'Rolling Thunder' Rumbles Through WV

OFF THE WIRE
Hundreds of bikers made a stop in West Virginia Wednesday night on their way to the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington D.C.

Every year, thousands of bikers and veterans begin a ride in California and end in the capital on Memorial Day, as a part of what's called the "Ride for the Wall."

On Wednesday, about 400 of those bikers rolled through the Wave Pool Park in Hurricane for a ceremony honoring veterans.

Nick Hentges is in his third year on the ride, and he might make the longest trip of any biker on the road.

Hentges starts in Hawaii, before shipping his bike to Los Angeles and leaving with the rest of the bikers.

He says he can't put the experience into words.

"It's really hard to describe," Hentges said. "I went on my first ride and I called my wife on the second day and said 'you have to come.' She said 'what's it like?' And i just said 'you have to come.'"

Dallas Hageman from Colorado is on his sixth run. He agrees with Hentges that the ride is indescribable.

"It's like nothing else you've never experienced," Hageman said. "It's something that can change your life in 10 days."

The nickname of the riders is "The Rolling Thunder." In honor of veterans, prisoners of war and those who are still listed as missing in action, the motto of the group is "We Ride for Those Who Can't."

During their stop in Hurricane, bikers ate a dinner provided by the city, got their bikes washed and were able to swim in the city's wave pool.

Hageman says the group can always count on hospitality in West Virginia.

"One thing about this stop in West Virginia is you can always count on a good welcome home here," he said. "The people always come together."

Hageman says he always notices a certain respect for veterans when he comes through West Virginia.

"The community is finally able to give veterans what they never got, and that's a welcome home," Hageman said.

Hentges says honoring veterans is what the ride is all about.

"I do it because these Vietnam veterans worked really hard to make sure that when I came home from Lebanon and Desert Storm in Iraq I was never treated like them, and nobody is ever going to get treated like them again," Hentges said.

Veterans from World War II, Korea, Vietnam, Desert Storm and the recent wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, as well as other operations, take part in the ride.

Hentges says even though riders are often from different generations, they're united through a sense of solidarity.

"It's a good thing. I see a lot of guys getting a lot of healing," he said.

Before leaving West Virginia and heading to Virginia Thursday, the bikers will make a stop at the state Capitol Thursday morning.

Eventually, more than half a million riders will meet in D.C.


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