Hollidaysburg architect Patrick Baechle, 64, recently completed a five-week journey on the September 11 National Memorial Trail. Along the way, he visited memorials at all three Sept. 11 attack sites. Courtesy photo
Narrow roads and bridges, steep climbs and Mother Nature didn’t stop Hollidaysburg architect and avid cyclist Patrick Baechle from reaching his goal.
He recently completed a five-week journey along the September 11 National Memorial Trail, taking him from Altoona to New York.
The 1,300-mile route took the Air Force veteran, who served as a civil engineer in California and Spain from 1976-82, to the Flight 93 Memorial, the Pentagon, the World Trade Center memorial and all the little places in between.
Along the way, he met and bonded with many people, he said.
“I met other cyclists, and I went to a music festival and everyone was dancing and happy, and it was a great experience,” Baechle said.
Baechle, 64, departed from Altoona on July 12, returning home Aug. 13.
Naturally, Baechle’s wife, Pam, worried about him, knowing the trip would be physically demanding.
“I did worry about him, but we talked about that before he left, and I think it was more important for him to do this than to get focused on the anxiety of it,” Pam said.
“We’re both people who are fairly well-traveled, but what I was concerned about was that it’s a really enduring trip and whether he’d be able to do that physically,” Pam said. “But he did.”
Pam said her husband had been looking forward to the trip for some time.
“It was always something that he talked about and wanted to do,” Pam said. “It seemed like the perfect time to do it, and he’s in good physical shape.”
Cycling, Pam said, is a defining piece of who her husband is.
“Riding a bicycle is his sport, and he loves it,” Pam said. “He rode his bike through Europe for six months after he got out of the Air Force. It’s always something he’s liked to do and he had the time. He’s also a person who’s very taken by the landscape and geography and looks at the beauty. He loves Pennsylvania, and it was another draw to test himself physically again.”
Though rewarding, the trip was difficult at times, Baechle admitted.
“It was very physically challenging,” Baechle said. “Every day you had to plan your route and deal with all kinds of circumstances.”
Baechle said there were areas that were difficult to navigate.
“I had to travel on highways sometimes and cross over bridges that were very narrow,” he said.
Finding a place to sleep along the way was difficult, too. He spent some nights at campgrounds and others in hotels.
A love of cycling and local trails — as well as a desire to see New York 20 years after the attacks on the World Trade Center — drove Baechle to take on the challenge, he said.
The site where the twin towers formerly stood was a particular draw, he said, because as a young architecture student, he stood by the towers and looked up, marveling at their stature.
“I remember looking up and I remember that experience,” Baechle said.
Trips to New York after the Sept. 11 attacks were depressing, he said.
“After the 9/11 attacks, I went to New York City and I went downtown to where the buildings were on that site. I was floored and saddened,” Baechle said. “It was a really horrible experience, what had happened, and I remember walking around that place and seeing how devastated it was. It was nothing but gray, dusty dirt. I remember seeing all the destruction.”
In recent years, though, traveling to New York has been more pleasant, Baechle said.
“I’ve been coming back to New York City and it seems to be coming alive.”
When the pandemic initially died down as the vaccine rollout picked up, Baechle knew it was a good time to make the bike trip.
“I felt like the pandemic was getting over with and I felt like I wanted to go to New York City and see what it’s like after 20 years,” Baechle said.
“I was all cooped up and I needed to get out and do something and get some exercise.”
The trip was especially meaningful, bringing back memories and reminding Baechle of his beginnings in architecture.
“It was a great experience when I got off the ferry and the city was alive with people and everything was new and fresh again,” Baechle said. “I wanted to kind of memorialize that experience I had seeing the twin towers as a young architect.”
Baechle said part of the trip, too, was promoting bike trails.
“I really love the idea of having bike trails in the area,” he said. “I think these are great resources for our community. The 9/11 trail actually comes through Hollidaysburg, and I want to see more trails connecting Hollidaysburg to other trails. I thought by doing this I could promote connecting more trails together and tell the story about what I experienced and how trails are important to our health and well-being in the area.”
Baechle documented his journey through his blog, Biking with Baechle, which Pam said was well-received.
“There were a lot of people who enjoyed reading it and felt like they went on the ride with him.”
Baechle’s friend Diane Murray also enjoyed following his trip via the blog.
“His blog is really well-written,” Murray said. “And it’s entertaining and funny.”
Murray said she admires Baechle’s passion.
“He’s very enthusiastic,” Murray said. “He’s very experienced and can go miles and miles at a time. He’s always described himself as an explorer.”
Murray’s husband, Jack, also a friend of Baechle, said he’s amazed by the strength and endurance it took Baechle to complete the trip.
“I couldn’t do that at all,” Jack said.
Baechle returned from the trail triumphant and feeling accomplished, his wife said.
“I think there’s a sense of confidence that came with him being able to accomplish that goal,” Pam said. “I think he feels like he can manage himself in just about any situation in terms of riding his bike. He feels capable mentally and physically.”
Mirror Staff Writer Andrew Mollenauer is at 814-946-7428.
The Baechle file
Name: Patrick Baechle
Age: 64
Hometown: Hollidaysburg
Family: Wife, Pam
Career: Architect
Education: University of Michigan (bachelor’s in 1985, master’s in 1987)
"along" - Google News
September 06, 2021 at 11:01AM
https://ift.tt/3yS32ut
Cyclist logs 1,300-mile journey along 9/11 trail | News, Sports, Jobs - Altoona Mirror
"along" - Google News
https://ift.tt/2z4LAdj
https://ift.tt/35rGyU8
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "Cyclist logs 1,300-mile journey along 9/11 trail | News, Sports, Jobs - Altoona Mirror"
Post a Comment