CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The Run For The Wall motorcycle run is more than an ordinary run.
Bikers from around the world on the largest organized cross-country ride in the United States hit West Virginia on Thursday and said they are on a mission heading into Memorial Day weekend.
“I run because we are all brothers and sisters,” rider Bob Dorfman from Dewey, Arizona told MetroNews. “This is what we do. We want to make sure that the Prisoners of War and those Missing in Action (POW-MIA) is not forgotten. We ride for those who can’t.
“It’s important to every guy and lady that is here because it’s a cause. Like they told us the very first time, it’s not a motorcycle run, it’s a mission.”
Approximately 400 bikers gathered at the state Capitol Thursday morning as the ride started in California on May 15 and ends in Washington D.C. on Saturday at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.
The bikers continued their mission of honoring all veterans, current military, those who have been killed in service, and for an accounting of all POW-MIA with a ceremony at the West Virginia Veterans Memorial.
“There are still over 70,000 POW-MIA from all the wars that have never been brought back,” rider Mary Starkey from Lebanon, Missouri told MetroNews.
“We want all those remains brought back to their families. We also want to provide healing to our veterans, support for our current troops and we honor all those killed in action.”
Thursday morning’s ride for the bikers started in Hurricane and went zooming by Nitro with a stop at Nitro Elementary before stopping in Charleston.
West Virginia is part of the Central Route of the run that has four separate routes. Dorfman said he has completed the Southern, Midway and now Central Route.
“The scenery changes but the people don’t,” he said. “The people that we run across in your communities and all the other communities across the United States is fantastic. There is still a great middle America.”
From the state Capitol, the bikers headed to Rainelle with a parade through town and assembly at Rainelle Elementary School.
Bikers will depart from Lewisburg on Friday morning as they head to the nation’s capitol.
Starkey said this is her sixth year on the Central Route and absolutely loves riding through the Mountain State.
“It’s absolutely beautiful, the people are wonderful,” she said.
“These communities just open their hearts and welcome us. They treat us like royalty. People on the overpasses waving at us, it might be lined with fire trucks or it might just be one person waving but everyone is showing their support.”
To learn more abut Run For The Wall, click HERE.
.@RunForTheWall, the largest organized motorcycle run in the country, is rolling through Charleston. Bikers are honoring veterans, current military and those who have died in battle on this and every Memorial Day Weekend. ?? @WVMetroNews @580WCHS pic.twitter.com/ABjDR7rjiG
— Jake Flatley (@JakeFlatley) May 23, 2019