On Wednesday, May 25, 2011, the 2011 edition of Run For The Wall (RFTW) entered Kentucky at Louisville and exited the Commonwealth at Ashland. While in Kentucky, the group stopped in Louisville to visit the Veterans Hospital and then stopped again in Frankfort for services at the Vietnam Memorial.
In Frankfort, the hundreds of motorcycles and their riders and passengers were welcomed with an escort to this unique memorial atop a hill overlooking the state capitol. They shared road stories and snacks with citizens who came out to witness this once a year tradition. Local and state dignitaries were also on hand to honor the riders and to pay tribute to those the riders ride for the POWs and the MIAs and those who gave their lives so a ride like this can take place.
Once all the motorcycles found a parking spot, the group gathered at the memorial. After an invocation, flags were presented by an honor guard for the Pledge of Allegiance.
Speakers at the ceremonies in Frankfort included the current mayor of Frankfort; a former mayor of Frankfort; State Representative Brad Montell who presented the group with a proclamation from the House who closed their morning session with a dedication to the group; and former United States Representative from Kentucky and now the Commissioner of Veterans Affairs for the Commonwealth of Kentucky, Ken Lucas, who read a letter to the group from Governor Steve Beshear.
After all the speeches, Colonel (ret.) Larry Arnett offered a tour of the memorial for anyone interested. Kentuckys Vietnam Memorial is one of the most unusual and original memorials in the country. The memorial contains the names of all the Kentuckians killed in Vietnam. The focal point of the memorial is a giant sundial where on the anniversary of each soldiers death, the point of the gnomons shadow actually touches the solders name. Col. Arnett shared with me a bit about the funding and for this memorial: the state of Kentucky donated the land on which the memorial sets but the money needed to construct and maintain this beautiful monument was made possible completely by private donations, some as small as a few dollars. A foundation has been set up and the Board of Directors of this foundation invests money for the continued maintenance of the memorial; Col. Arnett is a member of the foundations Board of Directors. In addition, Col. Arnett, a military historian, has a son who serves in the military who has completed two tours in Afghanistan and will soon leave for a tour in Iraq.
Two different groups rode into Frankfort on the way to Washington, D.C. for Rolling Thunder; the first group was by far the largest with hundreds of motorcycles, four abreast, lining the road around the Library Archives building on the grounds; trikes and motorcycles pulling trailers were lined up along Coffee Tree Road in front of the memorial. The second group mostly consisted of Task Force Omega members and while smaller in number were no less enthusiastic especially in taking the podium to urge all in attendance to contact elected officials and demand return of Prisoners of War, especially Pfc. Bowe Bergdahl from Hailey, Idaho, who was captured by the Taliban on June 30, 2009 and is still in Afghanistan. Greasy of Task Force Omega suggested we all tell representatives and senators that if Bowe doesnt come home then they will be voted out of a job. A few amens and applause were heard after this speech!
The riders, both in the first group and then in the Task Force Omega group, were ready and willing to share a few road stories. Some came from the starting point of Rancho Cucamonga, California and will do the entire ten days with the group; others have joined in route as the Run For The Wall passed near their home.
One man shared a story of a woman he met in Wentzville, Missouri a couple of nights before. "The essential to budget travel is to prepare in advance. When it happens to family trips, globetrotting, well-deserved holidays and/or going to see new places we have never been before, the actuality of expense and budgeting is often in the back of our heads. Planning and spending our travel budget correctly is a main concern for most families. Reducing consuming and costs, while still experiencing your vacation to its fullest, is the key to certain achievements and fiscal liability. Your pocketbook and family will thank you! The reasoning behind economizing money while touring is simple: Even if your personal finances is extremely small, you can still take a break and enjoy life! Simply put, life is just too short to never step out of the door or leaving the homestead! Also thinking about that while traveling, no matter whether on a price range or not, even the smallest of things can all add op to a huge vacation or travel costs!..". In Wentzville, the town comes out to greet the RFTW in force, much like the rest of the stops along the way. One woman needed help from her wheelchair (our story teller estimated her age to be upwards of 85) as she wanted to give our friend a hug. He was enamored and proposed (jokingly). She protested that he didnt even know her. He then responded, Honey, I would have died for you. She teared up and the he-man motorcyclist probably did also as he almost did while relating the story (me too).
Another man shared his love of his state (Washington) and described the beauty of the roads and mountains so vividly that a picture was painted with just his words.
Perhaps because I am of an age that corresponds closely with some of these riders and for those they remember, we freely discussed, often with a catch in the throat, the Vietnam War and how hard it is to look at names on memorials; how difficult it is to think back to high school remembering who went to southeast Asia and who didnt return; and how that pivotal period in our lives changed everything after that.
So who rides in RFTW? Old people, young people, men, women, Honda riders, Harley riders, and even a girl on a scooter! Just about every brand of motorcycle out there was represented in the group. Check out the slideshow and video for some of the scenes from Kentucky.
For more information about the start and a few of the other stops on the 2011 Run For The Wall, click on the articles mentioned in the Suggested by the author box.
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