raise awareness of pow gs as an mias. this is an annual ride. what makes this year's unique? >> reporter: well, fred, i can tell you that the numbers keep growing from year to year and as you mention this is the 24th annual ride for freedom event. as you mention, thousands of bikers from across the country have gathered here at the national mall to pay tribute to the veterans as well as pows and mias. i can tell you one person who spoke road a vest pa all the way over here, taking ten days, stopping every 150 miles or so to make it to this event this year secretary robert gates and admiral mike mullen will be addressing the crowd here. the crowd going on behind me.