Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/693447
34 nJuly 2016n www.thunderpress.net THUNDER PRESS In 2016 the ride was a meld- ing of causes, however, the original concept was not lost. As stated on a Rolling Thunder website, "The Rolling Thunder Run mission is to educate, facilitate, and never forget by means of a demonstration for service members that were abandoned after the Vietnam War. Rolling Thunder has also evolved into a display of patriotism and respect for all who defend our country." That fi rst ride in 1987 with about 2,500 riders has grown to over 90 chapters nationwide supporting an estimated 900,000 riders for the annual Ride to the Wall. I'm told that fi rst group felt that the rumble of their bikes sounded like the distance sounds of bombing from Operation Rolling Thunder, and so the Rolling Thunder ride was born. The last year for which I could fi nd numbers showed that in 2014, 850,000 riders joined together for this one-day ride. Today as the Vietnam vets dwindle in numbers the ride and its goals are increasing defi ned by the post-9/11 generation. Artie Muller, the executive director of Rolling Thunder, shared, "It's going to be interesting to see what we can really bring to the organization in the next fi ve to 10 years." Muller, who is a Vietnam veteran of the 4th Infantry Division, said, "Never forget all of our prisoners of war and those still missing in action from all wars, and never forget our veterans of all wars. That's our message, and that's our mission." This year, Saturday's weather was perfect and there were parties from Rockville to Quantico and all around the area. Customer Appreciation Day at Quantico (formerly East Coast Harley-Davidson) featured the James Handy Band, and Patriot Harley-Davidson held events Friday and Saturday as well as serving as a staging point for thousands of bikes Sunday morning. Battley Harley- Davidson in Rockville, Maryland, kicks off the weekend with a night ride downtown to see the monuments and enjoy the beauty of DC at night. Harley-Davidson of Washington has been the main gathering place for motorcyclists and events began Friday evening with a ride to the Candlelight Vigil at the Vietnam Memorial. Saturday they did it all with vendors, lime green T-shirts, and free food as well as food and drink trucks. Folks could also enjoy live music from bands like the American Bombshells and Rockie Lynne. Addressing the crowd were speakers such as retired Navy CMD Kirk Lippold, the skipper of the USS Cole. Lippold was serving on October 12, 2000, when one of the fi rst acts of Al-Qaeda was to blow a hole in his ship and 17 sailors died. He spoke of his crew and how they saved the ship, and of American patriotism. Artie Muller was there, as well as the famous Saluting SSG. Tim Chambers, who chose this week- end to marry his beautiful bride Lorraine Heist. Sunday morning the sun was warm and the sky was rich blue with streaming white clouds. At zero dark thirty, some riders in ones and twos headed directly to the Pentagon, with others assem- bling at staging points including Harley-Davidson dealerships in Rockville, Ft. Washington, Manassas, and Fairfax, and other points throughout Maryland and Virginia. These staging areas were where the ride for many truly began. Most of the rides enjoyed a police escort with police providing rolling road blocks at ramps and intersections so bikers rolled right through on their way to the Pentagon parking lots and the offi cial ride kick-off. I'm told that since 9/11 this is the only event that the Pentagon allows to use the parking lot. Staging in the Pentagon lot begins early Sunday morning. The ride "starts" at noon. If you arrived at the Pentagon at, say, 8:00 a.m. you might leave close to noon, and if you don't get there until 11:00 a.m. it might be 3:00 p.m. before you ride out of the lot. The ride is so big now that it over- fl ows from the north to the south park- ing lot. There is always a wait, with a long staging time. I've experienced days so hot you couldn't drink enough water and cold days where we cooked hot cocoa on a camping burner by the bike. I've waited in rain—the sort of weather to remind one of another place and time. At times I've slept under the bike in its narrow shadow. Reminds me of the saying, "It's all good time." Don't get me wrong; the parking lot is alive with thousands of people to meet, vendors with fl ags, food, and of course the Harley-Davidson event pin. Everyone is taking pictures. For anyone who has done the ride, waiting in a hot shadeless parking lot, or bone-chilling rain, will confi rm that time can seem to stop. Enjoyment advice for the waiting time: Walk across the lot over to the Lady Bird National Park where there are trees and cool settings. Once there you can walk through the park to the Pentagon Rolling Thunder Continued from page 1 "Never forget all of our prisoners of war and those still missing in action from all wars, and never forget our veterans of all wars." Bikers roll up Constitution Ave. toward Capitol Hill. The ride up Constitution is one of fl ags, waving, cheering, honking horns and the rumble of motorcycles. In a matter of three to four hours an estimated 850,000–900,000 riders take part in Rolling Thunder. Artie Muller, Vietnam veteran and the longtime executive director of Rolling Thunder, was at Harley-Davidson of Washington meeting the crowd on Saturday