Local Bike Enthusiast Dies at 90:

A few days ago, a local man who spent much of his retirement riding his bike and collecting aluminum cans, passed away. I passed this unique gentleman several times while out walking or riding my bike.

I've told you in the past of my love for water. After spending three years in the Southeast, where the ocean wasn't too far away, I now spend as much time as possible near the Mississippi River. Whether walking or bike riding, being near the water and seeing other people and wildlife appeals to me.

After coming back to the Midwest, I noticed this elderly man who could always (it seemed) be found on the pathway near this mighty river. He would stop and collect aluminum cans as he road one of his bikes. One was a three wheeler and I believe he had one or two others that he occasionally road.

He would always say hello whenever we passed, but I never actually talked to him. According to the local paper, he loved to meet people along the bike path and also wanted to stay active. His wife said that he feared ending up in a nursing home.

He would be out there on his bike as long as the temperatures and weather weren't too severe. This past Spring I didn't see him out there so I assumed he had died. But I saw him once or twice in the Summer time and knew he was still around.

No matter what, he would be wearing bib overalls. Apparently, he slowed down a little recently and passed away quickly. If you ask me, that's the way to do it - stay active in your retirement years, living a long life and avoiding a long stay in a nursing home or hospital.

Now I know that some people will do all the right things, such as exercising and eating right and still end up with some disease or poor health, but if you just leave it to chance, your odds of having poor health and disease are much greater.

If more people lived their retirement years like the "can man" and stayed active, our nursing homes wouldn't be as full as they are.... or will be with all the Baby Boomers approaching their retirement years.

Taking a proactive approach to health instead of a reactive one seems to make more sense doesn't it? Don't wait until something is wrong to try and fix it, try to prevent it in the first place. Try to get a little more movement into your daily life and see what happens.

For more information on physical activity and anti aging, click here.