(NewsNation Now) — It’s said you never forget how to ride a bike. Well, the same can be said about the thrill of experiencing a bike ride: The wind in your hair, the freedom to roam and explore.
In a breath of fresh air, an organization in Littleton, Colorado, is working to give that thrill back to people with mobility difficulties who cannot just get on their own two wheels.
“How can we get people out in nature, socializing, and having wind in their hair?” Barb Lotze, Cycling Without Age co-founder, said during an appearance on “Morning in America”.
The organization began by offering daily rides down the trail that follows the winding Platte River, with the simple goal to enrich each passenger’s life, one ride at a time.
During the worst of the pandemic, “so many people were stuck in their apartment or house and this got them out, one on one,” Lotze said of the mental and physical health benefits of biking.
“I really think in 2020 we saved lives,” Lotze said.
The global movement behind Cycling Without Age was started in 2012 by Ole Kassow in Copenhagen.
According to their website, Ole wanted to help the elderly get back on their bicycles, but he had to find a solution to their limited mobility.
The answer was a trishaw.
A trishaw is a unique, three-wheeled bike that Cycling Without Age sources from Copenhagen. The “couch on wheels” has seating for two people in the front and is pedaled and steered by a “Pilot” from behind.
“People say it’s a rickshaw, it’s not a rickshaw,” Lotze said. “This is all about a passenger or passengers in the front, so you can talk, so you can listen to stories, so they can see nature and so they can really be alive and be the best versions of themselves.”
The organization in Littleton is one of many chapters around the globe and consists of a team of dedicated volunteers.
“Pilots get the opportunity to listen to stories, to take people with challenges [on rides], take seniors and just bring goodness,” Lotze said. “This is around the world.”
For more information, you can visit their website at: cwalittleton.com