This is the pin for the 30th annual Run for the Wall 

This year is pretty special. It is my 14th Run, and the run has been going for 30 years.  The first year, 1989, there was no internet.  Facebook was not even a gleam in a college students eye, and you could not take your phone out and take a picture.

The amazing thing on that first year (I have asked the founder and this was his answer) was that people did what they said they were going to do.  Gunny had all these riders following him, he knew the route, and people had promised over the phone to support, but he had no idea if they would show up.  One story he told me was about a lady in Colorado who was so happy to see him, and all those riders (about 100 at that point) because she had a lot of food and did not want to see it go to waste.  They had a small freezer full of little cups of ice cream, the freezer was not working, and the riders were eating three and four cups at a time to keep it from going to waste.  Think about it though.  Organizing something like this. Ten days from L.A. to D.C. having an advance team that was almost 2 days ahead of you checking road conditions and possible places to stop.  Most of them camped in those days, and not everywhere they went loved them.  Bikers had a reputation formed in Hollywood, and in 1989 it was not stellar.   They had no Cell phones, the advance team would arrange with a fuel stop or a Truck stop to receive a call and then would call with a number to call back and wait for the pack to show up. Then long distance calls were made and paid for

Think about that for a moment, all of that.  Organizing something like this today is pretty easy. You pick up your cell phone or go to your laptop and email some folks, get on Facebook and post information, then you get responses and you know the thing is going to happen.   But in 1988 and 1989 things were a lot different.  How do you get the word out?   You make a lot of calls, and most of those are long distance calls (nothing today, but in 1989 a pricey proposition.

Then the day comes when you start this first journey, and wow people show up, because they said they would.  Then you start the trip, and people in the towns you plan to stop at show up, they feed you and your group, and tell you to come back.  

The people of Run For the Wall are simply amazing.  Not the riders, we perform the mission, and we number in the hundreds every year, and every year that gets a little larger.   But the people that support us across the country (there are now three routes so we cover a lot more ground) number in the thousands.   That first group of bikers (strike one) were pretty much all veterans (strike two because America in 1989 didn't treat her veterans well) and veterans of the Viet Nam War (Strike 3 because America literally shat on those veterans in 1975), were amazing people too.  They did not know what kind of reception they would get, and it was not always friendly, they did not know what the weather would be like, they did not know where they would sleep, or shower, or eat.  They just knew that they had a mission to perform, and they did it in an outstanding manner.  That first year laid the ground work for the next 29 years.   

Think about this.  When did you see your first POW/MIA flag at a State House, or Court house, or business, or rest area?   It has only been about 20 years that these are proudly displayed.  That part of the mission worked pretty well, because now those flags are flown in all 50 states, I know about 48 of them because I have been there and seen it.   Then think about how America sent soldiers to the Viet Nam War and brought them home.  1 or 2 at a time.  We don't do that anymore, and instead of protesters waiting with signs and bodily fluids, our troops are now  greeted by Patriot Guard, or simply applauded by large groups of people in a spontaneous manner.   In 2005 in Wentzville MO my brother and I met a Marine who may have been about 20 years old.  He was on leave and in civilian attire, but he told us something that is very true.  He said that his commander told his unit that they could proudly wear their uniforms anywhere they wanted to, and that they should thank the Viet Nam veterans for that. You see Viet Nam veterans, and Cold War era Veterans (I am one of those) will not allow anyone to be disrespectful of our troops today, if they try they will be shut down pretty damn fast.   I am a rider on Run for the Wall, I am a Veteran, and I am proud of the accomplishments of that first run, and the 29 follow up runs.   If you could see the America I see every year, you to would be pretty proud of your country.  The media doesn't see it or show it but America is a great place.

gotta go finish packing, Then do a shake down ride to make sure I am ready, I know the bike is.

Bounce