The Rolling Thunder Illinois Chapters 1 and 2 Annual mid-America Parade will start at 10 a.m. Sunday, May 25, at the Capt. James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center in North Chicago. The 54-mile ride is free and open to any motorcyclists; donations will be accepted to go toward veteran causes and POW/MIA education efforts. Registration and staging will begin at 8:30 a.m. at the health care center, 3001 Green Bay Road.

Featuring large POW/MIA and American flags fluttering from the backs of bikes, the northern Illinois ride will go from North Chicago to Cantigny Park in Wheaton, passing the Edward Hines Jr. Veterans Administration Hospital along the way.

The planned route goes through Knollwood, Lake Bluff, Lake Forest, Highland Park, Northbrook, Glenview, Morton Grove, Niles, Norwood Park, Union Ridge, Dunning, Elmwood Park, Oak Park, River Forest, Maywood, Broadview, Westchester, Oakbrook Terrace, York, Glen Ellyn, Winfield and Wheaton.

The ride is scheduled rain or shine. Once at Cantigny, participants can visit the First Infantry Division Museum, which is free. There also will be an exclusive, ride-participants-only showing of the 2009 film “Taking Chance.” The movie stars Kevin Bacon as a military escort accompanying the body of a 19-year-old Marine back to his Wyoming hometown.

The Memorial Day weekend remembrance and awareness activities also include a candlelight vigil starting at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, May 24, at Fort Sheridan National Cemetery in Lake Bluff. All are welcome.

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