by Geoff Fox
Just before 10:30 a.m. on Friday morning, August 18, a pack of police officers on motorcycles rolled under the bridge for the eastbound I68 exit for Woodmont Road. The lead ridge blocked the entrance ramp from Western Pike at the bottom of the ramp.
What followed was a line of motorcycles that lasted zoomed by as part of the America’s 9/11 Ride, a ride dedicated to supporting all first responders.
The ride started on Thursday, August 17, in Somerset, Pa., with meetings and an escorted ride that afternoon to the Flight 93 Memorial.
Just before 7 a.m. on Friday, the long line of bikers departed Somerset headed to the Pentagon in Washington D.C.
After passing through Cumberland and Hancock area, there was a food and fuel stop in Hagerstown in the area of the Prime Outlets.
According to the itinerary, they were to arrive between 3:15 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. in Arlington and spend the night before heading to the Pentagon. The goal was to arrive in New York City Saturday evening and travel to the site of the World Trade Center on Sunday morning, August 20.
America’s 911 Foundation, a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization, was established in 2003 after two successful rides and the participants desire to continue to grow the effort, the ride’ s website, americas911ride.org, said.
The ride is in remembrance of those who served, protected, lost their lives, and to the volunteers who lost their lives on September 11, 2001.
“The foundation actively supports those who put their lives on the line for each of us every day,” the group said on their website.
Over $420,000 has been raised and presented in scholarships to children of first responders by the America’s 911 Foundation and more than $530,000 to first responders departments and their families.
Each year, they present 15 scholarships worth $2,000 to family member of active first responders.
