Today was a butt kicker!
We started off the morning with a moment of silence at exactly 8:46 am, the exact momemt United Flight 11 struck the northface of the north tower of the WTC. It was a very sobering moment thinking of that day, all the lives lost and how it changed our country. I think many of us said a silent prayer. I know I did. We then departed the hotel and rode 10 miles to Liberty Park on the Jersey side of the Hudson River. Looking across the river you can see the area of the 9-11 attacks in lower Manhatten and the new Freedom Tower. After a brief ceremony there we loaded and departed for the ride to Princeton, NJ.
350 riders departed with an escort by the NJ State Police in patrol cars and the American Legion riders on Harley Davidson motorcycles. It was pretty cool. Those NJ cops and American Legion riders don't take any static from anyone and totally shut down the roads for us along our route.
Funny thing...when I went through basic training in NJ in 1987, there were no hills. They have grown a few since then and it seemed like we were going up hill the entire time. I won't bore you with stories of Mari and I sucking down wind or narrowly escaping Tour De France spectacular type crashes and just cut to the chase. It was hard, but we both completed the first day with very respectable times. A total of 61.5 miles! A personal best for both of us. Did I mention that the entire thing was up hill? All kidding aside, it did seem like we were going up hill the whole time and we are both very grateful for the pushers that helped us along the way. The pushers come up along side of you and one or two will stack up on you and place their hand in your lower back, or grab the hocky stick attached to my hand cycle, and give you a boost up hill. That along with staying in the draft makes life much easier, but after 61 miles, we were near muscle failure.
Tonight we will both sleep like babies...and probably cry like babies when we have to move our sore muscles in the morning. Tomorrow we will knock out another 54 miles through down Philadelphia, PA. HOOAH!
Each day of the ride we ride in tribute or memory of people dear to us. Tomorrow we will ride in memory of our friend CW3 Steve Redd and will say a prayer before we begin the ride and carry his photo with us. We will draw inspiration and strength from him memory. There will be a separate blog in the morning dedicated to Steve.
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Saturday, September 10, 2011
September 10th
Today we visited the NYFD station 10 for a wreath laying ceremony next to Ground Zero. We were able to visit the Tribute WTC Visitors Center. It was an honor to be there but emotional as well. It's hard to think about everything that happened there 10 years ago and how so many lives were lost. The Tribute Center displayed many personal items, missing persons photographs, walls of names, letters from children to their parents, candid photos of those who died, and personal accounts of that day. It was very sad.
While we waiting in front of the fire station a gentleman with our group approached Gary and told him he'd been a Ranger with Steve Redd. He was choked up as he tried to express his feelings for the loss of their mutual friend. His name was Juan Morales. His Army career path was similar to Steve's as he is a pilot now too.
Tomorrow the ride starts from the hotel. We'll ride to Liberty Park for a ceremony, then ride to Princeton, NJ. It will be about a 58 mile day. We're ready to ride.
Thanks to everyone for your support and encouragement. This is going to be great. We've already met some neat people and hope to get to know more.
Each day we will ride in honor or memory of someone special. Tomorrow we ride in memory of all those who died in the September 11th, 2001 attacks and in honor of their families and friends who miss them dearly.
While we waiting in front of the fire station a gentleman with our group approached Gary and told him he'd been a Ranger with Steve Redd. He was choked up as he tried to express his feelings for the loss of their mutual friend. His name was Juan Morales. His Army career path was similar to Steve's as he is a pilot now too.
Tomorrow the ride starts from the hotel. We'll ride to Liberty Park for a ceremony, then ride to Princeton, NJ. It will be about a 58 mile day. We're ready to ride.
Thanks to everyone for your support and encouragement. This is going to be great. We've already met some neat people and hope to get to know more.
Each day we will ride in honor or memory of someone special. Tomorrow we ride in memory of all those who died in the September 11th, 2001 attacks and in honor of their families and friends who miss them dearly.
Friday, September 9, 2011
Great day in NYC
Today was a special day in the Big Apple. We were treated to a wonderful helicopter tour of the city by Heliflite which was offered to us and and coordinated by Mari's high school friend Jaylynn Ashmore Prince and her husband Dan. Jaylynn picked us up at our hotel and we drove to Newark Airport. We basically followed the Hudson north and we saw so much. I was surprised we were able to fly so close to the Statue of Liberty and other sites. It was an incredible experience. It's something we'll never forget.
After the flight, Jaylynn dropped us off so we could take the ferry from New Jersey to Ellis Island and onto the Statue of Liberty. We took the ferry over to Battery Park and then on to Ground Zero. It's hard to take it all in there. We saw the reflecting pool memorial and the Freedom tower. There was a lot to think about down there. It's obviously a place like none other.
Tomorrow we will attend a wreath laying ceremony with the NYFD and we'll get our equipment ready for the ride.
Thanks for checking in.
Mari
After the flight, Jaylynn dropped us off so we could take the ferry from New Jersey to Ellis Island and onto the Statue of Liberty. We took the ferry over to Battery Park and then on to Ground Zero. It's hard to take it all in there. We saw the reflecting pool memorial and the Freedom tower. There was a lot to think about down there. It's obviously a place like none other.
Tomorrow we will attend a wreath laying ceremony with the NYFD and we'll get our equipment ready for the ride.
Thanks for checking in.
Mari
Thursday, September 8, 2011
The Big Apple
Today we spent the morning and much of the afternoon in the mid-Manhattan area doing the tourist thing. Last night and early this morning this part of the country got hit with some heavy showers so we weren't sure how the day was going to pan out as far as weather, but it ended up being a nice day. When we got to the Empire State Building its top was in the clouds, but we decided to go up to the observation deck anyway. They kept telling us the reported visibility was Zero, but by the time we got up there it was at least 5 miles and we could see all of New York City. Lucky break I guess. Hopefully this was a harbinger of things to come on this trip. I know...harbinger is a big word for me.
After the Empire State Building we went to Rockefeller Plaza, St, Patricks Cathedral, the Trump Tower and Central Park. On the way back to the train station we stopped and hung out in Times Square and did a little people watching.
Tomorrow if weather is good we may take a tour of the city by air. Compliments of Heliflite, one of our corporate sponsors. If that is a go, we will probably take the Staten Island ferry and see Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty and after that check out lower Manhattan.
If you missed it in today's Leaf Chronicle (Clarksville's local paper), go to http://teamlinfoot.blogspot.com/2011/09/travel-day.html The on-line version has some video and something like 33 photos. Please keep your comments about my fat gut to a minimum. I'm doing my best to stay away from the cookies. Mari looks good as usual.
That's about it for today. Thanks for following.
P.S. - Central Park looks closer than it really is from the top of the Empire State Building.
After the Empire State Building we went to Rockefeller Plaza, St, Patricks Cathedral, the Trump Tower and Central Park. On the way back to the train station we stopped and hung out in Times Square and did a little people watching.
Tomorrow if weather is good we may take a tour of the city by air. Compliments of Heliflite, one of our corporate sponsors. If that is a go, we will probably take the Staten Island ferry and see Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty and after that check out lower Manhattan.
If you missed it in today's Leaf Chronicle (Clarksville's local paper), go to http://teamlinfoot.blogspot.com/2011/09/travel-day.html The on-line version has some video and something like 33 photos. Please keep your comments about my fat gut to a minimum. I'm doing my best to stay away from the cookies. Mari looks good as usual.
That's about it for today. Thanks for following.
P.S. - Central Park looks closer than it really is from the top of the Empire State Building.
Travel Day
Our travel day to the NYC area didn't go as planned but we made it. The weather on the coast delayed flights so after being shuffled from flight to flight, American Airlines came through again and got us on a flight to reach our destination. We were quite a sight in the airport as I pulled Gary's bike through security and down to the gate, then to the next gate, on to the newly assigned gate, etc.
After getting our luggage in Newark we walked outside and were greeted to a very welcome sight. There was a brightly painted "Hope For The Warrior's" van and soon the driver was out helping us with our bags and gear. This wasn't any driver, however. It was NYFD firefighter and Marine Chris Ford. He volunteers for Hope For The Warriors and Wounded Warrior Project and had been following our flight delays and cancellations and airport changes all day but was still there to pick us up when we arrived. It was great to meet him and we hope to stay in touch. Thanks, Chris, for all your help.
Today we plan on doing the tourist thing in NYC. Hopefully this rain will only be scattered showers but we're equipped with rain jackets and a short stay in the area so we'll going anyway. Thanks for checking in.
After getting our luggage in Newark we walked outside and were greeted to a very welcome sight. There was a brightly painted "Hope For The Warrior's" van and soon the driver was out helping us with our bags and gear. This wasn't any driver, however. It was NYFD firefighter and Marine Chris Ford. He volunteers for Hope For The Warriors and Wounded Warrior Project and had been following our flight delays and cancellations and airport changes all day but was still there to pick us up when we arrived. It was great to meet him and we hope to stay in touch. Thanks, Chris, for all your help.
Today we plan on doing the tourist thing in NYC. Hopefully this rain will only be scattered showers but we're equipped with rain jackets and a short stay in the area so we'll going anyway. Thanks for checking in.
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
It's all coming together.
Well, we're getting closer. We're packed, the house sitters are lined up, the jerseys are ready and the fundraising is in full swing. You can sign up to recieve notifications when we post on this blog and if you'd like to see pictures, visit www.facebook.com/teamlinfoot. (You do not need a facebook account.) www.teamlinfoot.com has all the connections. Tshirts are still available (We just ordered more.) So please say a prayer that all goes well. Come, Roll with Us.
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