May 16, 2026 – Day 4 to DC - Eagle Nest, NM to Limon, CO

May 16, 2026 – Day 4 to DC - Eagle Nest, NM to Limon, CO

As we walk into the center this morning for breakfast, I see this table. What a time for the allergy to start.

Every morning you have seen that the Run has multiple ways to raise money for Rainelle School. Well Bobbie is the main person organizing all this. She started months ago getting with people and organizations to give items to be donated. Ever morning she has us rocking and raffling. Thanks Bobbie.

Today, we had 2 people volunteer to help. Eric and Jeff.

Here is a little story on how RFTW has influenced our future generation. They have gotten their classmates also interested. Way to go kids.

From Michelle Sherrod :

Caeleb and Michelle Sherrod are from Amarillo TX.  Her parents own Nest Cabins and Marina. They invited Blake, their middle son, to stay with them during the RFTW event.  The kids have attended for several years and have become very close friends with Eddie and Laura (aka Chief and Windi).  Blake 10, his brother Collin 12 and sister Kate 8 look forward to this event every year. In 2024 Blake won the 50-50 and get half back to the military.

Blake and Collin love the military and have talked about joining RFTW when they get old enough.  Michelle and Caeleb are thankful for the influence of the riders to encourage these kids to server others and missions bigger than themselves, and with intentional with honoring those who make such sacrifices that ensure we get the immense blessing of freedom.

This year the kids got tickets again and this year Kate won.  She turned around and put 50% in the Army bucket.

This is a letter from the Sherrod family last year.  Such a great family.

Thank you for being a part of the RFTW family.  See you next year.

Last year was the first year, Ed  started this.

In Northern Virginia, The Willing Warrior Retreat Center is a major advocate for RFTW. They provide a healing retreat for soldiers, veterans and their families who are in long term rehab stays at DC area military hospitals. They believe that RFTW, like themselves are part of the large fabric of organizations that provide heling for soldiers and veterans. One of our funding sources is selling bricks. We placer RFTW bricks in an area called the Survivors Garden. Its a garden around s tree that has been struck by lightning twice and still lives. Every morning on the Run, we will auction off the honor to carry the brick for the day. We donate money to Willing Warriors, that they continue their mission of healing for soldiers and veterans.

Here is the carrier for today.

With this done, Jim starts with the Pledge of Allegiance and prayer

  Next it the reading of one of the bios.  Everyone is someone's family member. Tomorrow I will try to get a copy for you to also read.  This gentleman will carry this one to the Wall.

Yeah it is not 30 degrees but 52 as we leave Eagle Nest.  It is elevation about 8600 feet.  You just never know what you will get.  Beautiful ride down the mountain.

In 2022, RFTW got rerouted and could not go to Eagle Nest because of fire.  4 years later, nature it amazing.  You still see those trees that were burnt, but if you look at the growth next to it, you see new trees starting.

Fun Fact:

Many ecosystems have coexisted and evolved with wildfire for millennia, meaning some plants actually depend on it to reproduce. The soil contains a natural vault of dormant seeds. The heat of a fire often alters the soil's nitrogen levels, signaling these sleeping seeds to break dormancy and germinate. 

 

Well...HELLO.!!!  Check this out: Bison (not buffalo)

2nd Fun Fact:

Bison and buffalo are often confused, but they are distinct animals. Bison are native to North America and Europe, while true buffalo, such as the water buffalo and Cape buffalo, are found in Asia and Africa.

There were at least 3 very large herds of them.  I have never see so many.

Again we live in such a great place and you just never know what you will see around the corner.  We are able to see this and travel because of our freedom... 

What a great day for a ride.  I never get tired of seeing all our family.

And more of the beauty of America.

Great reception in Raton.  Day  4 we are getting pretty good at the gas stops

Another town that turns out for the Run.  

Remember I said, we have New Mexico clear all the way by the LEOs.  

Well.... we cross into Colorado with a great send off. How cool is this!!!  Thank You!!

You just never know where you will find supporters.  The Run really brings this out.

What a great road...you feel like you are with us??  

I know you all are on spirit.  The Run just draws you in.

THEN we see this:

**********************

Few years ago at the prayer service, Chaplain Howard said this poem from Kelly Strong. 

 I thought I would share again.

FREEDOM IS NOT FREE

I watched the flag pass by one day.

It fluttered in the breeze

a young Marine saluted it, and then

He stood at ease.

I looked at him in uniform

So young, so tall, so Proud

with hair cut square and eyes alert

He'd stand out in any crowd

I thought, how many men like him

Had fallen through the years?

How many died on foreign soil?

How many mothers' tears?

How many pilots' planes shot down?

How many foxholes were soldiers' graves?

No, Freedom is not free.

I heard the sound of taps one night,

When everything was still.

I listened to the bugler play

And felt a sudden chill.

I wondered just how many times

That taps had meant "Amen"

When a flag had draped a coffin

of a brother or a friend.

I thought of all the children,

Of the mothers and the wives,

Of the fathers, sons and husbands

With interrupted lives.

I thought about a graveyard 

at the bottom of the sea

Of unmarked graves in Arlington

No, Freedom is not free!!!

Temps: 52-89-63(during the hail strom)
Route: I-25N, Hwy 24
Miles: 301
Quotes for the day:

Some made the ultimate sacrifice.

Thank the Living, Honor the Fallen

May 15, 2026 – Day 3 to DC - Gallup, NM to Eagle Nest, NM

May 15, 2026 – Day 3 to DC - Gallup, NM to Eagle Nest, NM

We had another beautiful day today. Thanks to all you prayer warriors praying for safe travels and good weather.

Sonia, and Eric, are the leads for the ambassador team. She explained that this team goes ahead of the pack and thanks people for their support. They go on the bridges, some schools, and in towns. Thanks Sonia and Eric. Check the mountains behind her with the sun on it in the background. Love it!!

The Pledge and a prayer are always first thing in the morning. Jim (road name "Who?") reads the bios for the day. This is such a great group of people as there are always a few that love to carry them to the wall. The person carrying it will read and think about the person as the journey across the great nation of ours.

Today was a crazy day in that we went thru several towns where the LEO (Law Enforcement Officers) and our road guards put a bubble around the pack. Remember yesterday I mentioned that New Mexico will keep the path clear for RFTW to go thru the state. I have several pics of that today. There was a lot of leap frogging to keep all roads, parking lots, .... from coming into the middle of the pack.

Each day the order of the platoons changes. The staging team puts the platoons in order and a road guard gets them all going.

Our send off from Gallup. Showing us how they got their name as the most patriotic city in America.

We are 10+ miles down the road and still seeing this!!!

They get up pretty early for this.

Thank you Gallup!!!

Heading down the road, I love the windy road.

First stop Route 66 Casino for gas.

The road guards are always around to help guide us to the pump. Here Wild Bill, one of our Vietnam vets and on the advanced team, sports a hat someone gave him. It is red which is for the road guards (each team has a different color to distinguish them). We all know it is him by this hat. Nice looking Bill

Organized chaos. The fuel team can fill 250-300 bikes in about 15 minutes. Way to go team!! Remember bikes only have 4-6 gallon tanks. Also the pumps just keep running. Each rider has to buy a fuel sticker. So the Run pays at the end. Definitely speeds things up.

We have a hydration trailer too. This is great!!! Water, Gatorade... snacks. BUT for 2 day they were MIA. Had problems with the trailer. Imagine that... not that all that weight had anything to do with it. Ron and Marilyn glad to have you back!!

Here is Ron, one of the platoon leaders. When you get thru a fuel stop, remember you need to get back on your platoon. We have stagers but he was almost one of the last bikes filled so the staging team was heading to the next stop. Team work... Bob from his platoon was helping back into the front position. Be careful Bob, next year you may have a new job.

Susan what a great item.... how did you find room for this??

Allie is one of our youngest participants. In Needles, Ron was trying to get a hi-five from her. Here is her reaction.

Today.... she changed her mind...gave him and me a hug.

Then she said it was her turn to take a picture (her mom, Ron and me). Nice job Allie. Here is our future folks.... !!!

Here are the LEOs working to give us traffic free roads. I was told a few years ago there is a waiting list to get on this detail. Thanks guys.

Here we go...blocked highway at the entrance ramp..

Clear sailing

Wow what a view....

Lunch is a new venue. Santa Clara Casino.

Cool having hamburgers and hot dogs outside.

We had a surprise guest today. Leroy Petry. If you read the Sit Rep report from May 12, you remember the Medal of Honor Memorial at Riverside National Cemetery. His name was on the wall. He rode with RFTW in 2015.

Leroy Arthur Petry (born July 29, 1979) is a retired United States Army soldier. He received the U.S. military's highest decoration, the Medal of Honor, for his actions in Afghanistan in 2008 during Operation Enduring Freedom.

Please take a few minutes to read.

On May 26, 2008, Staff Sergeant Petry and his unit were on a mission in Paktia Province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to D Company, 2nd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment,^[1][6] which was on a daylight raid to capture a high-value target from the Taliban. Petry was to locate with the platoon headquarters in the target building once it was secured. Once there, he was to serve as the senior non-commissioned officer at the site for the remainder of the operation.^[7] The team of 7 Rangers encountered about 40 Taliban, 12 of them armed.^[8] Almost immediately after getting out of the helicopters that delivered the unit to the attack site, the Rangers came under strong fire.^[6] Petry provided additional supervision to an assaulting squad during the clearance of a building, and afterward he took Private First Class Lucas Robinson to clear an outer courtyard.^[5]

Three Taliban fighters were in the courtyard, which had a chicken coop within it. The Taliban fired on Petry and Robinson; Petry was wounded by one round that went through both his legs,^[1] and Robinson was wounded, being hit on the armor plate protecting his side. Petry led Robinson to the cover of the chicken coop, and reported the contact and their wounded condition. Petry threw a thermobaric grenade from cover. At the chicken coop, the two men were joined by Sergeant Daniel Higgins, who assessed the wounds of the two soldiers.^[5][8]

A Taliban fighter threw a grenade at their position which landed 10 meters from them; it detonated, and the blast knocked the three soldiers to the ground, wounding Higgins, and further wounding Robinson.^[5] Shortly thereafter the three were joined by Staff Sergeant James Roberts and Specialist Christopher Gathercole. A Taliban fighter threw another grenade, which landed a few feet from Higgins and Robinson. Knowing the risk, Petry picked up and attempted to throw the grenade in the direction of the Taliban.^[9] Petry later recalled his immediate reaction was

get it out of here, get it away from the guys and myself. And I reached over, leaned over to the right, grabbed it with my hand, and I threw it as hard as I could, what I thought was at the time. And as soon as I opened my hand to let it go, it just exploded instantly. And I came back, and the hand was completely severed off.^[10]

The detonation amputated his right hand, and sprayed his body with shrapnel.^[11] Petry likely saved the two other soldiers from serious injury or death.^[12][8]

Petry placed a tourniquet on his right arm.^[1] Roberts began to fire at the Taliban fighters, suppressing them in the courtyard. An additional fighter on the east end of the courtyard fired, fatally wounding Gathercole.^[5] Higgins and Robinson returned fire, killing that fighter.^[1] They were joined by Sergeant First Class Jerod Staidle, the platoon sergeant, and Specialist Gary Depriest, a medic. Directing the medic to treat Gathercole, Petry was assisted by Staide and Higgins to the casualty collection point.^[5]

Return to service

Leroy Petry visits a veterans hospital in 2011

Petry's wounds resulted in his right arm having to be amputated below the elbow. He was evacuated to an American hospital in Germany, where he spent several weeks in recovery before being transferred to Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center in Fort Hood, Texas.^[4] He now uses an advanced prosthetic in place of his right hand. On the prosthetic is a small plaque listing the names of the fallen Rangers of his regiment.^[13

Some of the local kids came to perform for us. Nicely done and thanks for supporting us. This is such a great thing for them to get involved in.

Todd Taylor, our assistant Route Coordinator, went to the casino just for the heck of it. Several years ago, we stopped for lunch at a different casino, and he put in a few bucks and won $196. So he thought he would try his luck again. As luck would have it... he won $312. Soooo.... that goes to the Rainelle kids.... right???

Todd , ARC, and Jim, RC, I am sure they are discussing WHERE his new found wealth should go.

Great send off from Leroy

First we need to get thru town...Road guards and LEOs did a lot of leap frogging today.

Heading to Eagle Nest, our destination for tonight, this road was spectacular, amazing, ...

Your thoughts? Here are a few pics...

Single file all.

I hope some day, given the chance, you can get out and see this beautiful country we have. It is breathtaking.

Heading into the Angel Fire Vietnam Veteran Memorial

This was an interesting pic. The LEOs are taking pics of us. Loving it.

Google:

 Angel Fire Vietnam Veterans Memorial.

Victor David was a 1st Lieutenant in the US Marine Corps (B CO, 1st BN, 4th Marines, 3rd Marine Div) and was killed in Viet Nam in a battle/ ambush near Con Thien. Fifteen other soldiers lost their lives in this battle.

Following the death of their son, U.S. Marine Corps First Lieutenant Victor David Westphall III, Jeanne and Dr. Victor Westphall began construction of the Vietnam Veterans Peace and Brotherhood Chapel to honor the memory of their son and the sixteen men that died with him near Con Thien, South Vietnam on May 22, 1968.

Bricks are laid every year on Labor Day for any veteran. This is a huge ceremony and there are 400-500 bricks done every year. RFTW members are here every year for this.

Today, we laid a brick for Lennie Hodson. He was a big part of RFTW for many years. He was supposed to lay this brick this coming September and passed away this past December. We got you Lennie. Your RFTW family will always be there.

Jim hands the brick to Nick to be placed.

There is a salute..

And the brick is placed.

On Labor Day, this is done for every brick placed.

Say their name, tell their stories, Never Forget.

In the background, Kim, part of our leadership support team, plays Amazing Grace. Where are the tissues...??

Little background on Kim.

Pipe Major Kim Greeley – Storm Watch - born in Hawai’i, has been piping since she was 11 years old. Kim has studied and performed piping in Hawai’i, on the mainland, in Canada, and in the United Kingdom. Kim has performed for military retirement celebrations, military funerals, and repatriation ceremonies. She is the piper on call for repatriation services at the National Cemetery of the Pacific. She also piped for the 9/11, WWI and WWII worldwide remembrance events. Kim’s largest concert is the annual one for the Riders of  the Run For The Wall gathering at the Lincoln Memorial and Vietnam Wall in Washington, D.C. on Memorial Day weekend. Kim has coordinated her performances with airplane and helicopter flyovers, parachute drops, presentations by government and military dignitaries, and other bands. Kim, along with pipers in her band, played for the interment of Lauren F. Bruner, the last crew member who will ever be returned to the U.S.S. Arizona at Pearl Harbor – coordinating the performance on Ford Island with the military divers as they returned Mr. Bruner’s ashes to the battleship.

Here is the leadership for Central Route.

Scooter, one of our road guards, flew in this Huey and his name is on the inside. He was also able to be in it when it was decommissioned.

Angel Fire also has an exact replica of the Vietnam Wall that is in DC.

Finally the day is coming to an end...Stacie Ewing has been making cakes for RFTW for over 15 year.  Check it out.  And it tastes great!!

WOW!!! Great day... we get to do this again... Keep the prayers coming.

Temps: 55-94
Route: I40,I25, Hwy285,Hwy 285,68,585,64
Miles:289
 
Quote of the day:   
All gave some, some gave all