The Man moved slowly, walking along with his Ducati steed. His heart and soul full of pain, suffering, but his mind is full of rememberance
He is an Old Man. His youthful vitality lost in the struggle that ended over a year ago. Those who are close to him knows of his history, and knew the burden that he had bear.
His season metal steed too is weary. Weary of the miles that it had carry him over the years. The red metal a dull color of lost shine. It had carry him to this place. The place that is NOW...
The Man looked up... and saw flashes of the past. The past that blurred so quickly before his eyes. The past that had become now. And his eyes bore the shine in the memory, his heart fluttered a bit, a glimmer of hope... he now know that it is time! A time for rememberance... and a time to Ride!
Welcome to the World that is The 9/11 "We Remember" Ride!!!
The most epic in the VeloViet's ride arsenal, it is this ride that defined its heart and its collective soul. Started in 2010 to remember those fallen in the 9/11 terror attack, it has now become half a decade of symbolic gesture that can only be those of the VeloViets.
It is a unification ride. A ride that borne the camaraderie of its members in the single struggle, but yet offers the self realization of the individual. It is a moment of truth, of hope, and of a possible glory!
THE WEEK BEFORE...
I pushed hard to seize my memories from past years, as it is buried deep beneath many layers of protective walls. Then it all came flooding through...
My heart seized tightly, and my breath became raspy and constricting. Images flew by so quickly as if it was my Facebook movie on play in my head. On screen were moments of when I saw the jet flew into one of the twin tower, when part of the building crumbled into the ground while smoke billows of the gashed wounds.
But then lighter and happier visions appears.... the time when I rode with my VeloViet brothers and sisters the first time to Oceanside, when Tan and Cap't Thomas pushed Kiet up the hill, when Uyen showed us her scrapes at the harbor, of the time when Duc Au, Mo, Steve, and two other Tri-Crews were exceptionally strong in carrying the flag to our destination, of the box lunches that Huong and Karen worked so hard to get for us...
My heart pounds and soars with delight. It is these memories that makes up for those tested times. Although we should never forget those moments that seemed unbearable, we also need the nice memories to balance out our lives.
The VeloViet once again will be riding our annual 9/11 ride this Sept 7th! If you are one of the self chosen ones that dared to take on this epic ride, have no fear! I will be there with you... and together we will create memories that lives in our hearts and soars to the surface when we calls for help.
My hearts flutters, the adrenaline pump, for the RIDE IS ABOUT TO BEGIN!
THE RIDE...
Definitely the hardest 9/11 route we have ever had! The distance, the heat, the hills in the beginning, the rolling hills in the end, and the wind in the end makes this a most difficult route.
Sag support for this ride was challenging, as the hills immediately split the pack up. The Sag Team was super though, with Scott providing the route, Nhat's, Minh's, and Paul's wives handling food support, Karen handling the main food delivery, Henry and I in the two Sag cars, Emily and Chris providing photography and video support, Andrew with additional photos and videos, and the member's many kids for general support. Nhat and Q provided additional water and fruit for us. Thank you all!
Here is a summary video for your enjoyment!
2014 911 Ride from VeloVietOCteam on Vimeo.
See You Next Year!
Phong
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