25 years after 9/11, cyclists ride nearly 1,300 miles to honor victims

WASHINGTON (Gray DC) - Cyclists gathered at the Pentagon on June 13, 2026, for the 9/11 National Memorial Trail Bike Tour, marking 25 years since the attacks on the World Trade Center.

Joseph Holland, of Roswell, New Mexico, was one of a few dozen cyclists who took part.

“My friend’s son was working at the Pentagon on 9/11. Basically, I’m still angry, and this helps me deal with it,” Holland said.

The annual ride started in 2022 and is organized by the Sept. 11 National Memorial Trail Alliance.

Over the course of 28 days, cyclists rode a 1,250-mile clockwise loop connecting the three national 9/11 memorial sites.

Tedd Ogren, special assistant with Washington Headquarters Services, said the ride helps preserve memory of the day.

“It keeps the awareness going and keeps those precious memories alive,” said Ogren.

The trail honors the nearly 3,000 people who died on September 11, 2001. It winds through the September 11 Memorial & Museum in New York City, the Pentagon Memorial in Arlington, Virginia, and the Flight 93 Memorial in Shanksville, Pennsylvania.

“It’s really great to see your old friends, but it’s super wonderful to meet new people, especially people that come from all over the country to be here with us to celebrate these people’s lives,” said rider Katharyn Poplin, of Fredericksburg, Virginia.

This year’s riders came from eight states and the District of Columbia. Cyclists traveled through Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania and New Jersey before ending back in Arlington.

Trail founder David Brickley said he hopes future generations understand the significance of the day.

“It’s a wonderful feeling to see that they understand the significance of 9/11, to understand that it is a trail of remembrance and to work together to make this continue to grow and nourish and flourish over the years, so that future generations will understand what happened that fateful day 25 years ago,” Brickley explained.

All money raised from the annual ride directly supports the ongoing maintenance and development of the trail.