Conno couple finds trail to wedded bliss
Lisa and Steve Beers met on a hiking trail and got engaged on a hiking trail, so it seemed obvious for the Connoquenessing Township couple to tie the knot in the same setting.
While competing Oct. 3 in the 25-mile Bald Eagle Mountain Mega Transect hike north of State College, the Beerses paused at checkpoint No. 10, where a few select guests were waiting. Those included the mayor from nearby Lock Haven, who performed the wedding ceremony.
"We thought it would be good to have the wedding there because we had officially met there at the Mega in 2007," said the former Lisa Serepca, 40.
"We got married at Zindel Park — Mile 10 — it's really pretty: an old park that's fallen into ruins," she added.
Bypassing convention for the venue dictated they also bypass convention for attire.
"We wore hiking gear from Dick's Sporting Goods: That was our wedding outfit," Lisa laughed. But to add a hint of tradition, the bride wore a wedding veil that hung from a headpiece made of flowers.
"My sister made up a bouquet and boutonnieres for everyone," she said.
"We had all of our family members there," Lisa added, noting her mother and stepfather typically act as her pit crew during competitive hikes, but for Steve's parents, the wedding was a first opportunity to take part in activities along the trail.Although a few hikers happened upon the ceremony, the couple intended to keep the wedding unpublicized so they wouldn't detract from the race."We like the race so much —we have so much respect for it — we didn't want to interfere or be a distraction in any way," Lisa said. Securing permission in advance with the race director, however, led to some publicity, which targeted local people as opposed to the mostly out-of-town race competitors.Despite the quiet preparations, the Beerses said word spread quickly on the trail — especially since they had a tent set up not far from the footpath."After we got married, Lisa made up a sign that we pinned on the back of our packs. On my pack it said 'Just' and on hers it said 'Married,'" said Steve, 50, explaining some props he had stashed in advance in a cornfield near the end of the course."I pulled out two stringers, one was a stringer of beer cans, the other was a stringer of Gatorade bottles, and we attached that from the back of our packs," he said.
"We crossed the finish line like that, dragging those cans behind us."With hiking speeds among the couple's compatible traits, the Beerses said they both normally would finish the course in about 9Z\x hours. The wedding along with muddy conditions added about an hour."What's really neat is I actually met somebody who walks the same pace I do," Steve said, noting their unlikely connection given the fact that he lived near Butler while Lisa lived near Philadelphia."We both started hiking about the same time," Lisa said. "It's almost like the path was put down right in front us ... and we just have to go and walk on it.""We keep putting one foot in front of the other," Steve said.Although the couple exchanged vows on the trail, they changed into more formal attire afterward for a small reception with family.
