It rained Thursday when we left Orlando and followed us most of the way to North Carolina.
While Saturday there was a ride of the Nam Knights and the 20th anniversary, there was no doubt why we were in Washington DC. This was for the fallen and to remember them. Rolling Thunder had their ride on Sunday and a lot of the Nam Knights rode that day as well but Saturday it was just for the Knights.
Traffic was pretty hairy at times.
Other chapters met at the hotel in North Carolina
This great bunch of officers gave an escort back onto I-95
We were escorted from the hotel past Arlington National Cemetery to the Wall. We had to form on the grass for a brief ceremony because there was construction going on near the Wall. A lot of people were disappointed we didn't get to walk the Wall but we understood because there were almost 400 (by some counts) bikes to get moving, traffic to stop, so that we could go to the Law Enforcement Memorial.
At the law enforcement memorial
After a ceremony there, we were escorted all the way to Maryland for a great feast at the VFW hall and greeted with people waving flags and two fire engines with joined ladders.
Just some of the over 300 bikes at the VFW Hall. They fed about 500 people is my guess. I'll do an update on the numbers when I get them after everyone has a chance to get back. They came from all over the country and Canada.
Being with all of these members of the Nam Knights was simply amazing. I've never seen such a huge bunch of people so caring about each other. If you don't know anything about the Nam Knights, look them up on line. They are Vietnam veterans, police officers and firefighters. All of them willing to lay down their lives for the sake of others in war and in this nation. They have devoted their lives to all veterans.
It was also wonderful to see how much appreciation there is for these men. At the VFW Hall, I thanked the volunteers for putting themselves out for all of us. I was told "We didn't do much compared to what these men did and keep doing." They do a lot for others and are always having one fund raiser after another for someone, but to hear how much they are appreciated, it left a lump in my throat and I was at a loss for words. (Imagine that!)
There is a lot more to say but having just got back today from this long ride, I'm drained. I'll be putting up a video of parts of the ride tomorrow.
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