SACO — Area seniors who have long retired their bicycles can once again experience the joy of a bicycle ride thanks to the Saco Cycles program.

The Saco Cycles program is a volunteer run program through Age Friendly Saco that provides rides to seniors on a Chat Van Raam rickshaw bicycle. The large three-wheeled bicycle has a bench in the front for two passengers, and a traditional bicycle seat in the back where a volunteer pedals the cycle, with electric assist. A safety cyclist rides in front of the Chat Van Raam on a standard bicycle.

 

Chris McKenney sits on the Chat Van Raam transport bicycle and goes over volunteer procedures Thursday night on School Street in Saco. PHOTO COURTESY OF JIM SWAIN

On Thursday, a training session for new volunteer was held on School Street, where the rickshaw bicycle is stored in a city-owned garage. Saco Cycle Program volunteer Chris McKenney gave an overview on the bicycles controls and responsibilities. Passengers must wear seatbelts, and like the pilot and the safety cyclist, must wear helmets.

 “The most important thing we’re going to do here is to make sure everyone is safe. That’s the primary goal here – the rest is to have fun,” he said.

Lara Favreau, who was at Thursday night's training, said she heard about the Saco Cycles program through a pickleball group she’s in. Favreau said she loves cycling and thought volunteering for Saco Cycles would be a good thing to do as she approaches being an empty nester.

“It’s a way to help out the community. I’ve lived in Saco all my life,” she said.

Like Favreau, Mari Warner heard about Saco Cycles through fellow pickleball players. She said she also knows someone who volunteers for a similar program in Portland called Portland Wheelers, and the friend encouraged her to check out Saco Cycles.

“They said, ‘oh you have to do it, it’s so much fun,” she said.

Warner said her father was an avid cyclist, and biked up Cadillac Mountain when he was 83 years old. She said if he were still alive he would be thrilled that she was becoming a volunteer for a bicycle ride program.

“I know he’s looking down, saying, ‘awesome, Mari,” she said.

Joanne Landry has been a volunteer with Saco Cycles since it started last year. She said she’s really enjoyed being part of it, and she finds that drivers on the road are very respectful of riders.

“They are courteous, curious and excited to see us,” she said.

Saco Cycles provides rides from May to October. Typically, volunteers pedal the rickshaw to a local assisted living facility for a scheduled time to provide rides for residents. McKenney said he’d like to have a stable of pilots and safety riders, as well as a way to transport the bike, so that the program can grow and provide more opportunities for potential passengers.

Publisher Liz Gotthelf can be reached at newsdesk@sacobaynews.com.