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Motorcycles revved up Northwest D.C. Friday afternoon as 鈥淩olling to Remember鈥� kicked off its annual Memorial Day events with a “Blessing of the Bikes” ceremony at the National Cathedral.
Veterans and members of AMVETS, a veterans service organization, arrived on their bikes in front of the cathedral鈥檚 doors days before coming together for their massive motorcycle ride on the National Mall.
鈥淩emember those who made the great sacrifice, those who were left behind in prison and those who remain classified as missing,鈥� Rev. Canon Rosemarie Logan Duncan said in a prayer. 鈥淩emember them God above. Make us better men and women and grant us peace in our time.鈥�
Members of the clergy walked toward each bike and rider and blessed both before sprinkling holy water. The cathedral鈥檚 youth choir performed 鈥淎merica the Beautiful鈥� to cap off the blessing.
鈥淚t really warms my heart to see everybody come out and support the mission along with us,鈥� said Robert Whistler of Monticello, Indiana. He called the blessing an 鈥渋ntegral part鈥� of the weekend.
AMVETS took over the weekend events in 2020, with the goal to honor the nation鈥檚 fallen veterans and servicemen as well as raise awareness of the mental health problems veterans face. After the blessing, some riders drove to the National Mall to take part in a candlelight vigil at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.
鈥淚t’s important that we are here to honor and to let our current active members as well as our veterans know that we’re here for them,鈥� said Paul Spuhl, an AMVETS member from St. Louis, Missouri. 鈥淲e support them. We love them. And that’s what it’s about, just supporting brotherhood.鈥�
As part of his tradition coming to D.C. for the “Rolling to Remember” events, Whistler goes to Arlington National Cemetery as a 鈥渟obering reminder鈥� of the freedoms that one has as an American.
鈥淎ll the veterans that are laid to rest there sacrificed their lives so we can continue to live in this country the way we do,鈥� Whistler said.
Tim Chambers, a Marine who refers to himself as the 鈥淪aluting Marine,鈥� will be attending the event for the 23rd time. While he is normally seen holding his salute as the motorcyclists ride past him, this year he plans to carry a sword with him to perform a Sword Manual drill to commemorate the motorcyclists.
鈥淚’m not a combat vet, but we all can serve, and it doesn’t take an oath to serve your country to care about others,鈥� Chambers said.
Sunday鈥檚 ride begins at the Pentagon, crosses the Potomac River and travels around the National Mall before ending on Independence Avenue in Southwest D.C. Thousands of motorcycle riders will start getting together at the Pentagon鈥檚 North Parking Lot at 7 a.m., where a ceremony will take place at 10 a.m. before departing at noon.
Road closures for the ride begin at 11:30 a.m. as the motorcycles begin their ride into D.C. Some of the closures include Washington Memorial Boulevard, the Arlington Memorial Bridge, roads on the north side of the Lincoln Memorial, and Constitution Avenue on one end of the National Mall, among others.
The entire route can be found on the “” website.
Roads will reopen after the last motorcycle passes. All are welcome to observe the ride around the ride route.
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