ROLLING THUNDER 2010 came to the National Mall yesterday, continuing today. Here the motorcycles begin the trip from the Pentagon over the Memorial Bridge to the Vietnam War Memorial. The Air Force sergeant remained at the bridge entrance for the duration of the veteran's ride across the bridge.



About an hour later, Rolling Thunder is still going strong.



Another half-hour passes, Rolling Thunder continues. Most of the riders are returning the sergeant's salute. I timed the cyclists' passage at about 1 motorcycle per second for nearly three hours. Between 9 and 12 thousand had passed when we finally left our perch on the bridge to go to the Mall for other ceremonies.



A look down the bridge to the Mall with the Washington Monument in the background.



One of the few non-motorcycles to make the trek from the Pentagon - a remembrance of soldiers lost from Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Washington D.C.



And finally, a concert for the Rolling Thunder veterans at the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. The band is the U.S. Army band "Downrange". They were excellent, and greeted enthusiatically by the vets.