Several years before I moved to DC, I watched Rolling Thunder ride into Washington on Memorial weekend and vowed to myself that I'd attend that event someday. Yesterday, I made the rather tough choice to forego hearing Daughter #1 preach and instead, head down to the Mall and enjoy the atmosphere that comes when hundreds, perhaps thousands, of motocycles descend on our nation's capitol.

It was truly a neat and fun time. I'm a huge people watcher and yesterday, that need in me was fulfilled hundred-fold. Little She-Who-Is was somewhat skeptical of how much fun it was, but finding a Popsickle for her on an almost 90-degree day seemed to soothe any boredom she felt by it all and she was pretty happy for most of the day to accompany me.

Some thoughts I had:

Some of the bikes had "handicap" license plates on them...didn't know there was such a thing...handicapped riders

There were quite a few 3 wheeled (trike) bikes

There are more really overweight bike riders than I even imagined

It must be neat to be a part of a group that comes to this event year after year, seeing old friends again and again

How much would I have to pay one of the riders that didn't have someone riding with them to ride with them in next year's event?

I think many/most of the riders were from my generation and many of them Vietnam Vets, who, shamefully, never got the welcome home parade they deserved at the time...glad they have this moment in the sun now!