LONDONDERRY — Bob Spiegelmen, 61, is participating in the East Coast Greenway tour with Cabot Creamery this summer.
Spiegelmen, a retired human resource consultant, began cycling in 2001 on family vacations with his wife and two children, logging about 1000 miles that year.
Since then, he's steadily increased the miles he rides each year by riding nearly every day, weather dependent. Today, he logs more than 10,000 annually and has completed many one-week bicycling tours. He said he's excited about bicycling the ECG this summer with the Cabot Community Tour.
"It's something I've always wanted to do," he said.
He's raised $7,000 for the ECG, surpassing his goal of raising $6,500. He's an avid supporter of the ECG, which he said he thinks exemplifies the "Think Globally; Act Locally" adage. He also plans to complete the ECG as part of the Maine to Keys trip, bicycling one week a year for seven years.
The tour kicked off on May 12 in Miami, and will continue 2,300 miles up the East Coast, culminating in Portland, Maine, on July 7, the International Day of Cooperatives.
Eight major weekend stops will be held in key cities along the route: Miami, Charleston, Durham, Fredericksburg, Wilmington, New York City, Providence and Portland. Smaller weekday events will take place at stops in between. Community and family events vary by city, but will incorporate overall themes of the tour: cooperatives, community service and volunteerism.
Admission and activities at each major stop of the tour are free and open to the public. These include fun and games for families, guest speakers and entertainment, food and beverages, cooking and cheese-making demonstrations, health programs, live media broadcasts and other activities designed to bring families, friends and neighbors together to celebrate the spirit of community. A complete tour schedule can be found at communitytour.coop.
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