Riding to Remember: My Journey with America’s 9/11 Ride 2026
- David Booth
- Aug 12
- 4 min read
Some motorcycle rides are about the road.
Some are about the destination.
And some are about remembering people who should never be forgotten.
On August 20, 2026, I’ll begin one of the most meaningful motorcycle journeys I’ve ever taken as I participate for the first time in America’s 9/11 Ride.
Over several days, hundreds of motorcycles will travel together to places forever connected to September 11, 2001—from the Flight 93 National Memorial in Pennsylvania, to the Pentagon, and ultimately to Ground Zero in New York City.
For me, this isn't simply another motorcycle trip or another episode for The Road Taught Me.
It’s personal.
Why America’s 9/11 Ride Means So Much to Me
On September 11, 2001, I was a police officer and I was on duty.
Like millions of Americans, I watched our country change in a matter of hours. But as a law enforcement officer, the images of police officers, firefighters, paramedics, and other first responders running toward danger carried a particular weight.
They still do.
Nearly 25 years later, America’s 9/11 Ride gives us an opportunity to make sure the sacrifice of that day—and the people behind those sacrifices—doesn't become simply another chapter in a history book.
We ride to remember the innocent people who went to work, boarded airplanes, reported for duty, and began an ordinary September morning without knowing what was coming.
We ride to honor the firefighters who climbed the stairs.
The police officers who ran toward the danger.
The paramedics and emergency workers who answered the call.
The passengers and crew of Flight 93 who fought back.
And the families whose lives were forever changed.
We ride because remembering matters.
From Flight 93 to the Pentagon to Ground Zero
This ride follows a path through three places that have become sacred ground in America's history.
Flight 93 National Memorial
Our journey begins near the Flight 93 National Memorial in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, where 40 passengers and crew members lost their lives after fighting back against the terrorists who hijacked United Airlines Flight 93.
Their courage prevented that aircraft from reaching its intended target.
It is difficult to imagine a more powerful place to begin this journey.
The Pentagon
From Pennsylvania, the ride continues toward the Washington, D.C. area and the Pentagon, where American Airlines Flight 77 crashed on September 11.
Here again, we remember those who were lost—and the first responders, military personnel, and ordinary people who immediately stepped forward to help.
Ground Zero — New York City
Ultimately, we ride to New York City and Ground Zero.
For anyone who remembers September 11, the images of the World Trade Center are impossible to separate from that day.
Standing there isn't simply about remembering buildings that fell.
It's about remembering the people who were inside them, those who responded, those who never came home, and the families who have carried that loss ever since.
This Ride Has a Mission Beyond Remembrance
America's 9/11 Ride isn't only about keeping the memory of September 11 alive.
The organization also raises money to support scholarships and assistance for the families of fallen first responders.
That means every donation has the opportunity to turn remembrance into something tangible.
We can say, "Never Forget."
But we can also do something about it.
That's why I'm asking the The Road Taught Me community—riders and non-riders alike—to consider supporting this mission.
🇺🇸 Help Me Ride for the Families
I've created a personal fundraising page for my participation in America’s 9/11 Ride.
If you're able to contribute, I would sincerely appreciate your support.
No donation is too small.
Whether it's $10, $25, $50, $100, or whatever amount makes sense for you, collectively those donations can make a meaningful difference for families who have sacrificed so much.
DONATE TO MY AMERICA'S 9/11 RIDE FUNDRAISER:
And if donating isn't possible, you can still help.
Share this article. Share the fundraiser. Tell someone why this ride matters.
Every share helps carry the message farther.
I'm Bringing The Road Taught Me Along for the Ride
One of the things I'm most looking forward to is bringing all of you along with me.
I'll be documenting the journey for The Road Taught Me YouTube channel, from departure morning through the ride itself.
You'll see the miles.
You'll see the motorcycles.
You'll experience the atmosphere of hundreds of riders coming together for the same purpose.
But I also want to take you beyond the motorcycles.
I want to share the stories, the memorials, the people we meet, and the moments that remind us why we're riding in the first place.
Because this isn't a motorcycle rally with a 9/11 theme.
It's a ride with a mission.
And I want the videos from this journey to reflect that.
More Than 20 Years Later, Why Does This Still Matter?
There are young adults today who weren't alive on September 11, 2001.
With every passing year, more Americans know 9/11 primarily through photographs, videos, documentaries, classrooms, and stories told by those who lived through it.
That's inevitable.
But forgetting isn't.
Those of us who remember that day have a responsibility to tell the story.
Not because we should live in the past, but because courage, service, sacrifice, and unity are lessons worth carrying into the future.
As a motorcycle instructor, I've said many times that the road teaches us lessons if we're willing to pay attention.
I suspect this road is going to teach me a few things too.
What If Remembering Wasn't Just Something We Did... But Somewhere We Went?
That's the thought I've had while preparing for this journey.
We often say "Never Forget."
This August, I'm going to put some miles behind those words.
I'll ride to the field where Flight 93 came down.
I'll ride to the Pentagon.
I'll ride to Ground Zero.
I'll ride alongside people from across the country who believe these lives and sacrifices still deserve to be remembered.
And I'll be riding for the families whose sacrifice didn't end on September 11.
I hope you'll come along for the journey through The Road Taught Me.
And if you're able, I hope you'll help me support the mission.
🇺🇸 Donate to America’s 9/11 Ride
Support my fundraiser here:
Your donation helps support the mission of America’s 9/11 Ride and its work benefiting the families of fallen first responders.
Ride to remember. Ride to honor. Ride so we never forget.
Until next time...
Ride safe. Ride smart. Trust God.
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