By Nick Buglione
Yet, on Sept. 20 Cipriano and Torrice will together embark on perhaps the most significant journey of their friendship when they join the Face of America 2002 bike tour in honor of those who lost their lives on Sept. 11.
"We thought it would be a nice idea. A year has gone by, and we wanted to show the people that we haven't forgotten about what happened," said Torrice, an Oswego, New York native who recently moved to East Meadow after starting up Fruggie's Farm Market in March. Upon settling into the neighborhood, Torrice took up residence with college mate Cipriano and his wife.
Started up by the organization World T.E.A.M. (the exceptional athlete matters) Sports, the three-day, 270-mile ride will begin at ground zero in New York-- site of the Sept. 11 World Trade Center attack--and finish in Washington, D.C. on Sept. 22, where a hijacked plane deliberately crashed into the Pentagon. The event is not a fundraiser, but rather a ride in memory of those that died on that day.
"I'm patriotic, and I think this whole group of people riding together will show solidarity," Cipriano said.
With some 1,200 people set to participate, the ride will be broken into three legs. On days one and three, the bikers will ride 75 miles, and on the second day 120 miles.
Torrice and Cipriano learned of the memorial ride from Merrick residents Fred Jones and Jeff Byrne--two men with whom they frequently ride bicycles.
"We'd been riding for quite some time, and we're always looking for rides," Torrice said. "Fred had found out about this from guys he went on another bike ride with to benefit AIDS."
The two will join Jones, Byrne and five other local residents to form a team that is riding specifically in the memory of Ronnie Gies, Joe Hunter, George Cain and Brian Sweeney--men from the Merrick, Freeport and Seaford who died on Sept. 11.
"It's a very special ride," said Jones, adding that in total he lost 13 friends on the day of the terrorist attacks. "The theme of our team is 'friends, neighbors, heroes.'"
Although Torrice has participated in long distance rides before, this will be Cipriano's first.
"We've been training," Cipriano said, quickly admitting "I'm a little nervous." Torrice, however, has plenty of confidence in his friend.
"He'll be fine," he said. "If worse comes to worse, I'll tie a rope around him and tie it to my bike."
While the two spoke lightly of the ride, its importance hit home for both of them, particularly Cipriano. He pointed out that two of the East Meadow residents that died on Sept. 11 were regular customers of his nursery, which has been a mainstay in the community since the late 1970s.
World T.E.A.M Sports has reported on its Web site that the response to the Face of America 2002 ride has been dramatic. Since July, applications to participate have poured in by mail and over the Internet. The group no longer accepts applications.
The ride will culminate with a ceremony at the Pentagon, and though it has not been confirmed, President George W. Bush might be on hand to greet the bikers.
"Then we're just going to figure out how to get home. Maybe by bus or train," Cipriano said, noting the two have to be at work the next morning.
For more information at Face of America 2002, visit World T.E.A.M Sports Web site at www.worldteamsports.org
