"Pedal Pushers" prove you can bike at any age

Twice a month when the weather permits, a group of bikers with lime green shirts swarm the Golden Valley roads. "They're high visibility shirts, so you can see us coming," said Nancy Sjoquist of Minneapolis. The cyclists prove you can ride a bike at any age. "This is a really fun group," said Bob McCarthy of Golden Valley. "Really kind of laid back and easy going, and very nice." Meet the "Pedal Pushers," a senior group ages 55 and up that meets every few weeks in the summer, and has for the past two decades. "Our whole job is to make something fun, to get out and just stay physical, so that you're more agile when stuff happens," said Sjoquist. "You need to be strong." Strength isn't exactly a prerequisite on this ride, although it doesn't hurt on those uphill climbs. Accompanying the cyclists on this Tuesday morning ride are two members of the Golden Valley Police Department. "It's just a good way for us to build a close relationship with the community itself," said Sgt. Dave Kuhnly. The police have turned this particular ride into a field trip of Golden Valley crime scenes. "And explain what had taken place and give some community safety tips along the way," Sgt. Kuhnly said. The pedal pushers seem to appreciate the history lesson. "It's very interesting to see that they've got a pretty tough job and very extensive as far as doing it," McCarthy said. But primarily, they enjoy the opportunity to explore Golden Valley's trails, one pedal push at a time. "We are so lucky," Sjoquist said. "We're in good shape." The group usually bikes between 6 to 12 miles. The next ride is scheduled for September 24. For more information on how to participate, call the Golden Valley Seniors Office at 763-512-2339. Delane Cleveland http://twelve.tv/ http://www.facebook.com/12localnews http://twitter.com/12LocalNews 12 News is on Comcast cable channel 12 in the northwest suburbs of Minneapolis and includes the cities Brooklyn Center, Brooklyn Park, Crystal, Golden Valley, Maple Grove, New Hope, Osseo, Plymouth and Robbinsdale.