A six-minute bike ride from my home is an adorable indie coffee shop that hosts a monthly book reading called A Novel Life. I’ve made it a habit to go (even though I don’t particularly like to go out at night) as the folks running it are local author friends of mine, and the folks who read are full of heart. The place is usually packed for this event, and many of the people who attend are senior women, out for a social and intellectual night. I like to sit with someone who is alone and to hear what brings her there, and, in doing so, to be less alone myself. Last night I sat with a grandmother named Betty.
As I was leaving, I picked up a copy of a free newspaper named Senior Life. A couple of years ago, I had been pictured in an article in an edition of this very newspaper as I was teaching a weekly bike skills class to seniors, on adult tricycles, who have a steel rod here and a cochlear implant there and a fake knee and a new life-threatening diagnosis and a cane and a wheelchair and a whole lot of positive energy. (The story of how I got involved in that, and what happened next, is in my book.) Since then, I’ve become a senior myself (if we’re considering that age 55), although I’m still on two-wheels and going strong (for today).
I took this photo during the last of the setting sun, my belly warm and full from a glass of wine and a brownie, my mind stimulated, my downhill bike ride just ahead. And I started to look forward to next month, when I will once again be Traveling at the Speed of Bike to Crema. Where I will be one of the featured authors.
If interested, here are my recommendations for creating a Seniors-on-Trikes class near you. I’d love to do that again, but this time in the park closest to me. Maybe some of these women I meet would even want to come.
Hmm. The assistant parks director just emailed me yesterday, to ask if I wanted her to promote anything on Facebook. I asked if she’d shout it out about my current classes, but perhaps I’ll ask if we can pursue a grant to buy trikes and to launch a class for seniors. Perhaps there’s more to this story.
Traveling at the Speed of Bike 