This morning a memorial ride started in Queens and in the Bronx, stopping at every one of the accident sites. At 3:45 they reached 29th Street and 9th Avenue and that is where the Squidlings and I joined them. I thought it would be a Good thing to do and I think I was right.
We rode with the others to 38th Street and the Hudson River Greenway where an Angel Bike (at least that's what I'm calling it) was hung over the Ghost Bike. The names of all 16 fatalities were read and a few words spoken by the widow of the victim killed at this site. Riders then raised their bikes in a silent tribute to the fallen.
(The Angel Bike is hanging from the crossing signal in the center of the photo. It is a lousy cell phone picture -- Mike will try to get a better one later this week.)The ride continued to 12th and West Street where a pedestrian was run down by an 18-wheeler. More words from those close to the fallen and another silent, lifted bike tribute.
Continuing down the Greenway the ride stopped at Clarkson Street where a cyclist was hit and killed by a drunk driver who decided that the Greenway was Highway. I do not know if an Angel Bike was hung here but we saw the Ghost bike during our ride yesterday.
We left the ride at this point as it was now dark and the kids do not have lights and blinkers on their bikes -- nor do they have any experience riding after dark. The ride continued on to the Memorial for Unnamed Cyclists (scroll to the bottom).
As we rode carefully back home, mostly on the Greenway, we talked about the meaning of the tributes, why we raised our bikes and what a memorial was all about. Both kids really seem to understand and were glad to have done it. They did, by the way, raise or attempt to raise their bikes in tribute. Squidette got hers up to her shoulders and Little Squid got his a few inches off the ground. I am very proud of them for understanding the importance and meaning of it all.
(While the three of us only clocked 5 miles this evening, Little Squid and Papa rode home from religious school (7 miles) and Papa and I rode another 7 miles earlier in the day. Squidette is being credited 7 miles with the understanding that she will make it up later in the year.)
2 comments:
What a wonderful why to make an important point and to remember and honor those lost.
I agree with Cookie. And thanks for the link because I didn't know about "ghost bikes ". Are the angel bikes small?
And, I noticed in the link that one of the ghost bikes had been removed. But do most of them stay where they're placed?
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