Run For The Wall

[mwilson]

To give an update on RFTW, we are currently in Shawnee OK. We rode through some rain/sleet while running through NM to Amerillo TX at 65 mph in formation, without breaking ranks. I do have a helmet cam video of this, but I don't know if I can download such a file here at TDR. The outpouring of love for us Vets is awesome to experience first hand. Even though several tornados caused damage near Shawnee OK, the citizens of Oklahoma still managed to support RFTW. Also while in Amerillo, we called Big Texans steak house and they had a limousine with horns on the hood, pick us up at the Hotel. The steak was great (neither of us tried to eat the 72oz challenge) and the first class service was nice.

Upload to YouTube and set the link to private..copy the link and post on your thread. Then only the TDR readers have access to it...

 

[RVTRKN]

Thanks, I'll try that, there are more videos, I'll try to get them loaded tonight.

 

[RVTRKN]

Quick post took this in Knoxville Tennessee when I posted this. Still working on videos to upload.

 

[RVTRKN]

The ride is now winding down, we are leaving Fort Brag this morning for Ashland Virgina. This ride is more emotional than I expected, I had the Honor of shaking a hand of a survivor of the Bataan death march in WWII. It has been a little emotional, but it was hard to hold back the tears when I shook his hand. Freedom is not free

I will download pics and video's when I get time.

 

[MLee]

Ya-know, we can feel your emotion, and it is getting to us also. I don't know if you can feel that in return. Thanks for your doing what your doin.

 

[RVTRKN]

Nobody has complained of the hard riding, not even this guy. He has the bike specially outfitted for his amputated legs, hey Big, here's a challenge for you.

 

[Tractorat]

Hey RV, are you riding that bike back home ? Or are you putting it on a trailer ? The guy in the picture with his legs off at the knees makes me think of Hank Hill's father (used to watch King of the Hill on tv).

 

[RVTRKN]

Shipping it back to SoCal.

The Police shut down HWY 66 into D.C. From Arlington, for our visit to Arlington National Cemetery for RFTW laying of a wreath for the tomb of the unknown soldier. We had to wait for 66 to clear, pic is us sitting in the HWY waiting. You can't see it in the pic, but there are 500 plus bikes waiting.

 

[RVTRKN]

The ride is now winding down, we are leaving Fort Brag this morning for Ashland Virgina. This ride is more emotional than I expected, I had the Honor of shaking a hand of a survivor of the Bataan death march in WWII. It has been a little emotional, but it was hard to hold back the tears when I shook his hand. Freedom is not free

I will download pics and video's when I get time.

The link is the brief history of the veteran I was honored to shake hands with. http://www.blogs.va.gov/VAntage/36836/bataan-death-march-veteran-survivor-honored/

 

[HPSimpson]

Thanks for going on the Freedom ride and meeting the veterans and sharing this with us on TDR.

 

[Tractorat]

Very cool rv. My wife's family used to know an old guy who had been a civilian construction worker on wake island. He was shipped to the phillipines where he was in the batan death march. I also used to know an old guy who lived with his russian parents in shangahi (sp. He and his wife spent the war in a japaneese prison camp. Well, he did. He wife died in the camp. BTW rv, are you a vet also ?

 

[RVTRKN]

Yes, I'm a Veteran, however I did not serve during any military action. I joined the Army in Nov 1976 and was Honorably discharged in Nov 1980. I served at the end of the cold war in Germany, and Germany would have been the front line, if a war had broken out with Russia. I returned to Germany as a cilvilian in 1981 and worked for the PX system. I had to sign a document that I would have to report to the Military in Frankfurt Germany, if the Russians had crossed the Borders. I was a civilian as well, for three years in Germany.

I actually have talked with ex German POW's that were POW's during WWII, who thanked me and the US for treating them with respect and dignity. The storys I was told by different German POW's, confirmed that we had allowed them to walk freely around the bases they were being held at in the US. Unfortunately, the same can not be said of our opponents in War.


I have found more info on Wayne Carringer, if you open the link below, you'll read his account of witnessing the B29 flying overhead on its way to dropping the 2nd Bomb on Nagasaki, and even saw and heard the mushroom cloud from Nagasaki.

http://www.lindavdahl.com/Bio Pages/W.Carringer/W.Carringer_bio.htm

 

[Tractorat]

Very cool that you were able to go on that trip rv. Ive never joined any organizations like the VFW or American Legion. But I do enjoy sometimes getting together with other vets in a non formal way. Like being with family, and you sure got to go on a very cool "family outing".