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You are here: Shop / Blog / Sharing Adventures in Good Company

Sharing Adventures in Good Company

October 23, 2023

Getting outdoors to enjoy fresh air and friendly social interaction is such a vital outlet for older adults, and Bike Newport is thrilled to be a catalyst for these impactful outings in our area. As the local chapter of the worldwide movement called Cycling Without Age, we are honored to provide piloted social cycling rides on our specialized trishaw (“The Chat”) for those who can no longer pedal themselves.

The experience is equally uplifting for our passengers and our volunteer pilots, as we share delightful conversation and reminiscences. Please watch this gorgeous video from AARP Rhode Island. Whether we’re cycling through Colt State Park with heroes from the Rhode Island Veterans Home in Bristol (above), or riding past the colorful gardens at Atria Aquidneck Place in Portsmouth (right), every outing is an opportunity to connect, share, and spread good cheer. Already this year we’ve given rides to more than 80 passengers!

Our busy 2023 season of Cycling Without Age is made possible through grant support by AARP. Bike Newport is grateful to have received a 2023 Community Challenge Grant as part of AARP’s nationwide Livable Communities initiative.

The program was also made possible by the generosity of donors Jana & Don Jagoe and Carol & David Bazarsky, who made it possible to import The Chat from Copenhagen.

The Chat is the wonderfully designed specialty trishaw at the heart of our Cycling Without Age program, built in Copenhagen by Van Raam. We affectionately call ours “Gigi”. The passenger footrest lowers right down to the ground for easy boarding, and the battery assist is helpful (and essential for climbing hills).

The Chat is a head-turner wherever we go, which is also part of the fun. Onlookers can’t help but to smile and wave or cheer us on as we pedal past and ring the classic bell, all of which further enhances the enjoyment of our passengers.

In recent months we’ve featured The Chat in a Memorial Day Parade (right) and in the nation’s oldest 4th of July Parade, both in Bristol, RI, and at the Broadway Street Fair in downtown Newport. Our program was the focus of a recent WADK radio interview which we encourage you to listen to here, and our program is featured here on the national AARP website.

Disabled veterans from the Rhode Island Veterans Home prepare to board their return ride following a beautiful outing at Colt State Park. Thanks to the Chat’s moveable boarding platform, anyone who is able to stand with assistance is able to get on board for a ride.
Demonstrating The Chat at the Park Holm Senior Center in the North End community of Newport, October 2023.
A Bike Newport volunteer and Veterans Home staff assist with a transfer from a wheelchair to The Chat. Nearly one quarter of our 2023 Cycling Without Age passengers have been disabled veterans.
The smiles and the laughter shared during these rides are simply priceless.
Cycling in a place of honor in Bristol RI’s 4th of July Parade, with Vietnam veteran and President of the Bristol Veteran’s Council Walter Coelho as our passenger.

Related posts in Community, Group rides, Press, Rhode Island - statewide, Sponsors - partners

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