(Watch the video below to see an interview with Penalosa.)
The Portland, Oregon, park district uses tricycles in itscycling classesfor older adults.
“They’re not just looking at their stamp collections.
They are out and about more.”
“But they are biking and walking more too,” he notes.
“Boomers intend to keep their drivers' licenses but also their bikes.
They want to have more mobility options and more fun in their golden years.”
And seems as if bicycling actually keeps people younger.
All this medical research has prompted theU.S.
This means activities like bicycling, walking, gardening, jogging, dancing, swimming and team sports.
Indeed, Dutch people age 55-plus bicycle at the same rate as the population as a whole.
How do they do it?
Bike sharing offers older people an affordable, accessible way to travel on sturdy bikes with wide tires.
Bicycling across the Netherlands hasnearly doubledsince protected lanes began to be built in the 1980s.
“Infrastructure can help a lot.
“Those lanes mostly serve cyclists who are already biking.
Most people aren’t comfortable riding a bike in the midst of cars.
Bicycling should not be a badge of courage.
It should be a way for anyone to get groceries or go to work.”
She bought a new bike and thoroughly enjoyed the 200-mile trip.
“I get more chances to socialize with people.
Counts describes an evening when several couples biked together to and from a restaurant.
“I had a knee injury and two bad ankles,” he explains.
“When I started cycling the pains went away.”
Residents can also take part in Orange, a program that offers training and loaner bikes to low-income people.
Moore also organizes spontaneous rides with his friends, and he pedals to meetings and social events.
Go ride a mile your first night.
Ride on trails until you feel ready for the streets.
Find a friend to ride with once or a couple of times a week.
Next thing you know, you’ll be having a great time.”
Age needn’t be a barrier to either riding or learning to ride a bike.
In fact, the great 19th century Russian novelist Leo Tolstoy learned to ride a bike at age 67.
Jay Walljasperis a Minneapolis-based writer, consultant and speaker who specializes in livability topics.
