Starting on April 11 at the Pentagon, the September 11 National Memorial Trail Alliance will lead the first-ever complete bike ride connecting the three 9-11 memorial locations. The inaugural ride will encompass 23 days, and cover almost 1,300 miles. The small group of core riders, all Board Members, will follow the current mapped route, increase awareness of the trail, and support the local communities currently making improvements on segments of the alignment.
“After many years of dedicated volunteer efforts and support in dozens of communities, we’re looking forward to sharing a trail designed to commemorate the tragic events of September 11th and to celebrate what’s best about America,” said Thomas Baxter, Executive Director of the Sept. 11th National Memorial Trail.
Eric Brenner, 9/11 Trail Board Vice Chair and Ride Coordinator “The multi-day ride is closed to outside riders for logistical reasons, but there will be opportunities for local riders to join in when the group passes through their communities and at key destinations such as the Flight 93 Memorial and Pentagon.”
Events and press activities will be set up each day with local partners provided opportunities to learn more about the September 11th National Memorial Trail. The Organization’s Board Members with the most direct ties to each memorial will be involved with activities at the Pentagon Memorial, Flight 93 National Memorial, and the September 11 National Memorial and Museum in New York City. During the ride, the group will bike on a range of local and regional trails that make up the 911 Trail, visit National and State parks, and stop at other locations on the route that honor the memory of those who lost their lives that day.
Tim Brown, 911 Trail Board, Retired FDNY Firefighter, and founding member of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security “After September 11th, in every firehouse around NYC, the words “Never Forget” became the mantra.
These words have special meaning to us, but in particular, they mean Never Forget the individual lives who were lost that day. Never Forget who they each were. Never Forget their parents, their spouses, their children their legacy. So when you ride or walk this Trail, keep these people in your thoughts and prayers. Never Forget.”
About the September 11th National Memorial Trail
The 501c3 organization’s mission is to spearhead the development of a 1,300-mile Trail connecting the three 9/11 memorial sites and communities as one.
Ride Schedule (w/overnights)
- Day 1 (4/11): 10 am Arlington VA, Pentagon, 11 am C&O Canal Mile 0, (Lock House 28, mp 49)
- Day 2 (4/12): Brunswick breakfast, Harper’s Ferry w/Canal Towns Partnership (10 am), Williamsport lunch, Four Locks (Lock House 49, mp 109) C&O Canal Trust (6 pm)
- Day 3 (4/13): Hancock breakfast (Park-n-Dine), Cumberland dinner, 6:30 pm (Attiani’s), Inn on Decatur
- Day 4 (4/14): Meyersdale lunch, Berlin, PA
- Day 5 (4/15): 10am Flt. 93 Memorial, lunch 12:30 pm (Lincoln Cafe), Johnstown (Holiday Inn)
- Day 6 (4/16): Hollidaysburg
- Day 7 (4/17): Canal Basin Park (9:30 am), Huntingdon
- Day 8 (4/18): breakfast (Top’s Diner, Mill Creek), Mifflintown
- Day 9 (4/19): 3:30 pm DCNR, Harrisburg
- Day 10(4/20): Reading
- Day 11(4/21): 9:30 am, Schuylkill River trail clean-up, Weissport (Canal Edge Guest House),
- Day 12(4/22): 10 am Weissport event, Easton
- Day 13(4/23): Andover, NJ (NJ Forest Fire Service HQ),
- Day 14:(4/24): Andover Diner breakfast, lunch Chester Field House, Morristown (Best Western)
- Day 15:(4/25): 9:30 am Eagle Rock Reservation, Liberty State Park, ferry, 3 pm NYC memorial
- Day 16(4/26): Princeton Junction
- Day 17(4/27): Trenton, Doylestown, PA
- Day 18(4/28): Valley Forge, Wayne
- Day 19(4/29): 12 pm Conshohocken Brewery, Philadelphia
- Day 20(4/30): 10 am Schuylkill River Dev. Corp., Newark DE
- Day 21(5/1): 2 pm Perryville MD, MARC station, 6:30 pm dinner, R House (301 W. 29th St.) Baltimore, MD
- Day 22(5/2): breakfast (Handlebar Cafe), 9:30 am 9-11 memorial, 3 pm State House, Annapolis,
- Day 23(5/3): 10:30 am WB&A trail (Panera MLK Hwy), 12:30 pm lunch (REI), 2 pm Pentagon
Financial Trail Ride Supporters
REI, Point Park University, Crystal Steel Fabricators, Dominion Energy, CycleLife HQ, PA DCNR, Alta Planning + Design, Laird Recreation & Land Planning, C&O Canal Trust, Doylestown Bike Works, Rothrock Outfitters, Capital Trails Coalition, The Circuit, National Park Service, New Jersey State Park Service, New Jersey Forest Fire Service, Morris County Parks, National 9-11 Memorial and Museum, Friends of Liberty State Park, New Jersey Bike & Walk Coalition, Great Allegheny Passage, Main Line Canal Greenway, Schuylkill River Greenways, East Coast Greenway, Delaware and Lehigh National Heritage Corridor, Morris Area Freewheelers Foundation, Washington-Rochambeau National Historic Trail, Maryland DOT/MARC, Berlin (PA) Borough, Northampton County (PA).
Contact
Tom Baxter, Executive Director, tbaxter@911trail.org 412-559-0806
Eric Brenner, Ride Coordinator ericlewisbrenner@gmail.com 410-349-6316
September 11th National Memorial Trail Alliance
P.O. Box 308 – New Eagle, PA 15067
911Trail.org – 412.559.0806