Navy Veterans Complete Cross-Country Bike Journey Honoring 9/11 Anniversary

After three decades without contact, Navy veterans Jim Serger and Cory Hardy reunited to undertake an ambitious cycling expedition spanning the continental United States. Serger, 55, of Cincinnati, Ohio, and Hardy, 51, of Ennis, Montana, departed San Diego in July and completed their eastbound journey to New York City in 20 days, averaging approximately 170 miles daily. The endeavor marked a personal challenge for Serger, who had authored three books for the nonprofit organization Tunnel to Towers.

The pair’s route presented significant obstacles throughout their journey. Encountering 20 road closures, Colorado wildfires, flooding, multiple flat tires, and numerous detours required constant adaptation and problem-solving. Serger undertook 10 months of training beforehand, logging 5,000 miles on an indoor cycling trainer before moving to outdoor routes around Cincinnati as warmer weather approached. Hardy, accustomed to Montana’s mountainous terrain, shouldered the elevation challenges while Serger remained on flatter sections according to their pre-planned strategy.

Physical demands intensified as conditions varied across regions. The cyclists consumed three gallons of water collectively each day, supplemented with electrolytes, energy waffles, protein bars, and salt gummy bears to maintain energy levels. Hardy took 10-minute ice baths daily throughout the expedition, while Serger lost six pounds by journey’s end, weight he subsequently regained upon arriving in New York.

Fellow veterans and community members provided essential support along the route. Navy buddies, including an Arizona state trooper who drove from Phoenix to Flagstaff, met the cyclists at various points. Approximately 25 firehouses welcomed them, offering refreshments, accommodations, and organizational patches and merchandise while hearing Tunnel to Towers presentations about the nonprofit’s mission.

The expedition’s emotional intensity peaked as they approached 9/11-related sites. At the Pentagon, both the Pentagon Police and Pentagon Fire Department provided an escort and conducted a five-hour tour including the 9/11 memorial. Approaching Shanksville, the Pentagon, and Manhattan, personal connections to the attacks emerged as community members shared stories of family and colleagues lost on September 11.

The journey concluded at FDNY Ten House in Lower Manhattan across from Ground Zero, where the FDNY, Port Authority, and NYPD Honor Guard received them. Former Fire Commissioner Sal Cassano and Serger’s wife attended the arrival, marking an emotional culmination of the cross-country effort. The cyclists raised more than $17,000 for Tunnel to Towers while spreading awareness of the organization’s mission supporting first responders and families affected by 9/11.