Roseanne Adams

At an age when most people are enjoying retirement, Roseanne Adams is still hitting the road, relishing our beautiful USA the best way she feels: on her specialized 21-gear Sirrus bike! Bubbling with energy, this Wisconsin born nurse anesthetist still enjoys her career, as well as her bike trips. "I just love it," she smiles about her work with Outpatient Surgery Center. "So why not keep going when it's so gratifying?"

She met and married her husband, Pete, an oral and maxillofacial surgeon in Charleston, West Virginia in the 70s. They have four children. A visit to Hilton Head for a surgical meeting prompted them to purchase a villa in Sea Pines in 1976, and in 1990 Hilton Head captured them permanently. Loving the outdoors, (but "not golf") Roseanne decided to take up biking. "I figured I could always bike on flat ground," she laughed. "It's fun and easy around here!"  It's become more than a pastime though, it's a passion. The Adams left Sea Pines for Moss Creek in 1995, and Pete golfed while Roseanne biked.

In 2003 she discovered Woman Tours and said to Pete, "I think I'll try one of those all-women tours."

Puzzled, Pete asked, "You want to bike with all those women?" She teased, "Do you want me to go with men?" Oops, guess not, so Roseanne has since taken 12 tours about the US. "This organization creates a supportive atmosphere to encourage women in all the activities we can accomplish after 50." In May, Roseanne will join about 30 other women to follow the Mississippi River from New Orleans through the heartland of America, completing the 38-day, 2,000-mile bicycle tour in beautiful Lake Itasca, MN. "I call it my maternity leave, as I've never been away this long.and nope, we do not camp out!" declared Roseanne. "We stay mostly in B&B's with excellent meals, plus a support van along the way, in case we tire. They monitor first out and last in, carry our luggage... and us too, if necessary!" This trip is especially meaningful, not only for Roseanne, but for the Moss Creek Marines, a non-profit organization supporting our deployed troops. "All the money I raise goes for packages sent to our brave troops, who keep going back defending our freedom." Marine Veteran, Roger Garreau, mustered other Moss Creek Marines (MCM) and started, "Operation Adopt a Combat Unit" in 2006. To date MCM has reached more than 27,000 marines in 61 different units, shipping specific items needed, including pillows. "This epic tour, my longest, is in memory of a friend of mine, Theresa "Tres" Polet, a former Marine, who died of lung cancer," said Roseanne. "For my 70th birthday, I am doing this for both of us!"

It's obvious that Roseanne energizes everyone around her; I wanted to jump on a bike and join her. While most of us were enjoying a huge Easter Sunday meal, Roseanne biked 92 miles as part of her final preparation. "You must have an anatomically correct female saddle," she grinned, referring to her bicycle seat. "It's all about comfort, so don't laugh about our spandex bike shorts! I get teased because I usually wear five layers, but weather conditions change often. It's especially dicey riding in the rain, and I want to be warm! I've met such fascinating women from all walks of life, and yes, we chat riding about 12 miles an hour. We set our own pace and usually stop every 20 minutes to stretch and eat...what we love most about these tours," she joked. "I may be unique to the general public, but not to these gals on tour."

This "Energizer Bunny", as she is referred to, is considering a tour next year, which circumvents the Great Lakes. "I love the water oriented ones the best. Smiling from ear-to-ear she offers, "Tell everyone to try it, they'll love it." It's healthy, releases tension, feels good, and with your own power you can see the world.or just go around the block and have fun. You're never too old to start something!"

Yep, she has also been dubbed, "Spark-plug!"

Up Close

Educational Pursuits: Roseanne returned to college in her 30s, obtaining a degree in English, while raising her kids and nursing.
The Recurring Dream: "I have had a recurring dream since childhood about biking to my grandmother's house. I really didn't bike growing up-we hardly wore pants. The dream stopped when I started pursuing biking."

Secret to good biking: "A good coach.my son, Lt. Colonel Michael Samples, now in 4th Marine Division in New Orleans, coached me from the beginning."

Scariest moment: "A mishap on a bridge under construction in Virginia. My rear tire was either bumped by a car or hit an obstruction. I went flying and was pretty badly shaken-six stitches in my head and lots of lacerations. I know my helmet saved me from brain damage. My son would not let me bike further, but I finished in the van!"