The Run for the Wall is about healing and for those that are continuing on the Sand Box Route, this will become evident when you are at the Middle East Conflicts Wall; as it is a living wall, with more names being added each year to honor our fallen.
In light of recent events, my thoughts and prayers go out to our military personnel who lost their lives in service to our nation as well as their grieving families during this darkest of times.
Unfortunately, their names will now also be added to that Wall in Marseilles and I will look for them, as I do for all my friends and acquaintances on that Wall. Please remember and honor them.
Prayers also being said to those that were wounded; that they heal quickly and become whole once again and that their families have the strength to see them all through this.
Finally, prayers of safety to all our military personnel, some of whom are in harm’s way and of course to their families who keep the home fires lit waiting for their return.
May they all return home safe.
March is here!
Remember to set your clocks ahead next Sunday (except Arizona). It is now 73 days to KSU from Ontario!
Registration for the Run is now $120. For those riding 3 days or less, $100. We currently have 313 registered with 90 FNG’s!
There has been a flurry of activity over the last month, and your Central Route leadership has been busy. Our Platoon Coordinator is still assigning and adjusting Platoons, and some Platoon leaders have started meeting with their platoons. Our itinerary just needs a few more tweaks before it can be released.
As a note, all Route itineraries will be released on the same day.
Kansas Turnpike
IMPORTANT: All riders and support vehicles on Central Route that register online after April 30th MUST notify the Registration team at time of check-in so they can correctly enter your vehicle’s State and license plate number. Otherwise, you may receive a toll bill from the Kansas Turnpike Authority.
If you have a DriveKS or KTAG account, you will need to deactivate the tag of the vehicle you will be using for RFTW before May 18, or you may get a toll charge.
A huge thank you goes to CVMA 21-4 for covering our tolls on the Kansas Turnpike.
Pre-Paid Fuel
This year the Central Route will be having Pre-Paid Fuel again and for 2026 the cost will be $65.00 per motorcycle or trike. The Fuel sticker takes care of your fuel costs during your riding day on the Run. The money collected will cover your RFTW fuel stops from Ontario, CA to Washington, DC. A heartfelt thanks goes out to our many donors across the country, whose generosity allows us to keep our fuel costs down. Without them our prepaid fuel costs would be much, much higher. Unless you have an electric engine or hydrogen fuel cell, I don’t think you’ll find a better deal for premium gas.
The Pre-Paid fuel fee also helps defray the cost of fuel for our support vehicles, like the Chase Truck Team drivers, Last Man Vehicle, Hydration Vehicle and support vehicles.
There are two ways to pay for the Fuel sticker prior to April 30th:
ZELLE – email addresses for Central Route is: central.route@rftw.us
It is important not to miss the . (period) before “route”
CHECK – Checks should be made out to “Run For The Wall, Inc.” Make sure you enter ”Central Route Prepaid Fuel” in the check’s memo section on the check or by accompanying paperwork.
The RFTW Treasurer Official mailing address is:
Run For The Wall Inc.
Central Route Prepaid Fuel
50 Fourth Avenue, Unit 1445
Dayton, NV 89403-8169
Your fuel sticker will be waiting for you at check-in.
After April 30th, you will need to wait until you check in at registration desk and purchase a fuel sticker, using CASH, when you pick up your registration materials in Ontario, or any of our overnight stops where you register and check-in. You will then receive the sticker to put on your bike.
Exact change only. No change will be given at the registration desk.
REMEMBER, AFTER APRIL 30TH, NO CHECKS, CREDIT, DEBIT, or GIFT CARDS ACCEPTED! THIS ALSO INCLUDES FT’S, NFT’S, AND FOREIGN CURRENCY!
A daily prorated rate for day riders will be determined at a later time.
All Riders please remember to fill up your motorcycles each evening on your own, at your own cost, before arriving at staging in the morning (Spot checks will be happening). If you don’t have a full tank in the morning, you will be sent away to fuel, possibly missing breakfast and the morning rider meeting.
If you miss the morning rider meeting, you cannot ride with the pack for that day.
Morning Meetings
There have been some questions from those that do not wish to ride in the pack but want to participate in the RFTW activities.
If you have registered for the Run but choose not to ride with your assigned platoon, you must stay at least ¼ of a mile behind the last man vehicle. If you decide to ride ahead of the pack, you must do so at least 2 miles ahead of the Road Guard Captain and/or the police escort (if they are in front). By riding outside of the pack, you will not have the support of the chase vehicles, in case you have a mechanical issue or medical emergency.
AGAIN, Regardless of where you ride, if you have REGISTERED for the RFTW and wish to partake in the RFTW EVENTS for that day, you must attend the Morning meetings!
There will be a mandatory rider meeting every morning. This meeting is to inform the riders of any changes to schedule and any other issues that may have come up the previous day.
Again, this morning meeting is mandatory.
Merchandise
If you have been on the fence about our limited-edition Central Route shirt, pre-sales for this once in a lifetime shirt will end on March 15th. Some of the proceeds will go to the Central Route for our route expenses. This shirt will not be for sale in Ontario or along the Run.
The Schedule of Events for Ontario and Washington, D.C, will soon be published.
Parking in D.C.
Unfortunately, no reserved parking is available this year. I would recommend you take some form public transportation (Uber, Metro, etc.) to the Lincoln Memorial/Vietnam Wall where our group photo takes place and where we honor our fallen at the Wall. If you decide to ride to the Lincoln Memorial/Vietnam Veterans Memorial, you must park in a legal parking area. Do not park on the grass, in no parking zones, on the sidewalk, etc. If you park there, you may be subject to your bike being ticketed or impounded. Also, the LEO may notice your RFTW stickers, banners, etc. and make a report of that, possibly jeopardizing future RFTW events in the area. There will be other Veterans and tourist groups present during the Memorial Day weekend in D.C. so it will be a busy, crowded weekend and parking will be limited.
A reminder that all Camping Spots are full at the Elks Lodge in Ontario. See the notice here
After Action Reports (AAR). You will be hearing more about this in the future, but it is your opportunity as a participant in RFTW to provide feedback about your experience on the Run, both good and bad. All AAR’s are taken seriously and read by the Board and Route leadership. AAR’s in the past have resulted in changes in operating procedures. So your feedback matters.
If you are interested in volunteering to help on the Run, please let me know. I could use backups for all positions in case someone has to cancel or drop out from the Run.
If you are interested in being a part of the RFTW Safety committee, please let me know.
There will be several RFTW board positions coming open this year and the Board is always looking for new people to serve. All the Board Positions, with their term expiration dates are listed here.
If interested in applying or have further questions, please email the Board secretary at secretary@rftw.us.
Here are some links regarding GMRS radios.
**See this post on Where and What to Buy, and all things GMRS for RFTW.**
**See this Post for Videos on how to Program the radios** or here.
REMEMBER TO DISABLE AUDIO RELAY ON THE RADIO AND MAKE SURE YOUR VOX IS DISABLED!
With the days are getting longer; spring being here in less than a month and the warmer weather; it’s time to get your bike out, get your service done and get ready for RFTW XXXVI!
And don’t forget your March Madness brackets!
Mission Statement
To promote healing among all veterans and their family and friends
Call for an accounting of all Prisoners of War & Missing in Action (POW/MIA)
Honor the memory of those Killed in Action (KIA)
Support our military people all over the world.
Is it May yet?
Jim “Who?” McDonough
XXXVI Central Route Coordinator
Due to circumstances beyond our control, Midway Route Photos from previous runs are no longer available. 