West Virginian is still wheeling along at 90

The need to be moving must be in the blood of retired long-haul trucker Al Weidtz.

Long after leaving the truck business, 90-year-old Weidtz puts in a lot of hours in the saddle of his hydrid bicycle.

In good weather it's not uncommon for him to ride 100 miles a week on the 13 miles of the Wheeling Heritage Trails network near his home, a fact that is notable enough to make the local newspaper.. He also rides in bike tours with family and friends.

Next month, Weidtz will participate in the 4th annual Wheeling Heritage Trail Bike Tour. The May 30 event is a fund-raiser to close the gap between the Wheeling trails and bike trails in Brooke County to the north.

Old hand at bicycling

An old hand at riding the rails-to-trails in Wheeling, Weidtz told the local newspaper that he's happy to hear that a trail connection between Wheeling and the Brooke Pioneer Trail might be ready for travel by June. It will give Weidtz an opportunity to extend his bicycling range.

“I have always ridden a bike. I carried a 10-speed in the back of my truck and began riding the Wheeling trails in '89 or '90. I used to ride up Ohio 7 from Martins Ferry to Mingo Junction. I would ride everywhere but I really love this trail in Wheeling.”

It's encouraging that Weidtz has a place to keep active on his bicycle, a Trek 750. But he doesn't spend all his time at the trail riding his bicycle, he also gives back to the community. He rents a storage locker alongside the trail where he recycles bicycles, selling them for $1, according to The Intelligencer and Wheeling News-Register.

Wheeling trails

Wheeling's trails run along former railroad corridors that criss-crossed this one-time industrial hub. The Ohio River Trail runs north-south for 8.5 miles along the river, passing manufacturing plants, the Wheeling port and the aged suspension bridge (a national historc landmark). The Ohio River Trail is slated to hook up with the Brooke Pioneer Trail, another rail-trail to the north.

The Wheeling Creek Trail runs east-west for 5 miles between Wheeling and Elm Grove. It crosses over a viaduct then ducks through a tunnel along the way.

The Wheeling Heritage Trails Bike Tour begins at 10 a.m. at the Port on May 30. Bicyclings riding the 10- and 25-mile options will remain on the trail system, but the 62-miler loop leaves the trail for some climbing.

Wheeling Heritage Trail maps (follow map link to Google maps and click “bicycle” under “MORE” to interactive map of the area.