AARP Hearing Center
More Than a Bike Ride: How AARP Vermont Is Building Community on Two Wheels
Monthly Burlington rides are helping neighbors stay active, meet new people and feel more connected—while introducing them to the many free programs, events and resources AARP Vermont offers throughout the year.
Getty Images
On a warm evening in Burlington, a group of riders gathers at Leddy Park. Helmets are adjusted, bikes are ready, and conversations begin before the ride even starts. At first glance, it may look like a simple monthly bike ride. But for many participants, AARP Vermont’s Burlington rides have become something much more meaningful: a way to build friendships, discover community, and feel at home.
That sense of connection is exactly what drew Debbie in.
More Ways to Benefit
- Related Benefit 1
- Related Benefit 2
- Related Benefit 3
- Related Benefit 4
- Related Benefit 5
“When we first moved in, we didn’t know anyone,” she said.
After retiring and moving from New York to Vermont to be closer to family, Debbie and her husband found themselves in a beautiful new place without the community they had left behind.
“It was a really scary feeling,” she said. “We had family, but we lost our whole community.”
Like many people entering a new stage of life, Debbie started looking for ways to stay active and meet people. Her search led her to AARP Vermont’s website, where she discovered an array of free events, educational programs, volunteer opportunities and social gatherings happening across the state. What began as a way to get out and move soon became a regular part of her life.
Three years later, Debbie is still showing up—and not just for bike rides. She has taken advantage of several AARP Vermont offerings, including member gatherings and other social events. Along the way, she has discovered that the same welcoming atmosphere exists wherever AARP Vermont brings people together.
One of those experiences was an AARP Vermont gathering at Snow Farm Vineyard in South Hero.
“This was my third time there, sitting with the same people,” she said. “It really builds community. And you just see a familiar face wherever you go.”
That sense of familiarity is something AARP Vermont strives to create through its wide range of free events and programs. Whether attending a bike ride, participating in a painting class, joining a virtual workshop, learning how to spot scams, volunteering in the community or attending a member social, participants often find themselves reconnecting with people they have met at previous events. What starts as a single activity often grows into an ongoing network of relationships.
AARP Vermont’s monthly bike rides are designed with that spirit in mind. The format is intentionally simple: riders gather for a relaxed outing along the bike path, followed by time to socialize at a local spot. The goal is not speed or distance. It is connection, movement and the chance to enjoy Vermont with others.
For Debbie, one of the most memorable moments happened during a ride when she struck up a conversation with another participant. The women decided to exchange phone numbers after the ride, only to discover they were already in each other’s phones. They had been introduced through a local running group connection but had not yet met in person.
“That friendship was just meant to be,” Debbie said.
The couple she met through that chance encounter was back on the ride with her again in July.
Those connections now extend beyond the bike path. Debbie described the uncertainty she and her husband felt after moving, wondering whether they would ever rebuild the kind of friendships that make a house feel full.
“We’ve been married over 40 years, and we’ve had the same dining room table all these years,” she said. “We would look at each other when we moved and wonder, ‘Will we ever have friends sitting at this table again?’ And now we do.”
For Debbie, the value of AARP Vermont’s programming goes well beyond any single event. The bike rides opened the door, but the broader community of free offerings kept her engaged. As she attended more events, she found herself becoming part of a growing network of people who share interests, support one another and enjoy exploring Vermont together.
That is the power of a welcoming community space. A monthly ride can become a familiar routine. A casual conversation can become a friendship. A shared activity can become a stronger sense of belonging.
The rides also offer something Debbie already loved: the chance to cycle through one of Vermont’s most beautiful areas.
“The bike rides are our absolute favorite,” she said. “We cycle right through Burlington on the bike path, and it’s just so beautiful. The area that we moved to is just so gorgeous, and getting to bike with friends is just really special.”
For anyone who is considering joining a future ride or attending another AARP Vermont event but feels unsure, Debbie’s advice is simple.
“They definitely should attend,” she said. “Anything is possible, and everybody is always so friendly. I wouldn’t hesitate to join any AARP event.”
She added that AARP Vermont’s events have been “such a positive experience” and encouraged others to get involved.
“There are zero drawbacks,” she said. “Just plunge right in.”
For AARP Vermont, stories like Debbie’s reflect the heart of community engagement: helping people stay active, connected and involved where they live. Through free bike rides, social gatherings, educational workshops, volunteer opportunities, fraud prevention programs, health and wellness events and advocacy activities, AARP Vermont creates opportunities for people to learn, connect and build meaningful relationships.
Whether someone is new to Vermont, newly retired, looking to expand their social circle or simply interested in trying something new, there is likely an AARP Vermont event or program waiting to welcome them.
Come for the ride. Stay for the connections. Discover everything else along the way.
AARP Membership
Join AARP for only $15 per year with automatic renewal. Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of benefits, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP The Magazine.
More From AARP
Join AARP Vermont for Fun, Discounted Events!
Enjoy exclusive discounts to special events this season
Streets Are for Connection
We are proud to be a part of the Streets As Places Micro-grant Program
What Are Accessory Dwelling Units?
an increasingly important part of the solution to Vermont’s housing challenges