Beloved Leavenworth bike duo keeps rolling with community-funded upgrade

LEAVENWORTH — For nearly 30 years, Paul Anderman and his son Daniel have been tandem biking through Leavenworth and waving at neighbors along the way. After nearly two decades and thousands of miles on the same bike, the pair has finally upgraded — thanks to an outpouring of community support.

According to Terry Anderman, wife of Paul and mother to Daniel, biking has always been a part of the family; Paul and Terry would each put Daniel and his brother Nick in seats on their bikes when they were young. As they grew older, Paul continued to ride with Daniel, who has Down syndrome, as a way to get outside and socialize. The pair have maintained a routine over the years, with Paul peddling a recumbent tandem bike through town as Daniel rings his bike bell, honks his bike horn, and waves at neighbors.

“Everybody in town knows Daniel…They hear him going by, and they're yelling ‘hi’ and waving…And he loves it. It's good for him to be out. And Paul, my husband who rides with him, looked at it as good exercise for himself too,” said Terry.

From about February to the first snowfall each year, Paul and Daniel log between 500 and 800 miles. One year, they biked as much as a thousand miles. 

“Being part of the community, that's a big part of it. For me, too. It’s a real social life out there, even though we just say ‘hi’ and keep going,” said Paul.

After about 18 years and over 15,000 miles, the 27-gear, 10-foot-long tandem bike started to show signs of wear, wobbling whenever Daniel shifted to turn his head or wave. Additionally, rides had grown more challenging – Paul, 78, had recovered from cancer treatment and was struggling to peddle up the surrounding hills.

“Our first route was four and a half, five miles, and [we] kept it for a long time, and then I got older, and the route became three, and then I got older, and the route became two and a half,” said Paul.

Daniel’s older brother Nick stepped in, suggesting an e-bike. After convincing Paul, Nick and his uncle spent months looking for a battery-assisted tandem trike that would provide stability and pedal support. They finally found one in Michigan for about $6,000. Nick organized a fundraiser to make it happen, and word spread quickly.

“When we started this GoFundMe, we hoped to raise enough money to help Daniel and Paul get a new tandem e-trike. We figured a few friends and family members might pitch in, and we’d take it from there,” Nick wrote in a fundraiser update. “Instead, thanks to a single Facebook post, within three days we hit our initial goal.”

The fundraiser received almost 150 donations and nearly $10,000 in just a few days. Neighbors delivered cash donations to Daniel’s door, and others shared stories and kind words. With donations far exceeding their goal, the family fulfilled their pledge to donate the extra funds to Upper Valley Connection, a local organization that supports people with disabilities, including Daniel.

“I was just completely overwhelmed at the support for this. But everybody in town knows him and sees them riding all over town, and has for the last 20, 30 years…So there was a lot of enthusiasm about this,” said Terry.

The bike was shipped to the local bike shop Eastside Cycleworks, who did the assembly and helped Paul get acquainted. They transferred Daniel’s bell and horn, and also added skull and crossbone flags, a signature of the previous bike. Then, Paul rode to Daniel’s residence, and they took their first ride.

“We were surprised to see that happen so fast. A lot of people see us go by from behind windows, and I can't see them, but they see us, and people out in the street always yell, ‘Hi Daniel,’” said Paul. “I'm just in awe of this amazing bike and the community that helped us buy it. So, thank you to everybody.”

Taylor Caldwell: 509-433-7276 or taylor@ward.media