"World's Oldest Cyclist" Rides His Bike Nearly Everyday at 103

Most people would be lucky to live to 103. And even luckier to be able to ride a bike at that age. But, actually, riding a bike regularly would increase your chances of both things, since it is good for your health and extends your life expectancy.

103-year-old Octavio Orduño would recommend it. He is perhaps the oldest living cyclist and still loves cruising along on his tricycle (well, it would be a bicycle if his wife hadn’t insisted he switch). “It keeps me going,” Octavio says.

Octavia rides through the streets of Long Beach daily and has gotten quite a reputation for it. He’s “our poster boy for healthy, active living around here,” says Charles Gandy, the city’s bike coordinator.

Octavia pedals around his beach neighborhood everyday, “to the park, the beach and the farmers market — in a ritual honed over nearly 40 years,” the LA Times reports.

“I can ride this bike all day long,” he says. “Sometimes I feel stronger than the year before.”

oldest living bicyclist

Octavio is a retired aerospace mechanic, but it’s clear he’s a fan of human-powered transport.

As he’s gotten older, Octavio has certainly had his share of falls, though. The LA Times reports:

Not long ago, on his way out of the garage, his foot slipped going uphill and he flipped over. His face hit the concrete. The bike landed on his leg. He lay on the ground for half an hour before a neighbor came to his rescue.

Once, he and the tricycle came home in a police car.

“That time, I thought I was clear, so I let it roll,” he says. “I think I was going about 30 miles an hour when I went over the curb and some guys came to help me.”

A day or two later, he was back on the street, “like nothing ever happened,” Alicia said.

h/t TreeHugger

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Photo: screenshot of YouTube video above

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