Rolling Thunder XXII - first-hand report

Today, tens of thousands of riders, spectators, National Park Service personnel, DC Police, Maryland Police, VA Police and Fairfax County Police made it clear that America’s Prisoners Of War and Missing In Action are not forgotten.

Our group met on Rt. 29 in Falls Church, VA, and rode to the Patriot Harley-Davidson staging area on 29 to join the ride into DC.  Thousands of bikes waited in the staging area, which stretched for a mile or two; bikes parked four abreast wheels six inches apart.  Shortly after 9AM, the group saddled up, and headed for I-66.

Crowds of spectators lined the route from 29 to Nutley.  I-66 was blocked, turned into a temporary parking lot with drivers out of their cars waving to the parade of bikes.  Every overpass was lined with waving spectators.

After turning onto Jefferson Davis Highway our group split off from the main body so that we could ride directly into DC to view the parade as spectators.  Arriving shortly after 10AM, we had time to stop by Thunder Alley, and visit the Korean War Memorial and the World War II Memorial.

At the World War II Memorial, the POW/MIA flag flew just below the United Stated flag.

The Vietnam Veterans Memorial is best visited at a quieter time, where it’s possible to take in the gravity of the sacrifice.  With bustling crowds of chattering visitors, much of the impact of the walk down the path adjacent to the wall is lost to distraction.  At quieter times, the memorial does indeed live up to the designer’s intent:

…We, the living are brought to a concrete realization of these deaths.

Brought to a sharp awareness of such a loss, it is up to each individual to resolve or come to terms with this loss.  For death is in the end a personal and private matter, and the area contained within this memorial is a quiet place meant for personal reflection and private reckoning.

Crossing Constitution Avenue just before Noon, we found our place along the route, and awaited the arrival thousands of bikes; previewed in the slideshow below.

Catch the background on this event, the people and their purpose for this ride:

• Heads-up!  Rolling Thunder is rolling into DC on May 24th, 2009
• Harley-Davidson and the affinity with America’s veterans
• Rolling Thunder - let's roll!
• Rolling Thunder XXII - first-hand report
• Rolling Thunder XXII: The bikes
• Rolling Thunder XXII: The trikes
• Rolling Thunder - it's not just Harley riders

Denver Motorcycle Examiner, Ken Bingenheimer provides an excellent counter-point on my past experience at the Vietnam Veteran's Memorial, reporting for Glenn and Cathy Buchholz:

• Emotional day ends Run For The Wall

Also, check out the DC Motorcycle Examiner, Wes Fleming’s coverage:

• Rolling Thunder XXII