I Love That Smell of the Emissions': Palin Mounts Motorcycle to Kick-Start Bus Tour

WASHINGTON (AP) — Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin is rumbling into the parking lot of the Pentagon on the back of a motorcycle as she starts an East Coast bus tour.

Wearing black from head to toe, the Republicans' 2008 vice presidential nominee stopped at a thousands-strong motorcycle ride from the Pentagon to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. Palin, who is mulling a White House run, was joined by her family.

Palin chatted with other motorcyclists and joked about how warm she is in her leather jacket. Temperatures in Washington are expected to climb near 90 degrees on Sunday.

Fox News:

"I love that smell of the emissions," she said, donning sunglasses and a Harley Davidson skullcap-style, black helmet.

Despite her low-key role, her presence is notable for the short notice and speculative chatter it has generated.  Her appearance is part of the "One Nation" tour she announced just days ago on her SarahPAC.com website.

"It's imperative that we connect with our founders, our patriots, our challenges and victories to clearly see our way forward. A good way to do this is to appreciate the significance of our nation's historic sites, patriotic events and diverse cultures, which we'll do in the coming weeks on our 'One Nation' tour," she wrote, leaving open for debate any guess on her plans.