3000 Riders bring the World Trade Center steel section to an American Legion

Posted: January 26, 2011 
Filed under: Rides
Tagged: 2010, american legion, american legion posts, american legion riders, buffalo solkiers, chapter, east greenville station, fire-fighters, freedom riders, friends of the forgotten, highways, interstate, iron run, kings riders, memorial engine 911, milfort township, montgomery, motorcade, motorcycles, nypd blue knights, olsen, patriot guard, pennsburg station 65, pennsylvania, police, post 184, reading motorcycle club, ride, riders, soldiers angels, squadron, steel, veterans, warrior guard, world trade center
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Description

In what was one of the largest processions to ever travel the highways of our area, the Sons of the American Legion Squadron #184 (S.A.L.), assembled a mass of motorcycles and other vehicles that took part in a motorcade on Saturday, October 9.  The sunny, 70-degree weather helped grow the number of participants in the “Iron Run”.  Just fewer than 3000 motorcycles participated in the emotional run.

Dozens of groups and organizations rode in the special event to deliver the 13-foot, 6,400-pound section of steel from Newark, NJ to Palm, PA.  The steel was once part of the towering World Trade Center destroyed in the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack.  It found its permanent home in a constructed memorial to those attacks, at the American Legion Post #184.

Some of the organizations who attended the ride include the American Legion Riders from posts all around the tri-state area, Kings Riders, Freedom Riders, Buffalo Soldiers, the Philly chapter of the Patriot Guard, the Warrior Guard, NYPD Blue Knights, Soldiers Angels, Friends of the Forgotten and many more.  Riders from at least five different states were a part of the motorcade.

The moving memorial Engine-911 truck, once owned by 41 year old New York fire-fighter Eric Olsen, was a part of the escort.  Olsen was killed in the September 11^th attack while performing his duties.

The truck was fully restored by Milford Township volunteer fire-fighters in 2003 as a memorial to all of the fire-fighters who died that day.

Montgomery County, Pa. East Greenville Station 38 & Pennsburg Station 65 also took part in the “Iron Run” by forming a crossed ladders gate.

The riders left the American Legion Headquarters in Palm at 8:30 a.m. and travelled to Oley where they gathered more riders.  The numbers grew again at the home of the Reading Motorcycle Club.  The mass of participants left Oley at 10 a.m. and met up with the truck carrying the steel at the Courtyard Marriot in Newark, NJ around 1 p.m.

At 2:30 p.m. the procession, with New Jersey State Police escort, left Newark for the trip home.  From Newark, the trip took them west on Interstate 78 through New Jersey and into Pennsylvania to Route 309.  Pennsylvania State Police took over escort duties at the state line over the Delaware River near Easton.  The group then travelled south on Route 309 to Quakertown where they turned west onto Route 663 to Route 29.

The “Iron Run” had just short of 3000 motorcycle escorts; bringing the piece of steel home to Post 184.  They had a confirmed eight miles of bikes, at highway speed, on route 78.  The giant highway signs going in both directions read: “9/11 steel escort… Expect delays…” That’s when they knew this was big!  Bikes were staged at the post, and then at Reading Motorcycle Club prior to the run.  They traveled to the Marriott courtyard at the Newark, NJ airport and met with the rollback and the piece of steel.  The group rested for an hour and then headed home.

The company travelled down Main Street (Route 29) in Pennsburg and East Greenville.  The residents and businesses along the route of travel came out and witnessed the event and displayed the American Flag prominently as the convoy passes by.

Once they arrived at the memorial in Palm, an informal ceremony was held.  Getting prepared for the “Iron Run”, Todd Nelson, Commander SAL Squadron 184 wasn’t sure how big the “Iron Run” will be but with the nice weather and amazing riders it was a huge success.  Nelson was thrilled with the large number of proud Americans that escorted the steel home.

They were greeted by Senator Bob Mensch, House of Representative Marcy Toepel, and many other local dignitaries.

The after ceremony picnic was explosive as the numbers showed:  1000 hamburgers, 1500 hot dogs and 31 kegs tapped.  They had to rent 5 port-a-potties.  They also enlisted the help of Knolls, a local manufacturing giant, to let them park all of the bikes.  The group had 2 full size busses shuttling riders two blocks from the parking spot.

Nelson stated, “All said and done, I didn’t have one problem with fighting or crime, and not one DUI, which speaks to the responsibility of the riders, as well as the mood of the cause.  We at squadron 184 are operating for God and Country and of course for Vets.  We achieved something for our Country and our community that we are all very proud of.  The Memorial immortalizes the tragic losses of 9-11-01.”

The SAL Motorcycle operators participated in the “Iron Run” for $20 and their riders for $15; other vehicles paid $15 to ride in the convoy.