Come Join Us
The Ride of the Patriots® 2012
The 14th Annual Ride of the Patriots® to Rolling Thunder®
will take place on Sunday May 27, 2012 during the Memorial Day Weekend. Patriot Harley-Davidson® and
the Fairfax VA Chapter, Harley Owners Group welcome you to join us for this signature event. We are very
pleased that the Ride of the Patriots has become a highly anticipated community event and our hopes
are that all bikers and bikes will feel welcome and join us for this police escorted ride to the
Pentagon to participate in Rolling Thunder's Ride for Freedom XXV.
The Ride of the Patriots is a four-day event spanning the entire Memorial Day weekend.
All activities for the weekend are at or begin at Patriot Harley-Davidson, located just
West of Fairfax Circle on Fairfax Boulevard (Map).
Activities start on Friday evening, May 25th with a Chapter ride to the Candlelight Vigil at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.
Our event continues on Saturday, May 26th, with the Patriot Harley-Davidson Open House (9:00-6:00) where you may
have your National H.O.G. membership card swiped to receive a commemorative pin for Rolling Thunder XXV,
buy a Ride of the Patriots 2012 commemorative T-Shirt from the dealership and the Ride of the
Patriots 2012 commemorative coin and pin at the Chapter H.O.G. booth. Visit the Patriot Harley-Davidson website for open house details.
Of course the most visible event is on Sunday at Patriot H-D when we honor our heroes and ride to Rolling Thunder.
The weekend finale is a Chapter ride in the Falls Church Memorial Day Parade.
This year is the 25th Rolling Thunder. The event grows larger
every year and is now the largest single-day motorcycle event in the world. Rolling Thunder not only
honors and remembers those who fought in Vietnam, but also honors the servicemen and women in uniform
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who serve our nation, protecting and defending our liberty and democracy. The events of September 11,
2001 made all citizens aware of how precious our liberty is and grateful for the sacrifices
of those in military service who defend our freedoms. Since 9/11 we have gained a renewed awareness of the tremendous
job first responders do to keep us safe and out of harms way. Firefighters and Law Enforcement Officers are the unsung
heroes here at home. Operation Liberty in Afghanistan, Operation Iraqi
Freedom, and the vigilance of those defending Homeland Security remind us daily of the courage and
sacrifice of our military. The Ride of the Patriots and Rolling Thunder especially honors those who
have paid the ultimate sacrifice to protect and defend our freedoms and our nation—LEST WE FORGET.
Bikers’ participation in Rolling Thunder began primarily with Vietnam War veterans having a special
focus on MIAs. The rider group has now grown to include over 400,000 riders from across the USA
who participate for many personal reasons, though primarily to honor all veterans. Spectators join in
the event all along the route to the Pentagon and on the parade route thru Washington, DC to pay tribute
and to honor our military heroes on this solemn occasion.
Each year over 3,500 bikes from the local area as well as from points across the USA and Canada joined us
for the Ride of the Patriots. The bikers assemble in an orderly manner eastbound along Fairfax Boulevard
(Lee Highway) starting at Patriot Harley-Davidson and then with the help of Police motor squad units from
Fairfax County, the City of Fairfax and Arlington County are escorted safely to the Pentagon staging
area to join 400,000 other bikers for Rolling Thunder.
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The Ride of the Patriots to Rolling Thunder on Sunday (see the schedule)
begins with a parade down Fairfax Boulevard and an Opening Ceremony that brings the community and the
bikers together to recognize the significance of this day. City leaders, State and Federal Delegates,
the Fairfax High School Band, Fairfax City and County Fire and Police units, the Northern Virginia
Firefighter’s Emerald Society Pipe Band, the
American Legion, Honor Guards, etc. have active parts in the event on Sunday morning. Spectators
from the community line Fairfax Boulevard to recognize the riders and honor this Memorial Day weekend.
The Ride of the Patriots takes the message of remembrance and honor for those who gave the most for
our country and our freedoms from the City of Fairfax and Fairfax County citizens on to join with many
others from the USA and Canada at Rolling Thunder and we are proud to do so.
Please join us. You will never forget.
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