9/11 MEMORIAL RIDE: Newburgh To New York City, Sept. 11, 2011

Editor's note: , four firefighters from West Pierce Fire & Rescue are riding their motorcycles cross-country to New York for the 10-year anniversary of 9/11. They are providing daily dispatches to Patch)

The day finally arrived for us to ride to the Fallen Firefighter Memorial in New York City.

We staged in a large parking lot and began at 10:30 a.m. There were 2,800 firefighters registered for the ride and as many civilians, many of them members of other motorcycle groups. The New York State and local police shut down a freeway for us, as we had a 60-plus mile ride to the site. The word I heard was that the procession was 22 miles long. Once in the city, we basically were just stacked up in the streets near the memorial. As we rode in, we were cheered by onlookers. Civilians, uniformed police and firefighters lined the streets and overpasses taking pictures and video. One FDNY member had tears streaming down his face and said it was the most awesome thing he had seen. Somehow I doubt it.

A brief ceremony was held, and a couple of IAFF dignitaries spoke.

When the ceremony was over, we mingled and shook hands. Then it was time to clear the streets, so it was bikes going every which way into the city, another "yard sale."

We are going back in the morning and try to get by ground zero. It was not possible today due to security for the President. Hope to have those pictures tomorrow.