Pedal to Padre – Dr. Rose Gowen
Dr. Rose Gowen, Medical Correspondent, University of Texas
“A few years ago the River Rockets Bicycle Club began a once a year celebration of our landscape with a bicycle ride to South Padre. The first year a handful of riders “pedaled to Padre.” Each year since then the event has grown to attract bicycle riders from all over Texas, many other states, and several parts of Mexico. On May 4, I was thrilled to ride for the second time in the Pedal to Padre.
I arrived at the starting line to find kids, teens, young adults and even senior citizens on bicycles that were hand-me-downs, shiny and new, inexpensive, and very expensive. There were even differently-abled riders on adaptive bicycles. As I rode towards the island, the landscape I grew up around reached out to share life and community spirit with each and every rider. As a group we shared an active experience through a beautiful part of the world in our very own backyard.”