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Southern Route Coordinator’s Latest News 2010

This year we will be selling patches for the Silverton Cemetery in Chattanooga it is the civil war cemetery that we visit every year at the HD. We have been in contact with the people that take care of the grounds and we have pledged that we will help with this. This year we will be going into the cemetery and doing the wreath laying inside and we will all be able to go in . If any of you are interested in the patches they will be for sale.  You can contact either Lynn Fouraker or there will be some in the merchandise trailer. I know everyone is getting ready to leave for RC . Ride safe and may God be with you on the whole journey and back Home. Thanks, Too Tall

Time is growing SHORT it wont be long until everyone starts heading West. Make sure you check over your bike very good and have everything serviced. That will include you get any drugs that you will need for the long trip and make sure you are in shape to ride.This is a life changing Run and we don't wont it to be a bad one. The leadership team has been working very hard to get everything ready for the Run. It has been a real pleasure to work with Arnie Swift the Central Route Coordinator.  We have both worked through many problems that have come up but they have all been resolved.  Well, except for the Hotel that closed yesterday . If any of you have any questions please give me a call or email me . I will be leaving from Odessa, Texas on May the 14th and will be in RC on Sunday.

God Bless everyone, ride safe and see you soon,

Too Tall

Ready to accept Missing Man Formation requests - SR! 

The Southern Route is now ready to accept requests for MMF 2010. Please email your requests to Della “Pocket” Morris at donmorris@earthlink.net.

First priority – FNGs (first year on the “Run”).

Second priority – Been on the “Run” but have never ridden MMF.

Third priority – Ridden MMF before (you will be put on a waiting list)

“Please let me know which category you are in!”

When emailing let me know where you are joining the “Run” and if you are not going to complete the trip to DC. If going “All The Way” please note that. If you have a segment that you want to ride please include that in your email. I will do my best to accommodate your request. Assignments will go out approximately one month before the “Run” and you will receive an email. If your plans have changed by then please respond back via email.

See you in May “All The Way”

Della “Pocket”

Missing Man Coordinator

Too Tall

The arrangements for the Memorial Service are as follows:
 
Larry Rogers “Stepper” will be cremated, and the only service for him will be on:
 
Jan. 9th, 2010, at 2:00 P.M.
 
Mountain Valley Funeral Home
3407 S.W. Wilshire Blvd.
Burleson, TX  76097
 
This is a suburb of Dallas, off of 35W - take the Burleson Exit #37 S or Exit #36 N of
 of 35W , then go Hwy 174 West (Wilshire Blvd.)
 
All RFTW attendees are asked to wear their vests, and if you are a Road
Guard, you are asked to wear your RG sleeves.  Riders who attend on motorcycles
will need to contact Don Fleischman at 972-313-0000 for assembly instructions.
 
Pat has asked that in lieu of flowers, that a fund be established in Larry's honor, which
will be divided between the 3 Southern Route schools (Colo. City, Wytheville, and Montvale).
 
Too Tall has opened a special account for all donations.  Send them to:
 
Ray McDowell
RFTW, Southern Rt.
PO Box 14572
Odessa, TX  79768
 
Checks made out to:  RFTW, Southern Route - (Acct. #0006128297.)
 
If you are flying in, DFW is the closest airport, but Love Field is also easy.
 
If you have any questions or need directions, call me at 817-366-2058.
 
God Bless,
 
Preacher

Updated List: 11/12/09

Hello everyone!  I had a really great weekend!  I met Preacher in Amarillo, Texas at Gary Byrd's church.  He is the one that handles our hydration trailer with all the churches across the country donating to this effort. They have a biker chirch there and it was really great.  I will have to say that is the first time that I have ever driven my bike inside a church, but we did and it was really special.  We were there to give Gary and his Chaplain team  $1000 from "Run Ror The Wall".  We also took up a collection at the Kerville reunion of $1400.00 that we gave him.  It was a great thing for them and for "Run For the Wall". 

 Ok, on to other news  I have been working on the list of leadership, re: platoon leaders, asst. platoon leaders and tail gunners.  I have most of it done, but there are a few holes to be filled. I will send out what I have this week on this form.  I have had a GREAT response from people wanting to do certain things on the "Run".  I have tried to honor your request, but I know there will be some people that have asked to do jobs to help that won't get to.  I have a list of people that I will keep and I will use them to fill in where people drop out for one reason or another.  If you are not on the list that I post just be patient, you my still get a job because there will be people that drop out.

Hope everyone is doing well and life is good.  I will give you up dates as I can.  We are working on the hotel list now and that will be posted in December.

Thanks and God bless you all.

Too Tall

 9/22/2009

Hello all just got back from Kerville for the Southern route reunion we had a great turn out with about 150 people making it . We had several meetings and there are going to be some changes this year on some fuel stops and 2 or 3 Hotels . We are planning to have the list of Hotels on the web site by December. I will be posting all the assignments for the platoon leaders and asst , tail gunners.and other related assignments. there will be a few blanks because people are having to tell me at a later date if they can do the job.

We had an open meeting with the board of directors and there were a lot of questions that were answered. One of the questions was about going to the Wall. There are many people that are working on getting us to the Wall on Friday when we to DC. The problem is the same as we have had before it is with the parking permits from the DC Park service. We have applied for the permit but they have not given us one at this time we are in the process of going over there heads to try but we don't have a answer now we will let you no as soon as we no.

We are working on several changes to some of the fuel stops that we have out grown, trying to come up with a better plan to get gas and a place with restrooms that we can stage.

We did hear from Hollywood and all of the DVDs from 08 should be going out in the next 2 weeks (hope it happens this time ).

Janice had a great program for us with lots of give-away's. a good time was had by all at the dinner.

I will be making posting on the web page as things happen and I hope to do there ever couple of weeks to keep everyone updated on what is happening.If anyone has any questions just send me a email or call and I will do my best to get you a answer thanks Too Tall

rayequip@aol.com

7/21/2009

HI Y'ALL! I just read Arnie's information about himself. He did a great job! On that, and I am looking forward to working with him this year.

I am, Ray "Too Tall" McDowell, the 2010 Southern Route Coordinator and I am much honored to have been asked to hold this position. The 2010 "Run" will be my 7th year to do the "Run for the Wall", and it gets better and more gratifying each year. Each year is a reunion of sorts with all the familiar faces and the people we meet along the way.

Now about me; I am married to Kay "Too Small" McDowell, the love of my life. We have 6 children and 12 grandchildren. I was in Vietnam 1968-69, in the Army. I left Nam and returned to the US and had 11 months left. I went to Ft. Hood in Killeen, Texas. That is where I got out of the Army as an E-5. I am from Odessa, Texas, where I grew up and my family lived, started to college but found out I knew more than the professors there. So, I showed them and joined the Army. I have worked in the oil field all my life and now own my own business. We buy and Sell industrial engines and power generation plants.
As I stated before, this is our 7th time to do the "Run for the Wall" and we have made many life long friends on the Run. When we did RFTW for the first time I thought it would be the only time we would go, but that has not been the case. We have made so many good friends and it means so much to us to take the FNGs to the Wall. I have had 3 different buddies that I served with in Nam that I have taken to the Wall, and there is no greater honor than being there with them and for them.
The run is very emotional for me as I see so many guys that have had all the memories and emotions stored up for so many years finely get to let it all go and be among friends and brothers at the wall. I have done the Southern Route every time. I have served as asst. platoon leader, platoon leaded in 3rd and then as 1st platoon leader and then last year Greg "Pied Piper" Smith, Asst route coordinator. I really didn't think there could be anything to top doing that but I was asked me to lay the wreath at the "Tomb of the Unknown Soldier" in Arlington Cemetery and that was truly an honor that I will never forget. I will do my best to lead everyone in the Southern Route across this great Country and do it as safe and honorably as I can. I hope to see everyone that can make the trip and if you can't make it we will ride it for you.

God Bless,

Ray McDowell
Ray's Equipment, LLC
2525 East Interstate 20
Odessa, TX 79766
432-413-6666 cell
432-366-7042 office
\432-367-9431 fax
www.raysequipment.com