A Ride to Remember
Andrew and Sherry Mitry, enjoying the scenery during the 2023 Bike4Haiti
Sometimes, in the midst of cold weather - especially Pittsburgh’s dreary February - it can be cheering to reflect on summers past and summers to come. Recently, I had the great pleasure of chatting with the Mitry family and Thom Lieb about last year’s Bike4Haiti. The Labor Day ride has been growing steadily, and I asked the Mitry’s and Thom to share their experiences.
Andrew Mitry and his son Zeke came with plenty of riding experience: Andrew, a Google employee, rides regularly around Pittsburgh, to work and on other errands. “If it’ll work, I'll bike,” he told me. Andrew shared the story of coming to Pittsburgh in 2019, and moving into their current home in May 2020, right in the worst of the CoVID-19 pandemic. Their new home included a pool and, not wanting his two sons to spend the summer at loose ends, Andrew and Sherry gave their boys a challenge. “100 laps a day in the pool [6 days a week], and I’ll get you whatever gizmo you want at the end of the summer,” they told them, and the boys jumped at the opportunity. By the summer of 2021, that seemed too easy and they began swimming, running and cycling. A co-worker of Andrew’s suggested a kids’ triathlon in Moraine State Park, and soon Zeke and his brother had joined the triathlon team, which gives him upwards of 50 miles of cycling experience a day, in season.
Sherry came to the Bike4Haiti with less experience, but appreciated the training rides offered by Haiti H2O, as well as the insights from Andrew. “I’m thankful for Andrew who gave advice on what to use, making sure the seat is adjusted properly.” Sherry was able to ride twice with the BoBs group [Babes on Bikes] in the East End of Pittsburgh, which gave her a bit more riding experience as well. Thom Lieb, on the other hand, came to the Bike4Haiti as a very experienced cyclist, having cycled regularly since college. “It was my only transportation [in Syracuse],” he said. “I always made it a priority.” As a professional journalist, Thom turned his passion for cycling into part of his work as a regular contributor to Bike World, Bike Touring and Outdoor magazine, among others. He participated in many bike tours, writing up the reviews afterwards. He even rode from Pittsburgh to the Pacific Ocean one summer, when a summer teaching job fell through.
Both the Mitrys and Thom biked the 3-day journey to Cumberland, Maryland, which covers the length of the GAP (Great Allegheny Passage) and crosses the Eastern Continental Divide. With some low-grade inclines, and being well-maintained, the GAP allows for novice and experienced cyclists. Asked what he enjoyed most about the ride, Andrew said, “the scenery - the bridge opening up, right before Meyersdale—it’s a beautiful view”. Sherry loved spending time with the variety of people on the Bike4Haiti ride. “Building relationships, getting to know each other,” she enthused. “I loved the group aspect of it.”
Thom and Zeke at the Continental Divide
Zeke also added the Ruins Project, a collaborative mosaic art installation right on the GAP, was really cool. But his favorite part? “Riding with Thom!” Thom agreed, especially since he had planned to do the ride with two friends, both of whom had to drop out when they contracted CoVID right before the trip. “With both my friends sick, it was disappointing,” he admitted. Due to a late start, he rode by himself most of the first day, but “everyone was so nice. Zeke and his folks - they were great. It’s so nice to do something that is good for you and also good for so many other people”. Thom and Zeke had a faster pace, often riding ahead of the group, averaging 15 miles per hour on the second day, and 17 mph on the third. Thom shared that Zeke’s energy and enthusiasm occasionally outmatched his own: On the second day, “I was starting to wear down, and asking Zeke about a break,” Thom said. But as they neared Meyersdale, Zeke suggested that they could keep going, all the way to Cumberland! “I’m sure we could do that, but all your stuff and all my stuff and places we paid to stay in are all here, so, I don’t think we can do that,” Thom laughed.
The Bike4Haiti is an excellent way to explore the GAP, and accommodates a wide range of biking experience. “I told my friends afterwards, you picked a really bad time to get sick!”, Thom said. “The accommodations were great, the meals were great—the whole package was great.” Sherry loved the structure of the ride. “I liked stopping every 10-20 miles, it gives you something to look forward to.” There were snack and drink stops, a visit to Ohiopyle and the Ruins Project, among other planned breaks. “I would say try it! It’s worth it,” she said, “It’s nice to connect with people you wouldn’t have otherwise connected with—there are other people at my ability level—you’re not going to get left behind!” For Thom, the GAP with Haiti H2O was a unique cycling experience: “I’ve ridden on not only a lot of roads, a lot of trails—in terms of the grade, the surface, the ability to get amenities and the support of the group, there’s nothing I’ve ever been on that’s as good as that trip was.”
Mile 0! Cumberland, MD
You can join us this year! Click here for more information.
