'Over the Years' . Ride for Freedom . Memorial Day in WDC since 1993
Elvert Xavier Barnes Photography . Writings . Ads
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After a quick breakfast at my apartment on Sunday morning I'd walk from Capitol Hill to downtown DC where, just by chance, I'd happen upon a never ending caravan of thousands of motorcycles roaring through the steets. And would spend the rest of the day until late in the afternoonc apturing Rolling Thunder. Which, in 2003, during its 25th anniversary I'd learn that the annual run also known as the Ride for Freedom.' And that WDC is the final destination of many motorcycle clubs and enthusiants who will travel from across the country in caravans in what is commonly known as runs to converge onto the Vietnam Veterans Mememorial over Memorial Day Weekend.
My first shots were taken in proximity of the National Gallery of Art complex betrween 4th and 6th Streets which is where Pennsylvania and Constitution avenues merge and with some maneuvering I was able to depict the US Capitol as a backdrop. And each year since one of the reasons that I would focus on Rolling Thunder and some years later Law Ride was to gain the ablity to capture fast moving objects. And, in this case, motorcycles. And while the motorcycles have always been the drawing attraction ... right from the start ... my hope has also been to capture the people, the culture and the lifestyle. The heritage. In what I would then coin as 'candid but consentual' photography my focus has often been up-close shots of faces, eyes, hands, feet, shoes as well as gear, tattoos, peircings and other scenarios that, years later, will provide an unique perspective of the Rolling Thunder 'culture'. When taking a photography course at the Torpedo Factory in Old Town, a few years later, I would learn that my style is a form of first person photography.
I would follow the procession along Constituion Avenue to 15th Street where it would turn right and head north ... snapping pictures along the way. At Pennsylvania Avenue where it merges with New York Avenue the caravan would turn left onto Pennsylvania and proceed west pass the White House. I would take several of my favorite shots at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue with the White House as a backdrop. At 17th Street The Ride would turn left and head south to Consittuion Avenue where it would turn right and proceed to its final destination, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. Captivated by the Rolling Thunder culture and the emotional impact and visuals of The Wall I would shoot several rolls of film in Constituion Gardens and in proximity of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.
Scheduled for a 5pm event at the Galleria at the Lafayette at 19th and M streets in downtwon DC I'd rush back to Capitol Hiill, take a quick shower, grap my catering gear and subway over to Farraugut North arriving at the Galleria at 5:15 pm. According my calendar I'd sign out at 2 am.
It being a holiday weekend but since, as a black man, it is almost impossible for me to get a taxi cab driver to pick me, particularly, late at night, it is quite possible that I may have had to walk home, from 19th and M Streets in NW to 15th and D Streets in SE.
I would return to The Wall on Monday, 31May 1993 , to capture more of Memorial Day in WDC.