DC - Rolling Thunder - Memorial Day 2010

[H. John Kohl]

I received this from a friend.



3000 vets on motorcycles from across the USA paraded in D.C. the Sunday before Memorial Day, while a solitary, saluting Marine greeted them out on Constitution Avenue... the Marine stood at salute for 3 straight hours, while the parade of roaring bikes kept on coming.... it is held in remembrance of those who've fallen in the military.... the event (or the group) is called Rolling Thunder... George Bush used to meet these bikers before they paraded... the camera is on the Marine a lot... watch his struggles with his emotions, and his struggles with holding that salute... the way he salutes is very touching... his head lowered, his eyes down, in reverence for the fallen... I know what he was feeling... and as I watched him, I could feel it too.... it got to be overwhelming for him... and the tears started flowing... watch what he says when he finally breaks, but keeps right on holding that salute...

click on this link to see the video

YouTube - Rolling Thunder 2010 - A Soldier's Vigil

[NCFischers]

Last year, on the way to the Northeast Rally, we saw hundreds of bikes heading to DC for the tribute. It was a truely impressive sight.

[exav8tr]

Very moving Gunny, Thanks!!!!

Phil, Master Sergeant, USAF/Ret '66-86'

[Waynem]

There are two events that go on during the Memorial Day time frame. In 2005 I was able to participate in both of them on my motorcycle. One is the "Run For The Wall." It starts in California, splits into two groups, the Northern Route group, and the Southern Group route, for Run For The Wall. I picked up the Southern Route in Weatherford, TX and rode to DC. Then we participated in the Rolling Thunder.

I feel very fortunate to have made these rides and to have been saluted by that same Marine as I rode by his immaculate appearance, standing there at attention for several hours.

Folks, I'm telling you all this because this is one of the most emotional rides that anyone can take. Many of us veterans welled up with tears at some of the stops that we made along the way. They were various, like VA Hospitals, American Legions, elementary schools, and so on.

Now imagine this, if you can. (We had 4 platoons of motorcycles, with anywhere from 30-40 on up to many more in each platoon. The platoons were organized by the experience of the rider. If you had ridden before you could be in the 1st Platoon. The first platoon rode a little tighter in formation.) As we rode into Mississippi, 12 motorcycle police officers closed the freeway (I-20) down. They would leap frog to the ramps and keep traffic from coming in front of us. Two were at the back of the 4th Platoon and would keep all traffic from passing us. As we crossed the Vicksburg Bridge, there was a police helicopter and a US Army Cobra helicopter hovering point over the bridge.

At every overpass along the route there were people standing, waving the U.S. Flag, and paying tribute to what the ride is all about. Support for the POW/MIA's of this country, and to the veterans who have served.

We stopped at one elementary school, and I wish I could remember the name, and I found it unusual as we were parking our bikes that only mothers with toddlers were standing outside to cheer us in. We dismounted and entered the auditorium, about 250 strong of us. As the first veteran entered the auditorium, there, standing on the stage, were the elementary school children, and they started chanting, "USA, USA, USA, USA," and they did not stop until the last person entered the auditorium.

Gotta go - I'm starting to get emotional.

[Rondo]

Thanks John! Outstanding video! Someday I hope to make that ride but first I need to buy my trike.
Also thanks Wayne for your commentary about your ride!
Thanks also to all that have served and especially to those that will never return to their families for the ULTIMATE SACRIFICE!

[Sheepdog]

Thanks John,
I made the Rolling Thunder ride three times (1998,1999,2000). They estimate the riders in the hundreds of thousands! Always remember Freedom isn't Free!
Chuck

[tbhd]

Yep...tears

[greener]

Drew has ridden in Rolling Thunder a few times and it`s always an emotional experience. The number is more like 30,000.

[Waynem]

Greener,
I think that your number is extremely conservative. This one page on Rolling Thunder gives a count of 250,000. I have heard that as much as 1/2 million riders are involved in RT. Now consider that riders are both the driver and possibly a passenger.

In 2005, the MC I rode with staged at 0730 hours. We were the 5th or 6th line of bikes from the lead line. At exactly 1200 hours the lead bike rolled out. It was 45 minutes later before we even moved. The staging is in the pentagon parking lot. There is an East and West parking lot, and they are huge. Both were full of bikes. In 2005 it took 4 hours to empty the parking lot. When I arrived at The Wall area and parked, I went to Constitution Ave and watch for over an hour as the rest of the bikes rode in. I don't think we finished watching and moved on to The Wall before the onslaught. One of our members had a trumpet. He went to the grassy area near the wall and blew "Taps." If you want to talk about emotional, that was one of them.

As the link stated, in 1987 it started with 2500 motorcycles. It is at least 100 times that now. It may be that when Drew rode it was just building up.

BTW everyone, you don't need to be a veteran to ride in Rolling Thunder, or Run For The Wall. Trust me please, you will never, never regret riding in either one.

Thanks.

[kilch123]

Damn - I live 45 miles away! How come I've never heard of this before???

I will be riding next year! That's for sure!

Thanks for posting