Manchin Leads Memorial Motorcycle Ride

Motorcycles lined the sidewalks of the West Virginia Capitol grounds and leather-clad riders milled about the Gold Star Monument Thursday morning, awaiting their Special Guest Road Captain, Sen. Joe Manchin, I-W.Va.

In remarks before the ride began, Manchin expressed his gratitude to the families of veterans.

“I’ve said this to all of you, and I mean this to all the riders,” Manchin said. “I don’t know more patriotic people in the United States of America that’s willing to give their time, effort and the resources to help a worthy cause. And I don’t, I can’t say thank you enough to all of you.”

The ninth annual Ride for Fallen Service Heroes began at the Capitol in Charleston and ended at the Veterans Memorial Arch in Huntington.

Manchin is not seeking reelection and changed his party affiliation from Democrat to independent in May of this year.

“Someone said, ‘Is this going to be your last one?’ Absolutely no, I’m not going anywhere,” Manchin said. “I’m just not going back to Washington. I’m staying right here, and we’re going to continue to do this. I said, ‘As long as I can hold that bike up and it not fall over on me, I’m going to ride.’”