Got back home on July 2 - Ya, took a little time after RFTW - stayed two weeks in DC to see as much as we could - had a great time - then took the LONG way home to complete a 12 year quest to ride in ALL 50 states - when we started in Ca on RFTW, we had 30 states under our belt - this run we got the remaining 20 - Great feeling... 

The purpose of this open letter is to thank EVERYONE we came into contact with on this run.  Being a FNG - Ya, I (like a lot of guys) had many years on a bike but few in group riding - Well, group riding and riding with RFTW are two very different animals, lol..

This was the most intense ride of my life and I loved 99.999% of it (one rubber band event took a few years off my life, lol - I got over it). 

I am a retired Fire fighter of 35 years and have been to a LOT of INTENSE settings - I downloaded the Itenerary and read it - lol - no way in hell can they keep this on track..   My first thanks goes to the Leaders of our routes - Wonderful job and on time we were.

Second Thanks go to the Staging, fuel and all the support people - kinda the silent heros here - with out them, we would all be lost.

Third Thanks go to My platoon leader (Kid) and assistant (Hunny buns + Tigger)  our Mother and Father of the group {still not sure who the real assistant leader was - Hunny Buns or Tigger, lol}.  We had the honor of being in the ("Special" needs Platoon #9)  actually Platoon 6 - inside joke on the SN's comment..  No offense to anyone - you had to be there.

Next thanks goes to Pappy and Sixpack - our tail gunners - who I rode with for several of the first days. 

My biggest thanks go to ALL the road Guards (our guardian Angels)  they did an absolutly fantastic job in keeping us all safe - without them, the run would NOT happen..

by the middle of the ride, I had figured out a few of the tricks - get up at 4am and be at stagging first to get behind the Platoon leaders (the sweet spot to ride)

As a FNG - both the wife and I were Always made to feel very welcome. 

Made a lot of friends in the CR and esp in Platoon 6 – lots of different folks and great people to ride with. 

I was at first concerned about the S/S riding, lol – that turned out to be a Non issue – Now riding in the TIGHT formation and as close as the RG’s kept us – Now that’s a different story – I did get better by the Mississippi River and was able to maintain a very tight ride – still Very intense.

Final Thanks go to ALL the Towns, Communities and people we met along the way – This is One great Country we all live in and it was just amazing how the local town folks would turn out to greet us – I am a Viet Nam Vet and this was a Great Welcome home ride.

THANK YOU ALL

Michael Rollins

Turlock, Ca

small sample of the 900+ pics the wife got from the passanger seat..