“A force of nature” – that’s what Deborah’s friends call her.
As soon as I walked into Deborah’s house last month, I knew I’d like her. Pictures, books, relics of past travels…her house showed how she lives her life and how I long to live mine.
The hour or so I spent with Deborah proved my initial assumptions were correct. She is 71 years old; a psychologist who has recently retired. She used to run, tried swimming, and then picked up cycling when she was 54. She averages a couple of hundred miles a week on the bike.
In this episode, she tells me about her cross-country trips on the back of a bike, the beauty she has found in back roads and friendly strangers, why she continues to ride despite being hit by a car (three different times), what motivates her to compete in the National Senior Games, and her definition of a quality life.
We also found out we share a love for Cheetos and she told me about the coffee parties she has each Saturday morning.
You’re going to love Deborah.
Links:
College Station’s Deborah Barton Dominates Texas Senior Games
Aggie Cyclists on Trek Across Country
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