Inaugural Ride on Sept. 11th National Trail Stops in Morris County on Tuesday
Published on April 19, 2018
Residents Invited to Ceremony on April 24 to Greet the Riders at the County's 9 Memorial in Parsippany
Starting this month and through May 23, the September 11th National Memorial Trail Alliance is hosting and riding in the first-ever complete bike ride along the National Memorial Trail, which connects the three 9 memorial locations: the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and the Flight 93 Memorial.
(JPG, 314KB) A portion of the September 11th National Memorial Trail which runs through parts of Morris County
On Tuesday at 4:30 p.m., the Morris County Park Commission will host a welcoming ceremony as the trail riders make a brief stop at the Morris County September 11th Memorial, located on West Hanover Avenue in Parsippany. The ceremony is open to the public, and local dignitaries will be in attendance for a brief ceremony.
The Morris County September 11th Memorial is located in Parsippany, at the Morris Township border, across the street from the Morris View Healthcare Center and adjacent to the Morris County Public Safety Academy.
We are privileged to have a trail with so much meaning that runs through our county, said Dave Helmer, Executive Director of the Park Commission. We thank those who have put in the time and effort into making this trail a success so the community can enjoy it for recreational purposes, while recognizing and remembering those impacted by the 911 tragic events.
(JPG, 136KB)The inaugural ride on the trail is expected to take 23 days as it covers 1,200 miles, according to Andy Hamilton, President of the September 11th National Memorial Trail Alliance.
The stop on Tuesday in Morris County is fitting since the unveiling of the first trail blazes on this national trail, a 1,300-mile tribute to first responders and victims of the 9 attacks on our nation, was held in July in Morris County (Randolph), which lost 63 residents in the 2001 attacks.
Morris County is proud to have had the honor of unveiling the first blazes on this national trail that honors all of those who perished on September 11, 2001, and those who bravely responded to the attacks,'' said Freeholder Director Doug Cabana.
In Morris County, the trail uses the same footprint as the Morris County Park Commission €˜signature' trail, Patriots' Path and transverses through 11 towns, including East Hanover, Hanover, Parsippany, Morris Township, Morristown, Mendham Township, Randolph, Chester Township, Chester Borough, Washington Township, and Mount Olive.
Beginning in 2004, the September 11th National Memorial Trail Alliance was formed to establish a memorial trail that links both the planned and existing memorial sites dedicated to September 11th, including the World Trade Center, Pentagon, and Flight 93 Memorial.
In addition to linking the three national memorials, the continuous trail also passes through over 50 landmarks such as the Eastern Continental Divide, Delaware Water Gap, and Morristown National Historical Park, and is accessible to automobiles, hikers, and bikers.
The September 11th Trail (see the map https://www.911trail.org/trail-map/september-11th-national-memorial-trail/) runs through parts of New York City, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and the District of Columbia.
It employs existing trails, such as the Liberty Water Gap Trail, Patriots' Path, and the Highlands Trail, and includes some areas specifically carved out for September 11th Trail.