"We're going anyway," said Norwalk resident Kevin McNeill, president of the Fairfield County chapter of the Renegade Pigs Motorcycle Club, made up of law enforcement officers and firefighters.
McNeill, a state marshal, wore a leather vest printed with his nickname, Mac Daddy, and stood amid a sea of cycles of all makes and colors.
Tom Donahue, another of the Renegade Pigs, said it's inspiring to be greeted on both sides of the road by cheering people.
The 60-mile ride travels through 11 towns, without stops or traffic lights, ending in Bridgeport.
The tradition began Sept. 30, 2001, with 500 riders. Proceeds that year were sent to three victim relief funds in New York City.
This year, aside from money that will go to Connecticut police and firefighter relief funds, a donation will be made to help the recovery of Matt Panilaitis, a Fairfield motorcycle police officer who lost his lower leg in an off-duty motorcycle accident.
Organizer Fred Garrity said the event hasn't lost its poignancy in the five years since the terrorist attacks destroyed the World Trade Center.
Many riders know people who died or worked at ground zero, he said.
"We want to commemorate those who lost their lives . . . and continue to risk their lives every day," Garrity said. "It shows resiliency that they came out in the rain."
About 4,000 people participated yesterday, he said.
Norwalk resident Joanne Romano watched the send-off, which included remarks from the leaders of area towns and other officials such as U.S. Rep. Christopher Shays, R-Bridgeport, and U.S. Sen. Joseph Lieberman, D-Conn.
"I think people need to realize it's not something that's going to go away," said Romano, who lost a friend in the attacks on the twin towers. "I think we have to recognize it every year because of the impact it had on the world and the U.S."
Copyright © 2006, Southern Connecticut Newspapers, Inc.
8/28/2006
