They came by the hundreds to honour the fallen soldiers who have given their lives in service for their country. The Red Rally expected some 504 motorcycles and 122 cars to participate.
The convoy of 83 red cars, representing the number of fallen soldiers, left Trenton Ontario, Toronto bound, while hundreds of people wearing red shirts and waving Canadian flags watched.
The Red Rally
was organized by the Red Fridays Foundation of Canada to honour Canadian soldiers who have died in Afghanistan. The Rally's organizers had expected some 504 motorcycles and 122 cars to participate.
The families of 13 Canadian soldiers who were killed in combat were expected to attend the event.
Jane Byers travelled from Espanola in northern Ontario for the day. Her son, Pte. Dave Byers, was killed by a suicide bomber in Afghanistan in 2006,
Byers was to address , on behalf of the families of soldiers who have died in Afghanistan, the rally at Downsview Park in Toronto.
"A lot of us were very numb and in shock when our loved ones came home. It's very important for us to want to get together and talk and to experience this ride from Trenton to Toronto again," Byers said.
Last year, in August, highway 401 from Trenton to Toronto was officially designated as the "Highway of Heroes," to honour Canadian soldiers killed in Afghanistan.
The airplanes, that return the bodies of Canadian soldiers, land at Canadian Forces Base Trenton.
