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Pedaling Down the Street: Tucson, Ariz., Residents Take Up Biking

Posted on: Thursday, 30 June 2005, 18:00 CDT

Jun. 30--When Damian Leuck, owner of the Green Valley Bike and Hike, 125 W. Calle De Las Tiendas, looks out his shop's front window, he sees more than golf carts and Cadillacs cruising down the street.

"We've got people who haven't been on a bike for more than 50 years," he said. "But once they get going, they're like kids again."

With new bike lanes installed in the past year and more active retirees taking up biking as a sport, more residents can be spotted pedaling down the street and venturing off-road, Leuck said.

Baby boomers heading into retirement are not stepping into their golden years quietly, the 39-year-old Leuck said.

"They're a lot more active than most people before them," Leuck said. "Most are up for adventure and biking is a popular sport."

Residents here are hoping that a new park, complete with mountain bike and hiking trails, will be established near their community soon.

Earlier this year, a 25-year future growth and master plan was submitted to the Green Valley Coordinating Council's Traffic and Arroyo Committee.

Part of the plan included the Desert Bike Trail, a series of hiking and biking trails north of Green Valley.

Located on state trust land, the desert trail system was created two years ago by Leuck and other bikers in the community.

The group wants to acquire the triangle-shaped parcel of land between Duval Mine Road and Continental Road before development starts in that area.

Though the state hasn't formally received any bids for the land and developers haven't inquired about it yet, residents want to preserve the trails before any sales become finalized.

"We want to grab a piece of land before it gets covered with asphalt and houses," said Jim Jordan, bike representative on the council's traffic and arroyo committee.

The group is looking at ways to get bond money for the park, should the state decide to accept sales bids.

The group said it is watching the situation with Fantasy Island, a mountain-biking area on Tucson's Southeast Side.

In April, the Tucson City Council unanimously voted to support a local group's efforts to preserve the area and designate Fantasy Island as open space in a future growth plan.

The Pima County Board of Supervisors also voted unanimously to endorse the preservation of Fantasy Island while the State Land Department also pledged to look at solutions to stop development in that area.

So far, hopes are high for getting the park established in Green Valley, Jordan and Leuck said.

Though most bike riders aren't hitting the Desert Bike Trail so much this summer, there are a few braving the 100-degree weather.

Such is the case with Joe Riggs, a 60-year-old semi-retired mechanical engineer who said he can't get enough of riding his new bike.

Before he got his bike as a Father's Day present, Riggs hadn't been on a bike for more than 40 years.

Now riding bikes with his wife, Jane, who received her bike as a Mother's Day gift, is part of Riggs' morning routine.

"My first ride was about two miles. My heart was pumping, I was sweating and I thought, 'This is fun,' " he said.

Riggs, a diabetic, said his main reason for starting his bicycling regimen was to reduce his high cholesterol .

"I've had major heart problems in the past. Now it's time to get healthy," he said.

Fran Licciardiello, a 69-year-old retired health and physical education teacher, is also incorporating biking into her exercise routine.

"It's a complete part of my daily life," she said.

After a bicycling accident in the early 1990s, Licciardiello said she never wanted to ride again.

The accident left her with a fractured hip. If not for her helmet, her skull would have been smashed, she said.

But at the encouragement of a friend, Licciardiello decided to give bicycling a shot again.

When she first started, a five-to-six-mile ride seemed like a lot.

She now averages about 30 miles a day and has logged more than 2,471 miles on her pedometer since January.

Licciardiello said she wants to get up to 50 miles a day with "Ms. Bridget," the name of her bike.

"My friends and family are amazed," she said. "The best thing you can do is ride."

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Copyright (c) 2005, The Arizona Daily Star, Tucson

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Source: The Arizona Daily Star

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