Harley-Davidson Leads 30th Anniversary of Rolling Thunder
Half a million motorcycle riders attend patriotic ‘Run to the Wall’ event that honors U.S. military heroes, POWs and soldiers missing in action.
The Rolling Thunder Run is one of the biggest and most respected patriotic motorcycle events in America. Every year, hundreds of thousands of riders make their way to Washington, D.C. for the “Run to the Wall” ride. They travel from the parking lot of the Pentagon to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall, all for a great cause: to honor prisoners of war and soldiers missing in action. Late last month, Rolling Thunder celebrated its 30th Anniversary, and it was bigger than it’s ever been.
Since 2001, Harley-David has been a presence at Rolling Thunder, and each year representatives from the company visit Washington to speak at the event. Most of these Harley reps are former military, such as Tim Budzien, Manager of Harley Owners Group at Harley-Davidson. Budzien, a U.S. Air Force veteran, said, “Harley-Davidson has a strong brother and sisterhood and we come together for great causes, and this is one of them.”
On May 28, there were approximately 500,000 riders attending this year’s event. But as seen in Harley-Davidson’s must-see recap video, above, that might be a conservative estimate.
For those that attend the annual event, it’s about so much more than getting a chance to ride down D.C.’s streets. It’s about the names on the Wall. “It’s emotional. I have a relative on that wall. They sacrificed their life for me and for our freedom,” said Eugene W. Latsch, Jr., Master Sgt., U.S. Army, as he held back tears.
‘Harley-Davidson has a strong brother and sisterhood and we come together for great causes, and this is one of them.’
In Harley’s video, there are many others like Latsch who share their reasons for attending the ride, with most having a personal connection to a name on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall.
The “thunder” that resonates throughout the city isn’t just to show how amazing and powerful 500,000 motorcycles sound; it’s to make people stop and think about the sacrifices our soldiers make defending our country’s freedom. Each year, Harley-Davidson and over half a million riders join forces to honor them the best way they know how, with patriotism and pride, riding their amazing motorcycles.
