Midwesterner rides for fallen firefighters

Jeff Moore bicycled into Carson City Monday on his cross country tribute tour in memory of fallen firefighters, stopping briefly at the Nevada Firefighters Memorial in Mills Park.

Moore, after graduating from the University of Wisconsin, is taking the summer to ride across America in a trip scheduled to end when he reaches New York City just before the anniversary of 9/11 there.

He rode into the city, stopped to see the state Capitol and then pedaled on to Mills Park with Alex Hughes, a Carson City firefighter.

At the memorial, he met Assistant Fire Chief Tom Tarulli and several other city fire personnel.

“This is all pretty new to me,” Moore said of the sights in California and Nevada after beginning his trip July 10 in San Francisco. He flew to San Francisco and began riding, noting the terrain is new because he hasn’t been to this part of the country before. The 23-year-old said his father also flew out and is along in a chase vehicle, at least for this stretch, which took a 20-pound load off that Moore didn’t have to carry along while traversing the Sierra Nevada.

“I’m going to take (U.S. Highway) 50 all the way,” he said, with Fallon next up among Nevada communities on his radar screen. The reference to U.S. 50 prompted some on hand for his stop at Mills Park to warn him there is little out past Fallon on what Life Magazine once called the loneliest road in the nation.

Moore welcomes any riders to join him, short term or for longer stretches. He said any proceeds raised on the Fire Service Tribute Ride would go to support the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation. He said it is to respect, remember and honor all fallen firefighters.

People interested in learning more can check fireservicetributeride.wordpress.com or facebook.com/fireservicetributeride, according to a flier on the trek.