John Haynes, Photographer

Retirement at Carolina Meadows provides residents with many opportunities to stay fit, be active, and enjoy life, especially if they are bicyclists or “biker wannabes.“  Bicycling provides many benefits.  Besides being fun, biking can improve cardiovascular performance and balance.

Residents who don’t own a bike can use one of the Carolina Meadows loaners.  Helmets are provided with each bike.  Loaners are conveniently accessible in the protected area near the apartment storage units by the Fitness Center parking.  Sign out is not necessary.  Just use your residence key to open the lock and off you go!

Bicyclists can take advantage of free programs like Bike Day, recently sponsored by the Carolina Meadows Wellness staff.  Participants received bike tune-ups and custom adjustments that enhanced the ergonomics of their biking experience.  Some residents also enjoyed an optional group ride around campus.

The Carolina Meadows campus is a great place to ride.  One lap around the periphery is approximately 2-1/4 miles and takes about 20 minutes.  The campus is a safe environment in which to ride that also provides aerobic benefits.  In addition, traffic is light, the scenery is beautiful, the air is fresh, and there are ample opportunities to greet fellow residents and staff.

Some residents also like to ride off campus.  The American Tobacco Rails to Trails is a convenient place to ride since it is close-by.  Its paths are beautiful anytime, but especially in fall with the value-added benefits of foliage color, crisp air, and earthy smells.

Many residents agree that it’s never too late to begin reaping the benefits of bicycling and what’s not to like: feeling the air in their helmet, clearing their head, breathing fresh air, hearing birds, seeing flowers, and greeting friends?