In just two weeks, the Riders of Run For The Wall will be rolling across our great nation, honoring Veterans and Active Duty personnel, and bringing awareness that we still have people that are Missing In Action. We will be riding for them, and will be on our way to completing our annual Mission.
I know that each and every one of us has been making all sorts of preparations. From booking hotels or camping places, to selecting our clothes, checking any needed medications, and (for some) getting time off work. We have planned our route out to California. We have all checked our tires, brakes, oil, and everything else needed to keep that motorcycle running in top form for the duration. Many have already packed everything on their bike and are ready to roll! For me, part of getting ready is checking that my cameras are in good working order, making sure that I have enough memory cards and hard drives to hold all of the photos that I will take. I am even typing this letter on a new laptop while sitting at a coffee shop, to make sure that all of the wireless connections work. It is the attention to these little personal details that we are ALL working on right now.
But that is only a small part of getting ready for the Run.
What have you been doing to get your mind ready for this Mission? Have you thought about the impact that we make on the American public? Have you thought of ways to say Thank You to all of our supporters? Have you read the biography of a POW or MIA? Have you visited any Veteran Memorials recently, or visited a VA Hospital? Have you done any of the myriad of things that we do during Run For The Wall, to put yourself into the proper frame of mind? This, to me, is even more important than packing my “things.”
We can always stop at a store to get something that we have left at home. But we need time to “get our focus” on our Mission. That is why I highly urge you to spend a little time this week and next to do something “Patriotic.” Go to a National Cemetery and meet our nations Heroes. Go to a VFW or American Legion Post and just say “Howdy!” Watch the new documentary “All The Way” on YouTube. Go back and read the SITREPs from previous years for ALL of our Routes.
Start your 2023 Run For The Wall experience now, so that you will be ready to render honor and respect to all of those that so richly deserve it. Put yourself into the right “frame of mind” to completely absorb all that The Run will offer you.
As a side note, I want each and every one of you to BE SAFE as you head to Ontario. PLEASE! I want to see you there! For those that haven’t ridden with a group before, or at least since last May, find a few friends to ride to California with. If you don’t have a group, and will be traveling through the southern half of the country, I invite you to ride with “Hoofer’s Hooligans.” The Hooligans ride is the oldest continuously running “Run To The Run” having seen close to three decades (in one form or another.) We stress safe riding, first and above all else. We then practice group riding skills and ease ourselves into the RFTW riding style. We get into the needed mental state by stopping at various memorials, museums, and Veteran posts along the way. Oh yeah, I always find really good places for us to eat, as well! Send me a note at hoofer@rftw.us and let me know if you will be joining us. You can get the details/itinerary at http://mccrain.net/hooligans/Hooligans_2023_Itinerary_v4.05.23.pdf.
No matter how or when you get there, I look forward to seeing you all in just a few short weeks!
It’s May!
Jim “Hoofer” McCrain
RFTW Midway Route Photographer and SITREP Author, 2023
Ps: “Hoofer’s Hooligans” is NOT an official part of RFTW. We are simply a group of like-minded individuals heading towards a common destination and goal. RFTW takes NO responsibility for what we do.
