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Harpers Ferry is a historic West Virginia city and international tourist hub. But four years ago the national park and surrounding town were devastated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Motorcycle Riders Cross West Virginia Headed For Vietnam Memorial
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Approximately 50 motorcycle riders crossed West Virginia Thursday on their way to a candlelight vigil at the Vietnam Memorial in Washington, D.C. for Memorial Day.
The cross-country motorcycle trek is called the Remember Our Fallen ride. The official Ride For The Wall was canceled for the second straight year due to COVID-19 concerns.
About 50 riders were determined to take the ride anyway. The sounds of their motorcycles could be heard by those at the state capitol as the bikers journeyed on a leg through Charleston.
This 10-day ride began in California and ends at the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington.
For Jarrod Gerbitz from Jennings, Kansas said he has always “had a deep down feeling that we need some accountability for all of our prisoners of war and everyone who has not made it home.”
Michael Mulligan began his ride in Crested Butte, Colorado, but rode to Los Angeles to join up with other riders. He estimates by the time he gets home, it will be a 7,000 mile ride. He has been making this journey since 2014.
The ride continues this year, he said, even though the official ride has been canceled, because of the efforts of “a group of like minded people who continue the mission.” He noted that many of his fellow riders said they have made the trip a number of times and, like him, their mission is to ride for those who can’t.
“I ride for my dad. He’s a Vietnam vet,” Mulligan said.
He is not a veteran himself, but this is how Mulligan serves now. He will meet his father at the Vietnam Memorial, and together pay tribute.
“I will get to go to the candlelight vigil and to the Vietnam Memorial,” he said. “And it’s all about supporting my dad.”
Harpers Ferry is a historic West Virginia city and international tourist hub. But four years ago the national park and surrounding town were devastated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
On this West Virginia Morning, tourists from around the world visit Harpers Ferry each year to immerse themselves in U.S. history. But the number of visitors fell in 2020, as public health restrictions ramped up nationwide. Jack Walker visited the town to learn how things have changed since the COVID-19 pandemic began.
This week's broadcast of Mountain Stage was recorded at the Lesher Center for the Arts in Walnut Creek, CA. On this episode, host Kathy Mattea welcomes GRAMMY-winning Australian rock star Colin Hay, Canadian singer-songwriter Bruce Cockburn, legendary folk and country artist Ramblin' Jack Elliott, San Francisco rocker Chuck Prophet and his band The Make Out Quartet, and folk duo The Lucky Valentines.
Across the nation, there are more and more local news deserts; communities with no local newspaper, television or radio station to cover what’s going on. When a small town paper like The Welch News in McDowell County, WV, can’t compete and shuts down, losing those local eyes and ears can affect accountability. No one is there to watch over things. Local news also provides a sense of cohesion and identity for a community. What happens when it’s gone? This story was supported by the Pulitzer Center.