By Guess Again 2
Another day in Cookeville, Tennessee… and honestly, this morning felt like luxury. For the first time all week, we finally got to sleep in and wake up after the sun instead of waking up to pitch black darkness at 4am. Nobody was zombie-walking around the hotel lobby this morning. People actually looked rested for once. There were way fewer energy drinks and giant coffees being carried around too, which might honestly be a Run For The Wall miracle. People looked refreshed, recharged, and ready to ride.
One of the best parts of the morning was that staging was right at the hotel, so nobody had to worry about rushing somewhere or trying not to be late. We had our daily riders meeting, went over the day’s outreach opportunities, and then kickstands were up a little before 9:30.
Today’s outreach opportunities included Sunbright Veterans Memorial, Southside Elementary School, and the Tennessee State Veterans Home. I went to Outreach #2 in Lebanon, Tennessee at Southside Elementary School.
The ride there was absolutely beautiful. Tennessee continues to amaze me every single day. The sky was the brightest blue with huge fluffy white clouds stretched across it, and the greenery here almost doesn’t even look real. The trees, rolling hills, fresh cut grass, and that crisp smell of nature while riding is something I wish I could bottle up and bring home with me forever. Right before we got to the school though… that southern heat definitely introduced itself. You could feel it immediately the second we slowed down.
When we pulled into Southside Elementary, students, faculty, and volunteers were all lined up outside waiting for us waving American flags with the biggest smiles on their faces. The kids were chanting “USA! USA! USA!” before we even got parked. It was impossible not to smile hearing all of them cheering for us with so much excitement.
They welcomed us with completely open arms and had a ceremony prepared for us inside the gymnasium. We stood together for the Pledge of Allegiance, and the school chorus sang the National Anthem for us. One of the coolest moments was when Ivan ran through the gym carrying the American flag while the students absolutely lost their minds cheering and chanting “USA” again. The energy in that gym was incredible.
After the ceremony, we all headed back outside to the bikes and that’s when the chaos in the best way possible started. The students got to come out, sit on the motorcycles, ask us questions, rev engines, take pictures, and basically live out their coolest biker dreams for a few minutes. The second those kids saw the bikes up close, their eyes got HUGE. They wanted to know how fast they go, how far we’ve ridden, if the bikes ever break down, and if our backs hurt after riding all day long. A few of them were very serious about wanting to know which bike was the loudest too.
One little girl climbed onto my grandpa’s bike and immediately said, “I feel famous.” Another student asked if we were “real motorcycle people or movie motorcycle people, ” which made all of us laugh. But my favorite question of the entire day came from one little boy who looked at our bike dead serious and asked me, “Is that a race bike or a superhero bike?”
Obviously the correct answer was superhero bike.
Another young RFTW rider named Cole brought stacks of stickers and pins to hand out to the students and was kind enough to give me a pile to hand out too. The kids absolutely LOST their minds over them. The stickers were stars with all different variations and patterns of the American flag, and the second the kids saw them, little hands were flying up everywhere trying to get one. Within minutes there were patriotic star stickers on shirts, backpacks, water bottles… and somehow all over their faces too. Some of the kids were proudly walking around with stickers stuck to both cheeks like tiny little patriotic warriors. A few were already trying to trade designs with each other before we even left. Watching them get so excited over something so simple was one of the sweetest parts of the day.
Before we left, we did a lap around the school while everyone stood outside waving goodbye to us. It was one of those moments where you just kind of sit there smiling in your helmet.
Our next stop was the Wilson County Veterans Memorial where we were escorted in by Wilson County police officers and sheriffs. There’s honestly no way to fully explain what it feels like seeing overpasses filled with people waving flags or entire police departments taking time out of their day just to safely escort us into town. Every single stop reminds me more and more that this mission means something huge to so many people across the country.
When we arrived, they had lunch waiting for us from Mission BBQ and let me just say… they absolutely fed us well. Pulled pork sandwiches, chicken sandwiches, mac and cheese, green beans, chocolate chip cookies, sweet tea, lemonade… southern hospitality is VERY real and none of us left hungry. At this point I think half of Run For The Wall is powered by patriotism and mac and cheese.
But one of the biggest highlights of the entire trip happened at this stop.
I had the chance to meet Susan Hunter, author of 77 Letters: Operation Morale Booster: Vietnam.
Before she even spoke to everyone, I wandered over to her table and immediately knew I wanted a copy of her book. I told her I’m currently an undergrad at UNC Chapel Hill graduating next spring and that I hope to become a high school U.S. history teacher one day. I also told her I’ve already started building a collection of books for my future classroom because I want my students to connect with history through real stories and personal experiences, not just textbooks.
I asked if she would sign my copy and maybe leave a message for my future students.
Not only did she happily sign it, but she also gave me a copy of her newest book The Bravest Generation as an early graduation gift and wrote a message in that one too. What stood out most to me wasn’t just the books themselves, but how excited she was hearing about my future classroom and my love for history. The second I started talking about wanting students to connect with history through real stories, you could tell her face lit up. It felt less like a quick author interaction and more like one history lover encouraging another, which made the moment even more special to me.
Then came the best part: hearing her speak.
Susan talked about how 77 Letters was inspired by Operation Morale Booster during the Vietnam War, where Americans wrote letters to service members overseas to remind them they were seen, supported, and remembered. She shared stories about veterans carrying those letters with them for years and how words from complete strangers became sources of comfort
during some of the hardest moments of their lives. You could tell this wasn’t just a book to her. It’s a mission to preserve stories that deserve to be remembered.
As someone who loves history, hearing those personal stories means so much more to me than memorizing dates ever could. It reminded me exactly why I want to teach history in the first place.
After we left Lebanon, we headed back to Cookeville for some downtime before dinner. Some people went swimming, some took naps, some explored around town, and others gathered in little circles around the hotel lobby swapping stories and laughing together. It’s kind of amazing looking around now and realizing these people aren’t just riders anymore. Somewhere between the early mornings, gas stops, shared meals, and miles on the road, this group turned into a family.
Later that evening we all regrouped and headed to the Putnam County Convention Center for dinner night two. And once again…Cookeville showed OUT. There were pulled pork sandwiches, mac and cheese, beans, coleslaw, and rows of red, white, and blue cupcakes everywhere you looked.
Then came the awards and recognitions.
I would love to list every single person recognized tonight because there were so many incredible stories shared, but I would probably be here writing until kickstands up tomorrow morning.
There was one person recognized tonight who especially stood out to me: Sarah Marie Cox. Sarah made the decision to miss her own college graduation in order to ride with Run For The Wall alongside her Marine veteran father, her mother, and her younger brother. Her mom also coordinated fuel for us across the entire state of New Mexico, which is already an enormous contribution to this mission by itself.
Sarah started this journey all the way in Ontario, California and is riding every single mile to Washington, D.C.
Now here’s the part that made the entire room lose it a little…
Not only did she give up attending graduation for this mission, but she graduated with honors AND a perfect 4.0 GPA earning her Bachelor of Science in Family and Child Studies with a concentration in Multicultural Education.
I kept sitting there thinking about how much work that represents. The late nights, exams, papers, stress, studying, everything. Four years of hard work leading up to one moment… and she chose to spend that week riding across the country honoring veterans instead.
That says a lot about the kind of person she is.
And then came one of the sweetest moments of the night.
Without her knowing, they surprised her with her own graduation ceremony right there at Run For The Wall. They brought out a cap and gown, called her name forward, and presented her with a diploma in front of the entire room:
“Sarah Marie Cox. Bachelor of Science in Family and Child Studies, Multicultural Education.”
The convention center absolutely ERUPTED. People were cheering, clapping, standing up, whistling… It felt like proud family members watching one of their own walk across the stage.
You could see how much it meant to her and to everyone else too.
Later in the evening, Gold Star Daughter Shannon Spake shared a song called Gold Star Daughter, and the room went completely quiet as it played through the convention center. It was one of those moments where nobody was looking at their phones or whispering to the person next to them. Everyone was just listening.
You could feel the emotion in the room immediately.
As the song continued, people slowly started reaching for tissues, wrapping arms around each other, or quietly sitting there reflecting. Some veterans stared down at the floor, some closed their eyes, and others simply listened with tears running down their faces. It was one of those moments where the entire room felt connected without anyone even needing to say a word.
And just when you thought the evening couldn’t become any more meaningful, the Cookeville JROTC took the stage for a special presentation honoring the Desert Shield and Desert Storm veterans in attendance.
One by one, they called each veteran individually to stand up, thanked them for their service, saluted them, and presented them with gifts and recognition. Watching those young cadets stand face to face with veterans from another generation was incredibly moving. You could see the respect in the students’ faces and the pride in the veterans’ expressions as the room applauded each person called forward.
By the end of the night everyone was emotionally exhausted, full of barbecue, and very ready for bed.
Eventually we all made our way back to the hotel to get some much needed sleep before another early morning.
Another unforgettable day filled with laughter, loud motorcycles, happy tears, little kids covered in patriotic stickers, and memories I know I’ll carry with me forever. Tennessee has been so good to us.
Now it’s time to get some sleep and recharge before tomorrow’s kickstands up and another day on the road with this amazing RFTW family.
Until tomorrow,
— Natalie “Guess Again 2” Fielding
Due to circumstances beyond our control, Midway Route Photos from previous runs are no longer available. 