09/22/2016
Each month we highlight one of our Golden Rollers with a photo and short interview. Our conversations explore personal histories and address how staying active has benefitted their health and well-being as they grow older.. This month we meet Joy Gilcrease.
Name: Joy Gilcrease
Age: 67
Hometown: San Francisco, California (lived in 41 countries before 16-years-old)
Bike Experience: Learned how to ride when young but never owned a bike. Did some beach riding in Galveston years ago.
Golden Rollers: “Did you find Conely-Guerrero pretty early on after moving here?”
Joy Gilcrease: “No, I first heard about it when I saw the article, there was an ad in the paper about the trike program and I said, “I want to do that”.”
GR: “What’s your history with bikes?”
JG: “I never had a bike. I never had time when I was little for a bike… I never got a bike and I never got a dog.”
GR: “Well it’s not too late for either!”
…
GR: “So what attracted you to the Golden Rollers? Was the three-wheeled aspect appealing?”
JG: “Yes. So, I always liked bikes, but my cousin came to visit me, and she wanted to see everything and do everything. So I had the bright idea that we would rent one of the [B-cycle] bikes that they have and bike around the lake… So I got one for her and one for me and we set out. I got on the bike, and I fell down. And I got on the bike again, and I fell down. And after several times of this, I said “maybe there’s something wrong with this bike.” So we switched bikes, but I couldn’t ride her bike either… Every time I would turn the wheel, I would fall down. I never got up enough speed to even get my balance going. So I was really disgusted and we put the bikes back. But, I promised myself that I would see if I could get back on a bike somehow. And then I saw the article in the paper and thought, “this is it!””
…
GR: “Have you enjoyed riding with us?”
JG: “I enjoy it very very much. I’m still not sure I could ride a regular bike, but the trike makes it really easy…”
Listen to the full interview here:
