IN APRIL OF 2002, BRENT JACKSON, OF WOLFFORTH, TEXAS, WAS HEADED TO JUNCTION, TX TO RIDE THE BEAUTIFUL HILL COUNTRY. BETWEEN PAINT ROCK AND EDEN, ON U.S. HIGHWAY 83, BRENT STOPPED AT A ROADSIDE REST AREA FOR A BOTTLE OF WATER AND TO STRETCH. THERE IN THE PARK, BRENT NOTICED A BLACK SIGN TELLING THE STORY OF THE TEXAS VIETNAM VETERANS MEMORIAL HIGHWAY.   NOW BRENT WAS NOT A VETERAN BUT HAD A STRONG BELIEF IN OUR VETERANS AND OUR COUNTRY. GROWING UP DURING THE VIETNAM WAR, BRENT REMEMBERED THE TERRIBLE WAY THAT OUR SOLDIERS WERE TREATED WHEN THEY RETURNED FROM 'NAM. BRENT'S FIRST THOUGHTS, UPON SEEING THE SIGN WERE "IT'S ABOUT TIME TEXAS DID SOMETHING TO HONOR THESE GUYS."

   BRENT CONTINUED ON TO JUNCTION, BUT THE THOUGHT OF THAT SIGN NEVER LEFT HIM. HE HAD A CRAZY IDEA THAT HE WOULD LIKE TO RIDE HIS MOTORCYCLE FROM THE NORTHERNMOST POINT OF U.S. 83 IN TEXAS TO THE SOUTHERNMOST POINT IN BROWNSVILLE. BRENT NEVER INVISIONED AN EVENT OF THIS SIZE OR MAGNITUDE. BRENT APPROACHED HIS WIFE, BRENDA, WITH THE IDEA. SHE IMMEDIATLY THOUGHT BRENT'S CHEESE HAD SLIPPED OFF HIS CRACKER, BUT BEING A GREAT WIFE AND PARTNER, SHE AGREED TO FOLLOW ALONG IN THE PICKUP IN CASE BRENT HAD TROUBLE.

THE FIRST THOUGHT WAS "WHY MARCH?"   
WELL, BRENT WAS WORKING AS A COMPUTER LAB MANAGER FOR A SCHOOL DISTRICT NEAR LUBBOCK AND SPRING BREAK WAS ABOUT THE ONLY TIME AVAILABLE. BUT THEN BRENT DISCOVERED ANOTHER FACT. THE LAST SOLDIERS LEFT VIETNAM DURING THE MONTH OF MARCH, 1975. THAT MAKES MARCH SPECIAL. THERE WAS DISCUSSION OF MOVING THE RUN TO MAY OR JUNE. THE TEXAS PANHANDLE WEATHER WOULD BE BETTER AND MORE PEOPLE MIGHT COME. BUT THE VETERANS POINTED OUT THAT HAVING THE EVENT IN MARCH WAS APPROPRIATE AS THATS WHEN THEIR BROTHERS CAME HOME, AND BY HAVING TO DEAL WITH SOME RATHER UNFRIENDLY WEATHER IN THE TEXAS PANHANDLE, THERE WAS A SENSE OF SACRIFICE THAT MADE THE RUN MORE MEANINGFUL, ESPECIALLY TO THE VETERANS. THE DECESSION WAS MADE TO KEEP THE RUN SCHEDULED ANNUALLY IN MID-MARCH.

    WELL,THE WORD GOT OUT TO A FEW PEOPLE OF WHAT BRENT WAS PLANNING, AND WHEN BRENT ARRIVED IN PERRYTON, TEXAS IN MARCH OF 2003, HE WAS MET BY 4 OTHER RIDERS, ALL WHO HAD THE SAME PATRIOTIC VIEWS AS BRENT. TWO OF THESE GUYS WERE VIETNAM VETERANS, ONE A RETIRED ARMY SERGEANT MAJOR FROM EL PASO.
    
THE GROUP STARTED FROM THE STATE LINE, NORTH OF PERRYTON AND THEN MADE A BRIEF STOP AT THE OCHILTREE COUNTY COURTHOUSE TO HELP WITH THE DEDICATION OF OCHILTREE COUNTY'S NEW VIETNAM VETERANS MEMORIAL HIGHWAY MARKER. 
TO MAKE A LONG STORY A LITTLE SHORTER, TWO OF OUR RIDERS HAD TO LEAVE US IN GUTHRIE DUE TO BUSINESS MATTERS. THAT LEFT THREE OF US PLUS BRENDA IN THE RED TRUCK TO HEAD SOUTH. WE MADE IT IN 3 DAYS.

   DECIDING TO MAKE THIS AN ANNUAL PILGRAMAGE,  BRENT STARTED ADVERTISING EVERYWHERE HE COULD. IN 2004, 27 RIDERS LEFT PERRYTON FOR AN EXPANDED 4 DAY RIDE TO BROWNSVILLE.

   VARIOUS TOWNS, BUSINESSES,  AND ORGANIZATIONS ALONG THE WAY MADE THE TRIP SO MUCH EASIER BY SPONSORING ACTIVITIES AND PROVIDING MEALS AND REFRESHMENTS. WITHOUT THEIR HELP, THIS EVENT WOULD NOT BE WHAT IS IS TODAY.

    2005 SAW A GREAT AMOUNT OF GROWTH FOR THE RUN.  68 MOTORCYCLES AND TWO SUPPORT TRUCKS LEFT THE BORDER NORTH OF PERRYTON HEADED FOR BROWNSVILLE.
WHEN WE ARRIVED AT THE VETERANS INTERNATIONAL BRIDGE WE HAD 88 BIKES WITH US.  ALTHOUGH THE RIDERS DO THIS BECAUSE OF THE FRIENDSHIPS WE HAVE MADE, THE MAIN REASON IS, AND ALWAYS WILL BE,  TO HONOR TEXAS VIETNAM VETERANS AND TO SAY "WELCOME HOME."

THE 2009 RIDE WAS A GREAT RIDE  WITH OVER 100 REGISTERED ENTRYS.  WE ENCOURAGE ANYONE WHO CAN TO RIDE ALL OR PART OF THE RUN.  SEE YOU MARCH 13TH, 2010 IN PERRYTON, TX.