Bruce Closser will set new Guinness World Record with completion of this ride
BY JIM BEERS, Contributing Writer
CHESTER – The Chester Eagles Club Aerie 3252 hosted a 78-year-old “young” man, Bruce Closser, Wednesday night June 7 when he stopped in the City of Chester for a nights’ rest on his cross-country bicycle trip.
The Eagles is a familiar stop for cyclists that are on various road trips across the United States. Some are cross-country trips while others are shorter local excursions, but the Eagles is on the official list of places that offer food, shelter, sleeping accommodations, and a friendly atmosphere in which to enjoy a night’s stay.
Throughout the spring and summer the Eagles seldom has a night when at least one bicyclist is not spending a night in their accommodations. The Eagles, being a group that serves the community and often extends a lending hand to people in all types of need, built a small sleeping unit many years ago for the distinct purpose of offering a safe sleeping place for men, women and children that are on bicycle road trips.
In addition to air-conditioned sleeping arrangements, the Eagles also has showers, a place to rest and enjoy a delicious meal in the club-room restaurant, as well as friendly service and information about the Chester area.
Bruce Closser is from Marquette, Michigan and set out to do a coast-to-coast bicycle trip May 5th. He left from Yorktown, Virginia and plans to complete his whirlwind trip in mid-to-late August if all goes well.
When asked why he chose to take such a long, challenging trip at such an old age and by himself, Closser said, “There is really no good, quick answer. It was on my bucket list, for one thing. Another better reason is that I had a really good friend who hiked the Appalachian Trail, and shortly thereafter, he got pancreatic cancer and died. Before he died he told me ‘NOT TO WAIT’ because you never know how long you have to complete your bucket list.”
Closser and his wife used to ride bikes, hike, run and enjoy lots of other outdoor, physical activities. Last August of 2022, Mrs. Closser passed-away with complications associated with Parkinson’s disease. He is now alone, but she would have likely joined him on this trip if she was still alive and able to ride.
Closser has two biological children, Svea, who is a professor of Anthropology at John’s Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland, and Colin, who completed Medical School, and after graduation decided he really didn’t want to become a physician. He now works with crypto-currency in the city.
His nephew Robert was adopted by Mr. and Mrs. Closser at the age of 11 years old when his mother died of brain cancer. He was raised just like one of the other Closser’s biological children.
The Closser’s also have two other young adults that they consider to be their children. In 2019 their daughter Svea went to Nepal for business-pleasure, and when she came home, she brought home two young Nepali students. Meena, 35, a young lady, is now a nurse in Chicago, and Suman, 30, a young man, has a Master’s Degree in Computer Science.
The Clossers have always said that they had five children. Son, Colin, had interest in making the cross-country trip with his father, Bruce, but had difficulty arranging to be away for the entire summer and decided to back out.
Mr. Closser said his trip from coast-to-cost was self-supported and that he carried all of his own stuff on his bike with him. He carries his own food, clothing, a tent and bedding.
Closser said, “Traveling on a bike is not as much fun as it was when I was 30. I now stay in a hotel, B&B, Air B&B, or at other special places such as here at the Eagles, when possible. I camp in my tent if necessary.”
When asked if biking is all he does to stay in shape, Closser said, “No, I like to ride, cross-country ski, mountain bike, down-hill ski, and do other low-impact activities. Until I was 35 years old, I was an avid runner.”
“My wife was very disciplined. She was a driven runner and kept me honest. At age 33, I had a stress fracture and had to lay off for six months. Then, in 2005 at the age of 56 I became interested in road-biking. Then I added cross country skiing and then down-hill skiing. I even like to ride my mountain bike.”
Closser was a real estate appraiser until he retired in 2014. He even taught a class in appraisal at the Appraisal Institute until January of 2022. He really enjoyed his class in Appraisal Ethics. After talking with him for approximately 30-minutes it was easy to believe he has a keen interest in Ethics.
Closser said, “I worked mainly in Commercial Real Estate. I also enjoyed dealing in Large Forest Land Tract Real Estate and Conservation Real Estate.
Another really favorite interest of mine was dealing with Ski Resort Real Estate. Of course I HAD to visit each ski resort and thoroughly get to know the lay-of-the-land when working with that type of real estate.”
Mr. Closser was asked if he had any hobbies in his spare time. He said, “Music! I enjoy singing in my church choir and I am a member of the University Choral Society. I am also active in the Rotary.”
Closser is further very involved with an organization called, “Start the Cycle”. This is a club or program for middle and high school age kids. The organization helps at risk kids to stay clear of problem behaviors and activities by involving them in bicycling.
Start the Cycle provides kids with a mountain bike, riding gear, clothing, a helmet, and other items that might be needed for the biking program. Kids are referred by school counselors, social workers, psychiatric or psychological professionals, and social workers who discover the need for additional services for at risk kids.
The program trains and encourages the participants to prepare for an annual bike ride titled, “Ore-to-Shore”, which is a 28-mile bike ride through the iron mine areas of Marquette, Michigan. If the kid makes it all the way through the 28-mile ride, he or she gets to keep ALL of the equipment including the bicycle.
The “Start the Cycle” program is a summer program that requires both a psychological and physical test for each student taking part in the summer program. Both a pre-test and post-test are administered to the applicants prior to acceptance into the program and after they complete the program.
It has been proven that most kids score better both physically and psychologically/emotionally as a result of participation in the Start the Cycle summer program. Closser was quite proud of his association with that program.
Near the close of the interview, Closer revealed that both he and his wife suffered from Parkinson’s disease. Mr. Closser was diagnosed in 2019, but admitted that he was experiencing some of the symptoms five years prior to that diagnosis.
He noted that exercise has helped him with his symptoms and that even just pedaling has been known to help. Boxing and dancing have also been found to help with symptomology. He maintains a taken interest in learning more about the degenerative, crippling disease which often ends with fatality.
Closser is a close follower of the Trans American Bicycle Association that began in 1976. The Adventure Cycling Association has worked with the Trans American Bicycle Association to develop bike routes throughout the country for safe, interesting bike trips.
When asked what his next feat will be, Closser said, “I might try to do a north-to-south bike trip to be able to say that I crossed the entire country east-to-west, and north-to-south. We will see!”
Throughout the entire 30-minute discussion, Closser never once mentioned that he will set a new Guinness World Record if he successfully completes his coast-to-coast bicycle trip.
Closser said, “This is a bucket list trip. I am not doing it for attention or to set a new world record, but I admit, it will be very self-fulfilling for me to accomplish this goal.”
Closser will set his record partially due to his age of 78 years and also due to other criteria that were not discussed.
Closser travels alone, on his own schedule, with only his funding and not for any specific cause. He looks and acts more like a 50 year old and is certainly cognitively sharp and educationally intelligent.
He is one-of-a-kind and was a huge hit with members and customers at the Eagles during his stay.
Closser arrived at the Eagles at approximately 5:00 p.m. After a good, cleansing, relaxing shower, he was treated to a delicious meal at the Eagles and was a special guest at the club during a brief ceremony led by Eagles member Chris Naeger, Eagles President Bruce Lowry and member, Mayor of Chester, Tom Page.
Naeger introduced Closser to everyone at the club prior to introducing Mayor Page and President Lowry.
Page thanked Closser for being willing to visit with everyone at the Eagles during his say and presented him with gifts from the city. He further praised Closser for his record setting coast-to-coast ride that will get him into the Guinness Book of World Records.
Lowry also presented Closser with gifts from the Chester Eagles Club Aerie 3252 and thanked him for being willing to visit with everyone at the club throughout the evening.
Chester Mayor Tom Page welcomes Bruce Closser to the City of Chester and to the Chester Eagles Club where Closser was housed and fed while he stopped for the night Wednesday June 7. Closser is on a coast-to-coast bicycle trip which will set a new Guinness Book of World Records first for a man of his age. Page presented Closer with gifts from the City of Chester and praised his efforts. Jim Beers Photo
Chester Eagles president Bruce Lowry presents Bruce Closser with gifts from the Eagles Aerie 3252. Closser stayed at the Eagles’ housing building during his overnight stay Wednesday June 7. He was on a stop-over on his coast-to-coast bike ride which will set a new Guinness Book of World Records first for a ,man of his age once he competes his journey the Oregon. Jim Beers Photo
Chester Mayor Tom Page (left) and Chester Eagles President (right) present 78-year-old Bruce Closser with gifts from the City and the Eagles on a brief ceremony at the Eagles Wednesday June 7. Closser was a guest at the Eagles housing building for the night while stopping in Chester on his coast-to-coast bike trip. When Closser finishes his trip landing in Oregon sometime in August, he will set a new Guinness Book of World Records first for a man of his age. Closser was the guest of honor at the Eagles throughout the evening as he had a delicious meal, shower, and lots of good small-town hospitality. Jim Beers Photo