Staying Fit
The name of the bike tour, “Beaches and Breezes,” attracted Marian Holmes, but she was nervous to go solo without her electric bicycle.
But “it was easy enough for me,” the 74-year-old Washington, D.C., resident says of her 80-mile Rhode Island bike tour for 50-plus adults in July. “Almost every day we were by the water or in some really scenic place. There’s time to learn history, have a decent lunch and soak up whatever culture is nearby.”
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More older adults are participating in adventure travel like multiday cycling to experience places in a novel way. The average age of Adventure Cycling Association members is 63, says spokeswoman Lauren Hudgins, as retirees have time for a long-distance bike trip that may be on their bucket list.
Retirees “want to see the world, and be fit and healthy doing it,” says Ned Raynolds, owner of Senior Cycling in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Cyclists up to age 84 ride 110 to 180 miles over five or six days in places such as Cape Cod, Massachusetts, and Quebec, Canada, he says.
See the beauty across the country through dozens of established bicycle trails that vary from about 25 miles to nearly 4,600 miles. Many allow pedal-assist electric bicycles. You can camp along the way or ride from lodging to lodging.
The allure of a multiday bike trip “is seeing the landscape up close,” says Dan Gjelten, 72, who estimates he and his wife, Lisa Burke, 60, have cycled about 13,000 miles in the past six years from their home in St. Paul, Minnesota, to places such as New Orleans and Washington, D.C. “It’s a very sensual experience. You start hearing different accents and seeing different foods.”
You can plot your route and accommodations, if you have the time and inclination, but you also can pay for bike tours. Tours can be fully supported (you have a guide, carry no gear and sleep in a bed), or provide shuttle services (someone takes you back to your car at the end) or hybrid services. U.S. bicycle tour prices range from about $1,000 to more than $5,000.
Most cyclists average about 10 mph, Hudgins says, but it depends on how many stops you make along the way and if you carry your own gear.
Consult your doctor before beginning any strenuous activity. In addition, before hitting the road, make sure you’re comfortable on a bike, know some basic mechanics, such as how to change a flat tire, and bring plenty of food and water.
Check out these six bike tours of varying distances and locations. They all offer nearby lodgings, including camping, B&Bs and motels.
Two overnight trails
Experts advise starting small and working your way to longer rides as you gain confidence and stamina. Bike to a destination 20 to 40 miles away, stay in a hotel or camp overnight and bike back the next day.
