2024 National Veterans Awareness Ride (NVAR)
Washington D.C. & Arlington Virginia
2024 NVAR Epilogue
Today, some rode over to the Ride to Remember while others got a bit later start and went to see the Marine’s Museum. Still others began their ride back to their home state. I happened to be among those that when to the Marine Museum. The experience at the museum was exceptional. The 38-minute introductory video opened my eyes to the real life of a Marine, and why they’re called, “The Few, The Proud, The Marines.” We also ate lunch at the museum before driving back.
This was the end of the official NVAR ride.
At ease.
Stand down.
Job well done.
Mission accomplished.
If you’re like me, it’s hard to return overnight from an emotional high, like the NVAR ride, to normal life. It’s sort of anti-climactic. I thought I was looking forward to sleeping in on Monday instead of getting up at O-dark-hundred. But now that it’s Sunday evening and I’m realizing I’m going to miss the early alarm and the honk that tells us we have 3 minutes to KSU. I’m going to miss the riders and the comradery. I’m going to miss the pack-riding and the police escorts. I’m going to miss how we all pitched in, pulling on the same chain in the same direction with a common cause and a common language.
At home there will be laundry to do, two-plus weeks of mail to open, and all our regular routines. It’s going to take a couple of days to reacclimate to my normal schedule after the high-energy, high-emotional days we’ve shared together. Yet, we will adjust. We will look back at the images on our phone, or review the sitreps and pictures on the NVAO.US website, and life will return to ‘normal.’ (whatever that is)
My hope for you is that you will enjoy the great memories from this year’s ride—all the stops and all the people—and you’ll mark off the days for 2025’s NVAR ride.
And, when you feel the need to connect with a veteran in-between now and next year’s ride, stop by a local Veterans Home or Hospital and…
Thank a veteran today,
Thank You – Libby Worden – Sitrep Admin
