Rolling Thunder 2011

[Oldswimr]

WHo is thinking of riding/attending Rolling Thunder for 2011?
Best and worse experiences at the event so far?

[DaveC]

I'd suppose that over 500,000 motorcyclists are thinking of or planning to ride to RT 2011, & over 300,00 will attend.
This will be the 23rd yr. for this event & seems to grow larger every yr..
If you've never attended, i'd highly recommend it, especially if you're a NAM VET.
This event takes place over 3 days, beginning Fri & finishing Sun. with the ride from the Pentagon parking lot, thru DC & past the Viet Nam Memorial. It usually takes 4 hrs. for the last rider to clear the Pentagon parking lot, & last yr. the lot had to be closed because it was filled to capacity.
Advice? Get your hotel/motel reservations as early as possible, like NOW....... DC hotels are outrageously priced.
Reasonable accomodations can be found in within 20 miles of DC, in surrounding MD & VA..
Virtually all HD dealers have events Fri & Sat., & most have a group leaving for the Pentagon on Sun. AM..
Positives: an AWESOME event
Negatives: traffic, parking.
It's an event i'd highly recommend.
DaveC

[Big Rig]

I have been attending for the last 7 years, never served but honor my family members who have along with the millions they served with. I typically have a group of 10 to 20 riders and we ride down from NJ on Sunday Morning. We road serveral years and for the last few watched from the side lines. f you want to ride, be at the Pentgon lot as early as you can, and plan to sit for a while. Your early is never early enough. If you plan to watch, get in the inner loop where the memorials are, so you can visit all the memorials...they are for lack of a better word AWESOME. It will be crouded there is parking but you have to look for it, a couple blocks away.

+1 on the hotels, Baltimore is about 35 minutes north (45 is you do the speed limit).

Alot of congressmen and women live in the area, so lock your bike! om just sayin!

You will enjoy yourself, bring lots of water...last 3 years it has been HOT!

[Jess from VA]

I live in town (NoVA) and attended several of them, years ago.  It is now too big, too crowded, too hot, too noisy (90% HD), and no fun walking your bike at parking lot speeds for the whole event. 

I fully support the cause of veterans/POWs/MIAs.  I served on active duty for 9, worked for USDVA for 18 more, and attended several Rolling Thunder rallies, so my feelings are.... I don't have to attend anymore.

If you support the cause and whether you're a vet or not, attending once is pretty cool.  And enough,  YMMV.  Bring a gallon of water, you'll need it.

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