With the 25th anniversary of 9/11 just over a month away, 18 bicycle riders are ready to honor the victims of the deadly terrorist attacks.
That journey runs through Vallejo on Sunday afternoon, when the Vallejo Fire Department once again welcomes the Bay to Brooklyn bicycle riders as they begin their cross-country journey to honor the firefighters and first responders who made the ultimate sacrifice on September 11, 2001.
The team of retired and active firefighters will arrive in Vallejo as the first overnight stop on their nearly 3,300-mile ride from Santa Clara to New York City. The riders will arrive at Ground Zero on the morning of Sept. 11, where they will pay tribute to the 343 New York City firefighters and others who lost their lives during the terrorist attacks.
The Bay to Brooklyn ride, taking place once every five years, brings together firefighters from across the country in a powerful demonstration of remembrance, brotherhood, and service. Vallejo last hosted the riders in 2021 and will once again serve as the first host department.
“This ride represents the very best of the fire service — honoring those who came before us while strengthening the bonds that unite firefighters across the nation,” said Fire Chief Jonathan Goulding. “We are proud to welcome these riders to Vallejo and invite our community to join us in recognizing their remarkable commitment to remembering the heroes of September 11.”
The riders will depart Santa Clara on Sunday morning, traveling by bicycle to the San Francisco Ferry Building. They are scheduled to arrive at 3:45 p.m. at the Vallejo Ferry Terminal, where a crowd is expected to welcome the cyclists. They will then be escorted by Vallejo police and fire department personnel to a local fire station for the evening.
Cyclists of bay2brooklyn come off the Vallejo ferry to hear applause from people at the waterfront and Mare Island Brewing nearby. The cyclists will begin a 36-day trip to Brooklyn to honor those that fell on 9/11. (Thomas Gase – Times-Herald.)
Once again, Vallejo fire engineer Walter Trujillo is helping organize the event, which this year features at least 18 cyclists, including two active members of the New York City Fire Department — an increase from the 13 riders who participated during the 2021 ride.
Trujillo was in high school at De La Salle when he saw the 9/11 attacks unfold.
“I got into the fire service because of 9/11,” Trujillo told the Times-Herald on Friday. “I saw the towers fall and the firefighters running right toward them, and right then I was sold.”
Darrell Sales, a cyclist and lead organizer of the Bay to Brooklyn group, noticed Trujillo’s hard work and soon contacted him before 2021.
When Sales and the Bay to Brooklyn riders showed up in 2021, so did a nice crowd to welcome them. A music DJ played at the Mare Island Brewery when the riders arrived, and they were soon escorted to Vallejo’s Fire Station 27, where the group stayed for a night before continuing on their month-long ride. The Vallejo Fire Department is scheduled to do the same thing on Sunday.
Vallejo firefighter Walter Trujillo plays Amazing Grace on bagpipes during a 9/11 ceremony on Sunday morning. (Thomas Gase -Times-Herald)
“It’s amazing what they do, cycling from the West Coast to the East Coast for such a great cause,” Trujillo said. “That goes way beyond bravery. When we did it in 2021, we gave the riders 13 Vallejo Fire Department T-shirts, which they displayed in New York. Once again, we’re very excited and honored to be one of the first stops on their trip. Whatever we can make happen, we will make it happen.”
The riders will depart Vallejo on Monday, continuing their journey toward Sacramento before making their way across the United States. They are expected to ride through Fairfield, Vacaville, and other parts of Solano County (no time was known at press time).
For more information on that portion of the trip, visit ridewithgps.com/routes/56374298
The public is encouraged to join the Vallejo Fire Department in welcoming the riders as they arrive at the Vallejo Ferry Terminal and as they travel through the city. Community members should expect brief traffic impacts near the ferry terminal and along the procession route during the afternoon arrival.
For more information about the Bay to Brooklyn ride and its mission to honor the 9/11 heroes, visit the Bay to Brooklyn organization’s official website at baytobrooklyn.org/