CWA-JC volunteer hub

My passion for Cycling Without Age comes from my experience at age 30 of being hit by a car as a pedestrian resulting in two broken legs, one severely. I spent many weeks in a hospital, and months at home in a wheelchair with 7 pounds of metal pins in each leg. I lost my job and was completely dependent on others to take care of me. Because of this horrific and yet weirdly profound experience, I  learned first-hand the challenges of being disabled, how disempowered, socially isolated, and sensory  deprived you become and, when going through rehab, I got a clear preview of the infirmities and vulnerabilities of old age. 

When I was still in my wheelchair, I will never forget the day my friend Pam  came to visit and said "Nancy, we are going to get you out of this apartment and to the park". This was  no easy task, but we made it and the intensity of feeling the warmth of the sun on my skin, the smells, the breeze, the sounds, all the sensations I had been cut off from because I couldn't get outdoors was almost hallucinogenic. Listening to Ole Kassow on the PBS news a few years ago, describe how he  was inspired to start the CWA movement brought back all these memories and inspired me to bring the Cycling Without Age movement to Iowa City. 

I was first drawn to Cycling Without Age when looking for sustainable, community-based programs to  promote physical activity that we could offer to participants in my lab at the University of Iowa, where  we do research on how active lives support brain health. More than just a way to be physically active  for pilots, CWA fosters joy and a sense of connectedness with the community. 

At the same time as we’ve developed our CWA program, the health challenges my parents have faced has brought our mission closer to my  heart than I could have imagined. Seeing how falls, illnesses, and surgeries can shrink your world to waiting—longing for movement that once seemed given – and now feels uncertain and fragile. They live in Cincinnati and oh how I think about what a ride could do for their day in those moments — we could break up the sitting and worry with rides in the fresh air, feel the wind, the sun, and make a new friend. 

As I’ve piloted rides at Legacy Senior Living and in our community, I’ve seen first-hand that’s what Cycling Without Age can bring to someone’s day. The freedom, the joy, and the chance to  be part of the world in a way that mobility challenges can take away. Though I may not be able to take my parents for a ride, they are with me on every ride I give. I’m grateful I get to share that feeling with others, and give caretakers in our community the gift I wish I could give to my parents. 

Cycling has been a lifelong passion of mine, bringing me joy, freedom, and connection to the world  around me. Just as I was stepping into retirement, I discovered Cycling Without Age, and it immediately  felt like the perfect fit—a way to share my love of cycling while giving back to the community.  Volunteering at senior living facilities, I’ve had the privilege of giving rides to residents, witnessing  firsthand the joy, nostalgia, and sense of belonging these experiences bring. 

One of the most  meaningful connections I’ve made is with a 95-year-old man who shares my love of cycling and  adventure; our weekly coffee meetups have become a treasured time to swap stories and laughter.  Seeing the smiles, hearing the laughter, and feeling the gratitude of passengers has reinforced how  powerful and transformative Cycling Without Age can be. I am incredibly proud to be part of the very  first chapter of Cycling Without Age in Iowa, helping to build a movement that brings people together,  one ride at a time.