Alison and Harry, both 92 with dementia, snuggled together in the front loveseat of the pedal-powered rickshaw, holding hands. They felt like kids again as the cool breeze ruffled their hair and caressed their cheeks.
They were off on a grand bicycle adventure as their noble bike pilot pedaled them along the boardwalk at Butterfly Beach.
Everyone was smiling—Alison and Harry, John the bike pilot, every dog walker, all the workmen and even the cool kids carrying their surfboards. This sweet sight brought a smile to everyone as riders and walkers waved enthusiastically at each other.
“There is something about riding a bike that makes you feel like a kid again,” said John Seigel Boettner, chief enchantment officer of Cycling Without Age. “I love bringing joy to older folks and that joy is contagious.”
Cycling Without Age is a Santa Barbara Treasure.
Cycling Without Age (CWA) is a worldwide movement that aims to provide joy and vitality to older adults through the magic of the bicycle. Through the simple act of sharing a bike ride, it weaves a sense of community and gathers unique and invaluable stories, unlocked only by the wind and wheels.
Hundreds of older adults in Santa Barbara are isolated and experience significant loneliness. CWA helps to set them free if only for an hour each week.
“Many of our members are living with mild to advanced cognitive challenges,” said Kathryn Westland, executive director of Friendship Center which provides day care for older adults. “They look forward to the friendly CWA pilots showing up to take them on their cycling adventure.”
There are nine local facilities that the volunteer CWA pilots visit to take seniors for bike outings including Heritage House, Mariposa, Mission Villa, Friendship Center, Maravilla, Valle Verde, Garden Court, Hillside and Alexander Gardens.
An inspiring new film highlights this unique movement.
The entire audience in Copenhagen was on their feet applauding the world premiere this new film, Cycling Without Age. It had just received the Lens of Hope Award at the Indy Shorts International Film Festival this past June.
The West Coast premiere of this spectacular film is coming to Santa Barbara’s Lobero Theater on September 7, 2024. Tickets are selling quickly and may be purchased at the Lobero website.
Cycling Without Age is a film about the power of feeling the wind in your hair, no matter where you are on life’s journey. It follows the story of a retired teacher and his merry group of volunteers as they use pedal-powered electric rickshaws to give rides to those who have lost the ability to pedal themselves.
Through the intimate moments of these rides, the film presents a unique portrait of aging: asking audiences to consider the importance of the outdoors for those who are all too often trapped inside.
The film was shot on the streets and bike paths of Santa Barbara, with the generous support of MOVE Santa Barbara County, Heritage House, and Cotopaxi. After a World Premiere at the Danish Film Institute in Copenhagen, and U.S. Premiere at the Indy Shorts International Film Festival, Pedal Born Pictures is working with Cycling Without Age chapters around the world on a grassroots screening tour to grow the movement.
Pedal Born Pictures is taking Cycling Without Age on the road. They are currently planning screenings at film festivals, aging conferences, and CWA chapter-run events in the UK, Spain, Belgium, Germany, Brazil, Poland, Australia, and across the U.S. The goal of these screenings is to grow the Cycling Without Age movement globally, making it just as common as bingo night for elders around the world.
“A bonus that comes with an age-friendly community is that it turns out that all of these things older adults will tell you they want for their neighborhood, it turns out that is also what younger families say they want for the neighborhood,” said Margaret Weiss of The Independent Living Resource Center at a recent meeting of the Santa Barbara City Council.
Cycling Without Age follows the story of John Seigel-Boettner, a retired middle school teacher looking for his next classroom. He and his crew of volunteers take seniors from across the community on pedal-powered trishaw rides along the beach and through the woods, to feel the wind in their hair again. Through the intimate moments of these rides, the film shows how shared outdoor experience can build connections between a pilot and passenger, the past and present.
Cycling Without Age, directed by acclaimed local filmmaker brothers Isaac Seigel-Boettner and Jacob Seigel Brielle of Pedal Born Pictures, presents a unique portrait of aging, asking audiences to consider the importance of the outdoors for those who are all too often trapped inside.
This premiere will be followed by a panel discussion with the filmmakers, John Seigel-Boettner, and leaders in the local aging community. After the event, VIP ticket holders are invited to join the panelists in the Lobero courtyard for a reception catered by the generous team at Heritage House.
All proceeds from the screening and reception will go to Cycling Without Age Santa Barbara, helping them to bring adventure and freedom to more Santa Barbarians who are no longer able to pedal themselves.