'Unstoppable' L.A. Firefighters Pedal Across America & Reach NYC
On the morning of July 24, a group of nearly one dozen brave, ambitious, relentless LAFD active-duty members and Southern California firefighters began their "Ride for 9-11" across fifteen states over the course of 47 days. Arriving just in time for the tenth anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the cyclists finally braked at the FDNY Firefighters Memorial on September 9.
Riding through "intense heat, pouring rain and pounding hail," the group has "been unstoppable," said Erik Scott, spokesman for the Los Angeles Fire Department, reports LA Daily News. "I think some of the amazing things they've done is the terrain they've gone through," Scott said. "They are exhausted but in good spirits."
Pedaling across 3,308 miles, the team made a few crucial stops in cities where both past terrorist attacks and natural disasters wreaked havoc on American soil. They stopped in Joplin, Missouri, which was hit by a devastating tornado in May, and Oklahoma City, where, in 1995, a truck bomb killed 168 people. The team also pedaled to Shanksville, Pennsylvania, the location where hijacked United Airlines Flight 93 crashed, and the Pentagon, which was another 9/11crash site.
The cyclists are "very appreciative of the encouraging comments" from others and "have been warmly surprised by those that they've met along the way," said Scott.
The ride raised money for two charities - The Leary Firefighters Foundation and the Wounded Warrior Project.
Some of the cyclists blogged about the trip, including Jason Teter, a Los Angeles firefighter. He was hit with a sense of honor after seeing a group of marines also pedaling to NYC. "I'm a small part in a really big thing. I felt a sense of honor," Teter wrote. "We were all traveling the same road for the same cause. We are paying our respects to those who gave everything to keep us safe, and free."
