Enjoying the Ride into Retirement

Nearly every morning you can find Abbey Delray resident Leonard Cline riding his bike around the Delray Beach community. Whether it’s 25 miles or 50, Cline says he gets lost in the thought and the freedom of his favorite hobby.

“I guess you can say I’ve become addicted to exercise at this stage of my life,” says Cline. “Riding gives me time and space to think.”

Cline’s continued pursuit for wellness has inspired the entire Abbey Delray community, as residents and team members watched him complete a 100-mile bike ride to raise money for the local Relay for Life.

“The Century Ride was a goal I wanted to complete for my 71st birthday,” says Cline. “I got in contact with the Relay For Life organization, and the Abbey Delray community helped to set up the ride.”

In preparation, Cline rode dozens of miles around the Delray Beach community nearly every day.

“Once I hit 70 miles, I knew I could do 100,” says Cline.

In April, Cline jumped on his bike, grabbed both handlebars, and took to the streets and sidewalks around Abbey Delray. For more than seven hours, going at an average rate of 13.2 mph, residents and team members cheered, clapped and rooted him on as he completed a milestone in his life.

“I really felt the camaraderie of the Abbey Delray community,” says Cline. “It turned into a cheering squad as I rode. People came out of their apartment homes and watched.”

His efforts to continue his wellness regimen inspired Executive Director Mark Trepanier and Human Resource Director Antonieta Caicedo to do their own rides. Trepanier rode 50 miles and Caicedo peddled 30 miles. In all, $1,500 was raised for Relay for Life.

“Leonard Cline is such an inspiration to us here at Abbey Delray,” said Trepanier. “He had a goal and he completed it. That’s something we strive for with all of our residents. It was an honor to ride next to him.”

Cline and his wife have lived at Abbey Delray for nearly three years. They made the choice to move into the community after she experienced a health setback. She now lives in the health center, a quick two-minute walk from his residential living apartment home.

“When we started searching for a place, we knew we wanted to move into a Lifespace community,” said Cline. “My mother lives at Harbour’s Edge, so I have confidence in the Life Care model, and know the security that’s offered,” says Cline.

In 2018, he plans to do another Century Ride around the community. He enjoys seeing the support of his friends.

“We’re a community here,” said Cline. “We look out for one another.”

<< Back to News