Ben joined my Westchester Cycling Club Wendnesday night ride in Mid July to prepare for his four-week, 1,400 mile cycling trip through Europe. The Journal News wrote about him and how he was using the trip to raise money to fight Multiple Hereditary Exostosis, a disorder he, his mother and brother live with. He been back riding just about every Wednesday in a much less tenitive way. Before he left he struggled to hang with the group but always hung tough, now he’s one of the strongest riders and soft peddles for me to hang on his wheel. Ben’s aterrific young man and will be back for his senior year at Blinde Brook High School, I’ll expect him to win his third journalisim award from this paper next year.

By Ben Lubkin
After biking almost 1,400 miles across Europe, I finally approached the city of Barcelona with adrenaline pumping throughout my body. When I reached the Mediterranean, I stripped down to my shorts and ran into the sea. To be truthful, though, my attempted sprint turned into a dramatic hobble on the uneven sand.
The group trip was composed of a dozen high school students and had begun a month earlier in Amsterdam. Going into the trip I was unsure if my legs could handle the physical stress of the European mountains. I was born with multiple hereditary exostosis, a bone disorder, and underwent 16 operations to remove bony tumors that grew off of my normal bones. My journey across Europe would be both a personal accomplishment and a fundraiser for MHE research.
On the trip, I experienced a few days of tendon and hip pain, though my body functioned better than I expected. I moderated my speed and stretched daily to be successful. Each day our group woke up at 5 a.m. We left camp by 7 and arrived at the next campground in the late afternoon. Our group had morning snacks at bakeries and lunch breaks to buy the next day’s meals. Food, tents and clothes were all carried on our bikes, often creating oversized loads and difficult climbs.
New sights, cultures and cuisine made each day unique. After leaving Amsterdam, we traveled through rolling countryside in the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany and Luxemburg. In Switzerland, we climbed thousands of feet up into the Alps and saw gorgeous snow-covered peaks in the distance.
After a scary, rainy descent out of the mountains, we were greeted by the heat and pastry shops of southern France. Though my stomach would have preferred to remain in France, we soon crossed the nation and arrived at the base of the Pyrenees. Our final three days were marked by 21-mile climbs and breathtaking sights at 6,000 feet.
When we reached Barcelona, I was thrilled to have overcome the challenges presented by my bone disease. However, I would miss the lifestyle of biking and eating European cuisine! I greatly appreciate the generous contributions our foundation received for my fundraiser, and I hope to pursue even greater biking endeavors in the future.
For more information on MHE and the fundraiser, visit the Lubkin Fund for MHE Research web site at www.LubkinfundMHE.org.