Run For the Wall riders depart C.O. on journey

Several riders taking part in the Run For the Wall took off Tuesday morning from Hub City Bar and Grill in Redmond. They’re headed north for Seattle to meet up with hundreds of others, then they’ll all head south to Ontario, California, to begin their cross-country trek.

From there, it’s a 10-day journey across the country to Washington D.C., with thousands of people joining them on the road.

This will be Cliff Brumels’ second Run For the Wall, which he says means something special to him beyond bringing attention to veterans.

“I spent 20 years in the Army, so this is something that is very passionate to me,” Brumels said. “It’s a ride for people that can’t ride. That’s our whole purpose, and that’s part of our mission going from California to Washington, D.C.”

Rusty Mann has never done the Run For the Wall before, and actually has never ridden his motorcycle cross-country. He admitted he had jitters before the ride, but said that makes it mean more to him.

“Helping our vets is what I love to do,” Mann said. “I’m not a veteran, but I get to help them because they sacrificed everything for us.”

This will be the 31st Run For the Wall.

You can find more information on the run here.