Another year has come and gone as riders on the Run for the Wall once again rumble through Raton on their way to a rendezvous of memories. A ride that brings them to a long black wall with over 58,000 names of those who gave the ultimate sacrifice.
For each rider its a different story, its a memory of a lost comrade or horror of the reality of war. Its been over 30 years since the Vietnam conflict has ended yet for many of these vets it still seems like only a short time. Many of the service men came home to an indifferent homecoming, a homecoming from a conflict that wasn’t popular one that saw many protests. Yet as time has gone by many of the wounds are healing and the protests are gone. Welcome Home is the words that echo through each community on the ride. People have come to realize that without those lost lives we as a nation would not be free to go as we please, to protest those wars and conflicts which we do not agree with. We could not enjoy what we know as freedom.
The ride was started over 25 years ago and has grown ever since. It is to honor the men and women who gave the ultimate sacrifice, not only in Vietnam but the other wars and conflicts that these United States have been involved in. They ride for those who can’t. They have the freedom to ride!!
