New Omaha bike lane eases coast-to-coast ride

Some of the first riders to use Omaha's new bike lane started their trek at the Pacific Ocean — and will end it in the Atlantic.

“I've been doing crazy things most of my life,” said Martin Gordon, 66, a semiretired engineering consultant. “I heard about this trip in Israel and checked it out with my doctor, who said, ‘If you want to do it, you'd better do it now.' My wife said, ‘You're crazy, but go ahead.' ”

With that double go-ahead, Marty went ahead from Jerusalem to Los Angeles for the start of the trip on July 1. It's scheduled to end near New York City on Aug. 17, a distance of 3,279 miles.

The group of nine cross-country riders, all Jewish, spent the weekend resting in Omaha at the Chabad House, 1866 S. 120th St., as guests of Rabbi Mendel Katzman and his family.

It was mere coincidence that their departure eastward Monday came on the day that Omaha dedicated a new bike lane — on Leavenworth Street between 31st and 13th Streets. So the bikers took that route, escorted to the Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge over the Missouri River by the pedaling rabbi, and others. continue...