I recieved this email...
Subject: Rolling Thunder- just so you know
"For those of you who are not familiar with Rolling Thunder, every year on the Sunday before Memorial Day, 3,000 veterans on motorcycles, (hundreds of which rode completely across the country, LA to DC with "Ride for the Wall" leave the Pentagon, pass Arlington Cemetery and parade through Washington DC straight down Constitution Ave.
It is a tremendously moving experience. Absolutely fantastic. It is estimated that 3 Million People, Families, Veterans, Bikers, and folks of all kinds pack Washington DC over the Memorial Day Weekend for this event.
There is something also very special about it.
One marine, referred to as the saluting marine, stands there on Constitution Ave and salutes at attention for three straight hours and never drops his arm. It was 92 degrees there on Sunday.
That has to kill your arm standing at present arms for three solid hours. The heat must be unbearable in dress blues. He did take a drink of water with his left hand, but never dropped his right."
My friend who is a Patriot Guard sent me this email following...
"The numbers you have are a little off. A couple of friends from The Dalles, (Oregon) went this year. They just closed one of the parking lots and estimated that it could hold 4500 bikes. The parade was going for over and hour and a half before Mike and Steve even started their bike. Way cool. "
