Memorial Day Weekend Thunder Storm
Sure, it's the official harbinger of summer! But for one feisty Jack Russell Terrorist, this holiday weekend in particular poses a serious challenge.
Yep, everyone looks forward to Memorial Day weekend, including me. It kicks off all the summer fun, pays homage to our service men and women, offers up countless cookouts and parties, and brings tens of thousands of visitors to the D.C. area to celebrate. Including "Rolling Thunder."
Rolling Thunder is not a troublesome weather system. It is not "Hell's Angels." It is a nonprofit organization with nearly 900,000 motorcycle riders who participate in the annual Memorial Day weekend rides nationwide to bring awareness to and action on behalf of the 10,000 reported POWs/MIAs of the Vietnam War. The riders are veterans and non-veterans, male and female, young and old.
I can always tell when the Memorial Day holiday is approaching because the motorcycle traffic in the D.C. area and surrounding suburbs begins to dramatically increase. Along with the unmistakeable sound of rumbling Harley engines, hence the term "Rolling Thunder." That sound used to strike fear in the hearts of the citizenry, but more recently it has come to represent patriots on choppers standing up for our forgotten heroes. And the organization was formed and named after the 1965 bombing campaign against North Vietnam dubbed Operation Rolling Thunder.
But to Flip, my fearless, high-strung, noise-adverse, Harley-hating pooch, Rolling Thunder can only mean one thing: Trouble.
Case-in-point: Yesterday we were taking advantage of the incredible weather and went out for a very long walk in and around Vienna. Numerous times we were passed by solo or group motorcycle riders, many sporting American flags, and the only thing drowning out Flip's outraged barking (punctuated by lunging and snarling), was the highly elevated rumbling of the engines. So much for our relaxing walk.
In addition to the Rolling Thunder Motorcycle Rally downtown, there is a Memorial Day Parade, several wreath-laying ceremonies, Presentation of Colors, and many other events downtown to honor our service members. You may also want to checkout the Viva Vienna celebration this holiday weekend, or the "President's Own" U.S. Marine Band concert at Wolf Trap Farm Park followed by fireworks. Dogs on leash are allowed at many of the events, however the huge crowds, loud noise and hot weather may prove to be a deterent.
While I WON'T be taking Flip, or Tiki for that matter, downtown on the Mall to watch the motorcycle rally, we'll be there in spirit.
Andy Ford
1:23 pm on Monday, May 21, 2012
While it's great that our POWs/MIAs will be honored and remembered on Memorial Day weekend, there are dignified and respectful ways of doing that. Trying to do this with thousands of Harleys with illegally loud exhausts is neither. In fact, motorcycle noise pollution is a growing problem and many millions of Americans are fed up with this needless noise. Most motorcycles made after 1982 must have an EPA noise compliant exhaust with a clearly visible label certifying such. It's illegal under federal law to replace the noise compliant exhaust with one that isn't compliant or to tamper with the legal muffler to make more noise. It's the huge numbers of violations of this excellent law that is the cause of widespread motorcycle noise. There are a number of groups that have been formed to curb this abusive behavior including North Carolina Citizens Against Loud Motorcycles, New Hampshire Citizens Against Loud Motorcycles and Quiet Maine. All of these groups have Facebook pages.
A.B.
7:23 pm on Monday, May 21, 2012
Almost no one who served in Vietnam owned a Harley. The Harley thing started years after 1975. This event is a perversion of honoring and respecting Vietnam Veterans.
Michael Doan
8:18 am on Tuesday, May 22, 2012
I try to leave town Memorial Day weekend. The motel behind my house is quite noisy.
Groovis Maximus
11:04 am on Tuesday, May 22, 2012
When I was a kid, WWII veterans (including my dad and his brothers) proudly marched in Memorial Day parades. Unfortunately, what followed was a time in our country when people were so disillusioned with the Vietnam war that they were not so respectful of the returning Vietnam veterans. Thankfully, I think we've learned our lesson as a society - we respect and are thankful to all veterans for serving even if we don't agree with the war, politics, etc. However, Rolling Thunder was an outgrowth of that ugly time - when we didn't welcome home our veterans with open arms and we did leave many POWs/MIAs behind. I'm willing to endure extra noise on Memorial Day for the sake of Rolling Thunder -