The Delaware Biking Blue Hens Celebrate Cycling and Community

Pedaling into their prime, the Delaware Biking Blue Hens prove that life beyond age 55 is all about camaraderie, adventure, and a love for the open road.

For many, the idea of staying active during retirement age means early morning walks or taking tai chi. For the Delaware Biking Blue Hens, it’s about riding through life with purpose and joy.

Founded more than 30 years ago, the cycling group comprises bikers ages 55 to 80 who build their endurance on Delaware’s roads before collectively boarding a bus to Iowa each summer for RAGBRAI (the Register’s Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa). The week-long event is the longest, oldest, and largest in the world, where riders pedal across the state to the finish to ceremonially dip their tires into the Mississippi River.

The group draws hobby and hardcore cyclists alike. Most members come for the sport but stay for the sense of community. “Biking together has extended well beyond RAGBRAI to weekend rides and more,” says 64-year-old Cindi Viviano, a senior multimedia sales consultant at “Delaware Today,” who joined in 2017. Weekend joyrides are often followed by lunches and happy hours, where deeper bonds are built. “Some of us have vacationed together in places like Asheville, Key West, and Thousand Islands (New York),” Viviano adds. “I wouldn’t have done any of this if I wasn’t a Hen.” This year, the group is looking at Lake Champlain for its next adventure.

- Advertisement -

Beyond the bikes, member ties run deep. Take 66-year-old Donald L. Gouge Jr. of Wilmington. A member of the group since 1998, he has a unique link with another member, Ken Williamson, who is the eldest member at age 80. Williamson, a former high school fitness instructor at Christiana High School, was Gouge’s ninth-grade homeroom teacher in 1972.

In 2012, Gouge recruited 65-year-old Lawrence “Larry” Carson, with whom he worked in 1988 for the city of Wilmington. It took Gouge a decade to talk Carson into joining the Biking Blue Hens, but once he did, Carson was hooked, even becoming club president in 2015 to help ensure a safe and successful trip to Iowa each year. “It doesn’t happen without the help of others overseeing the registration, housing, bus maintenance, membership, and fundraising,” Carson points out. “It’s hard to get the job done without people volunteering to help.” The volunteer efforts also bring the group closer together.

“The group draws hobby and hardcore cyclists alike. Most members come for the sport but stay for the sense of community.”

Members look forward to the trip so much that they won’t even let injuries hold them back. Dianne V.A. Green, 63, a close friend of Viviano’s who she convinced to join in 2023, hopped on the 50th annual RAGBRAI. On the fifth day, an eye injury forced her out of the remainder of her first race. But she felt compelled to return—and finish—the following year. “It was tough, but I got a lot of support and encouragement from the team,” she says. “It’s a great group of people to hang out with, and the towns that support the ride in Iowa are great places to visit.”

Williamson also inspires, having undergone two knee replacements without skipping a ride. “Ken proves that age is just a number when you’re doing something you love,” Viviano says.

Banghui “Benny” Long, 58, a serious cyclist who joined the club in 2015, enjoyed the experience so much that he craved more. He recently took a trip overseas to complete a solo ride across Beirut, where he explored historical sites along the way.

- Partner Content -

Curious but cautious about joining the Hens? “Anyone can do it,” Green assures. “The ride seems extremely intimidating… but everyone who has done it says to look at it as a bunch of 10-to-15-mile rides that you do in one day. It’s a great experience. “My goal is to have fun and get a mental break, and I get both with [the Biking Blue Hens] and the RAGBRAI trip.”

Related: 5 Steps to Declutter Your Home, According to a Delaware Expert

Our Best of Delaware Readers' Ballot is open through January 8!

Holiday flash sale ... subscribe and save 50%

Limited time offer. New subscribers only.