A group of longtime friends in Hopewell, Beaver County, recently took a long bike ride for the second consecutive year to raise funds for a nonprofit that provides free air transportation to military veterans needing medical care.
The Old Spokes bike club traveled 362 miles in seven days on the Erie Canalway Trail from Albany to Buffalo, N.Y.
As of Sept. 17, it raised $8,590 on a GoFundMe page for Wings for Vets, which has four planes manned by retired military and commercial pilots at the Beaver County Airport.
The bicyclists topped the $7,700 it raised last year on a trip on the Great Allegheny Passage and C&O Canal Towpath Trail from Downtown Pittsburgh to Washington, D.C.
“We had no idea we would raise as much as we did,” said Old Spokes organizer Jim Bucci, 58. “Our initial targets were much lower than what we ended up raising.
“It says a lot about our friends, family, neighbors and other community members.”
Wings for Vets founding members Carmen “Corkey” Romeo and Thomas Hupp said Old Spokes is great and among their charity’s biggest fundraisers.
Mr. Bucci said the six riders were inspired to make a second ride because the first was so successful.
“The biggest reason we’ve enjoyed these trips and want to keep going is the compatibility of this group,” he said. “Everyone is so easygoing and considerate of each other.
“There were some long hot days on the Buffalo trip where irritability could have easily set in, but we just supported each other and pushed through, then celebrated with cold beverages at the end of each day.”
The group set out across New York at the suggestion of Brian Uhrmacher, 57, who lived in Rochester, N.Y., before moving to Hopewell.
Mr. Uhrmacher said helping a veterans group took on new meaning with events unfolding in Afghanistan during the ride. He said the early segments of the trail were grueling.
Steve Oehme, 59, said changing terrain made the trail challenging.
“You didn’t know what was going to come up next,” he said.
Mr. Oehme, an upstate New York native, said his favorite part of the trip was riding into small towns, which looked frozen in time, and seeing the old lift bridges and the locks along the Erie Canal.
Joe Durinsky, 66, enjoyed the camaraderie.
He said everyone earned a nickname, and he got his after a rider coming from the other direction clipped his back wheel and he fell.
“After everyone saw I was OK, they said the area we were in was called Brutus and that was my name [for] the rest of the ride,” he said. “You couldn’t ask for a better group of people to ride with.”
Mr. Durinsky looks forward to next year’s trip, which will probably be in Ohio.
“Anytime you can ride with our group is going to be a fun trip,” he said.
Mr. Bucci’s wife, Barb, 58, was the only female rider.
“What I appreciate most about our group is that every rider takes the trip seriously and puts in the necessary time to train during the year,” she said. “Everyone is prepared to ride the required amount each day, whether it’s 50, 60 or 70 miles.
“But what I like best about the group is the time we spend relaxing after a long day of riding. This is when we share our stories and lots of laughs.”
Doug Baker, 67, also enjoyed relaxing with everyone at the end of the day.
“Hopefully, we can ride for as long as we are able to,” he said.
The group had a strong support team in Andrea Durinsky, Karen Uhrmacher and Sue Baker.
“The fact they would be at predetermined locations for lunch stops, take care of check-ins and checkouts at hotels, transport our baggage and take care of any other administrative tasks made the entire trip possible,” Mr. Uhrmacher said.
Ms. Bucci said the Uhrmachers are to be commended for planning the trip.
“The challenge with planning a ride like this is trying to find food and lodging close to the trail,” said Ms. Bucci, who put together last year’s ride with her husband. “Not being familiar with the route makes planning all the more difficult.
“Sometimes, it’s not possible to find facilities near the trail. This is where our amazing support team steps in.”
Mr. Bucci said the most noticeable impact from the COVID-19 pandemic was a reduction in restaurant days and hours of service.
“Otherwise, spending long days outside was not a bad way to stay COVID free,” he said.
To make a donation, visit gofundme/oldspokes. To learn more about Wings for Vets, go to wings4vets.net.
Karen Kadilak is a freelance writer: goodness@post-gazette.com.
First Published: September 26, 2021, 10:00 a.m.
