Sarasota, Manatee motorcyclists remember Sept. 11 terrorist attacks

Motorcyclists from Sarasota and Manatee counties joined forces Wednesday in remembrance of the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City on Sept. 11, 2001. 

A group of more than 600 motorcycles left Naughty Monk Brewery in Lakewood Ranch at 6 p.m. and made their way to Tarpon Bay Grill and Tiki Bar in Sarasota. The group rode slowly with American flags flying in the wind to remind passersby of the attacks that killed 2,977 Americans and injured about 6,000 more.

Palm Aire resident Esther Halt and friend Rory MacConell have organized the ride for 13 years. They were affected personally by the attacks.

"We all lost a lot of people," said Halt, who worked at the World Trade Center in the 1980s. "We don't want anyone to forget what happened. We make people stop and remember. You see all the bikes and you're going to stop.  You see all the flags and you're going to remember."