Lorain County native passes through Ohio on 4,000-mile trek

A Lorain County native is continuing his travels via bicycle across the United States to share the stories of people and communities he meets along the way.

Tom Helbig, owner of outdoor advocacy initiative Tomfoolery Outdoors in the Dayton area, is taking on 4,200 miles in three in a half months for his Tomfoolery Good Vibes Tour, which began in 2016.

Helbig, 46, currently is working his way through Ohio and plans on traveling through the country’s northern states to Lubec, Maine.

The Penfield Township native and 1992 Keystone High School graduate stopped for lunch at Bowling Green State University on Sept. 22, where he graduated from in 1997.

Having reached Ohio on Sept. 20, Helbig said there’s something special about riding through home.

“As much as I love to visit new places and experience what our country has to offer, there’s nothing like reaching home,” he said. “Reaching the state line was really exciting.”

So far, Helbig said he has about 1,200 miles to travel before reaching his destination, taking volunteer service and social media storytelling along the way.

For his tour, he first completed a southern route from San Diego, Calif., to Key West, Fla., about four years ago, according to a news release.

The ride resumed February 2018 in Key West, where he traveled along the Atlantic Coast to Maine.

He recently completed the Western coast riding the Pacific Coast Highway from Neah Bay, Wash., to Tijuana, Mexico, the release said.

Helbig’s current trip started in Neah Bay, Wash., in July 2020.

Over the next few days, he said he’ll ride through Lorain County, riding along Lake Erie as he bikes through the rest of the state eastbound.

Helbig said seeing the country by bike riding has been a great way to start conversations he normally wouldn’t with other people.

While the ride tacks on miles faster than running or walking, bike riding also give an opportunity to take in surroundings slower than in a car.

“Riding a bike is a great way to see the country,” Helbig said.

Helbig’s journey can be followed at Tomfoolery Outdoors on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.

Tom Helbig is shown after crossing into Ohio this past weekend as a part of his bike tour across the country. COURTESY — TOM HELBIG