Don't know why there isn't anything written in these pages about the Run to DC, and I'm not tryin' to start any controversary.  Just wonderin' why it's not bein' talked about.  At all.  I know a lot of folks, made the run, and was wonderin' what their experiences were.  There's talk this will now be an annual run, and it's on my priority list for next year.  Just lookin' for pos/neg feedback.  Thanks. 

Ride Free 
Tweek

Yeah, not much about it anywhere. I didn't go myself but a couple buddies from LA went and said there wasn't really anything at all. Just a whole bunch of bikes showed up in DC. No organized starting or ending points just a bunch of small groups riding around. Not even a final destination with speakers or nothing. According to one person who claimed to be one of the coordinators "The bikers decided to break up into groups ranging from 50 to 500 and ride throughout the city past landmarks all day long."

That's what I got from what I have seen. A MOTORCYCLE FLASH MOB !

Russ Brown blogged and talked about a million bikes. I find that hard to believe mostly because the 9/11 run to D.C. has never been advertised. Bikers DID break up into groups. Oh, as bikers we knew there would be a run and there has been every year. But none of it has seen a national promotion of the thing. Me? I've been a bit discouraged anyway by (forgive me please) some of the "token" Patriotism I've seen over the past decade. I'm not so sure I'm all that eloquent a writer to explain what I mean but it's like someone pulling up beside me wearing all new leathers, dew rag, biker tee, etc. God bless your heart but don't call me "brother" just yet. Ya know? I mean, the USPMC was started nearly 30 years ago and we've always flown the flag. Like the VNVMC, who has always known "why" the Rolling Thunder Run to D.C. over Memorial Day week-end was a no-brainer. We didn't need 9/11 to know Patriotism. But it took over 58,000 names on the wall for folks to start welcoming brothers home from Iraq. Why is that? What happened to the memory of the 420,000 Americans who died during WWII or the 55,000 who perished in Korea? FWIW, the VFW didn't recognize the Korean War Veterans until 1996, even after all the pressure put upon them to recognize Vietnam Veterans as more than "social" members.

Don't get me wrong. I'm happy more Americans are appreciating the sacrifices of our troops, flying Old Glory, etc. But these so-called memorial runs, while seemingly Patriotic, have turned into "any excuse to ride and party"; not for all of us but for a good many more than one would realize. Rolling Thunder was a somber mission statement to remember the fallen and to pressure Vietnam to admit and accept responsibility for POW's and MIA's. Today it's one party after another outside of D.C. in parks, in Fairgrounds, in stadium halls.

Again, forgive me please but "I remember when".

Peace

Very well said Jimmy.

And Az, great summary - a motorcycle flash mob - love it!

A lot of the public at large had no idea there was going to be a muslim march on DC.

Why were more people not aware of it?? And why was there such a lack of media attention to the riders who declared their own ride to DC to counter the muslim march??

It all points to the media & governing bodies, that already are trying hard to censor the news media as a whole.
I checked at least a dozen diff new outlets n came across only one brief article related to the scene in DC.Leading up the rallly/ride/march,in the week prior,I saw absolutely no mention being made of the march & the counter march/ride being organized.
It seems like the motorcycle riding community is being marginalized as a whole by the media clowns under direction from their corporate masters.
IMHO it all stems from a fear in general the public has about people who ride motorcycles,anti-authority,free spirited individuals,not afraid to rock the boat.,.. hollywood fleshes out the image w/umpteen movies n dramas surrounding those crazy outlaw "bikers/motorcyclists". who terrorize small communities across the land.SOA a prime example of that being projected at the non riding public.
One of the last defenses of freedom is a free press,sadly tho it seems we have returned to the days when the only voice heard is a corporate version of it..

Well like a couple have said above probably didn't get any coverage because there really wasn't much to cover. Not anything really planned, just a bunch of FB stuff saying to show up and ride thru the city of DC. From what I have heard from a few local ALR members that made the trip it was kind of a cluster.

Now don't get me wrong, I am as patriotic as the next guy and will pretty much show up and support anything related, but I do it because I care and want to do my part, and don't really care if anyone "covers it". I like that Jimmy pointed out how much "token Patriotism" goes on, those are the ones that HAVE to be recognized for any support they show.

I am not going to argue the point about why it did or didn't get covered, believe what you will on that. But what bothers me is why everyone is so upset about the lack of coverage. Did all of those people show up to show their support, or did they show up to get recognized for their "support". It's kind of like a big corporation donating a million dollars to disaster relief and then spending 2 million to advertise the fact they did it. If you are going to do something for a cause, then JUST DO IT, and don't worry about whether you make the front page so everyone knows you did it!

Just one old man's opinion.

"Just one old man's opinion."
And a damn good one at that.

Peace

I have seen like two or three pictures from the ride, but none of my none rider friends even had a clue. That being said has any one herd about the Trucker Convoy to Washington DC? It is not the company truck drivers but the Owners and owner/operators. But they are heading there for three days Oct. 11-13 of 2013. And they are asking for lower fuel prices, protection for our Contitutional Rights, and Bill of Rights, to name a few things. They (the truckers) are asking no spending money for anyone on those days. Just thought I should let you all know if you didn't because FB keep taking down pages but the current one I know of is Patriots Supporting Truckers to Washington DC.

For the record, Uncle Charlie, we stand in agreement.  Those who would wave a flag, solely because they "could", don't get my attention.  Period.  I think we ALL saw enough of that after 9-11.  But, that's kind of why I asked.  I want HONEST answers and opinions.  Always have. 

Most, if not all of Ya'll, know, I'm the Chaplain, for the Veteran Bikers MC.  And HONORED to do so.  And when I first heard about this ride, and the reason's for it, I threw my heartfelt soul and support into it.  No, I couldn't make the ride, but...I could and did promote the heck outta it.  And for those, who maybe don't know, this ride started out as a protest, to the Muslim's holding a ceremony of their own.  Not even, a block away from ground zero, dedicating many new muslims and their beliefs, on the very Anniversary, of the event that changed the way we think of FREEDOM, here in AMERICA.  

Their belief's and dedications, aren't the major problem, the timing and the address of this public display WERE.  It felt as if America were being slapped, AGAIN.  That they weren't going to respect our dead, for the sake of their living.  That somehow, their beliefs were and ARE, MORE important, than ours?  We honor religious FREEDOMS, in a respectful way.  And only ask others, to give us the same right,  to do so.  But they seemed to have different intentions.  At least, on the surface.  And that's how this protest got started.  How could we possibly stand by, and watch our own be forsaken?  Not on THIS ANNIVERSARY!

It was originally named the "Million Muslim March", and it wasn't solely, an event for bikers, altho, many, were onboard.  And then the event, went VIRAL, and there was a time crunch involved!  And it was as if, we HAD to show the world, we as BIKERS, Veterans, and Patriots, would not let this go unnoticed. 

Awesome!  And I'm here to tell you, that as disorganized, and last minute, as it were, it was meant, as a show of colors.  Specifically, the RED , WHITE, AND BLUE!  A show of individuals, coming together, to protect and defend, the Constitution of the United States of America, and the freedoms we hold SO DEAR. 

And, it WILL happen again next year.  And the year after that, and so on, and so forth...
UNTIL, those that would infringe, on the VERY RIGHTS, they've come to "expect" in OUR COUNTRY,  come to understand.  THIS IS OUR SACRED GROUND, and on THIS...YOU SHALL NOT TREAD. 

Ride Hard, RIde SAFE, RIDE FREE!!! 
TWEEK

I saw that a new webpage is being made for them at http://www.2mbtdc.com/. I have also "liked" their group on facebook and been following things there. I know any news story can be slanted, and I get so tired of trying to guess what truth is anymore, but I love the idea behind this and the follow up I saw about bikers helping the WWII vets to get into their memorial after their Honor Flight. I love seeing bikers represented in a good light. People judge way too quickly.