Patriotism to the core

Hundreds of Southland firefighters took a 40-mile ride through Newport Beach and other area cities Tuesday to pay tribute to the 343 New York City firefighters killed in the 9/11 attacks.

The firefighters aimed to get 343 bikers involved in the ride and nearly achieved their goal. They started at 3:15 p.m. at Cook’s Corner in Silverado and headed west toward the ocean. Passing through Laguna Beach, Newport Beach and Huntington Beach, they ended the journey at Joe’s Crab Shack in Long Beach. About 4:30 p.m. the group rumbled under the Arches bridge where Newport Boulevard crosses over West Coast Highway. A fire engine from Newport Beach Station No. 2 hung an American flag over the bridge and turned on the sirens to cheer the crew on.

“It was just really emotional, the cars driving by and the flag handing down and all the people honking and waving,” said Jennifer Schulz, a Newport Beach fire department spokeswoman. “Back when the attacks first happened there was all of this patriotism, it kind of brought all that back.”

— Kelly Strodl