Two former Navy shipmates reunited decades after serving overseas to pedal from San Diego to Lower Manhattan, finishing at Ground Zero in 20 days as the nation approaches the 25th anniversary of Sept. 11. Their cross-country ride combined endurance, memory and fundraising, and aimed to keep the sacrifices of first responders and military personnel visible ahead of the milestone.
Jim Serger, 55, of Cincinnati, and Cory Hardy, 51, of Ennis, Montana, hadn’t seen one another in about 30 years before agreeing to the July 14 departure. The pair set out to honor the anniversary and raise money for Tunnel to Towers, a nonprofit supporting veterans, first responders and their families.
Serger prepared for months: nearly a year of training that included 10 months on an indoor trainer and roughly 5,000 miles logged before leaving Ohio. Hardy, who lives at altitude in Montana, brought experience with mountain conditions and a strong sense of civic duty that helped sustain the two through the trip.
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The route was not straightforward. Heat in the Southwest, wildfires and flooding in Colorado, multiple road closures, two flat tires and several stops at bike shops forced frequent changes to plans. Still, they pushed on, covering ground quickly — often logging exceptionally long daily distances — and arriving in New York after three weeks on the road.
- Start: July 14, San Diego
- Finish: Lower Manhattan, across from the 9/11 Memorial & Museum
- Duration: 20 days
- Approximate daily mileage: very high daily totals; long-stage riding to reach NYC in three weeks
- Funds raised: more than $17,000 for Tunnel to Towers
- Community stops: roughly 25 firehouses and multiple meetings with veterans and first responders
- Training miles: about 5,000 miles of indoor training by Serger
On the road, logistics mattered as much as stamina. The men prioritized hydration — carrying several gallons of water each — and relied on high-calorie snacks, carbohydrates and electrolytes. Hardy took daily cold-water immersions to aid recovery; Serger lost weight over the journey and regained it once the ride ended.
The trip became as much about connection as charity. Along the way, they were met by former Navy colleagues, an Arizona state trooper who detoured to join them, and volunteers who offered couches and meals. At fire stations they handed out books from Tunnel to Towers, traded patches and pins, and listened to first responders recount their experiences.
These encounters grew more poignant as the riders neared the three primary 9/11 sites. Staff and volunteers at memorial locations shared personal losses and memories; for Serger and Hardy, those conversations turned the final miles emotional and reflective.
In Washington, the Pentagon Police and fire personnel provided an escort and gave the riders a multi-hour tour that included the memorial. The finish in New York carried its own ceremony: the FDNY, Port Authority and NYPD Honor Guard greeted them at FDNY Ten House, directly across from the site of the World Trade Center.
Serger described the arrival as intensely moving, with family and former fire officials in attendance. The journey’s public reception, he said, reinforced a broader message: despite political or regional differences, local first responders and communities welcomed the riders and shared a common commitment to service.
What the ride accomplished
The expedition served three clear purposes: fundraising for a veterans-and-first-responder charity, raising public awareness as the 25th anniversary approaches, and reestablishing ties between veterans. By the time they reached Manhattan the pair had raised more than $17,000 and spent days listening to stories that linked coast-to-coast responders to the events of 2001.
The broader takeaway, according to Serger and Hardy, was less about athletic achievement and more about national memory and gratitude. The trip highlighted the continuing network of support among military veterans, firefighters and police — people who repeatedly stepped forward to help strangers and neighbors.
As commemoration events around the country grow closer to the 25th anniversary of 9/11, projects like this one underscore how individuals and small teams can keep attention on historical sacrifice while raising funds for families still affected by that day.
