going to dc memorial day for rolling thunder

in previous years i was able to take I66 east across the potomic and then the traffic cop would let bikes go on us-50e. could take that down to the SW corner of us50 and 23rd st

last year the cop wouldn't let us do that. i am wondering how i can easily get to that same area. if is really convenient for us to leave from there as we just hope on us50 west and hook up with i66.

coming into dc we are coming from annapolis where we will be staying saturday nite

sunday we head back to home town chicago

we usually get to the dc parade area around 10am-11amish

 

i've gone 9 years in a row. first two times we parked on the lawn to the left of the washington monument, every year since the cops have made it harder to park. the last time i went we had to park 3 miles away. i understand the whole meaning of the parade and who it's really for. but it's ridiculous that it's a parade of motorcycles but they won't let the spectators who rode on bikes park anywhere near it. 9 times has been enough for me, not going again. good luck finding something close

 

If you were going down to watch the parade, why did you not just ride in the parade. To ride in the parade, they will direct you to one of the parade departure lots upon arrival. Then you ride in the parade when they tell you to start. Then at the end of the route, they lead you to parking, and you can stay there as late as you wish.

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because you have to be in the pentagon parking lot by 6am and sit in the heat till it starts. not everyone wants to do that. some people like to be in and some like to watch. plus you can't go down vendor's row unless you're watching..it was so hot the first time i went, because of my diabetes i over heated and just about passed out...i'll pass

 

I do not believe you need to be at the pentagon by 6a. The ride starts at noon.

 

you might want to look that up, they don't have all those riders get there an hour before hand. my buddies who have gone over 20 times have us leave at 9 in the morning from delaware. by the time we get there at 11 the streets are full of bikes and people and the pentagon is full when we ride by. this is a picture of the lot, i'm pretty sure they don't get there an hour before time to go, but you're so smart you tell me how long this would take to do

 

As the others have said. there are several lots to start from. and there is a rolling start. We would typically leave from Baltimore to go to DC at around 10:00 or 10:30 am.

No matter what lot you get into you will have to wait a few hours prior to start.

But i do know what you mean, you just wanted to head down and watch for a while.

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I got there about 8:45 AM last year and rolled out of the Pentagon parking lot aroung 12:30. When I rode in with the group from Patriot HD, we would arrive closer to 11 AM and sit in the Pentagon lot until between 2 and 3. I keep thinking that showing up at 2 PM would mean a wait of about an hour.

 

This will be my first time going to the whole area. We will be visiting the wife's family in La Plata Maryland where we will be staying the week prior. What roads should I take and more importantly which roads should I avoid?
We are excited as I have wanted to do this for a long long time. Thanks
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If you want to leave before 1pm you better be there at 6am. One year we did not get there until 9am and we were so far back that it was 3pm before we ever started the bike. It is much cooler to wait five hours in the am then 5 hours in the pm.