Dehesa Valley Gazette

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DEHESA VALLEY GAZETTE

Published periodically from San Diego, CA

(The Official BUT UNAUTHORIZED Organ Of Mayor Jimmy Valentine)

MONDAY MAY 21st, 2012

A VETERAN IS SOMEONE WHO, AT ONE POINT IN HIS (HER) LIFE, WROTE A CHECK MADE PAYABLE TO AMERICA FOR AN AMOUNT OF…”UP TO AND INCLUDING…MY LIFE”

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Or Email: jimmyv@dehesavalleygazette.com

AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL!!

For 24 years now crazy ass bikers have been overloading their motorcycles with travel gear in stacks that often rise higher than their heads in the saddle….they mount up and head east to spend 10 days on the road running from LA to DC. They ride the rain (snow on the central route) searing heat of the Arizona desert and plains of Texas, humidity of Louisiana and Virginia. They ride long days. Rise way too early in the morning and ride another day.

It ain’t a fun ride. You don’t get to gander at scenery along the way (keep your eye on the bike ahead of you, check your side mirrors every few seconds, pay attention to the road guards, downshift rather than brake and wave at patriots on the overpasses but do not look at them (eyes on the bike in front of you). The days start way too early (6:30am breakfast, 7am riders meeting, roll at 7:45am) and the day don’t end at “its five o’clock someplace,” cocktail hour. When you do turn off the scooter for the day (after chow) it can likely be 7pm…..by the time you scrub the road crude off there may be time (and energy) for a quick toddy of Jack Daniel’s and lemonade and then zonk. Repeat routine 10 days in a row. Truth be told you have to be a hard ass to do this run.

The folks who organize The Run For The Wall tell up front that this is not a party…it is a mission. And most riders being Veterans approach the run as a mission. What exactly is the mission? To pay respect to all who serve and have served. To keep alive the quest for those American POWs as yet unclaimed. To honor those who have died or been wounded in combat and their families. And to remind America that it owes an almost unpayable debt to every man and women who has ever served this blessed and remarkable nation. And to honor America.

The Wall in reference is of course the Vietnam Memorial Wall in DC. Many of the riders carry physical and emotional battle scars from Vietnam…and not all claimed in combat…many scars were inflicted by fellow countrymen who spat upon these Warriors upon their return from combat. Scoffed at their heroism and denied their valor. You need to be of a certain age to know that the heroes of today are treated with grand honor that was deprived the heroes of Vietnam.

One might logically ask why the run is called The Run FOR The Wall and not The Run TO The Wall. And the answer would be that while the ride is to the Wall the run is FOR those who perished. The ride is not just a matter of getting from point A to point B. The journey across the heartland of America is to pay honor and tribute to all whose names adorn the Wall, keep alive the quest for our POWs and to ride for those who cannot (those wounded or killed in combat and their families.)

It is impossible to ignore 600 motorcycles roaring across the plains, into small towns and big cities ( there are two routes so the bike count goes as high as 12-hundred or more). The roar of engines. The constant stream of bikers. The display of bike borne flags not only attracts attention…it entices attention to the mission and message of the Ride. And that my friends is the quest of the journey…to tell America why you ride and on whose behalf.

Without any sense of shame I am able to report to you at this writing, that while I am doing the Run For The Wall this year…I am doing so in the RV. Not on my scooter. This run is beyond my measure. I am a weekend warrior biker…and then only if the ride starts at late morning and the temperatures are mid-60s and the to and from route is under 200 miles. ( I do make some exceptions on rides with the Patriot Guard Riders) There are men and women past my age who ride this run. I honor them without shame about my own shortcoming.

We began our ride in Rancho Cucamonga on Wednesday May 16^th. I write this on Saturday May 19^th. in Grand Prairie, Texas. The bike riders have been thru 106 degree temperatures, exhaustion and constant emotion. Joy at seeing citizens line side streets to applaud their arrival, patriots who line highway overpasses to urge the riders on and thank them for their journey and wish them safe passage. Many riders still cope with scars of their terrible homecoming…the ride is meant to ease that pain and make amends. The most frequent salutation among the bikers to one another is “Welcome Home.” It is a mantra.

Enough...you can (and please do) learn more about The Run For The Wall at www.rftw.org And you can follow the daily details as posted by HawgWash at http://www.rftwsr-2012.us/sitreps/index.html .... Hawg is a former Marine Master Sergeant and he is real brief but his daily diary gives you some feel for each days ride.

I am hoping to put some meat on Hawgwash’s bare bones reporting…but even in the RV my days are as long as the riders….and while driving in an air conditioned shell may be 110% easier…it is still a long day on the road….a full day that leaves little time at the end for authorship. I’ll do my best.

I am blessed as I ride in the RV to be in the company of a convoy of wonderful people also in cages. Four among them…..Al and Chris….they are towing their trailer. They are Blue Star parents. One son a Marine, the other a US Army soldier. Their Marine was wounded in combat…an IED tossed his Humvee into the air like a child’s toy. He has recovered thanks be to God.

Also in our cage convoy are two wonderful women. Dianne Layfield and Julia Dewey Conover. They are Gold Star Moms. LCpl Travis Layfield was Killed In Action April 6, 2004. LCpl Brandon C. Dewey was Killed In Action January 20^th, 2006. The Moms are making the run in honor of their sons. There is also a Gold Star Dad on the run . I have not met him as yet. But each rides not only for their fallen children but for all parents who have lost loved ones in combat.

Did I mention that this is not a fun run? It is a mission!!

Oh, thought you might want to know that God continues to Bless America. She and her people are beautiful. Just in case talk radio convinced you that the end is near.

**Love Ya Bye!!

HOMEFRONT SAN DIEGO – 760-392-1551 (NOTE PHONE NUMBER CHANGE)

http://www.homefrontsandiego.org/

GOD BLESS AMERICA

WE REMEMBER SEPTEMBER 11, 2001

STAND TALL FOR TRADITIONAL MARRIAGE - FIGHT ON!!

STILL WORK TO DO TO SAVE OUR CROSS…KEEP POWDER DRY

ORGANIZATIONS & INDIVIDUALS SUPPORTED BY THE DEHESA VALLEY GAZETTE

Homefront San Diego

http://www.homefrontsandiego.org/

North County Warrior Support

http://www.ncws.org/