Fifty Plus (50+) - 83 year old outruns tsunami on a bicycle

News report out of CNN. Amazing

http://www.copenhagenize.com/

Thanks for posting. She's is a great example for 50+ folks, or any age for that matter.

Edit: CNN should have showed us her bike.

I think that in a similar situation, my first impulse would be to hop on the bike. You'll be going faster than the drivers who are stuck in gridlock.

I assume that people up and down the coast had varying amounts of time to get out of the way, so don't assume that because one person got out on their bike, everyone could.

I remember reading about one family that hopped in their car and drove about 12 miles to higher ground, and the tsunami came in 20-30 minutes later. I can't do 12 miles in 20 or 30 minutes, so that would have been pretty iffy.

I assume that people up and down the coast had varying amounts of time to get out of the way, so don't assume that because one person got out on their bike, everyone could.

I remember reading about one family that hopped in their car and drove about 12 miles to higher ground, and the tsunami came in 20-30 minutes later. I can't do 12 miles in 20 or 30 minutes, so that would have been pretty iffy.

Of course not everyone could outrun a tsunami on a bike. But she could. And that in and of itself is cause for celebration. :beer:

There is also a great possibility she had no car at her disposal.

I'm impressed with the woman, the fact that she looks so healthy and can ride a bike at 83.

However, and I wish I weren't this cynical, but the news media probably spun this story to make it more sensational. She may have heard the siren, and ridden her bike slowly a mile or so up a gentle hill, but the news media will still paint a picture of her pedaling madly, barely outrunning an eight-foot wall of water pursuing her at 20 MPH.

Sorry to be so cynical, this is my experience with news media desperate for human interest stories.

I think that in a similar situation, my first impulse would be to hop on the bike. You'll be going faster than the drivers who are stuck in gridlock.

One town of 17,000 and only one road out---10,000 were missing.

Adrenalyn plays a big factor in speed- Give me a head start and a good enough reason and I could out ride a Tsunami.

And only picked up after listening again- The woman used to be a bike racer

Edit: CNN should have showed us her bike.

If I had to guess, it was probably a mama chari. They're everywhere in Japan, and - despite the name - ridden by both men and women.

http://www.japancycling.org/v2/info/bikesj/mamachari.shtml

I believe it said she was a rice farmer, not a bike racer. Even so, she looks incredibly healthy for 83. Japanese people in general are very healthy. They eat well (low fat diet high in nutrition) and exercise all through life. Americans need to learn from them.

I'm impressed with the woman, the fact that she looks so healthy and can ride a bike at 83.

However, and I wish I weren't this cynical, but the news media probably spun this story to make it more sensational. She may have heard the siren, and ridden her bike slowly a mile or so up a gentle hill, but the news media will still paint a picture of her pedaling madly, barely outrunning an eight-foot wall of water pursuing her at 20 MPH.

Sorry to be so cynical, this is my experience with news media desperate for human interest stories.

I too see it your way. It wouldn't surprise me to find out the whole thing was a sham. I haven't watched a news broadcast through in years. If something really important happens I hear about it, and In the mean time I don't fill my head with a bunch of bad news junk they are puking out trying to raise ratings.

My BFF's hubby just turned 90 - he goes to a daily spinning class at the gym and nobody can keep up with him, no matter what age.

I'm sure it was a spun story. A tsunami wave does not travel at 20 mph; it's closer to 500 mph (jet airliner speed). That's why those waves can make it 6 or 8 miles inland!

L

Was she wearing her helmet?

Nope

194097

Ah, you found a picture. :) And it was a Mam Chari bike!