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Day 3, Gallup to Angel Fire, 5/18/18

Day 3, Gallup to Angel Fire, May 18, 2018

What a beautiful day for riding with friends and for this sacred purpose. This RUN is enjoyable and may be called fun and that  is a good thing, but let us not forget that the real purpose of this RUN is to Honor those who have fallen for you and me  and to honor the memory and to support the returning of our POW’s and MIA’s. This RUN is not about us even though we may feel good or bad on this RUN, it is immaterial to the success of our mission. Sure we can accomplish more by having and enjoyable time and we should enjoy this RUN. There are approximately 1,700 service men and women who have not returned home and are either imprisoned or perished without anyone knowing their whereabouts. Their families have struggled for years to locate them to find resolution and to bring closure. A daunting task! Unless we keep this in mind and actively support this, then who will. It is our mission is it not! Being of the age of most Vietnam Vets but having never served, I think sometimes what they would think if they saw us now. I am sure they would want us to live our lives and that is good but we should not forget them. Do we care? Does our Country care? I know that many do care and that is why I am glad we can go to the different memorials and at least pause and offer a prayer of thanks for the men and women who did serve and for their families and loved ones. What a gift they have given us the living. Their return and or resolution is really mostly out of our hands but we can pray for the families and we can vote for the right politicians and we can lobby. So let’s be about their business. Enjoy this RUN as it is good to enjoy it but let us remember our mission, to honor our MIA’s and POW’s, and if you just even start to whine about something on this RUN, stop a minute and think about how trivial your issue is in comparison to what our Vets went through.

Okay, I just had to say that as even “I” find myself adrift from the real message and purpose of this RUN and I need to remind myself that it is more important than my personal wishes. Amen and I hope you agree and if you have been thinking that everyone here is here to meet your every need, please get over yourself and lets have the best attitude we can to support our leadership in all they are wanting to accomplish on the RUN. Okay, again, I think I am done. J

I left Gallup in all its glory and headed on a breakout mission to Grants New Mexico. Usually a breakout is done by one platoon and enough road guards to make sure all goes well everyone finds their way back. I know some of you would never do this, but I forgot to fill my tank in Gallup and I was having the best of time on this run to Grants  and yep, I looked down when we were nearly there and my tank was below empty. I managed to zip into a nearby station and I put 5.73 gallons in my 6 gallon tank. Thank you Lord. Our road guards were as usual always excellent and got us there and back. Some of them are pictured below.

The two memorials we visited were Grants and Bormalillo New Mexico. They were in a well-cared for state and each place the people were gracious and glad to see us. I am thankful that we have people such as they are that take time and resources to honor with the upkeep of the memorials.

From here we scooted up to the Harley Davidson dealership of Albuquerque were served a good lunch and lots of hospitality. We then headed out for Angel Fire and BTW we have Motorcycle Police escorts throughout New Mexico. They are a great bunch of riders that enjoy this gig a lot and are happy to make the RUN with us. Pictures will explain better so I am including some here. Also this lady Jean has lots of pictures that tell an amazing story about the RUN and her blog is mamag03blogspot.com. Please visit.

When we reached the memorial I took about a 6 minute video of the bikes coking if and I don’t think I can get it posted but I will send it to you by email  sitreprftw2018.gmail. please be patient as obviously I am on the road now.

At the Angel Fire memorial, a wonderful peaceful place, we watched a movie made about the war and it is called, “Letters Home”. Be ready to watch as the first time I watched it I left with much survivors guilt as our boys were going through hell over their and I was back here at home knowing about the war but not really appreciating the hell our boys went through. I also noticed a book you might like called, “The Vietnam Experience, Combat Photographs”. Inside the memorial it is a sobering and sacred place. If you have not been, put it on your bucket list. Also if you would like to help in laying bricks next September, contact the memorial and place a brick of you own or just come and help.

That is all I have for tonight and I hope you are enjoying the posts. If you want to communicate, use the email.

Until tomorrow, ride safely. God Speed.

Roger (Pops) Hageman

 

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