tickets, prepaid fuel, or to make a donation.  Be sure to note in the memo line what the money is designated for (Prepaid Fuel / Cash Drawing / Donation).  If you prefer to mail a check, then make the check payable to:  Midway Route RFTW and mail to Lily Lieux. 6426 Bridgeport Drive, Greenwell Springs, la. 70739 no later than 20 April 2024.  Again, be sure to note in the memo line of the check what the money is designated for (Prepaid Fuel / Cash Drawing / Donation).  Any checks received after 20 April 2024 will be returned unprocessed.

Our number of FNG’s continues to grow and our FNG Coordinator, ROGER FORD, is planning another Zoom call for the 23rd of March at 7PM Central Standard Time. Be on the lookout for the announcement on the social media pages, as well as, your email inbox for the Link. If you don’t get an invitation, please call / Text / email Roger or Myself.  We are both listed in the Midway Contact Tab on the RFTW website. Plan to participate, it is your chance to meet the primary team leads and to ask any of your unanswered questions.  Look forward to seeing you all there.  Welcome to the Midway Family!

Another exciting event that has yet to be published is a wreath laying at Arlington Cemetery on Saturday, 25 May.  We have been authorized to bring 75 bikes (150 FNGs) into Arlington for that event. The BOD and Route Leadership from all four route are working on the details of how many riders from each route will be allowed to attend.  If you are an FNG going All-the-Way let Roger know if you would like to participate in this activity.  If you are a single rider you need to  let another FNG ride with you. We want to fill all of the allocated spaces.  This is a unique opportunity, we have not been allowed to do on the run since 2019.  We need to take advantage of it.  Please, don’t signup if you are not sure about going!!!

Finally, we are still short of volunteers on some of our teams.  Merchandise needs one or two people to help sell shirts and other items out of the Midway Merchandise Trailer.  Fuel and staging still has a need for volunteers.  If you would like to volunteer, please submit a volunteer form or contact me at: email- don.king@rftw.us or text/ call me at 662-229-8304.

Only 64 days till KSU for the 10th Anniversary Run for Midway Route!!!

I look forward to seeing you all in Ontario!!!

Don “10-A-SEE King
RFTW Midway Route Coordinator 2024

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Central Route Coordinator Newsletter March 2024 First Edition

Aloha Run for the Wall O’Hana

I cannot believe we are in March already! Time is starting to move faster for the team putting together the Run!

The Board of Directors (as well as Route Coordinators and Assistants) held our “Face to Face” Spring meeting (Via Zoom) this past weekend and worked out a lot of details for the Upcoming Run as well as overall RFTW policy and initiatives.  We have finalized MOST of our preparations and only have a few minor details to work out.
Our State Coordinators are doing a fantastic job as always!
I am going to address quite a few things this newsletter (some repeats) and ask for your patience and that you read the WHOLE THING so you are getting the most up to date answers to the many questions you may have.

Pre-Paid Fuel
We are doing this again this year and it will be Pro-rated depending on your start and stop point. This will be based on the approximate ACTUAL COST of the non-donated fuel stops. So, this means I will not have a cost for you until the end of April. We will only be accepting Cash for the sticker beginning in Ontario.

FNG ride into Arlington
As you may have heard, we will have a very limited number of motorcycles allowed to ride as a group into Arlington National Cemetery on Saturday the 25th of May. We are still working on a fair and equitable way to determine WHO will be riding the (Roughly 20) motorcycles from Central Route allowed to go. It will likely be based on several factors (listed below).

  1. Distance traveled on the Run this year
  2. Date Registered (earlier the better)
  3. Ability to carry a passenger on the bike with you. (double the number of people that can attend)
  4. Luck

Ride into Riverside National Cemetery
(Copied from the President’s Message).   As you may have seen in a FB post, Carol is working on the possibility of riders going to the March AFB museum following the ride the Riverside National Cemetery. This is a Tuesday event, with KSU tentatively scheduled for 0815 from the Elks Club. The Elks will be serving breakfast so our riders can stage, eat, and leave from the same location. Right now, the cost of entrance to the museum is $10, but Blaze is trying to get that lifted. If you are interested in going to the museum, please email Carol at carollolmstead@ymail.com so she can provide a head count. Rumor has it that the museum is planning to rope off a parking area for us.

You must be registered and CHECKED IN to go on this ride, so get to Ontario and get Checked In on Monday the 13th.

Registration
DON’T FORGET TO REGISTER FOR THE RUN! We need you to register as early as possible so we can plan for Meals, Hotel needs, Fuel stops, staging, etc..  Are you not sure if you are coming? If you are committed and are coming, get registered. Help our teams get the information they need to plan for a successful Run.

REGISTER HERE.

 

Fundraiser
We will be doing a 50/50 draw in advance of May. Proceeds will go to The National Veterans Wellness and Healing Center in Angel Fire NM.

https://veteranswellnessandhealing.org/

Donations made through the RFTW website and Earmarked for “Central Route 50/50” will receive the following entries based on donation amount. You can also Zelle the donation to Central.Route@Rftw.us  and note that it is for the 50/50. If you don’t designate the donation as Central Route 50/50, you will NOT BE ENTERED.

$25 gets one entry
$50 gets 3 Entries
100 gets 7 Entries
The Largest Donor overall will get 2 extra entries into the drawing.
PHOTO OF HOW TO DESIGNATE THE FUNDS on the Donation Page Below.

Cut off for this fundraiser will be April 25th. A drawing will be held in Ontario CA. If you are not present we will either send the Money to you via Zelle or a check. We will notify the winner and ask for their preference at that point.

 

Communications
The initial testing of the GMRS radios is coming along well. A few (minor) glitches have been identified and we are figuring out workarounds. Thank you to Harlan and Kirk Olson and a few others in Colorado (including riders from other Routes) for taking the time to figure out this new system that is a much less expensive, easier to procure and BETTER way to communicate going down the road. If you are in leadership (Pack leadership especially) I encourage you to look into the system we will be testing and participate in the test this year. Advance teams will not necessarily be involved in the testing this year, as they tend to be out ahead of the pack anyway. More information can be found in the newsletter from early January. Link is below.

January Newsletter #1

Below is the link for the Survey form for Pack leadership that plans on assisting in the test.
Survey

Important Links
For any questions you may have, check out our FAQs first.  Then your next level of inquiry can be
directed to your platoon leadership or team leaders of the team you have a question about. We’ve got a strong cadre of leadership in the Pack Platoons and they are a great source of information, as is our FNG Liaison, Bernadette “Flat Tire” Staples, for our first-timers. All contact information is available in the Central Route Hub on the RFTW website.  Additionally, familiarize yourself with our Rider Code of Conduct.

 

Upcoming Meetings


FNG ZOOM
We are having an FNG zoom meeting on Monday the 11th of March (time below).
1:00 PM Hawaii Time
4:00 PM CA time
5;00 PM Mountain time
6;00 PM Central time
7;00 PM Eastern time

The zoom invitation will be sent out on Saturday the 9th of March to all REGISTERED FNGs as of that day and Route Leadership, so if you have not registered yet you need to. Please note that in order to keep the meeting manageable, we will be following similar Protocol to what was used for the BOD Town Hall meetings.

All attendees are asked to remain Muted, unless asked by the Moderator (Me) or the ARC, to speak.
Questions should be addressed via the chat function and will be answered in the order they are received.
When the invitation is sent out it will have a brief agenda in the email as well so you will know what we plan to cover and have questions ready.

 

CENTRAL ROUTE TOWN HALL
We will be having a Central Route specific Town Hall meeting on the 26th of March at the below listed times.
1:00 PM Hawaii Time
4:00 PM CA time
5;00 PM Mountain time
6;00 PM Central time
7;00 PM Eastern time

The zoom invitation will be sent out on Saturday the 23rd of March to all REGISTERED personnel as of that day, so if you have not registered yet you need to. Please note that in order to keep the meeting manageable, we will be following similar Protocol to what was used for the BOD Town Hall meetings.
All attendees are asked to remain Muted, unless asked by the Moderator (Me) or the ARC, to speak.
Questions should be addressed via the chat function and will be answered in the order they are received.
When the invitation is sent out it will have a brief agenda in the email as well so you will know what we plan to cover and have questions ready.

CENTRAL ROUTE Communications Zoom
We will be having a zoom meeting on the 29th of March at the below listed times to discuss the GMRS Radio System Central Route will be trying out this year. The invite will go out in a separate newsletter as we get closer to the date..
1:00 PM Hawaii Time
4:00 PM CA time
5;00 PM Mountain time
6;00 PM Central time
7;00 PM Eastern time

Please note that in order to keep the meeting manageable, we will be following similar Protocol to what was used for the BOD Town Hall meetings.

All attendees are asked to remain Muted, unless asked by the Moderator (Me) or the ARC, to speak.
Questions should be addressed via the chat function and will be answered in the order they are received.
When the invitation is sent out it will have a brief agenda in the email as well so you will know what we plan to cover and have questions ready.

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Central Route Coordinator News February 2024 First Edition

Aloha RFTW  ‘Ohana,

IS IT MAY YET?

We all see this comment each year from June through May. Well, it isn’t May yet, but it is rapidly approaching. Our State Coordinators are busy finalizing our Route and Plans for our stops. Do not forget to shake their hands and thank them when you see them. We cannot do this without them.

Most of our Leadership/Volunteer spots are filled, but we are still looking for a Friends of Bill Coordinator (IYKYK) and a Videographer.
Our Director of Merchandise is still searching for Team Members. If you would like to volunteer for this important Position, please contact Merchandise@rftw.us for more information.

 

Fundraising
Our 50/50 Raffle to Benefit the National Veterans Wellness and Healing Center is doing OK, but not nearly as well as I had Hoped. Please see more information in my last Newsletter and Consider entering the 50/50 drawing and supporting a great Charity at the same time.

January Newsletter #2

Upcoming Meetings
We are Planning Several Zoom Meetings in the next 2 Months.
Leadership Meeting in Mid-February, For team leaders and Platoon Leadership.
FNG Meeting toward the end of February. Keep an Eye on your email that you used when registering for an Invitation to that.
Town Hall meeting for Central Route in Early March and a GMRS radio Zoom meeting about a week after that. Info on the March Meetings will go into the March newsletter.

Pre-Paid Fuel
We will have prepaid fuel. The cost will be determined once we have a comprehensive list of donated stops and are closer to our departure so we can check current fuel cost. Pre-Paid fuel will be prorated from Location joined to final Location. Stay Tuned. Prepaid fuel stickers will be available to purchase in Ontario Starting and each day at the evening stop and the Morning meeting. Our leadership Support team will be collecting for those and marking them with your destination. We will not be selling these in advance and will be accepting cash only. (No $1 dollar bills).

Other fun facts
As of today, Central Route has 329 people signed up with 95 being FNGs! Welcome FNGs!!

Communications
The initial testing of the GMRS radios is coming along well. A few (minor) glitches have been identified and we are figuring out workarounds. Thank you to Harlan and Kirk Olson and a few others in Colorado (including riders from other Routes) for taking the time to figure out this new system that is a much less expensive, easier to procure and BETTER way to communicate going down the road. If you are in leadership (Pack leadership especially) I encourage you to look into the system we will be testing and participate in the test this year. Advance teams will not necessarily be involved in the testing this year, as they tend to be out ahead of the pack anyway. More information can be found in the newsletter from early January. Link is below.

January Newsletter #1

Below is the link for the Survey form for Pack leadership that plans on assisting in the test.

Survey

Important Links

For any questions you may have, check out our FAQs first.  Then your next level of inquiry can be directed to your platoon leadership or team leaders of the team you have a question about. We’ve got a strong cadre of leadership in the Pack Platoons and they are a great source of information, as is our FNG Liaison, Bernadette “Flat Tire” Staples, for our first-timers. All contact information is available in the Central Route Hub on the RFTW website.  Additionally, familiarize yourself with our Rider Code of Conduct.

 

In closing, Please register as soon as Possible (Especially if you are in a leadership role).

REGISTER HERE!!!!!!

This is important for us to know about how many people and vehicles we will have on the Route for our planning purposes (Think Fuel, Staging, Meals etc.). If you are in leadership, it is especially important to register NOW, so I know we can count on your attendance and participation.

Be safe and start getting your bike and Body ready for the MISSION and see you soon.

MUCH ALOHA TO MY ‘OHANA
Nick “Richboy” Hentges
RFTW Central Route Coordinator 2024

Check out the Central Route Facebook Group.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1422773938330162

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Midway Route Coordinator February Newsletter

Well here we are already in February of 2024—-It will be MAY before we know it.  I would like to wish the Midway Family a Happy Valentine’s Day!!!!  We are now 220 strong with 75 FNGs.

After looking at the present cost of fuel, the prepaid number is One Hundred Fifty Dollars ($150.00). One hundred fifty dollars for 2958 miles is cheap!!! You can prepay anytime between now and 5 May via Zelle to Midway.Route@rftw.us. Or  you can mail a check to Lily per the instructions below.  Be sure to put your correct name, registered under, phone number, and prepaid fuel in the memo block so we can include you on the spread sheet.  You can also bring cash to registration.  If you do not prepay your cost is Twenty Dollars ($20,00) per day.  To be very clear there are no exceptions to this policy.  The fuel team will be collecting the money at the pump from the non-prepaid participants. I am prepaying my fuel and I expect everyone to participate honorably. I like to use a phrase that defines this very well:  Discipline is doing what is right when no one is looking!! < SO PLEASE DO RIGHT >

Outreach has taken on a new task this year to try to collect and honor those who have fallen in the past year.  I asked Zoe our Outreach Coordinator to provide me with an announcement I could include here: The Midway Route has experienced the sadness of losing some wonderful family members in 2023.  We would like to honor the memory of these individuals during our Run this year.  They have all touched RFTW in one way or another.  If there is someone that has passed away in 2023 that has participated on the Midway Route could you please forward their name and the date of passing to zoewhat1@aol.com.  Thank you and may we remember them always!!!   Zoe

Hope everyone has made their hotel reservations and found a roommate if you were looking for one.  The itinerary will be out the last part of this month.  It will not be published in a hard copy book this year.  I encourage all to either create a file on your electronic device or print and laminate a copy prior to your departure for the Run.  Each of you need to review the daily stops and be aware of the efforts made by the communities along the way to host our group for lunches and dinners.  Additionally, the three outreaches for Cookeville are included.  Need to look at the different ones to determine the one you would like to participate in.  I will talk more about these outreaches later.

We have two promotions running right now managed by Gina Cutrer.  Both are posted on the RFTW site and Facebook.   The super bowl is February the 11 and we are selling squares on a football board for $25.00 each or five for $100.00.  The payout is $100.00 Walmart Gift Card per Quarter with no overtime.  We are also  doing another $1000.00 cash drawing to be drawn at the all-hands meeting on Monday before our departure on Tuesday.  The tickets for the cash drawing are one for $10.00, Seven for $50.00, twenty for $100.00, thirty for $150.00.  For both promotions you can pay by Zelle to Midway.Route@rftw.us with a note in the memo line for the promotion your money is designated for.  For the super Bowl board Zelle no Later than 10 February.  For the prepaid fuel or the cash drawing  you can mail a check to Lily Lieux. 6426 Bridgeport Drive, Greenwell Springs, la. 70739 no later than 20 April, 2024. Please, make a note in the memo line of the check for what you are donating to.  Any checks received after this date will be returned unprocessed.

When you review the itinerary, Look at the schools, churches, VFWs, American Legions, and Communities that open their doors to us with food and community involvement.  They all support their local veterans though Programs, Memorials, and Museums.   Additionally, they provide honor guards and other support to their communities which cost money.  They start working the day after our departure  raising money and support for our annual return. I bring all of this to your attention again, so each of you understand the importance of your participation in the various fund raising events and how your leadership is trying to be good stewards of your generosity.  Without you the Riders and your contributions there would be no RFTW.

I want to thank each of you for stepping up to help make Midway 2024 our 10th Anniversary a great success!

Is It May Yet!!!!

Don “10-A-SEE” King
Midway Route Coordinator
RFTW XXXIV

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Central Route Coordinator January Newsletter Second Edition

Aloha RFWT ‘Ohana

Just a few things to update you on below.

Communications
We are working on a tutorial for the GMRS radios that we will be trying out this year. If you are planning to assist with the trial, Please go to the link below and fill out the survey so we can get an idea of who will be participating and include you in Monthly updates and a Zoom meeting in April to discuss the system.

Survey

Pre-Paid Fuel
We will have pre-Paid Fuel again this year. It will be prorated for where you join and where you will end your run. All riders with Pre-Paid Fuel MUST Fill up each night before going to staging in the Morning (Team Leaders will be checking). Those who choose not to use the Pre-Paid option will need cash (NO $1 Dollar bills; $5’s and $10’s ONLY Rounded UP.).  This system vastly sped up our fueling times last year giving everyone more time to drink, use the restroom and stretch at each fuel stop. Pre-Paid Fuel sales will start in Ontario at the All Hands Meeting on Tuesday (Time to Be Determined). Prepaid Fuel will be available each Morning BEFORE the Mandatory Morning meeting.

Fundraiser
We will be doing a 50/50 draw in advance of May. Proceeds will go to The National Veterans Wellness and Healing Center in Angel Fire NM.

https://veteranswellnessandhealing.org/

Donations made through the RFTW website and Earmarked for “Central Route 50/50” will receive the following entries based on donation amount. You can also Zelle the donation to Central.Route@Rftw.us  and note that it is for the 50/50. If you don’t designate the donation as Central Route 50/50, you will NOT BE ENTERED.

$25 gets one entry

$50 gets 3 Entries

100 gets 7 Entries

The Largest Donor overall will get 2 extra entries into the drawing.
PHOTO OF HOW TO DESIGNATE THE FUNDS on the Donation Page Below.

Cut off for this fundraiser will be April 25th. A drawing will be held in Ontario CA. If you are not present we will either send the Money to you via Zelle or a check. We will notify the winner and ask for their preference at that point.

FNG Liaison
As you may know we have an FNG Liaison. Her name is Bernadette “Flat Tire” Staples. Her email is Bernadette.Staples@rftw.us Please reach out to her if you have any questions. She has also started a RFTW Central Route Facebook Group which is a good place to go get information and connect with other Central Route Riders. Please limit posts in this group to pertinent information specific to Central Route.

The Group can be found here.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1422773938330162

 

Registration
Please get registered ASAP. The price goes up Next WEEK!

There is a Board of Directors Town Hall Zoom THIS week (Thursday) to talk about registration. Please mark your calendars and try to attend. Link to the newsletter is below with all of the pertinent information.
NEWSLETTER

 

Merchandise

Our Director of Merchandise is still searching for Team Members. If you would like to volunteer for this important Position, please contact Merchandise@rftw.us for more information.

 

Stay Safe and start getting yourself and your Bike ready for the Run.

MUCH ALOHA TO MY ‘OHANA
Nick “Richboy” Hentges
RFTW Central Route Coordinator 2024

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Midway Route Coordinator January Newsletter

Ruby and I wish for each of you that the New Year will bring much happiness and may each day bring you bountiful blessings!
 Happy New Year to all my RFTW Family!

Welcome FNGs!!  We now have 49 registered.  Our FNG Coordinator plans to hold another Zoom Call on the 13th of January at 5PM Pacific Time.  The announcement and zoom link is on the Midway Facebook Page.  Additionally, each of you should have received an email from Roger with the information.  Please, check your spam folder if you have not seen the invite.  Look forward to seeing all of you on the call!

This is the last month for early registration.  In reviewing the registration list there is a significant amount of our leadership who have yet to registered.  I received a volunteer form last week from a person who had not yet registered. Couldn’t even find a phone number to contact that person to discuss the position applied for.   Registration is important to give us contact information and accurate planning numbers for the State Coordinators.  I encourage all of you to register now!

The hotel list was published on January 1.  I have not heard of any issues or problems with making reservations.   Hopefully, all of you have confirmed your reservations.  The Hotel coordinators do the tuff job of lining hotel rooms up for the Group.  Carol Olmstead in Ontario, Ca, Jerry Wilkins for Midway Route, and Gail Dipple in Washington, DC—-Kudos to you all for a great Job!!!

Fund raising is ongoing.  Congratulations to Marcus “Watcher” Power on his win of the $1000.00 Cash Drawing in December.  We have two opportunities coming up.  Gina has published on our Facebook Page the information for the Super Bowl football board that we do every year as a fund raiser.  A square is $25.00 or you can get 5 for the bargain price of $100.00.  The winning square at the end of each quarter gets a $100.00 Walmart gift card.  The end of game is the fourth quarter—-NO OVERTIME!!!  All the money raised goes toward fuel for the Midway Route.  Additionally, we plan to do another Cash drawing for a $1000.00 to be drawn at the all hands meeting the Monday before our departure from Ontario. Watch for this flyer on the Face book page coming soon!!!!

The leadership is in the final phases of Route planning:  Equipment orders/ Itinerary publication/fuel stops/activities within each State.  Our Route is about 99% solidified in all of those areas.  The leadership can look forward to ZOOM CALLS TO START MONTHLY TO ENSURE COMMUNICATIONS AND ROUTE COORDINATION IS COMPLETE!

I am excited that we are only 125 days from Ontario!!!!  I look forward to all of you there!!!  Between now and then get out and ride to get in condition and most of all be safe & Healthy!!!

IS IT MAY YET???  

Don ’10-A-See” King

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CENTRAL ROUTE NEWSLETTER JANUARY 2024

Aloha and “hauʻoli makahiki hou” to my RFTW O’Hana

Well it is finally 2024, the year of the 34th annual Run for the Wall mission. Planning is coming along very well for Central Route. We had a Planning meeting Thursday and are well on our way to coordinate all of our stops along the way. Our State Coordinators and other leadership has been hard at work getting things coordinated for a smooth safe and meaningful RFTW.  Minus a few glitches here and there the hotel list release went well. If there are any issues, please contact the State Coordinator in that respective State to sort it out.

We will have an FNG Liaison this year.  Her name is Bernadette “Flat Tire” Staples” If you have questions about how we operate, please contact her directly at Bernadette.staples@rftw.us. Sometime in February or March we will have an FNG Zoom Meeting so make sure you check your emails for the newsletter with the information on that.

RFTW Central Route in May 2024 will be piloting a new communications system for on-road communications while underway during our 10-Day Mission from Ontario, CA to Washington, DC. We will be using GMRS Radios and a High Power repeater. This technology has much further range than CB, and with clearer reception and transmission.  CB Radios are old, antiquated, and is a dying technology.  With that being said, we would like to encourage as many people to participate in the pilot program as possible this coming May.  We are highly encouraging all Platoon Leaders, APL’s, Tail Gunners, Road Guards, Chaplains, and Medics to participate in this year’s pilot and test. Pack riders and FNGs are also certainly allowed to listen. There are numerous off-the-shelf radios available that can be made Bluetooth capable if you have a Bluetooth helmet headset, like a Sena or a Cardo. If you do not use a Bluetooth helmet set-up, there are some wired solutions available, as well.

Option 1: (This option is the #1 HIGHEST recommendation.)

The BEST solution we have found in trying out several options is the BTECH GMRS Pro Bluetooth Radio with a Wireless PTT Button.
This solution WILL connect to a Bluetooth Helmet set-up like a Sena, for example.
Link to BTECH GMRS Pro at Amazon – https://amzn.to/3S8dX03
Video on this Btech GMRS Pro Radio: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mkk5hY3hM2k
Link to Wireless PTT at Amazon –         https://amzn.to/3S6P84z
Video on this radio: https://youtu.be/Mkk5hY3hM2k?t=179
Optional BTECH GMRS Pro K1 Adapter Cable. Allows Seamless integration with K1 Accessories, like a speaker mic or connecting to a wired harness: https://amzn.to/48NFOZ7
The radio can also be purchased here: https://baofengtech.com/product/gmrs-pro/

Option 2:
Any GMRS Radio like these:
TID Radio H8 GMRS Radio: **Recommended
https://amzn.to/3vsL1XR or here
https://amzn.to/3tJSpxw  **Recommended (Value Pack)
Video on the TID Radio H8: https://youtu.be/8HXSlHT84yQ?si=7v9_WVTpZ0A9muRo
Baofeng UV-5RTP: https://amzn.to/3tHoUMI
*These radios  are not Bluetooth from the manufacturer, so would best be used with a wired set-up, or external Bluetooth module.
External Bluetooth Module: https://amzn.to/3H6LGkg

A company called Rugged Radios are the BEST wired harnesses for those that do not have or want a Bluetooth helmet set-up, and they also offer Bluetooth for any radio, and are built for motorcycling.

Wired & External Bluetooth harnesses options from Rugged Radios. These harnesses work with almost any GMRS.
https://www.ruggedradios.com/collections/motorcycle-two-way-radio-helmet-communication-kits

Option 3:

If you are an Amateur Radio Operator (HAM), you may be interested in the Anytone ATD878UVII Plus.  This is a HAM radio, and can be unlocked for GMRS use, and has Bluetooth built-in that will pair to a Bluetooth helmet set-up.  This option does require good computer skills to program the radio.

We will still be using CB in 2024, and will likely move to the new system in 2025 and beyond, assuming the pilot test goes well.

Listening to a GMRS radio does not require a license from the FCC.
Transmitting on a GMRS frequency does require a license from the FCC and is easy to get, and is $35 for 10-years.
One license can be used per family.
Video on How-to get a GMRS license: https://youtu.be/xOuOIB1KCQ4?t=73
Click here to establish your FCC FRN Number: https://apps.fcc.gov/cores/userLogin.do
Click here for the FCC Universal Licensing System: https://www.fcc.gov/wireless/universal-licensing-system

The Central Route RC, ARC, Comms Officer and some of our Road Guards already have their GMRS licenses.

Please contact for more information:
Kirk Olson –      Kirk.Olson@rftw.us     — Phone: 303-588-6125
Harlan Olson – Harlan.Olson@rftw.us – Phone: 303-717-4514

Keep in mind the radio used must be be repeater capable and able to use CTSS encryption, which almost all GMRS radios are.

Keep your eye out for a follow on newsletter later this month about fundraising and prepaid fuel. We will be doing a 50/50 fundraiser before the RUN and will be doing prepaid fuel again this year. Details to follow on both of these topics.

If you are not receiving the newsletters in your mailbox, please sign up. Much information that is important and pertinent will be passed in the next couple of months and that information will be in the newsletters! Much easier to just open your e-mail and read about it than it is to go on FB or call and email people to get answers to things that have already been covered in a newsletter. The sign up is at the bottom of the rftw.us website and is simple to do.

 

In closing, Please remember to register before the cost goes up on 1 February.

REGISTER HERE!!!!!!

This is important for us to know about how many people and vehicles we will have on the Route for our planning purposes (Think Fuel, Staging, Meals etc.). If you are in leadership, it is especially important to register NOW, so I know we can count on your attendance and participation.

Be safe start getting your bike and Body ready for the MISSION and see you soon.

MUCH ALOHA TO MY ‘OHANA
Nick “Richboy” Hentges
RFTW Central Route Coordinator 2024

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Midway Route Coordinator December News Letter

 “MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!“

Ruby and I would like to wish everyone a Happy Holiday and safe travels for the season.  We hope each and every one of you will enjoy your time with family and friends!  Imagine, it is less than a month till 2024 and only 150 days to KSU for the Midway Route.
Time flies when you’re having fun….

The Midway team is hard at work to meet the schedule for the publication of the HOTEL List on 1 January.  For all the old timers you know what that means; for the FNGs be on the alert and act quickly with your reservation at the host hotels, especially in California and DC!  The itinerary is in the final stages and will be published as scheduled.

I am concerned about registration as well as the amount of donations to date.  If you are not registered, please do so as soon as possible.  We need our rider numbers for the State Coordinators to accomplish support planning for our meals along the way!!  Not to mention the fact that the early bird registration pricing is over on January 31, 2024.

The Army/Navy game and the hotel raffle has not generated significant funds as in the past.
Trying to figure out the problem??
Please, let me know any issue, if you have participated in the past but not this year, for what reason??  All these funds go to support rider fuel cost.  We have not generated enough so far to even pay for one fuel stop.  We have the Super Bowl Board coming up.  I’m asking all of you to participate.  It pays $100.00 per quarter and one square could get you the $100.00!
Last year we filled two boards!!!!

Leadership is busy accumulating the equipment requirements for each team, so our order can be placed.  The planning for our activities in both Ontario and DC are in the early planning stages.  As soon as, the schedule of events is solidified, we will publish the schedule, so you can make your plans accordingly. Midway is the only 11 Day route and we will depart Ontario on Tuesday, May 14th, 2024.

We still have leadership and support team member openings on Staging, Chase, and the Platoons.   Please fill out a volunteer form if you would like to participate on one of these teams.

I know this letter is short and sweet but be prepared for the New Year!  We need to start the New Year Running toward May!!  After 1 January things will begin to get hectic.  I ask that each of you please make time to participate in the Zoom calls that apply to your area of responsibility. Leadership needs your input!!
Without your participation something could be missed!! 

Is It May Yet!!!!!!

Don “10-A-SEE” King
Midway Route Coordinator