Posts Tagged ‘Pentagon 9-11 Memorial’

Rattle the Runway 2015 – Motorcycle Charity Ride for 9/11

Posted: September 7, 2015 in Motorcycle, Motorcycle Rides
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It was a great day for a motorcycle ride like this, a cool but not crisp morning. Large puffy clouds in the blue sky and large passenger jets taking off and landing at Dulles Airport serving as a poignant reminder to why we were gathering. An awesome day to Rattle the Runway. 

It was a morning, not to unlike this, that terrorist commandeered Flight 77 and crashed it into the Pentagon. There were a couple of men I knew killed that day in the Pentagon. 

This ride indirectly follows the flight path of Flight 77 from the airport to the side of the Pentagon impacted by the airliner. It stages behind the Udvar-Hazy Air & Space Museum and runs down to the Pentagon 9/11 Memorial. Proceeds from the memorabilia sold at the staging area (the ride is free) is given to the Pentagon Memorial fund. 

This year the turnout was quite low in comparison to previous years. Normally there is five to six thousands bikes lined up eight across for hundreds of yards. I would guess that this year there might have been half or less than normal. The ride coinciding with the National Labor Day holiday most likely affected the turnout. 

As usual, the ride itself was broken into groups with a few minutes between each. This is an unescorted ride once you leave the airport police jurisdiction. The groups, of about 200 bikes, is an attempt to alleviate the traffic issues that a ride of thousands would engender in one of the most congested cites in America.

Overall, I had a good time and would gladly recommend that you ride in this event if you are able.

Motorcycle Charity Ride: 9/11 Rattle the Runway 2014

Posted: September 11, 2014 in custom motorcycle, Motorcycle, Motorcycle news, Motorcycle racing, Motorcycle Rides, Rally
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ijustwant2ride.com

Debbie and I rode our “Army” motorcycle in the 2014 Rattle the Runway ride to support the Pentagon 9/11 Memorial Fund.  This commemorative ride is an attempt to honor the memory of the people killed in the attack on the Pentagon.  The ride loosely follows the path of Flight #77 from Dulles International Airport to the Pentagon

The weather for the event was great; I rode in a t-shirt and leather vest (yea I know ATGATT…) while Debbie started in a light jacket and switched to her vest at the staging area.  We left the house a little late this year and missed the opening ceremonies but arrived in plenty of time to make the start.

As always the ride starts behind the National Air and Space Museum – Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center.  In the past the museum had opened its doors for the riders to stroll through and view the exhibits before the ride starts, not sure if it happened this year as we arrived a bit late.  The staging for the event has riders park their bikes six abreast in an area about three to four hundred years long.  Almost every major and minor brand of motorcycle is represented in this ride, this year I saw:

 

Harley Davidson Honda Iron Horse
Yamaha Star (I know) Suzuki
BMW Motor Guzzi Cam-Am
Victory Triumph Ducati
Stallion MVAgusta

But I must say the turn out this year was about half of what it was last year.  More often than not the bikes fill the staging area, this year my guess would be that the bikes numbered at about 1000.  Maybe that this was the first day of the NFL season reduced the number in attendance.

To reduce the traffic congestion that a ride of 1000+ motorcycles would bring around Dulles airport the ride is broken in serials of about 100-150 bikes.  We were in one of the last serials to pull out and the ride to and past the main terminal of Dulles were smooth and quick.  The ride to the Pentagon was also uneventful with only 2 cars merging through the line of bikes to enter or exit the highway.

When we reached the Pentagon the mood of the group became more somber as we visited the Memorial site.  If you have never been to the Memorial site you should consider adding it to your list of places to visit, at a minimum look at it on line, it is quite well done.  After paying our respects we mounted up and headed for home.

PS…. On the way home we saw the BING version of a Google Street View car. It was pulling onto Route 267 near Reston, VA. I will be keeping a look out on Bing for the updated street view as it should show me flipping the driver the bird because he nearly ran us off the road!!!!

 

 

 

Rattle The Runway Ride 2013

Posted: August 25, 2013 in Motorcycle Rides
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rattle the runway

 

The “Rattle The Runway Ride”, which began in 2003, commemorates the events of September 11th. In particular it honors the memory of Flight 77 which began at Dulles International Airport and ended when it crashed into the Pentagon.

This year’s event will be held on the 8th of September, with the ride staging at the National Air and Space Museum, Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center. If the event holds to form, the museum will open for about an hour before the run begins. To me, this is one of the best parts of this event, you get to view the museum with a, relatively, small group.

Once the opening ceremonies, which begin at 9AM, are completed the ride will pass in front of the Dulles Main Terminal, move onto VA 267 and end at the Pentagon 9-11 Memorial. There are no registrations or fees involved with this event. Any donations and money from the sales of event memorabilia goes to the Pentagon Memorial Fund.

The event draws about 1000 bikes each year. You can expect the standard accordion affects during the ride as you would with any group of this size. Debbie and I have participated in this event in the past and plan to do so again this year.