A Man and His Bike: A Rails-Trails Affair
Bill Grun is loyal to his bicycles.
In 1933, Grun, thirteen years old, got his first bike. He used it to help his career selling Pictorial magazine door-to-door for 10 cents each. By 1945 the bike was worn into the ground. When Bill's brother returned from the war, he gave Grun a British bike he'd picked up overseas. It was a Hercules-a name that fit. Grun would ride that same bicycle from 1945-1980. He still has it in his garage today.
"I lived on my bike," says Grun, now 85 and an AARP member living in Warrington, Pa."
And while he no longer uses his bicycle to support his livelihood, you'd be hard-pressed to pry him off the seat. In the summer Grun logs his usual 1,000 miles biking the trails and roads of his native Pennsylvania and beyond, including the 210-mile Pennsylvania Sojourn, a ride sponsored by Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (RTC).
Bill and the nearly 400 other bikers enjoy the Sojourn for its up-close views of rural Pennsylvania, its supportive and fun atmosphere, and the fact that the route takes place mostly on rail-trails. For Grun, an RTC member, the benefits of these trails made from unused railroad corridors are as endless as his energy.
The even surfaces, wide paths and low grades of rail-trails make for ideal biking for all ages, according to Grun. He should know. He's been the oldest participant on all the Sojourns, a title he embraces. And when it comes to challenges, both on the bicycle and off, he welcomes them with his trademark enthusiasm and vigor. We sat down with Bill to learn more about his passion.
Q: Bill, you're not a typical 85-year-old. You live a terrifically active life. What does being active mean to you?
Bill Grun: It means getting as much out of life as you possibly can. We don't have very many days on this earth, even if you live to 100. And when you get past 50, you suddenly realize you have far less than you started with. You need to fall back, punt and decide where you're going.
Q: You retired in 1980. What did you decide?
BG: I don't like the things most retired people do. When I retired, I had five things planned that I wanted to do. First was some long-distance biking.
Q: Why was biking your first priority?
BG: It's hard to explain. But my wife once asked me, "When you bike, do you bike just to get there?" Well that really rocked me back. And I realized I don't bike just to get there. I bike to see what I can take in of the world.
Q: And rail-trails allow you to do that?
BG: I like rail-trails because you can see things you would never ever see in a car because on a bike, you have time to observe. When you're in a car you go so fast and you say, "There's a field." That's it and then it's gone. But when you're on a bike, you say, "Oh, there's a field. And there's a goldenrod. There's a thistle. And OH! There's a meadow lark." Around every turn there's another surprise.
Also, I'm usually at the back of the pack when I ride. I get a lot of time for solitude, and meditation and reflection-which I understand older people are supposed to do!
Q: But it's not all solitude. How does it feel to be the oldest person on a ride?
BG: I'm a people-person. When you're 85 and you're the oldest one on the ride, and have ridden on several of these trips, people remember you and they look out for you. I get to talk to everyone on the ride-as they pass me. And when I get to our tent city, everyone asks, "Oh, Bill, can I help you put up your tent?" "Bill, can I get you something to eat?"
Q: Do you consider yourself a role model for your fellow riders?
BG: I'm more of an icon than a role model. But I guess, in reflection, I hope that I'm a role model for a lot of people in a lot of ways. Not just biking. I'm fairly bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. Life to me is pretty neat, and I've gotten an awful lot out of it.
Q: Where do you get your greatest sense of satisfaction and joy on these rides?
BG: In the downhill that you didn't expect! I mean, I'm very human. I'll tackle a big hill, but gosh, the reward of going down the other side is wonderful!
The other, I think, is right after we've finished our evening meal after a long day of riding. People are wandering around talking to each other, swapping stories. It's very rewarding. There's a feeling you get that's hard to describe, but it's like, "Gosh, I did it again!"
Q: Is biking a love you've been able to share with your family?
BG: Absolutely! Both my daughters rode with me until my older daughter graduated from high school. And my younger daughter and I have done more than 2,500 miles together in bike touring. And now her daughter rides with us as well.
Q: Could you guess how many miles you've biked over the course of your life?
BG: I would say 8,000-10,000 miles. I try to do 1,000 miles a summer, and usually I get around 900. The first rail-trail I biked was in 1992 on the Elroy Sparta in Wisconsin. I've biked in Pennsylvania, Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, Florida, Texas and California. I also do a lot of biking on the New Jersey and Pennsylvania tow paths.
Q: Do you consider your level of physical activity unusual?
BG: No. But my biggest concern is with my peers who keep telling me "you're too old to be doing this." They've decided that they're old. But I'm not. I mean, I have limitations. I know that. I can't run up and down the stairs anymore.
Q: How has biking helped your health in more tangible ways?
BG: I had very bad asthma from about 1940 until about five years ago. And it would have been worse if I hadn't always been so active. Life to me is very gratifying. I enjoy people; I enjoy the challenges. I am very thankful to have been as healthy as I have been. I'm thankful that I still have my intelligence, my curiosity. Each day is a challenge, each day is exciting.
AARP Resources
Ride
Your Way to Fun And Fitness
Learn about the fun and sport of biking.
Mixing It Up with Cross-Training
Consider adding biking to your exercise routines and learn other
helpful suggestions about cross-training to maintain or improve
your fitness level.
Additional Resources
Rails-to-Trails Conservancy
(RTC)
Find information on rail-trails near you, RTC membership, events,
trail guidebooks and gear.
International Biking
Association
Learn more about mountain biking in the states and abroad.
National Center for Bicycling
and Walking
Take a look at what a bicycle-friendly and walkable community
looks like.
Books
Find these books online at Barnes & Noble.com.
Bicycling Magazine's Complete Book of Road Cycling Skills:
Your Guide to Riding Faster, Stronger, Longer, and
Safer
Ben Hewitt, Benn Hewitt, Bicycling Magazine Editors, January 1998
Bike for Life: How to Ride to 100
Roy M. Wallack, Bill Katovsky, April 2005
Mountain Biking: A Beginner's Guide
Achim Schmidt, April 2004
