Retired UMUCH president raising money for Harford mental health through cross-country bike ride

The Aegis - 7/5/2022

Jul. 5—Lyle Sheldon retired as University of Maryland Upper Chesapeake Health's president and chief executive officer this past December after 34 years with the health system, 26 as its leader.

Now, at age 65, he's completing a 75-day, 4,000-mile cross-country bike ride in support of Harford County mental health services through his fundraiser, Lyle's Miles for Mental Health.

Sheldon is a lifelong cyclist. Growing up as one of five children, he knew he wasn't going to get his family's one automobile, so, when he turned 16, he bought his own bicycle.

The 4,000 miles is far longer than Sheldon's previous longest trek — about 540 miles in a non-direct route from Scotch Plains, New Jersey to Lock Haven, Pennsylvania and back with high school classmates.

By the end of this trip, he'll have completed a total of 100,000 miles bicycled.

So far, almost $65,000 has been raised toward Sheldon's goal of $250,000 that would go to the Klein Family Harford Crisis Center. Sheldon has several reasons, both personal and professional, for wanting to support mental health.

"Rarely do we hear about folks that have a mental health challenge," Sheldon said. "For me, this was really highlighted during this COVID pandemic, where I was working with health care colleagues for two years during that pandemic and seeing the impact that it had and continues to have.

"That was really the genesis of wanting to raise awareness for mental health and raise funds."

Sheldon has also lost two siblings to substance abuse and mental health issues.

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Sheldon is keeping people up to date on his travels through the Lyle's Miles for Mental Health Facebook page, on which his daughter posts written updates and photos, including over 20 ice-cream selfies, that he sends to her.

The trip is through the nonprofit, the Adventure Cycling Association. Sheldon originally wanted to go on a cross-country trip with the organization after they were formed in the 1970s, but he backed out at the last minute.

But now, he finally gets to check this off his bucket list. With about 45 pounds of gear on his bike while riding 60 miles a day, Sheldon is pedaling in a group of about 11 people, including a friend, as well as two other people from, coincidentally, Baltimore and Harford counties.

Depending on the day, they'll sleep at a campground or a hotel, maybe a Catholic church's multipurpose room or a high school gymnasium. Sheldon said he's developed an appreciation for watching the Weather Channel after a tornado touched down in Higginsville, Missouri, about 15 miles away from them.

He also found it interesting riding from the industry of the East Coast to the more rural parts of Middle America. While his trip started in Washington, he and his friend took a detour to Cape Henlopen beforehand to dip their bike wheels in the Atlantic Ocean, so they could eventually say their bikes had touched both oceans.

"It's a fascinating country," Sheldon said.

Lyle's Miles donations can be made on the Upper Chesapeake Foundation's website: https://www.uchfoundation.org/lylesmiles/.

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