May 28, 2016 - In DC

It is bitter sweet that I write this last post.

When we got to DC, my niece joined us.  If you watched the blog last year, Jamie rode with us.

Jamie and Nate.  Jamie is a little light.

Last night a few of us went into DC.  I have a few pics to share:

Saturday Morning.

 As we took the Metro to Arlington, we met this family.  If you look real close you will see the shirts talk about their relationship to the Vietnam veteran: wife, daughter, grandchild.  They are proud of him. So are we.

We also met this 96 year old  man that was at the Battle of Okinawa.  He was in the conflict at Iwo Jima. (Remember your history, this is where you see the picture of 5 soldier raising the flag). After several attempts from others, he created the first guidance nose cone with an infrared beam that successfully was capable of intercepting an ICBM from Russia. Also created a manufacturing process that eliminated resistance by turning the 30 foot tube horizontally to a vertical position which led to the process that is conceptually used today in created chips commonly used in cell phones. We did not even get his name.  Again another person I would have loved to spend more time with.

 Arlington Cemetery

Changing of the guard.

 Inspection of the weapon and soldier

Run For The Wall Wreath

We head out to the Vietnam Wall.

In true RFTW fashion, the bikes are lined up perfectly.

 Vietnam Wall

MISSION COMPLETE !!!!

Glen and Mike thanks for being with us every mile of the way.

Here are a few fun facts about our trip
 - Temperature ranged 32-97
 - We traveled in 14 states + Washington DC
 - From Loveland to Ontario, CA to DC back to  Loveland – 6140 miles
 - Thanks for all the thoughts and prayer, NO hail this year and very little rain.

We did not pay for meals on our mission. Every town we stayed in welcomed us, fed us, and prayed for our safety.  The support, encouragement, respect that the Americans have for the mission is incredible.  There is an unbelievable amount of time hanging banners, kids making bracelet, making pocket patches, hanging flags on the over passes, closing down streets, organizing volunteer for meal, setting up fuel stops.. and the list goes on.  

100s , 1000s of hours given by so many to make this happen: route coordinator, state coordinators, missing man coordinator, staging team, fuel team, hydration team, road guards, medical personel…..and the riders themselves.  The logistics to get that many people across the country, coordinated with all the towns for escorts, gas stops, parking, .... involve so many people.

Four of us crossed the country west ( Ken, Jenny, Larry and Jean) to get to CA. We came back across with a new family of 300+

We continually asked each other : what time is it? what time zone are we in? what day is it?  But there is one thing we knew the answer to: what was your mission?

Mission Statement of RFTW : To promote healing among ALL veterans and their families and friends, to call for an accounting of all Prisoners of War and those Missing in Action (POW/MIA), to honor the memory of those Killed in Action (KIA) from all wars, and to support our military personnel all over the world.

Many of the common phrase you heard every day:

 - We Ride for those who can’t

 - You are not forgotten

 - Freedom is not free

 - Home of the free, because of the brave

 - Never forget

 - This is a mission , not a vacation

 - All gave some.. some gave all.

HOW FAR ARE WE GOING???  ------ ALL THE WAY

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!!!!

Thanks to Jenny and Ken Ward for letting us tag along on the way out  and the way back.

I especially want to thank my husband for such an incredible journey.

One more set of prayer please, and that is to get everyone home safely from DC, and continue to pray for all service men and women, past and present. 

Two more pics.  You  are getting to know me way to well.  This is the sunset as we got back to Ohio.