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updated 3/11/2015

2001-2003 Archives
EDB's trip to NYC from Pentagon - August 24-25, 2002

Eastern Deaf Bikers' first ride to New York City with the "2nd Annual America's 911 Ride." From the Pentagon, in Arlington, VA to New York City

Story by Yvonne Mattiello
Photos are in "Pentagon to NYC, Aug. 2002" folder
Note: Names in this story have been changed to spare embarrassment.

Ten of us from EDB joined with a large group of motorcycle enthusiasts, for this charity ride. Despite the pouring rain before the ride started, none of us canceled the trip. It was the first time that we endured on/off heavy rain as a group. We left Pentagon around 9am as it started to rain. We had to stop on I-95 North somewhere in around Baltimore, MD while we waited for the police to clear an accident ahead. We finally were allowed to detour by going on a ramp and get off the next ramp to get back on 95.

We had police escorts all the way through DC via 395 North, 295 North and 95 North to Delaware on 295 north before going into New Jersey. Just before New Jersey, we stopped for lunch at Mike's Famous HD store and restaurant, around noon. There were light showers while we were there. Mike's Famous HD provided us with free hotdogs and soda. We stayed about an hour before starting out again.

Then after lunch, we went back on 295 north and crossed the Delaware Memorial Bridge to New Jersey. We had toll tags ready, and still had our police escort. We made another stop at a gas station and again waited an hour to gather up for the ride into NYC by using RT. 130. We were on bikes all way from DC to NYC for about 10 hours due because of the rain, and the problems with handling a large group of motorcycles. We arrived about 9pm and had late dinner in NYC near Times Square, where we were staying in a Hilton Hotel. It was about three hours for all of us 2300 bikers to park around the hotel. [Note from Louis – According to the "America's 911 Ride" coordinator, there were about 700 motorcycles total (count of how many went through the tolls)]

As we left on Sunday, we rode by Little Italy, Chinatown, the Empire State building, Rockefeller Plaza, and stopped to see the World Trade Center area. Then we used the Holland Tunnel, to leave New York, 78 West, RT 100 South and RT 23 West. Some of us went home via Rt. 10 South (beautiful scenic drive), Rt. 1 South, Rt. 222 South (by Susquehanna River), Rt. 275, and Rt. 95 South where we split up into two groups. We got home around 9pm.

But something happened on Rt. 100, north of Pottstown, PA, after stopped to get gas at the gas station. Tom put the wrong Kind of gas, Diesel gas in his bike. He did not notice the wrong label "Diesel" on the pump nozzle. Fortunately, we were able to solve this problem right away. Two nice strangers helped us with this problem by going home to get a long tube and brought it back to a gas station. Then Tom got all Diesel out through the tube. Lucky, there was gas in his "reserve" tank that prevented Diesel from getting in his engine. Yeah, we made it home. Whew!

Something else happened in NYC to two people (one deaf woman's hearing finance who is a biker and the other person is the manager of Hilton Hotel where we stayed for the weekend). The biker was giving the hotel manager a ride around the city. A stranger came toward them at the stop sign. The stranger started beating at the biker's face while the manager was on the back seat. The beating lasted a short time but it was hard beating. The driver was confused. The incident was scary and unexpected but it turned out that both are okay. The stranger escaped and disappeared and the riders went back to the hotel in one piece.

Posted 2-11-03