Speak to The Savvy Traveler

Letters of the Week

We don't know about you, but travel always makes us want to write long juicy letters to everyone we know. Maybe it's bragging rights, maybe it's a burst of poetic inspiration from seeing the Taj Mahal, but one way or another, suitcases and sunsets in strange places turn us into letter-writing fools. So, if it turns out you're the same way....be sure to include us in your list of people you just have to drop a line to. Don't worry, you will make us jealous...but hopefully we'll also be inspired by your adventures.

Want to see what other Savvy visitors have to say? Read our letters of the week, and be sure to tell us what you think. We'd love to hear from you!

July 13, 2001

The "Septuagenarian Cyclists" Speak

EDITOR'S NOTE: In a recent Savvy Traveler story, producer Barrett Golding describes his adventure following the Lewis and Clark Trail - and the trio of "septuagenarian cyclists" who haunt his journey. No matter how fast he goes, they're always a couple hours ahead of him. He didn't know anything about these speedy seniors...except that he - an athletic young man -- is being trounced by a group of "old ladies." Well guess what? One of those "old ladies" wrote to us.
Click on this link to listen to the original story: http://www.savvytraveler.org/show/features/2001/ 20010629/feature2.shtml

Dear Savvy Traveler:
My daughter called me to say that she caught part of The Savvy Traveler recently and heard a man named Barrett describing a hunt for three elderly ladies who were biking the Lewis and Clark Trail. She wondered if I could be one of the three! I surely believe that I was.
Two friends and I (ages 68, 73 and 73) from the Reading, PA area began our trip in St. Charles on June 30 and followed the trail and the Missouri River to Pierre, SD. We arrived on June 23 and then flew back home. We called this the first leg of the trip and intend to pick up the second leg next summer in Pierre and bike to Missoula. The third year will take us to Astoria.
We never met up with Barrett but we did encounter members of the press in other towns and were featured in articles in Geddes and Chamberlain, SD. It was a wonderful trip - one of the best we've done over the years, and I was totally swept away by the grandeur of the wide open spaces. Our best memories, however, are of the people - their friendliness, generosity and enthusiasm for our undertaking.
Jeanne Hey
Catherine Shade
Emily Weidner

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