Midway Route Coordinator Newsletter – February 2026

102 Days to KSU!

Hello Midway family,

Is it February already. Where is the time going?

Friends and families are still recovering from some of the most devastating weather events of the year and in some areas, more to come. We need to keep them all in our thoughts and prayers. The time goes by so quickly. Before we know it, May will be upon us. Check on your friends and family and ensure that they are OK.

Registration

Registration has been open since Sept. 11th, 2025. Midway is doing well on getting riders registered. We now have over 180 personnel registered to ride with us. Still, if you have not registered yet, please consider doing it as soon as possible. We need semi-accurate numbers for our fuel stops so they know how much 91 octane they will need to have available for us. Additionally, our lunch and dinner locations need to have a best guess so they can provide the appropriate portions and Hotels, and camping locations need to know how many rooms or camping sites will be required. I know there are a lot of moving parts, but it is necessary to get this family across the country as safely and efficiently as possible.  You can register on our website just as you have in the past.

Registration Rates for Coast to Coast Routes

1. Regular Registration – $120 per person
2. Day Riders (up to 3 days on the road riding) – $100 per person

Hotel rooms and Camping locations

As a friendly reminder, Hotel and camping locations are posted on the Midway page. If you have not made your reservations, please do so soon. The hotels will only keep our blocks of rooms with special rates available for a short time and then they need to open them up to other travelers at the standard rate. So, the sooner you get this done the better the chances you can take advantage of the RFTW special rates.

The same goes for the posted camping locations.

We are Still Looking for Volunteers

Midway route is looking for a few good men or women. I need some dedicated riders to assist me with Registration, Promotions, Staging and a chase vehicle. The chase vehicle is required to be a pickup with a trailer capable of transporting 2 motorcycles. I will pay for the fuel used by the chase vehicle from Ontario to DC.  If you would be willing to assist the Midway riders in any of these positions, please contact your ARC at randy.sheets@rftw.us or go to the Midway website and fill out a volunteer sign up form. You will gain a sense of fulfillment that only comes with sacrifice and service to your family.

Gulf War Veterans

The Midway 2026 family will be recognizing all Gulf War veterans on the 35^th Anniversary of Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm this coming year. This was the first war that America and her allies had won decisively Since World War II. More to follow on planned events

Pre-Paid Fuel

I have chosen to increase the Prepaid Fuel cost for this year.  Coast to Coast will be $160 and it will be Mandatory. Even though gas prices have declined in certain parts of the country, the great concern and unknown is California. The most recent check at our fuel stop in California had the cost of 91 octane at $6.40 per gallon. Refineries are closing and regulations are tightening on the remaining gas producers. To ensure we do not have to be financially constrained because of the uncertainty, I have increased the cost by $10.00 this year. If we find that we are financially OK, I will use any surplus to pay the cost of the fuel for the chase, Hydration and support vehicles, which are a route cost anyway. If you choose not to participate you will be fueling at a pump NOT controlled by the Midway fuel team. You will be issued a pre-paid fuel sticker at registration by a fuel team member indicating that you have paid for fuel. This will be attached to your windshield (Clutch side) just below your platoon number. Not only is Prepaid fuel very cost-effective in the big picture, but it also helps provide a safer and more efficient stop at the pumps!  If you would like to go ahead and check this off of your To Do List and your bank uses Zelle (Most financial institutions have this capability), mark your payment to midway.route@rftw.us. Please be sure to include Midway – Prepaid Fuel in the For line so that we can allocate the money correctly.

If you prefer to pay via check, please mail it to:

Run for the Wall, Inc.
Attn: Midway 2026 Prepaid Fuel
50 Fourth Ave Unit 1445
Dayton, NV 89403

Be sure to include Midway 2026 Prepaid Fuel in the For line so we can allocate it accordingly.  If you prefer to pay at Registration Check-In either in Ontario or wherever you join us, please note we will ONLY ACCEPT CASH.  NO EXCEPTION!

Ontario/DC Schedule of events

The events and meeting schedules are being developed as we speak. The Elks lodge in Ontario has once again stepped up and meals are being planned, meetings and registration will be conducted at the lodge. Many meetings and gatherings are additionally planned for the host hotel. Midway will be the first route to begin the run on the morning of 13 May at 0700 from Lot D.

Refreshments and coffee will be donated and available at morning staging prior to the morning schedule and KSU.

In DC, we will again be hosted by the American Legion Post 176 in Springfield, VA with meals and meeting rooms.

We again will be selecting riders to take their bikes to Arlington National Cemetery, conduct a washing of the Vietnam Wall, take a photo at the Lincoln Memorial, have a ceremony for the end of RFTW 2026 at the apex of the Vietnam Memorial and potentially something at the new Gulf war memorial.

Please stay tuned and as these events formalize, I will get you the information immediately so you can plan to participate.

Friday Evening Parade, Marine Barracks, 8^th & I, Washington D.C.

There are plans being made to attend the Marine Barracks, Washington, D.C Friday Evening Parade on 22 May. Time TBD. You will find this information posted on the RFTW website forum under “2026 Marine Barracks event registration”. If you have never attended this ceremony, you will miss something to tell your children about.

Rolling to Remember (Formally Rolling Thunder)

We will be providing an opportunity to attend Rolling to Remember this year, probably shortly after the Sandbox route goes KSU on the 24^th of May. Again, if you have never participated in this event, it is something to remember. More to follow!

GMRS Radios

For everybody in a leadership position, make sure you check your communications equipment for connectivity and firmware updates.  There is a new version of the firmware for the BTech GMRS Pro, titled “0.8.12.”  The update is easy to install using the phone app that goes with the radio.

If you are using a Sena headset, make sure you update to the most current firmware using the Sena Device Manager version 4.4.17.  The headset needs to be plugged into a Windows or Mac computer with a charging cable that supports data transfer (not all do), then follow the on-screen instructions.  If the application doesn’t recognize your device, you can try different cables until it works.  Sena has a troubleshooting guide and you can contact them directly for specific guidance on how to resolve problems.

Fundraising

We’re still looking for collectible, unique items that we can use to help us raise funds to support our mission.  If you know of anybody who might be able to donate such items, please let them know it would be very much appreciated and help us make donations of our own to our supporters and other worthwhile charitable organizations we encounter along the way.  Once we get items together, we’ll decide how they can best support us and figure out a way to offer them to our riders through auctions and drawings.  All of this fundraising allows us to operate the Midway Route and keep costs down.

RFTW Website

The RFTW website has a ton of information about the run, but there might still be questions you haven’t found the answers to. Two great sources of information are the RFTW Forum and After Action Reports (AAR).  I used to think that the AARs were only meant to give feedback right after the run. While that is the main reason for them, they can be used any time of the year. If you don’t know who you should direct a question to, fill out an AAR, and it will be sent to the right person to get you an answer. Also, if you have an idea that might help to improve the run, fill out an AAR. All AARs are read by the Board of Directors and directed to the respective Route Coordinators. Another outstanding source for information about the run is the new RFTW Podcast that is produced by Ted “Boots” Kapner and Tai “Hitch” Harmon. These Podcasts have a great amount of information about the run and are very entertaining.

General Information

Let’s continue to work on our personal preparations to get ready to complete the Run in May.  This includes (among many other things) motorcycle maintenance, mental and physical conditioning, and having a system for packing and unpacking your motorcycle repeatedly, day after day.  The more you practice, the easier it will become, which can reduce or eliminate any stress you may feel in anticipation of this amazing and demanding experience.

I personally change my tires each year. That is just me! It takes any concern about tire condition, bike control and performance off the table. If you can afford it!

Go over your bike with a “fine tooth comb”. Meaning closely check each bolt, screw or connector for tightness. There is nothing worse than having something fall from a bike and travel through a platoon with the potential of causing, at a minimum, damage to another bike. Blue lock tight is a very good solution.

If possible, get the bike out and ride. Nothing replaces experience, so get in the seat, on the road.

There have been years when we have had sunny days all the way across the country. However, we have also had rainstorms, hail and snow on one occasion. So, you need to be prepared to ride in all weather conditions. We will not stop because of different weather conditions unless it affects the safety of the riders. I will make that determination! With that said, if you ever feel personally unsafe, you can “Tap out” and join us at the next stop.

Pack riding is different than riding in small groups or in pairs. There is a lot of discussion about the differences in the RFTW Forum, and the SOP establishes policy to provide some controls, so you ride safely surrounded by other motorcycles that are impacted by your riding abilities. Practice Throttle control!!!!!

Think about who you are riding for.

“We ride for those who can’t”

Remember that we are on a Mission that requires all of us to work together and help each other to be successful. Set your own wants and needs aside and reflect on the hardships and commitment of those who have made the ultimate sacrifice to keep our country free.

I get more excited each day as we get closer to May. I interact daily with your leadership team and want to assure you that they are working diligently to make Midway 2026 the best experience for you, whether you are an FNG or a returning rider. They deserve your gratitude!

Shortly, we will be in the “two digit” territory. That is military lingo for, time is getting short! The closer we get, the faster time will fly so I strongly recommend that you get those things that you know you need to accomplish completed or they can rapidly turn into last-minute emergencies.

As the great American Philosopher, Forrest Gump, says “One less thang”

“Say Their Name”      “Tell Their Story”         “ Never Forget”