Record Turnout Marks Rolling Thunder Ride's 20th Anniversary

[admin]

FYI

Hal Cleveland, USN, (Ret.)

"United We Stand"

Record Turnout Marks Rolling Thunder Ride's 20th Anniversary

By Chris L. Jenkins
<http://projects. washingtonpost. com/staff/ email/chris+ l.+jenkins/>

Washington Post Staff Writer
Monday, May 28, 2007; Page B04

The day is known for its ability to evoke power through the thunderous
collective rumble of thousands of motorcycles rolling through downtown
Washington.

But for Johnny "Halftime" Penn, 31, of Lancaster,
<http://www.washingt onpost.com/ wp-srv/related- topics.html/ Lancaster+(Pennsyl
vania)?tid=informli ne> Pa., the power is also in quiet solemnity. That's
how he described his mood yesterday as he sat near the Lincoln
<http://www.washingt onpost.com/ wp-srv/related- topics.html/ Lincoln+Memorial ?t
id=informline> Memorial and paid tribute to his father, Thomas, a Vietnam
<http://www.washingt onpost.com/ wp-srv/related- topics.html/ Vietnam?tid= inform
line> veteran who died of cancer in 1987.

<javascript: void(popitup( 'http://www.washingt onpost.com/ wp-srv/photo/ postpho
tos/orb/metro/ 2007-05-28/ index.html? imgId=PH20070527 01170&imgUrl= /photo/2007
/05/27/PH2007052701 170.html' ,650,850) )>

<http://pictopia. com/perl/ ptp?provider_ id=25&ptp_ photo_id= xt-mt-25- title_872
1574> Buy This Photo

<javascript: void(popitup( 'http://www.washingt onpost.com/ wp-srv/photo/ postpho
tos/orb/metro/ 2007-05-28/ index.html? imgId=PH20070527 01170&imgUrl= /photo/2007
/05/27/PH2007052701 170.html' ,650,850) )> Rosa Samuel of Fort Meade cheers for
thousands of bikers in the 20th annual Rolling Thunder motorcycle parade to
honor U.S. military members past and present. Organizers said this year's
event was the largest ever.

Rosa Samuel of Fort Meade cheers for thousands of bikers in the 20th annual
Rolling Thunder motorcycle parade to honor U.S. military members past and
present. Organizers said this year's event was the largest ever. (By Marvin
Joseph -- The Washington Post)

"This is for my dad. . . . Every year, it's for him," said Penn, who added
that he usually participates in the event with his father's friends but this
year decided to come by himself. "I've ridden ever since I was 18 to honor
his memory . . . but this year I decided to come and just kneel and be quiet
and think about his sacrifice."

Penn joined thousands of military veterans and their loved ones who marked
the 20th anniversary of the pilgrimage to the nation's capital in support of
U.S.
<http://www.washingt onpost.com/ wp-srv/related- topics.html/ U.S.+Armed+ Forces?
tid=informline> military members past and present.

Known as Rolling Thunder, the riders honked, waved and gunned their engines
to the delight of onlookers as they circled the Mall
<http://www.washingt onpost.com/ wp-srv/related- topics.html/ National+ Mall?tid=
informline> and rode up and down Constitution and Independence avenues.
Clad in leather vests adorned with pins and buttons, bandannas, black
helmets and motorcycle boots, riders cheered speakers who extolled the
nation's veterans and urged the U.S. government to bring home its dead and
missing, in Vietnam and elsewhere.

A group of the organization' s leaders rode up the White
<http://www.washingt onpost.com/ wp-srv/related- topics.html/ The+White+ House?ti
d=informline> House's driveway on eight bikes, led by Rolling Thunder
founder and Executive Director Artie Muller, to meet with President
<http://www.washingt onpost.com/ wp-srv/related- topics.html/ George+W. +Bush?tid
=informline> Bush.

"Artie -- how you doin', Artie?" Bush said as Muller pulled up with his
wife, Elaine, according to a pool report released by the White House. "Good
to see you again."

After posing for pictures, Bush invited the 13 riders into the Oval Office.
Muller said the group met with Bush for 35 minutes and discussed topics from
how the United
<http://www.washingt onpost.com/ wp-srv/related- topics.html/ United+States? tid=
informline> States could be more aggressive in looking for prisoners of war
to mental-health issues among veterans.

"The president has always been receptive to our issues," said Muller, who
met with Bush during Rolling Thunder's 2004 event.

Meanwhile, thousands of riders thronged the Vietnam
<http://www.washingt onpost.com/ wp-srv/related- topics.html/ Vietnam+Veterans +M
emorial?tid= informline> Veterans Memorial to pay homage. They left flowers
and wreaths, along with handwritten notes. A spokesman for the U.S.
<http://www.washingt onpost.com/ wp-srv/related- topics.html/ U.S.+Park+ Police?t
id=informline> Park Police said there was one reported arrest for
disorderly conduct. Maryland
<http://www.washingt onpost.com/ wp-srv/related- topics.html/ Maryland? tid=infor
mline> officials said there was a morning accident on Interstate 270
involving a Rolling Thunder biker, but authorities said the event went off
well.

As it has been every Memorial Day since 1987, the ride was attended by
thousands of Vietnam veterans, many of whom rode with their families.
Organizers said it was the largest ride yet.

Street closures to accommodate the event caused traffic jams and frustration
near the Mall and on the Potomac
<http://www.washingt onpost.com/ wp-srv/related- topics.html/ Potomac+River? tid=
informline> River bridge crossings. Traffic from the Theodore Roosevelt
Bridge was routed from Constitution Avenue starting mid-morning, causing
backups into Arlington
<http://www.washingt onpost.com/ wp-srv/related- topics.html/ Arlington? tid=info
rmline> . Some motorists complained that they were not notified about the
closures, saying no warnings were provided by overhead traffic advisory
signs. Officials at the Virginia
<http://www.washingt onpost.com/ wp-srv/related- topics.html/ Virginia+ Departmen
t+of+Transportation ?tid=informline> Department of Transportation said they
began informing Interstate 66 motorists of the detours on signs about 9:30
a.m.

In the District, Pennsylvania Avenue between 15th Street and Seventh Street
was jammed as motorists were routed away from the Ninth Street tunnel.

"Traffic, traffic, weekday, weekend," said Hank Jackman, an Alexandria
<http://www.washingt onpost.com/ wp-srv/related- topics.html/ Alexandria? tid=inf
ormline> resident who said he was stuck in traffic approaching the city
yesterday morning. He was careful not to blame parade participants. "It's
part of life."