Rolling Thunder XIV
Rolling Thunder XIV was held on Sunday, May 27, 2001. An estimated 300,000+ bikes came to DC and help keep the POW/MIA issue before our elected officials. I rode from Battley Cycles/Rockville Harley in Gaithersburg, MD. Our group consisted of around 1,000 bikes and left around 10am after consuming large quantities of coffee. A police escort got us to the Pentagon parking lot safely in about 40 minutes. The police closed several of the main freeways from Maryland thru Virginia to the Pentagon. Any vehicle that approached the bikes was either stopped or quickly escorted away by the cops on their Harleys. Our escorts had to contend with an auto accident that occurred as we entered one of the freeways. I guess the sight of a thousand bikes with a police escort coming from the rear was too much for them.
The weather was threatening rain during the ride to the Pentagon. When we arrived at the Pentagon the clouds rolled out and bright sunshine shone on the ~200 thousand bikes parked in the North parking lot. The parade started at noon under bright sunshine and lasted four hours. This year the parade route was changed and the bikes were routed to the Potomac park area near the Jefferson Memorial. This made walking to the Wall practically impossible. Most of the parade riders just parked and took a break. I was determined to go to the Wall so I headed back across the Memorial bridge, again, and parked at 23rd St. and Constitution Ave. Just as we got to the Wall it got very dark and started to drizzle. My passenger asked if we could head out rather than get caught in the rain. I agreed and we hopped back on the bike and headed to the Asylum in Adams-Morgan, about 20 blocks away. The sky opened up enroute. I was drenched by the time we got there. We enjoyed a couple beers and ate a big lunch. The rain quit and the sun came back out and we were off to the Tiki Bar for the season opening party. It took the rest of the day for my jeans to dry out, and my leather was still damp the next day.
Later I heard that some of our friends were caught in a violent hail storm just north of the city. One person caught a hail stone in the face and was slightly injured. They found sanctuary beneath a highway overpass and waited out the storm. This same storm produced several tornadoes in our area.
The lingering memory I will always recall is the sound of the bikes as they circuited through the city and the vibration that you felt through your feet. It is truly awesome and I hope all who love their country, and ride, can participate in one Rolling Thunder.
Joe Thompson, Undersecretary for the VA's VBA and Secretary for Veterans Affairs Anthony Principi rode together in Rolling Thunder 2001
Photos © Jim Mayer, used with permission