From Hannover to Hanover: Bicyclist rides around world to fight against cancer

Harrison Jones, Hanover Evening Sun
·2 min read

Andreas Beneke is from Hannover. No, not the Hanover you might think.

Beneke, of Hannover, Germany, has spent the last several months fulfilling his life-long dream of bicycling around the world.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, and after losing his mother to cancer, Beneke realized there was no time to wait for his dreams to happen.

"You can't wait to live your dreams until you're retired," Beneke said. That inspired him to chase his dreams and raise money for the Cancer Society in honor of his mother.

From left, retired Hanover Fire Commissioner James Roth, Andreas Beneke, from Hannover, Germany, and Hanover Mayor SueAnn Whitman pose for a photo with the Hannover, Germany, flag as Beneke visits the Greater Hanover Area Fire Museum while on a bicycle trip around the world, Friday, April 19, 2024, in Hanover Borough.
From left, retired Hanover Fire Commissioner James Roth, Andreas Beneke, from Hannover, Germany, and Hanover Mayor SueAnn Whitman pose for a photo with the Hannover, Germany, flag as Beneke visits the Greater Hanover Area Fire Museum while on a bicycle trip around the world, Friday, April 19, 2024, in Hanover Borough.

Beneke was able to save up vacation days and take six months off of his job to accomplish this ride, with his trek ending in July to return to work.

Starting in the beginning of January, Beneke bicycled from his home in Germany and biked through Greece, Austria, Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia, Herzegovina, Montenegro, Albania, Kosovo, Macedonia and Bulgaria.

Along the way, Beneke has cycled in Athens, Tel Aviv, Turkey, South Africa, Namibia, Chile, Argentina, Uruguay and Brazil. In North America, he started his ride in Key West, at the southernmost point of the United States, and is aiming to get to New York City before he moves on to Australia for the remainder of his ride.

Andreas Beneke, from Hannover, Germany, signs the guest book of the Greater Hanover Area Fire Museum while on a bicycle trip around the world, Friday, April 19, 2024, in Hanover Borough.
Andreas Beneke, from Hannover, Germany, signs the guest book of the Greater Hanover Area Fire Museum while on a bicycle trip around the world, Friday, April 19, 2024, in Hanover Borough.

As part of this trip, Beneke has made a point to visit as many "Hanovers" as possible, including ones in South Africa and North Cape, as well as Hanover County in North Carolina, Hanover County in Virginia, Hanover, Maryland, and now most recently, Hanover, Pennsylvania.

In Australia, Beneke hopes to make it to Hanover Bay as his final Hanover of the trip.

While some cyclists complete trips with supporters and luggage following in cars, Beneke is completely on his own, living out of the bags carried on his bicycle.

As he arrived in Hanover, he was greeted by Hanover Mayor SueAnn Whitman, retired Hanover fire commissioner James Roth, and Hanover Police chief Chad Martin.

From left, Hanover Mayor SueAnn Whitman, Hanover Police Chief Chad Martin, and retired Hanover Fire Commissioner James Roth look at the bicycle of Andreas Beneke, from Hannover, Germany, as Beneke visits the Greater Hanover Area Fire Museum while on a bicycle trip around the world, Friday, April 19, 2024, in Hanover Borough.
From left, Hanover Mayor SueAnn Whitman, Hanover Police Chief Chad Martin, and retired Hanover Fire Commissioner James Roth look at the bicycle of Andreas Beneke, from Hannover, Germany, as Beneke visits the Greater Hanover Area Fire Museum while on a bicycle trip around the world, Friday, April 19, 2024, in Hanover Borough.

Beneke was given a personal tour of the Greater Hanover Fire Museum, including a display from Hannover Germany, and traded German police patches for local ones with the fire museum and police department.

Beneke praised the hospitality he's experienced around the world on the trip, from lodging with strangers to having strangers pay for meals when they learn of his journey.

As for the biggest difference between Hannover and Hanover, Beneke notes that Hannover is a much larger city in Germany, with a population of over half a million. Hanover is much, much smaller, Whitman noted, at about 16,000.

Andreas Beneke, from Hannover, Germany, films a tour with retired Hanover Fire Commissioner James Roth as Beneke visits the Greater Hanover Area Fire Museum while on a bicycle trip around the world, Friday, April 19, 2024, in Hanover Borough.
Andreas Beneke, from Hannover, Germany, films a tour with retired Hanover Fire Commissioner James Roth as Beneke visits the Greater Hanover Area Fire Museum while on a bicycle trip around the world, Friday, April 19, 2024, in Hanover Borough.

For Whitman, it was another highlight in her career as the borough's mayor.

"I've gotten to have a lot of amazing experiences," said Whitman. "It's really awesome to have somebody from Hannover, Germany, come to Hanover, Pennsylvania, and be able to show him around our town."

Beneke's journey can be followed along on his Instagram account, @vorwaerts.nach.weit.

Harrison Jones is the Hanover reporter for The Evening Sun. Contact him at hjones@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Hanover Evening Sun: From Hannover to Hanover PA: bicyclist rides to fight cancer