National Biking Month at Emerald Heights
May 20, 2024Did you know Redmond is considered the Bicycle Capital of the Northwest? May is National Biking Month and it only seems right to honor the Bicycle Capital by sharing all the ways Emerald Heights residents love to bike.
On any given day, you can find residents biking around Emerald Heights or taking forest walks on the mile-long nature trail in the community. Among them is Carter Hill, a resident of Emerald Heights since 2016.
Carter spent his youth biking and continued the hobby through medical school and even commuted by bike to night shifts during his career. Now in retirement, Carter enjoys biking to appreciate the beauty, nature, and history of the land he passed in the car during his family, travel and work years.
While Carter spends some of his journeys alone exploring the Redmond community and nearby trails, he has also found a group of like-minded individuals who share a love of biking.
The Gourmet Cyclists are a group of seniors who meet once a week to go biking together. The group ranges in size depending on how many individuals can make it to the event, but there are about 40 people who regularly attend the rides. Carter believes at least a fourth of the bicyclists are also Emerald Heights residents.
Each of the Gourmet Cyclists trips are around 15-30 miles long with a lunch break halfway through the ride at a local restaurant, café or picnic spot. They are always exploring new trails all the way from Anacortes to the Olympic Peninsula and from Mt. Rainier to the Cascade Foothills.
For those who may not be as avid a biker as Carter, there are still many options to get outside and go for a ride.
Last year, Cycling Without Age provided Emerald Heights with two trishaws, a three-wheeled electric bike. The trishaws are used by residents in the Corwin Center or Independent Living to catch a ride around the community. This is a wonderful way for residents with limited mobility to be involved in biking and still enjoy the beautiful weather of the Redmond spring and summers.
Alex Clark, Wellness Programs Manager, trains staff and resident volunteers to pedal and steer the bike. Since the bike is motorized, the volunteers do not need much athletic ability to provide residents a relaxing ride.
In addition to the trishaws, Emerald Heights also has a bike with a wheelchair attachment. This unique bike allows a wheelchair to be rolled on and clipped to a box at the front.
So, whether you are a single biker or someone in a group, there are tons of opportunities to take a ride in Emerald Heights and throughout Redmond. We hope you have time to get on a bike, go for a ride and enjoy National Biking Month!
