Ride from a FNG Perspective

Thank you Jeff, welcome to the RFTW Family and WELCOME HOME. That is a nice write up. Maybe next year for RFTW XXV you can ride out to California and do the whole ride.  The Southern Route (SR) Coordinator (Airborne) for XXV now lives in Louisville, she may be able to point you to a group headed west to join up in Rancho Cucamonga (RC). Again, welcome and thank you!

Hi, Jeff, thanks for sharing your RFTW story; you did a terrific job. This was my FNG year also and I went ATW from RC. Your account of your ride brought back anew all the memories and emotions from my own ride. Looks like I need to get off my lazy backside and get mine written down before It is gone.

That was or is one of the most moving accounts I have read. In 2009 my wife and I rode from Williams, AZ to Gallup, NM to just see what it was all about. Boy did we get hooked. 2010 we rode from RC to Angle Fire, NM and the feelings and emotions were embeded in us. in 2011 we went all the way and when we got back home to Cornville, AZ we said never again would we do this. Well needless to say when you are as hooked on something like RFTW as we are and just about every one else who has done any part of RFTW that did not last long. I started thinking, that is dangerous, what can we do to be a bigger part of RFTW. So knowing there would be a 8th Platoon going ALTW we voluntered to be eithe the platoon leader, assistant platoon leader or tailgunner. We were chosen to be the Platoon Leader. Now I know just a little bit more of what it takes to put RFTW on. I was succesful, along with my crew and especially the TRIKERS to get us from RC to Washington all intact and together. I was also able to not get lynched by any of the TRIKERS because as you might guess we are mostly the older ones and are set in our ways. But what a great group of people. Yes I am a Vietnman era vet because in was in the USMC from Sept, 1958 to Sept 1964 so I was one of the lucky ones who did not have to go over there because we were not offically there. My younger brother flew recon there in 1970 and he made it home, but some of his friends are on the wall.

Jeff, thank you for a wonderful description of the RFTW.  I was an FNG on the southern route and I too felt that I didn't belong with all the people (Vets) that I was with. I was getting the same respect, thanks, and welcome homes as those who fought in the wars.  I didn't feel that I deserved to be there.  When I talked to one of my new found friends about it, I was told that the Vets need the support of those of us who did not serve and that I did deserve to be there.

When I started the run, I was doing it for me, but soon found out that I was doing it for all those who couldn't do it and for my two nephews that are currently serving in Afganistan.  It changed from a ride to a mission on the first day out of Rancho Cucamonga.

Thank you again.

Just read your post, looks like we joined just after you in Hurricane, where I was a FNG also.  was nice to see us in the photo, my GF is  the blond in the POW jacket.  enjoyed the write up.

I think I spent between $2000 and $2500 for the round trip. The biggest chunk if that was hotels on the way east. I spent much less on the way home by staying in cheaper places and sharing a room. You could also camp out to save money. The only other major expenses were food and gas.

Hope you decide to go ATW.

well that's doable even on my meager budget, someone said in the range of 4-5,000  didn't think it would be that much and glad it isn't

Great story, thanks for your service. Hope to see you next year on the ride if you decide to take the Southern route.

Bike (maintained, registered, insured) road safety ready. Rider (Motorcycle license,Clothes on your back, Helmet, boots, PPE) road ready, ready to ride safely.  Money.

I have to say it very well organized by people who truely care about the POW MIA issue.