Firefighters cycle across the U.S. to honor the fallen

Three-hundred and forty-three firemen lost their lives in the 9/11 attacks.

Eleven current and retired firefighters are bicycling across America to ensure those 343 colleagues are not forgotten.

Led by retired firefighter Darrell Sales, the Bay to Brooklyn project riders departed Santa Clara, California, Aug. 1 and will arrive at Ground Zero, Sept. 9.

The group rode to Eugene, Oregon, before veering east, traveling through Idaho and Wyoming. In Nebraska, they have followed U.S. Highway 20 and passed through Orchard and Royal, Aug. 20.

Sales said the first goal for the participants is to connect with the communities they travel through.

"My thought is a part of that 9/11 community. Even though it was New York's event, they experienced the tragic losses, this is our way of being able to connect communities and fire departments, from the west coast to the east coast, to let them know we won't forget."

Cyclists are either active or retired firefighters or military.

Sales spent 29 years with the Santa Clara Fire Department. Frank Walsh served 28 years as a captain with the Santa Clara Fire Department. Jeff Provancher spent 39 years working for the City of Santa Clara, 35 of those as a firefighter. John Byrne works as a battalion chief for CalFire in Santa Clara County. Mike Deleo is a fire medic. Aaron Ray currently serves as an engineer/paramedic with the City of Maricopa Fire and Medical Department. Jeremy Provancher is a combat veteran with the 75th Ranger Regiment, 2nd Battalion. Dewey Ray, a career firefighter, retired after serving three departments over a 40-year period. Dave Lombardo, an Air Force veteran, serves as a driver engineer/EMT for the City of Santa Clara Fire Department. Gary Wiley is a Navy veteran.

Cyclists average 100 miles a day. Friday's trek, from Bassett to Plainview, covered just over 96 miles, while Saturday's venture from Plainview to Sioux City spanned 79 miles.

Along the route, the 11 riders visit local fire departments. Upon arrival in Plainview, Friday, the riders were greeted by Plainview police officers and ate dinner with Plainview firefighters.

"Our first option is staying with fire departments or at fire stations," Sales said.

Occasionally, they will stay at a hotel. In Plainview, they spent the evening at a local church. After breakfast, the cyclists hit the road, escorted by Plainview's antique fire truck.

In 2001, he worked in the training division of the Santa Clara fire department. The moment the world stopped turning is never far from his mind.

"I came on duty that morning and we had a group of 17 brand new firefighters, so we watched together, the events that unfolded that day."

One of the current cyclists was in that group of novices.

In 2011, Sales led other firefighters along the same route, to commemorate the 10th anniversary. They share their story with individuals they meet along the road and plan to continue the tradition a decade from now.

They have reconnected with some of the people they met 10 years ago.

"We've kept it going, so every 10 years, we'll do a ride and make sure they know we won't forget them," Sales said.

The cross-country ride has helped with the healing process.

"It was really my first step in the healing of it, to honor them and be able to move forward with it," Sales said. "There are a lot of stressful moments with it, you just never know. This is a way for us to share our thoughts and stories. It's what's most important about what we're doing."