Category: Southern Route SitReps

Riders and supporters, I’d like to officially WELCOME YOU to the beginning stages of the 35^th Annual Run for the Wall, which will commence on May 14, 2025.  I’d like to thank the RFTW BoD, and my predecessor Nick Hentges for the honor of being selected and appointed Route Coordinator for Central Route 2025.

I officially would like to welcome all of you to our 2025 Run and the Central Route.  Especially, I’d like to welcome all newcomers, riders, and FNG’s.  All are welcome to ride with us, whether you are a Veteran (from ANY era), Active Duty, or non-veteran supporter.  Some people think you need to be a veteran or have a military background to ride with us.  That is not the case. We welcome all people and riders from all walks of life.  Additionally, there are no Red or Blue teams on this ride.  We are one team and one family. This is a Mission, and we do this 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.  We honor and Ride for Those Who Can’t. If you ride, you are Welcome ride with on this incredible journey.

Not only will May 2025 be the 35^th Annual Run, it also coincides with the 50^th Anniversary of the official end to the Vietnam War, when the South Vietnamese capital city of Saigon fell on April 30, 1975 (link).  The signing of the Paris Peace Accords on January 27, 1973 did not hold.

Therefore, RFTW is declaring 2025, “The Year of the Vietnam Vet”, which is truly allowing us to honor our roots and our Vietnam Vets like never before.  There will be many special events and things focusing on this theme that will be revealed in the months to come.  Remember, many of our veterans still need their “Welcome Home”, so let’s make sure we reach as many of them as we can.

Focusing on “The Year of the Vietnam Vet” is also allowing us to say THANK YOU to those that came before us, so we can build upon and continue the legacy that James “Gunny” Gregory (our Founder) started in 1989 with the FIRST Run. It is extremely important that we honor our roots, history, and the foundation of RFTW, so we ensure the continuation of RFTW for the next 35-years and beyond.  We would not be here today, do what we do, look forward to every May, and most importantly “Ride for Those That Can’t”, if it were not for the Vietnam Vets that came before us.  They laid the foundation for what RFTW is today and what we will become, as we expand and grow to reach the NEXT GENERATION of vets, riders, and supporters.

For those that may not know me, I am not a Vietnam Era Veteran. I was 7-years-old in April 1975, when Saigon fell.  I went into the Navy in the summer of 1987 after graduating from high school. My father, Harlan Olson, is a Vietnam Veteran, and I do RFTW to honor all veterans from all wars and service, but especially him.  Dad was also the Central Route Coordinator in 2018 for the 30^th Annual RFTW, so I am proud to be following in his shoes and footsteps.  To my knowledge, we are the first pair of father-son RFTW RC’s, and I certainly hope not the last.  My FNG year was 2009, and I have done almost every official RFTW since then.  I only missed the 2022 Run due to a broken shoulder.  Last year I served as the Assistant Route Coordinator.  I have also served as Road Guard Captain, Assistant Road Guard Captain, and as a Road Guard over the years.  I also served on the BoD as the Public Relations Director from 2016-2019.

You all may be wondering who the 2025 Assistant Route Coordinator is going to be… It is my privilege to announce that Jim McDonough has accepted the position as my Assistant (ARC) for the 2025 Central Route RFTW.  Jim was commissioned as an Ensign in 1983 and became a Naval Flight Officer in EA6-B Prowlers.  He left Active Duty in 1994, and transferred to the Naval Reserve, where he ultimately retired in 2014 as a Navy Captain (O-6).  Jim also is a retired Sergeant of the Kitsep County Sheriff’s Office in Port Orchard, WA. Jim has served both RFTW as a Platoon Leader, Asst Platoon Leader, and Quartermaster. I am truly thrilled and humbled to have him as my ARC in 2025.  Please join me in welcoming and congratulating him.

Believe it or not, planning for May 2025 and the 35^th Run is already starting. All of the new RC’s will be meeting with the RFTW BoD in about a week and a half to officially kick things off.

Our very next order of business that is coming up immediately is the RFTW Angel Fire Reunion and workday.  This reunion will take place Friday, August 30 – Sunday, Sept 1, 2024.  Most people come in some time on Friday and leave on Sunday morning.  If you want to come a day early on Thursday, or stay later than Sunday, that is up to you.  There is great riding in the area.  I will re-iterate that this reunion is for anyone from any of our Four Routes.  Central Route does stop in Angel Fire as an official stop on our itinerary in May, but what makes this reunion special is that we lay memorial bricks along the walkways of the memorial. RFTW has adopted the memorial for many, many years.  Each brick has the name and service dates of any serviceman or servicewoman. Living or deceased. Each brick is read aloud and marched to its place on the memorial grounds by an RFTW rider.  The memorial provides our lunch on Saturday, Aug 31.  Part of your registration and sign-up fee will include dinner on Friday night and Saturday night.  You are responsible for  making your own lodging reservations in Eagle Nest, NM or Angel Fire, NM.

Go here to register for the reunion: https://forms.gle/txe74T5fRRAzCC9EA

• Please register. This helps us prepare for number of people and meals for the reunion.

There will be more to come in the coming months, leading up to our departure in May 2025.

In my 16-years of being involved with RFTW, I am sure I’ve messed up a time or two.  I want you all to know that I’m humbled and honored to be your Route Coordinator for our 35^th Annual Run For The Wall.  I’ll  work hard and do my best to make it meaningful to you all.  Let’s make it count, and one to remember.

Until They All Come Home,
Kirk “Pretty Boy” Olson
Route Coordinator – Central Route 2025

Aloha RFTW O’Hana,

I hope everyone has either made it home safely or is safely on their way.

I would like to start this newsletter with a heartfelt MAHALO to all that supported us in our Journey across the US to Washington DC. We could not complete our MISSION without the support received from numerous communities, Companies, and Individuals across the Country.

I would also like to thank all of our Volunteers and Leadership on the Central Route. The teams performed superbly this year and we had a great Run (Aside from a little bit of Hail in KS). I give credit for our successes to these amazing people and accept any and all shortfalls or failures as MINE alone.

I also want to acknowledge our RIDERS! You all did a fantastic job under some adverse conditions and CONTINUED THE MISSION. I know some had to turn back due to Mechanical issues or other reasons and I hope to see you ALL back next year. Please spread the word and bring new people to the RUN next year.

I am adding a small bit of detail about the donations we made this year (Thanks to all of you!).

We donated approximately $65,000.00 (+/-) to the following organizations along our Route. RED Text denotes Veterans Organizations.

Hulet Elementary School
Operation Transition Outside the Wire
https://operationtotw.org/ 
American Legion, Holbrook AZ
Veterans Helping Veterans, Gallup NM
National Veterans Wellness and Healing Center
https://veteranswellnessandhealing.org/about-us/
Village of Eagle Nest NM
Missouri National Veterans Memorial, Perryville MO
https://mnvmfund.org/
Arlington Assembly of God (this Church Allows our riders to camp and feeds them-They need a new Walk in Refrigerator/Freezer)
Elks #2644 Veterans Committee
Anstead Elementary
Valley PK-12 School
Rainelle Elementary
David Westfall Foundation
https://www.vietnamveteransmemorial.org/
Fort Riley BOSS
https://riley.armymwr.com/programs/boss
Willing Warriors Foundation
https://www.willingwarriors.org/
Sons and Daughters In Touch
https://sdit.org/
Santo Domingo School, in NM
Cochiti Elementary School in NM

These Donations not only help organizations along our Route, but they also help spread the word about us and our MISSION as well as teach the next generation of Patriots what has been sacrificed for their freedoms and the freedoms of their family and friends.

These donations are from our Riders and many supporters that assist us all year, every year.

Once I have a bit more time, my final Newsletter will list some of the many donors (Some do not wish to be identified).

Many have asked me this year “How can I get more involved”.  As a non-FNG, you are eligible to apply for a leadership position. This includes platoon leadership, fuel and staging teams, chase vehicle team and other leadership support positions. So, if you think you might be interested, consider submitting a volunteer request form for next year. SIGN UP HERE!

Another important thing to note: AFTER ACTION REPORTS. Please go to the link and fill out the form. This helps us understand what, in the individual’s opinion, worked well and what did not. It also helps us identify potential problems and address them for next year. I have read EVERY ONE of the ones that are streaming in and have started a spreadsheet to track suggestions, criticisms and things that people identified as good things. The RC for next year will receive all of these and make decisions based on this input. If you don’t make us aware of issues, we cannot work to correct them. Keep in mind that we do value any and all input, all reports will be read and considered, but not all suggestions will be implemented. We especially appreciate suggestions on how to make things better rather than just criticism of things that riders did not like or agree with.

CLICK HERE TO SUBMIT

 

In Closing, I have a few questions?
1. HOW FAR DID WE GO?
2. HOW MANY ROUTES DO WE HAVE?
3. HOW MANY MISSIONS DO WE HAVE?
5. WHY DO WE RIDE?
6. IS IT MAY YET?

MUCH ALOHA AND MANY MAHALOS TO MY OHANA
Nick “Richboy” Hentges
RFTW Central Route Coordinator 2024

Aloha RFTW O’Hana,
May is HERE. This will be my last newsletter before the Run starts in 2 weeks. 

Reposting a few things here as well as a bit of new information. 

Itinerary
The Itinerary is posted online. READ IT Every Morning and Every Night and at Every Stop.  DO NOT ask questions of anybody where the answer is in the Itinerary (do not ask, for example, when are we leaving? Or what is our next stop?)!!

IF YOU DOWNLOADED THE ITINERARY MORE THAN A WEEK AGO, DOWNLOAD IT AGAIN. MAKE SURE YOU HIT THE “REFRESH” BUTTON ON THE WEBSITE AND GET THE LATEST VERSION. (2024-Itinerary-CR-Rev-3-FINAL).

Hotel Problems
The Best Western/Microtel hotel in Limon has informed us that they will not complete construction work before our arrival, so if you planned on staying there, you need to find another hotel. There are plenty of rooms left at other hotels in Limon.

Hotel Parking
REMINDER. Parking under the Portico (Awning) outside of the Hotels is not allowed except when you are unloading your gear. Do not ask the Hotel folks if it is OK and put them in an awkward Position (many don’t want to say no to us!). If you are registered for the Run and park under the Portico, I will ask the local PD to call a tow truck and have your bike or car ticketed and towed. 

Personal note…… Years ago in Hurricane WV, I went down to my bike to grab something at about midnight and the Portico was packed with motorcycles and the Night Manager was frantic, because the Fire department had stopped by and told him he needed to clear the fire lane. He could not locate all the owners of the bikes (we found a few) and the hotel got a $1500 fine. He lost his job because of us (22 or so years old, married with a newborn baby) and we almost lost major support from the local community because some riders didn’t want their bike to be out in the rain! This is unacceptable and will not be tolerated. 

PRE-PAID FUEL
We will be doing Pre-Paid fuel. CASH ONLY. In Ontario, Look for a Leadership Support Team Member at the Elks to get your sticker ($90 for ATW/ Prorated if you are only going part way). There is no Option to pay online or use a credit card or check.

Questions and inquiries
Both Kirk and I have been getting a ton of inquiries that are better directed to other leadership within the Route. Answering these inquiries take a LOT of time each day that we could better use in planning and Coordinating the overall Run. Examples would be questions about Platoon assignments, Missing Man, Fuel, Staging, etc.
Please go to the online contact list on the website under the “Central Route Hub” and find the contact that can directly answer your questions. I.E. Platoon assignments=Platoon Coordinator, Missing Man=Missing Man Coordinator, GMRS Communications= etc.

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.

Arlington Escort
We are still working out the total number of Motorcycles we can send into Arlington and who will get to go. I know everyone is excited about this opportunity, but please be patient and wait until we have it sorted and announce the details (Again, emails and Messages to myself or the ARC are a distraction that we cannot spare the time for right now as we finalize details for the Run). 

Ontario Schedule (CR Specific)
Communications (GMRS) assistance at the Holiday Inn from 1500 (3PM) until 1630 (4:30 PM) Monday (Conference Room) Point of Contact Harlan Olson (Leadership Support Communications on the contact list). We are looking for a few Radio Savvy Helpers to Volunteer and help folks set their radio and headset up (Connect Radio to Headset/Load correct frequencies, help conduct “radio checks”, etc.). Please reach out to Harlan if you can assist with this.

1. Central Route Team Leaders and Platoon Leadership Meeting at the Holiday Inn Conference room. 1530 (3:30 PM)
2. Riverside National Cemetery Ride. Tuesday. Stage at 0700 and depart at 0800. Need to be checked in with the registration team prior to the RNC Run. (MONDAY)
3. Communications testing at Lot “D” (West end) Tuesday at 1400 (2PM) to test GMRS Radio set ups
4. Central Route Leadership Meeting in Lot “D” Tuesday (West end) at 1500 (3PM) (MANDATORY FOR ALL CR LEADERSHIP/TEAMS)
5. Central Route FNG Meeting in Lot “D” Tuesday (West End) at 1545 3:45 PM) 
6. Central Route ALL HANDS MANDATORY Meeting in Lot “D” Tuesday (West end) at 1630 (4:30 PM) followed by team and Platoon Meetings 
7. There are numerous other meetings and events in Ontario. Please go to the Hub and check out the Ontario Pre Run Schedule for more information.

This year we will have a Shuttle Bus running continuous loops between the Ontario Convention Center, the Holiday Inn Ontario Airport Host Hotel, and the Elks Lodge. The shuttle will run from noon-8 pm on Sunday, May 12th; and from 7 am through 9 pm on Monday, May 13th and Tuesday, May 14th.

ALOHA FRIDAY
Like we did at the Workday/Reunion in Angel Fire, we will have an Aloha Friday Shirt contest in Eagle Nest at Dinner. Best Aloha Shirt wins a prize1 Make sure they are R.E.D. though!

Breakouts and Outreach Missions
There will be opportunities to ride with the Outreach and Ambassador teams on Breakouts and other missions. Please ask your platoon leadership about opportunities and volunteer to go on these missions. They are very rewarding and give a great picture of the overall mission outside of the day-to-day riding.

I would like to reiterate something from my last newsletter that I feel is extremely important. During the last year I have been focusing on planning the Central Route with much support from many great people. In the last few weeks, it has dawned upon me that I have been focusing so hard on the planning and worrying about last minute details/glitches, etc., that I was not thinking about the MISSION. Please remember our Mission and try to keep that first and foremost in your mind.

At each stop along our way you will see Tom “Bones” Pogue on his knees next to his motorcycle writing the name and details about the Person we are riding for on that leg. Please go and read the name on your way back to your bike after fuel/restroom/lunch, etc. and remember that name during that leg (and after). That is a large portion of why we ride. When you are tired or hot or wet or cold or mad about something during the Run, take a second and say their name. 

In closing, please get yourself and your Bike ready for the MISSION. Be safe traveling to your starting point and begin hydrating NOW. Don’t forget your paperwork so you can check in and remember your meds. Make sure your bike is ready for the trip to, during and after the Run. Don’t forget to Bring cash for your prepaid fuel stickers ($90 for ATW/What a great deal!). 

 

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

Aloha Central Route Family

Please excuse me if this newsletter seems to jump around a lot. I had a lot of information I wanted to get out and it may seem a bit disjointed, but please read the whole thing!

Pre-Run Preparation
Make sure you pack enough prescription Meds to get all the way back home. Get your Bike Ready. NO BALD TIRES!! Safety Chains are required for any Trailers. Time is running out to get your bikes in tip top shape! Get them serviced, get them inspected, and make sure your state registration, Motorcycle endorsement and insurance are all up to date and valid through the end of May 2024. If you haven’t already done so, pack up your bike with everything you are taking and get out on the highway or interstate on a test ride. Make sure you’re familiar with how your bike is going to handle with the added gear. Make sure you can safely control your bike, stop, start, and tight turns while loaded! Be sure that everything is safely secured and will not become a hazard to other riders.

As you prepare your bikes or other modes of transportation, you also need to prepare yourselves, mind, and body too! This is NOT a weekend ride. Be sure you have your Emergency Information Form filled out – completely! It will be checked daily by your Team Leaders and/or Platoon Leaders. It is MANDATORY and you cannot ride without it. If you take medication, be sure that you listed it on your EIF and that you have enough of your prescribed medications with you for your entire trip.

It is time for everyone to start hydrating! It is much easier to hydrate than it is to re-hydrate! Generally, it is recommended to drink a liter of water a day to stay hydrated. However, this can depend on your age, body, underlying medical conditions, and what physical exercise you are doing on that day. Being extremely thirsty, dry mouth, fast breathing, fast heart rate, and low blood pressure are all significant signs of dehydration, however, what many of us will likely feel first is fatigue – both mentally and physically! Be aware and stay HYDRATED!

West Virginia Motorcycle Service

In Rainelle, WV:    J T Taylor is a Gold Star Father that has a motorcycle repair business on 6th Ave:  tires, brakes, repairs, etc.  He will be at the Veterans Memorial with numerous other WV Gold Star families and then will be available to work on any type of motorcycle after the Outreach ceremony.
His oldest son Jeffrey was a member of Seal Team 10 (“Lone Survivor” movie) – KIA in Afghanistan. His middle son Josh was severely injured by an IED.
His youngest son suffered a broken back on an aircraft carrier and now has TBI from an auto accident.

 

All Vietnam Era Vets on the Central Route:

If you are not familiar with them, the USA Vietnam War Commemoration is a DOD and Congressionally authorized national 50^th anniversary commemoration.  The primary objective is to thank and honor Vietnam veterans and their families for their service and sacrifice.

The Commemoration is providing Vietnam Veteran Lapel Pins to military veterans who served during the Vietnam Era (11/1/1955 – 5/15/1975).  For the purpose of the pin, there is no distinction between veterans who served in-country, in-theater, or who were stationed elsewhere during the Vietnam War period.

The pins can only be administered by Commemorative partners, and they are typically administered by attending a “Dignified Presentation”.   You can read more about this here:  https://www.vietnamwar50th.com/about/vietnam_veteran_lapel_pin/
(You can also opt to have the pin mailed to you.  Please see their web site for details)

The exciting news for Vietnam era vets on the Central route is that we have worked over the winter with Sons and Daughters in Touch (www.sdit.org) and the Willing Warriors Foundation ( www.willingwarriors.org) (they are Commemorative Partners) to administer the lapel pins to any Vietnam Era Vets at our Day 10 lunch stop in Marshall, VA.

The pinning ceremony will be quick – we are on a lunch stop, and have to keep on schedule to get to the host hotel.  The only requirement is that Ed Wehner has your name before Sunday, May 19^th (by the time we arrive at Junction City).  Please email Ed at  ed.wehner@rftw.us if you are interested in receiving the pin, or have any questions about this.

 

Order of Precedence at Fuel Stops/Lunch
#1 Road Guards and other advance teams (Fuel, Staging, Ambassadors, Outreach)
#2 Chaplains and Medics
#3 Other Leadership
#4 All Others

We are looking for a Marine to ride missing Man formation for Day one from Ontario to Needles. Any Volunteers should reach out to the Missing Man Coordinator (Listed on the website under contacts. These legs will be ridden in honor of Brian Alvarado, Sgt USMC.  Brian served 2 tours in Iraq and sadly developed cancer from the “burn pits” and he passed a couple of months ago.
Despite his condition, he was still volunteering for whatever Veteran’s causes needed help.  His wife and daughter are scheduled to be at the start, and I know it would mean a lot to them if he could be Escorted by a fellow Marine.

Pre-Paid Fuel

To be totally clear on this. PRE-PAID FUEL STICKERS WILL COVER THE ACTUAL ANTICIPATED COST OF THE NON-DONATED FUEL STOPS DURING THE DAY ON THE RUN. THIS TOTAL COST (ONCE DETERMINED) IS ONLY FOR THE NON-DONATED STOPS. WE DO NOT CHARGE FOR STOPS THAT ARE BEING GENEROUSLY DONATED.

Stickers will be available from our leadership support team in Ontario and each morning (During the hour prior to the scheduled Mandatory Meeting).

Riders must fill their motorcycles up each evening on their own before arriving at staging in the morning (Spot checks will be happening). We do have 3 very generous donors that will be donating fuel in the evening. Details will be passed in the Morning meetings about how to take advantage of the generous offers to fill our gas tanks up at night. Some Bullet Points below from the Town Hall Meeting

• COVERS THE COST OF ALL NON-DONATED FUEL STOPS DURING THE DAY
• ALL THE WAY COST WILL BE $90.00
• WE WILL HAVE PRORATED AMOUNTS FOR THOSE NOT GOING ALL THE WAY . PAYMENT FOR THE FUEL STICKERS WILL BE CASH ONLY.
• SPEEDS UP THE PROCESS BY ABOUT 75%
• NON-PRE-PAID WILL PAY CASH AT THE PUMP (NO CHANGE GIVEN) ROUNDED UP TO $5.00 (EX. PUMP $8.25-PAY $10.00/PUMP $10.05-PAY $15.00.) NO $1.00 BILLS WILL BE ACCEPTED AT THE PUMPS/NO EXCEPTIONS.
• THIS PROCESS GIVES EVERYONE APPROXIMATELY 10-15 EXTRA MINUTES AT FUEL STOPS
• ANY EXCESS $ GOES TO FUEL THE CHASE TRUCKS AND HYDRATION TRUCK. ANY $ LEFT AFTER THAT WILL GO TO A VETERAN CHARITY TO BE DETERMINED
• ALL RIDERS MUST FUEL COMPLETELY THE NIGHT BEFORE AND SHOW UP WITH A FULL TANK OR YOU WILL BE TURNED AWAY TO GO FUEL AND POSSIBLY MISS BREAKFAST AND THE MORNING MEETING (CAN’T RIDE IN THE PACK IF YOU MISS THE MEETING). LEADERSHIP WILL BE SPOT CHECKING.

Ontario Schedule
The Ontario Schedule has been posted on the Route Hub. A brief list of meetings for the Central Route are below.

1. Communications (GMRS) assistance at the Holiday Inn from 1500 (3PM) until 1630 (4:30 PM) Monday (Conference Room) Point of Contact Harlan Olson (Leadership Support Communications on the contact list). We are looking for a few Radio Savvy Helpers (especially those familiar with the BTech GMRS pro) to Volunteer and help folks set their radio and headset up (Connect Radio to Headset/Load correct frequencies, help conduct “radio checks”, etc.). Please reach out to Harlan if you can assist with this.
2. Central Route Leadership Meeting at the Holiday Inn Meeting room Monday at 3:30 PM for All team leads and Platoon Leadership.
3.  Riverside National Cemetery Ride on Tuesday AM. Stage at 0700 and depart at 0800. Need to be checked in with the registration team prior to the RNC Run. (MONDAY)
4. Communications testing at Lot “D” (WEST end) Tuesday at 1400 (2PM) to test GMRS Radio set ups
5. Central Route Leadership Meeting in Lot “D” (WEST end) Tuesday at 1500 (3PM) (MANDATORY FOR ALL CR LEADERSHIP/TEAMS (NOT JUST TEAM LEADS/ALL LEADERSHIP/VOLUNTEERS)
6. Central Route FNG Meeting in Lot “D” (WEST End) Tuesday at 1545 (3:45 PM) (Leadership and FNGS)
7. Central Route ALL HANDS MANDATORY Meeting in Lot “D” (WEST end) Tuesday at 1630 (4:30 PM) followed by team and Platoon Meetings

 

The Merchandise and Hydration Trailers will be available at the Host Hotel, Ontario Holiday Inn located at 2155 E. Convention Center Way, Ontario, CA 91764.
Check-in will be available at the Elks Lodge, 1150 W. 4th Street, Ontario, CA 91762. The Elks Lodge opened their doors to us and has welcomed RFTW with open arms. The Elks Lodge will have many volunteers assisting inside the building and in the parking lot. Please thank them for their generosity and be respectful. Disrespect of any kind will not be tolerated.

The Elks Lodge will also have Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner available for purchase on Monday and Tuesday (Taco Tuesday?). A Steak Dinner is also planned again with advanced tickets available on site.

Hydration will also be available at the Elks Lodge.

This year we will have a Shuttle Bus running continuous loops between the Ontario Convention Center, the Holiday Inn Ontario Airport Host Hotel, and the Elks Lodge. The shuttle will run from noon-8 pm on Sunday, May 12th; and from 7 am through 9 pm on Monday, May 13th and Tuesday, May 14th.

 

 

See the Message Below from the VFW in Ontario

My name is William Castellanos, I am the Quartermaster for the Ontario VFW Post 2085. I know that the Run For The Wall event is May 13th – May 15th and the starting point is in Ontario. I would like to invite all of you to our post to have somewhere to enjoy and prep before your ride begins. Please let me know if we can be of assistance. Our post phone number is 909-986-9066. My cell phone is 213-841-7634. Our post email is vfwpost2085@gmail.com

Respectfully,
William Castellanos
Sergeant – US Marine Corps Veteran
Veterans of Foreign Wars
Post Quartermaster 2085 Old Baldy
1341 East D Street
Ontario, CA 91764
Phone: 909-986-9066
Email: vfwpost2085@gmail.com
Instagram: @vfwpost2085
FB: www.facebook.com/ontariovfwpost

 

Fundraising Efforts

We will have a Table at the Elks near the Merchandise Trailer to showcase some of the Items we will be having a drawing for and we will be selling tickets for a Beautiful Afghan made By Daniel Slocum’s Sister. We will sell tickets for the Afghan to riders from ALL ROUTES and will continue to sell tickets during the Run. We will Draw the Winner on Day 10 (Lewisburg) in the morning and the winner will get the item in Arlington or it will be mailed to them after the Run. Proceeds from this drawing will be split amongst all 4 Routes (ONE MISSION FOUR ROUTES) based on participation.

Some Detail Below about this Afghan.
Size: 5′ 7″ x 8″ 3″
Colors: 5 unique colors
Stitches: 91.440
Stitch Type: Crochet
Backing: Sewn on cloth and border to help prevent fraying and preserve the Afghan through use.
Labor: ~700 from December 2023 – April 2024
Maker: Debbie Slocum Lockwood, Sheridan Oregon (huge Thanks to Debbie for all of the labor and love she put into this)

In closing I wanted to touch on something I feel is extremely important. During the last year I have been focusing on planning the Central Route with much support from many great people. In the last few weeks, it has dawned upon me that I have been focusing so hard on the planning and worrying about last minute details/glitches, etc., that I was not thinking about the MISSION. Please remember our Mission and try to keep that first and foremost in your mind.

At each stop along our way you will see Tom “Bones” Pogue on his knees next to his motorcycle writing the name and details about the Person we are riding for on that leg. Please go and read the name on your way back to your bike after fuel/restroom/lunch, etc. and remember that name during that leg (and after). That is a large portion of why we ride. When you are tired or hot or wet or cold or mad about something during the Run, take a second and say their name.

Be safe and I will see you very soon.

 

Is it May yet?

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

Aloha RFTW O’Hana,
May is rapidly approaching, and I think we are close to having all of our preparations done.
I would like to address a few things in this newsletter.

Itinerary
The Itinerary is posted online. In the last Newsletter (LINK HERE), Kirk “Pretty Boy” Olson explained how to download an online version to your mobile device as well as how to print the itinerary in a “Booklet” form. I recommend holding off on the printing until the 1^st of May as there may be a few (Minor) changes to times at stops, etc. READ IT Every Morning and Every Night and at Every Stop.  DO NOT ask questions of anybody where the answer is in the Itinerary (do not ask, for example, when are we leaving? Or what is our next stop?)!!

Thanks to all the State Coordinators and the Route Planner as well as Pretty Boy for getting this done this year. It takes an enormous amount of time and coordination as you might imagine. With that said, please be patient and understanding if there are minor changes once it is posted. Below is a paragraph out of the Itinerary that I would like everyone to read and think about.

This year marks the 49th Anniversary of the Fall of Saigon.  According to the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, last updated March 1, 2024: 1,577 of our brothers and sisters are still unaccounted for from the Vietnam War.  Along with that number, there are 126 Cold War MIAs, mostly in or near China.  Another 7,482 American service members are still missing from the Korean War.  Additionally, 72,115 are unaccounted for from World War II.  Since the Gulf Wars, September 11, 2001, and other conflicts, there are five more MIAs.  Out of the 81,500 missing, 75% of the losses are located in the Asian Pacific, and over 41,000 of the missing are presumed lost at sea (i.e., ship losses, known aircraft water losses, etc.).  Even though efforts of JPAC (Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command) have been responsible for the recovery of hundreds of remains, we must continue to remain vigilant in the pursuit to bring our missing home. American Servicemembers are still on duty throughout the world to protect our Freedom and way of life. It is imperative to obtain a full accounting of our missing from all our Nation’s wars. As a part of the RFTW Mission, Central Route concludes our annual Mission at the Vietnam Memorial Wall in Washington D.C. on Saturday May 25, 2024.

 Questions and inquiries
Please take the following information as helpful and informative. If you have questions about procedure, assignments, positions, etc., You are much more likely to receive a timely response if your question is directed to the right person.  Examples would be questions about Platoon assignments, Missing Man, Fuel, Staging, GMRS Communications, etc. Both Kirk and I have been getting a ton of inquiries that are better directed to other leadership within the Route. Answering these inquiries takes a LOT of time each day that we could better use in planning and Coordinating the overall Run. Look at this in a manner similar to a Military “Chain of Command”. Based on our SOPs the Route Coordinator has over 30 “Direct Reports” meaning these 30+ team leaders and State Coordinators report directly to the RC. Out of those 30 people it should be possible for a rider to find an answer to a question without going to the very top first.

Please go to the online contact list on the website under the “Central Route Hub (CLICK HERE!)” and find the contact that can directly answer your questions. I.E. Platoon assignments=Platoon Coordinator, Missing Man=Missing Man Coordinator, GMRS Communications=Leadership Support Communications, etc.

As an Additional note, Email is the best way to contact me. I do not check FB Messenger, especially for RFTW related Business. Texts are OK as well but generally it is better to email.

Arlington Escort
We are still working out the total number of Motorcycles we can send into Arlington and who will get to go. I know everyone is excited about this opportunity, but please be patient and wait until we have it sorted and announce the details (Again, emails and Messages to myself or the ARC are a distraction that we cannot spare the time for right now as we finalize details for the Run).

Pre-Paid Fuel
To be totally clear on this. PRE-PAID FUEL STICKERS WILL COVER THE ACTUAL ANTICIPATED COST OF THE NON-DONATED FUEL STOPS DURING THE DAY ON THE RUN. THIS TOTAL COST (ONCE DETERMINED) IS ONLY FOR THE NON-DONATED STOPS. WE DO NOT CHARGE FOR STOPS THAT ARE BEING GENEROUSLY DONATED.

Due to the fluctuation in fuel costs, we will not have a final price for the pre-paid fuel option until May (AGAIN THE COST IS BASED ON ACTUL PROJECTED COST FOR EACH FUEL STOP). Stickers will be available from our leadership support team in Ontario, and each morning (During the hour prior to the scheduled Mandatory Meeting).

Riders must fill their motorcycles up each evening on their own before arriving at staging in the morning (Spot checks will be happening). We do have 3 very generous donors that will be donating fuel in the evening. Details will be passed in the Morning meetings about how to take advantage of the generous offers to fill our gas tanks up at night. Some Bullet Points below from the Town Hall Meeting

• COVERS THE COST OF ALL NON-DONATED FUEL STOPS DURING THE DAY
• ALL THE WAY COST WILL BE APPROXIMATELY $90.00 (Subject to change)
• WE WILL HAVE PRORATED AMOUNTS FOR THOSE NOT GOING ALL THE WAY (STILL IN PROGRESS).
• SPEEDS UP THE PROCESS BY ABOUT 75%
• NON-PRE-PAID WILL PAY CASH AT THE PUMP (NO CHANGE GIVEN) ROUNDED UP TO $5.00 (EX. PUMP $8.25-PAY $10.00/PUMP $10.05-PAY $15.00.) NO $1.00 BILLS WILL BE ACCEPTED AT THE PUMPS/NO EXCEPTIONS.
• THIS PROCESS GIVES EVERYONE APPROXIMATELY 10-15 EXTRA MINUTES AT FUEL STOPS
• ANY EXCESS $ GOES TO FUEL THE CHASE TRUCKS AND HYDRATION TRUCK. ANY $ LEFT AFTER THAT WILL GO TO A VETERAN’S CHARITY
• ALL RIDERS MUST FUEL COMPLETELY THE NIGHT BEFORE AND SHOW UP WITH A FULL TANK OR YOU WILL BE TURNED AWAY TO GO FUEL AND POSSIBLY MISS BREAKFAST AND THE MORNING MEETING (CAN’T RIDE IN THE PACK IF YOU MISS THE MEETING). LEADERSHIP WILL BE SPOT CHECKING.

Ontario Schedule
The Ontario Schedule is almost done. We will make sure to let you know when it is done, or you can go to the Central Route Hub and check to see if it has been posted yet.
We do have a few things that are already set for Ontario listed below (Subject to change based on external Factors/Check the Ontario Schedule in the CR Hub once it is published).

1. Communications (GMRS) assistance at the Holiday Inn from 1500 (3PM) until 1700 (5 PM) Monday (Conference Room and Parking Lot) Point of Contact Harlan Olson (Leadership Support Communications on the contact list). We are looking for a few somewhat Radio Savvy Helpers (especially those familiar with the BTech GMRS pro) to Volunteer and help folks set their radio and headset up (Connect Radio to Headset/Load correct frequencies, help conduct “radio checks”, etc.). Please reach out to Harlan if you can assist with this.

2.  Riverside National Cemetery Ride (Tuesday). Stage at 0700 Tuesday and depart at 0800. Need to be checked in with the registration team prior to the RNC Run. (MONDAY)

3.  Communications testing at Lot “D” (East end) Tuesday at 1400 (2PM) to test GMRS Radio set ups

4.  Central Route Leadership Meeting in Lot “D” (East end) Tuesday at 1500 (3PM) (MANDATORY FOR ALL CR LEADERSHIP/TEAMS

5.  Central Route ALL HANDS MANDATORY Meeting in Lot “D” (East end) Tuesday at 1600 (4:00 PM) followed by team and Platoon Meetings

Breakouts and Outreach Missions

There will be opportunities to ride with the Outreach and Ambassador teams on Breakouts and other missions. Please ask your platoon or team leadership about opportunities and volunteer to go on these missions. They are very rewarding and give a great picture of the overall mission outside of the day-to-day riding.

 

In closing I ask that you all be safe and start preparing yourself and your Motorcycle for the Mission.

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

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