Different stories, love of cycling drives Tour de Lebanon Valley participants

A 14-year-old rider pushing himself physically after two open-heart surgeries within the past year. 

A couple preparing to get married.

And a Slovenian man temporarily living in Lebanon County while working for a Richland-based business.

While each of their stories may be divergent, these individuals all have one thing in common: a love of cycling. They were among the nearly 400 riders who hit the road on Saturday during the seventh edition of the Tour de Lebanon Valley. 

Bicyclists rode either 62, 32, or between 6 and 12 miles to raise money for local Lebanon County charities. The event is expected to net around $40,000 after expenditures, according to Nicole Mauer Gray, executive director of Community Health Council of Lebanon County.

Riding with heart

Lucian rode with his father Mark Hoffman and uncle Tom Hoffman, the latter of whom lives in Lebanon. All three were visibly stoked after completing the 32-mile ride in just under two hours. To say they were driven to complete the course ASAP would be an understatement.

“One hour, 44 minutes,” answered Tom when asked how quickly they had completed their ride. “Our average speed was 17 mph.”

The ride was the first official one of the season for Tom, who had some recent health issues of his own.

“My brother (Mark) is a CrossFitter, so he’s just naturally in good shape. And he rides with his son a lot,” said Tom. “I’ve just been training, oh what, two months now after my injuries. I couldn’t do much so I’ve only been on the bike for about two months now. So, I felt pretty good.”

While Lucian said they were “pushing it hard” throughout the ride, he did take time to observe the sights along the route, which winds its way from the Lebanon Valley Expo Center and into the Lebanon County countryside.

“Probably the sights, all of the old houses,” said Lucian when asked what he liked most about the ride. “And I really just enjoy riding.”

Tandem twosome to say “I do”

Alex Jones and Erin Hess of Schaefferstown are planning to tie the knot at the beginning of July and will meld their love for cycling into their honeymoon.

“This is our first time doing the Tour de Lebanon and this is our first time doing anything on a tandem bike, like in an event type of thing. This is our training,” Jones said. “In July, we’re doing the Great Allegheny Passage to the CNO from Pittsburgh to D.C. for our honeymoon.”

The 62-mile route for Tour de Lebanon Valley was being used as a test run for a longer ride during their honeymoon on their tandem bike, which they purchased within the past year.

“So this is our break the ice, making sure that we can do 60 miles a day,” said Jones. “So if we can do 62 miles a day first, we can do 62 miles with hills, we’ll be able to do 60 miles a day on a rail trail.”

Hess said she rides on the back of the tandem, which is an interesting position because you cede control to the person who’s driving in the front. “He’s all the power, so I’m in the back,” she explained. 

When asked how she can trust the driver while on the tandem, she has a logical explanation. “Well, we’ve been together for almost 10 years, so I gotta trust him,” Hess said, matter-of-factly.

In some ways, the trust developed on a tandem bike is a good precursor for a couple looking to build a future together.

“I feel like having a good amount of trust and a good amount of communication is what’s gonna help you be successful on the tail (of a tandem) bike,” said Hess. “And also the height difference. We’re about the same height. I think the couple we bought it from was a little bit on the shorter side and she didn’t enjoy it as much so when you have somebody that’s really tall and somebody that’s a little shorter it’s not really gonna work out.”

Tour de Lebanon Valley goes international

Peter Habjanic of Ptuj, Slovenia, wasn’t about to waste a day off from work by missing a chance to participate in the Tour de Lebanon – even on a day better suited for staying indoors. Light drizzle, winds and cool temperatures in the 60s made for a less-than-ideal but still bike-able day. 

Habjanic said he not only completed the 62-mile route, which weaved its way through Mount Gretna, Annville-Cleona and north to Mount Aetna before returning to the expo center, but he was riding his bike to and from Myerstown for the charity event. He was set to log between 80 and 90 miles that day.

“It’s going to be a lot of miles today, but that’s no problem,” said Habjanic, who added with a laughing “no” when asked if he planned to follow up Saturday’s ride with one on Sunday.

Like Lucian, Habjanic enjoyed the view during his 62-mile ride, which he said took between 3.5 and 4 hours. Habjanic said he is grateful for his employer, Ledinek Engineering of Slovenia, for paying to ship his bicycle to America while he works for the next several months at Rigidply Rafters in Richland.

Habjanic said “the countryside” was the best part of the ride for him. “It seemed like I was home.”

Gray said Habjanic was the lone international rider while others hailed from at least a half-dozen states and Washington, D.C. Within the U.S., she said, the most distant participant this year was from Ann Arbor, Mich. Besides D.C., others came from New Jersey, Maryland, parts of New England, and Virginia.

Volunteers make it work

The 32-mile route had one water station/rest stop while the 62-mile sojourn contained two more chances to get some water and snacks. Volunteers manned all three water stations, including Cornwall Manor residents at one and WellSpan Health and APR employees at the other two.

“We’re just really grateful for all of our volunteers,” said Gray. 

Many of the cyclists were appreciative of the volunteers as well and said so at the water stations. The first was located at the Zion EC Church in Annville, the second at the Jonestown Fish and Game Club in the 2200 block of Kenbrook Road and the third at the playground at Memorial Drive and Poplar Street.

Sang Moon of Washington, D.C., thanked the WellSpan volunteers at that stop, adding that “the PBJ sandwiches were delicious.” He was completing his first tour while wife Claudia Moon was on her second ride. They both were encouraged to ride with Maureen Stegall, Claudia’s aunt, of Lebanon.

An array of goodies and snacks including homemade cookies, bananas, watermelon and orange slices along with water and Gatorade were available at each stop as well as those delicious PBJ sandwiches. The post-ride party was at the expo center and included music and a free draft beer from Lebanon Valley Craft Brewery. Hot dogs with sauerkraut, pizza, and hoagie subs were served for lunch.

Many riders sat under the Carl L. Wenger Pavilion at the county fairgrounds enjoying lunch while listening to acoustic music from Nashville performer Gabrielle Irene. The Friday evening pre-ride party was sponsored by Visit Lebanon Valley.

“We probably have 30 volunteers that help us put this on and we have a small committee that plans the event every year. But we couldn’t do it without the support of our sponsors,” said Laurie Crawford, Community Health Council board member, Lebanon Valley Bicycle Coalition vice president, and co-director of Lebanon Bicycle Recycle.

Other primary sponsors included Bennett Hyundai and Byler Holdings, both of Lebanon, according to Gray.