From Wings to Wheels, Meet Ben Zerbey
Director of Tourism Trades Life in the Sky for Life on Two Wheels
We’re pretty much the luckiest people in the world.
First Rob Warrenfeltz walks into our shop and says he’s interested in a job. Then Ben Zerbey walks in. All we can say is, “Jackpot!”
A lot like Rob, Ben’s the kind of guy you never hear a bad word about. Add to that the fact that he’s super passionate about bikes, has a rich history racing triathlons, and is cool as a cucumber, and well, you’ve got a winning personality for our shops. After one meeting, we knew we had someone special on our hands. No ordinary job would do.
You see, Ben’s a former fighter pilot, a retired airline pilot, and an experienced rider. It occurred to us that Ben has spent his entire professional life keeping people safe. He doesn’t get frazzled. His attention to detail is second to none. He’s extremely well spoken. And he’s really fun to be around.
You couldn’t build a better tour guide, or a better person to represent our brand to the tourism industry. So that’s exactly what Ben Zerbey will be doing. This winter he worked to create some of the best routes on the most scenic roads in Lancaster County. He’s currently visiting local hotels, inns, and B&Bs to talk about our bicycle tours. As soon as the weather breaks for good, he’ll be leading most of those tours.
On his agenda are a Taste of Lititz Tour with stops at this coolest town’s yummiest institutions, a Beer Tasting Tour featuring a sampling of Lititz’s craft brews, and a Farm Experience Tour on one of the gorgeous properties lining the Warwick Rail Trail. Ben will also help us to continue our Intercourse-based Amish Dinner Tour and Rumspringa Wine and Beer Tasting Tour. And of course our famous wall of routes will continue at both of our locations!
Ben Answers our Questions
What has been your proudest professional moment? So many proud moments. I guess the one that stands out the most was competing at a Fighter Pilot Competition called TAC Aces at Luke AFB. I flew against some of the best fighter pilots in air combat tactical missions and won, mostly by luck.
Have any super scary moments? Scariest moment was having to eject from an F-4 Phantom that caught fire at over 350mph. That hurt!
What drew you from airplanes to bikes? After 12 years of military, 26 years of major airline flying, and 13 years of competitive triathlon racing, my aging body was telling me to simplify! So, I focused on my love/passion of biking. Riding tens of thousands of miles around the Lititz and Lancaster countryside refreshed me physically and mentally. Do I miss flying? Sure, who wouldn’t, but that was then. Riding on a beautiful bike in some of the most beautiful countryside and meeting great, active people is now. Live in the now!
Care to share your favorite experience on a bike? Has to be winning the age group pair category with my 74-year-old father at the 2002 Mount Taylor Quadathlon, which is a four-event race that takes you up and then back down the 11,300 foot mountain outside Grants, New Mexico. One must bike, run, cross country ski, snowshoe, and then return down the mountain to the town of Grants where you started. I did the bike, run, and cross country ski portion, and my Dad did the snowshoe. On the bike descent I hit 73mph and had PR’s on all my splits, It was a great day to share with my Dad.
What’s your vision for Lititz Bikeworks Tours? I see us taking advantage of our basic asset–location, location, location. We are surrounded by some of the best and most unique bike riding scenery in the country. We can offer a peek into the culture of the Amish and Mennonite Community and add “The coolest small town in the USA” – Lititz. We have all the ingredients for beautiful, fun, uplifting, relaxing and intriguing biking experience. We will provide tours for all levels of cyclists. To tickle your interest, how about adding bison, beer, ice cream, pretzels and wolves to a biking experience? Hmm, come take a tour and find out.
What’s your dream bike? BMC Roadmachine 01, but with Sram Red eTap
Tell us about your family: I have been living in Lititz for 27 years. I am blessed with a beautiful wife, Michele, and two beautiful daughters, Taylor and Alexandra. Michelle and I have been married for 38 years. She is one of the premier yoga teachers in Lancaster County. She is been teaching for 17 years and is certified in prenatal yoga, heart healthy yoga, and hatha yoga. My oldest daughter, Taylor, has been living and working in Florence, Italy for the last six years and is fluent in three languages. My youngest daughter, Alexandra, is living at home working and saving money to move out west. Our favorite activity when we’re all together is a family ride on the Schuylkill River Trail from Valley Forge to Manayunk and back.
