Day -1 Monday, May 15, 2017
Welcome to the Midway Route SitReps of Run For The Wall XXIX. I hope you will enjoy reading this account regarding our eastward trek across the United States to visit the Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial Wall and all that goes with that.
You probably already know what you will find here if you read the SitReps I recorded last year or if you know something about Run For The Wall already. I imagine there will be a lot of the same stuff as last year but I’ll try to make these SitReps seem new and entertaining for you.
Today many riders were showing up for The Run at the host hotel in Ontario and other area hotels. Many showed up yesterday and even more riders will be showing up tomorrow. Some don’t show up until Wednesday morning when we begin, and others will join along the way, but all of us have been looking forward to making this ride a reality for a long time, many since this time last year. This is my six year, but many others have been doing this ride for much longer than I. Did you know that so far we have 109 FNGs (that’s Friendly New Guy or Gal) signed up to ride on the Midway Route this year? That’s about one third the total number of riders signed up to take the Midway Route so far. Amazing isn’t it! However, we need more. We need many more new folks to hear about the Run and decide to take it with us and to step up and begin helping with leadership or on one of the advanced teams or in any of the other volunteer capacities. We’ll take all the new comers we can. So please talk to your fellow riders and tell them about Run For The Wall or make the decision yourself to help out in some way.
Today was an easy day for many; nothing really to do but show up and register. I guess in that sense it was easy for me as well, but it was a very hard day for me and for many others that have left loved ones behind and will not be seeing them again for at least a couple weeks or longer. My wife wants me to be done making this trip, so it’s hard to leave her behind and for me to be away from her. I’d love to bring her, but she’s not a rider. She lets me ride however even though it’s hard. She has my heart, but my heart is in making this trip also. It is in seeing so many friends and getting hugs from all of them. Yes, us crotchety ol’ veterans as hardened and salty as we are, love hugs and at times shed tears of joy and love. So get used to that. For our loved ones left behind, we miss you already and we will after the mission is over, return to your loving arms for a warm welcome home. God willing. We pray that he will be.
Run For The Wall is about many things. We have a mission statement that mentions healing, receiving a full accounting of all our POWs and MIAs, honoring those killed in action and showing respect to all our military. This is just a portion why we ride, there are many other reasons. Our motto is “We ride for those who can’t”, but this is not all. Ask anyone why we ride and you are sure to get many more perfect reasons. I know one person that would say “because I can”. He knows who he is. I must admit, that is a perfectly good reason. What’s your reason?
The weather leaving the high desert was great. A little windy, but it almost always is. I rode in with my buddy Buck who will be a tail gunner in our platoon this year. We had a great ride. Since it looked like rain just before we headed down the Cajon Pass, I put on my rain gear. My buddy decided he’d be okay. At first it looked like it wouldn’t be bad and then we turned more west and it started coming down like mad. We got to our hotel, mostly dry in my case.
I had arranged with my buddy Bruce to have Sena install a new blue tooth system on my bike and helmet. Until now I’ve been pretty happy just plugging my helmet in and letting the cord dangle down and slap me in the chest as I ride, but I must say cordless is a much better way to go. The Sena 20S is a great product and easy to install and configure, even for me. I have a buddy that would testify that nothing is easy for me. He’d be right. This Sena system has everything. I’ll check it out thoroughly tomorrow, but so far all my communication devices are connected as before and now I even have bike to bike coms without having to use my CB. If you’re at all interested in a blue tooth system, check with the Sena folks and they’ll give you all the details on their products. They have technicians on hand to install any of their great products.
Today was the Leadership meeting for the Midway Route. Our Route Coordinator “Bandit” opened the meeting and informed us that he considered Diesel as the RC still since he put the whole thing together for this year. However Diesel is not able to attend the Run this year and his presence will be missed by us all. Bandit stepped up basically at the last minute to be our Route Coordinator and I have every confidence in him.
During our meeting we covered many aspects of riding as a group. Our Road Guards will ensure we make it to DC in one piece if we follow their instructions. We also talked about attitude. We all have one to some extent; some more than others as in my case. We need to remember that we are all representatives or ambassadors if you will, of Run For The Wall and we all need to act accordingly at all times to prevent the wrong impression being made of our great association. Listen to and follow your Platoon Leadership and “keep your head in the game” at all times. Maybe you’ve heard it said, “this is not just a motorcycle ride this is a mission”. That’s true. We all need to make it to DC together for the Run to be fully successful.
Tomorrow is the Ride into Riverside National Cemetery. If you have not done this in the past, it is highly recommended. I’m not going to explain why. If you go you will know why. Maybe I will see you tomorrow.
Day -1 is in the books.
Please email me with your comments or with anything you think needs correction or that needs inclusion.
“We Ride For Those That Can’t”
Tom “Twotone” Lystrup – lystruptf@gmail.com
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