The above photos of our Rainelle experience were taken by Lee Aitken. Above, right, is the principal of Rainelle Elementary.
Below, Chris Forgie sent this photo on 6/3/08 of the Seventh Platoon entering Rainelle:
Below are photos by Judy Lacey posted 7/28/08 -
Above, left, flag salute at morning meeting in Hurricane. Above, left, USMC in Hurricane to see us off.
Below, left, the Hurricane donut thief is apprehended!; Below, right, on your marks, get set...
Above, left, arriving at Charleston capitol. Above, right, WV Gov. Joe Manchin always meets with RFTW. Below, Gov. Manchin addresses RFTW. Below that, Charleston group photo.
Above, left, the road to Rainelle is beautiful. Above, right, Glen Ferris, WV.
Below, left, Schoolkids in a town near Rainelle. Below, right, riding into Rainelle.
Above, left, spending the afternoon with the kids. Above, right, Popeye signs a flag.
Below, left, Misty and Judy - friends for six years. Below, right, lunch is the school cafeteria.
Below, Grumpy was a hit with the kids.
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Official Sit Reps from Central Route:
May 22, 2008 - Day Nine
Hurricane - Rainelle
It was very cold this morning as we prepared to depart from the WalMart parking lot. We continue to have new registrations and we are now up to 365+ bikes in the pack (not including those riding ahead and behind). This is the most bikes we've ever had at this point in the Run. It will be a short 131 miles today, but a fun day. The first stop is in Charleston for the West Virgina Capital complex and Veteran's memorial. We had a brief ceremony and then our annual group photo on the capital steps. To view the picture check out one of these websites: http://www.wvgov.org/gallery.aspx or www.wvdot.com .
After our group, we made our trip up the coal mountain to Rainelle where we paraded through town and were greeted by the entire school and town. This is another one of the most special stops on the Run. We spent the first hour visiting with the students, signing autographs, passing out gifts and taking pictures with the kiddos. Then we had lunch in the cafeteria and ceremony out back. During the ceremony the Run presented the money that had been raised during the trip thus far - $20,000. It is difficult to tell who is more blessed, the town people of Rainelle or the vets who are truly touched by the outpouring of love received by these special children and people.
After our ceremony, everyone disbursed to the many different places providing activities for the Run participants. Many different organizations provided food, drinks, entertainment and shelter. It will be an early day, but a very enjoyable one. It is off to bed early tonight for a big ride tomorrow as we ride in to DC.
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More from David "Bounce" Talley:
We staged at the Hurricane, WV Wal-Mart parking lot. ( The Manager there should be made aware that he has at least one great employee who made coffee brought out cream and sugar for it, on her own. We had tried to buy some from the Subway but it was not open, the Manager was late for work. But Deb did a great job for us and she paid for it out of her own pocket. The weather was great, there was some fog but it was gone by the time the advance crew left. I am riding with them for the last two days of our journey. Turns out it was a good thing too, as a big truck shouted about a traffic tie up ahead that we could not see and we were traveling at a very high rate of fuel consumption at the time (Trucker term for getting there quick for my Run Friends) I managed to switch down to the Run Channel and let the Road Guard know about 1/2 mile before we came up on a wall of cars. Getting into the Capitol went pretty smooth, and every trucker that I talked to only said "That's Way Cool" and "For what your riding for most of us support you". The Memorial there had been vandalized by some one driving a car, they caught him. That was terrible, but folks were working on it and if someone had not told me. I mean they were working on it but I thought they were just cleaning it up for us and some how got delayed. The Governor was there again for our annual photo op. I once again had to leave with the advance team. The ride to Rainelle was fantastic. I was in a pack of 35 bikes, but by the time we got to the last set of twisters there were only about 17 or so left... I tried to imagine what it was like for the first run, Peter, aka Chaplain, told me he did not remember the exact words but the reason they came that way was they decided the Toll authority was not getting their money. The looked at a map and decided it was only one half inch on the map and a suitable detour. I think every one should write tie WV and KY toll folks and tell them what a great thing they started by being stupid and stubborn. Riding with that small pack around the turns, having cars pass us on the right, and talking to big trucks on the way down the hill made me think about what it must have been like for the first Run. We passed three schools, and one of them had VA patients waiting to wave our pack in. Then we got to the start of the east end of town. There were people everywhere, and the Kids.....WOW!!!! I have seen this before, but at that point I was still thinking about the first riders and how they must have felt. The asked who was having a parade, and Peter said that a lot of folks yelled :Its for you Welcome Home!. What a reception. In my blog I have been writing about the rewards, well Rainelle is the pay off for all this work for me. The kids love us and we love them. When we got there we had $18,400 for the school. Pato Pato had over $600.00 to add to that with his Skin project (more on that in the Blog tomorrow.....) so we were just a little under goal of a thousand Dollars. Then some one stood up and offered a $100,00 challenge, I --took less than 5 minutes to bring the total well over the goal of $20,000.00. That too was a lot like the first trip, The riders gave up some $ before taking off. The kids loved it. The principle had to quite them down after Pato gave his little speech. . Pato loves the kids and they love him.
Tomorrow we leave Lewiston WV for DC. The last day, and it always a problem getting the truck to cooperate with us on this stretch. In the last two days we have registered roughly 140 folks. I counted the bikes as they rolled into town. I gave up at 400. It just feels like there are a lot of folks with us. In the last two days either Krazy or I have kept two situations for beyond our control. from becoming huge problems. One involving a deer that ran into the side of a truck and then according to Krazy just laid down and slept in the center of the left lane, and the other involving traffic. Today we have to protect the Road Guards from Radar, cause VA state cops will ticket them.
I think we should all send the Turnpike authority a thank you note. Their actions twenty years ago caused directly the events of yesterday and the previous twenty visits to Rainelle.
I have a friend who dropped out of the run, he wrote the following it is great
"But I'm proud of you for doing it and being there for so many people who couldn't do it themselves. You can see it in their eyes...the well-wishers...they really wish that they could make the trip themselves...most of them can't even ride, but they go with you. A little piece of them is travelling with you. Even if they touched your hand or made you a tamale, they are going too. I couldn't fathom it till last year...that's the magic of it, you are going in their stead."
For me, the payoff is always Rainelle. Thanks, Hap. Sorry for any misspellings; hard to keep my eyes open.
