Wheels still turning: 79-year-old cyclist takes in daily dose of Red Rock beauty
He’s not out to set any records, not trying to get an award. Since 1991, Summerlin resident John Taube has been bicycling his way to Red Rock Canyon almost every morning. Taube, who lives near Sahara Avenue and Town Center Drive, rides 12 to 15 miles a day to the Visitor Center’s entrance and back.
He began the daily trek soon after retiring at 51. He turned 79 in January.
“First, I tried walking, but that was boring,” he said. “And you have to walk really, really fast to get your heart rate up. … and running is too hard on the knees.”
He bought a mountain bike, worked his way up to 10 miles at a time and then decided to make the trek out to Red Rock Canyon each day.
“It never gets old,” he said of the scenery and glimpses of wildlife. “I’ve seen a couple snakes, a coyote, rabbits, lots of those, and I’ve had a lizard run across the road in front of me and seen a (desert tortoise) near the Scenic Loop sign. I haven’t seen a mountain lion, not yet. But I’m looking out for one so I can go real fast (in) the other direction.”
Taube is on his third bicycle. The first one lasted 10 years. He figured he put 25,000 miles on it. He now rides a red Schwinn 21-speed mountain bike that he bought at Walmart for about $79 in 2013. He owns another bike that he found for around $150 at Target.
Taube gets up about 4:30 a.m. each day. He said he likes the serenity of hitting the road early in the morning when traffic is light. He can count on one hand the number of other cyclists out at that hour. On weekends, he sees more, often riding fast, those trying to set personal bests or challenging one another to see who is the fittest. He called them “hot shots, young guys looking to be macho. I see them coming, and I just stay to the side and let them pass. I’m not in a hurry.”
Because it’s usually busier on weekends, he’ll ride only 8 miles.
It takes Taube about an hour and 10 minutes to reach the entrance to Red Rock Canyon, a pace of about 7 mph, all uphill. Coming back is gravity-assisted and takes only about 35 minutes.
“Riding out to Red Rock, it’s uphill, was no problem when I was in my 50s. Now it’s, well, it’s harder, but I can do it. I like a challenge,” he said.
Some days he had to talk himself into making the uphill trek, but by about a half-mile into it, he said, he’s back to enjoying the ride.
Jim Banks used to ride with Taube about 15 years ago when they were next-door neighbors.
“We’d ride around the neighborhood, then go out toward Red Rock,” Banks said. “He rode pretty good, not real fast. He likes doing it, and he looks pretty darn good for someone who’s going to be 80 in January.”
Taube had to take a break in January 2012. That’s when he had triple bypass surgery. Two arteries were 50 percent blocked, and another was 80 percent. He blamed it on his diet of beer and beef. He has the former every day, the latter about four times a week.
“You’re only here for a short time. Enjoy it,” he said, “because when they put you in the hole, you’re there for good.”
In December 2012, he had his left knee replaced. He still has issues trying to fully extend his extend his leg, but it didn’t prevent him from getting back on his bike and hitting the road again.
As a young man, Taube drove 18-wheelers for Freight Consolidation, a Teamster job, in Detroit for 32 years. He later switched to loading freight cars. He and his wife, Sue, thought they would move to Florida, but the humidity proved too much to take. They came to Las Vegas in 1990, landing at The Lakes, then moved into a gated community in Summerlin after that. Four years ago, Sue, a heavy smoker, died.
Taube said retiring at 51 meant having to find things to do. His daily routine means having a cup of coffee when he wakes up, reading the newspaper and then getting on his bike. The bike riding began in 1991. He keeps his pace by monitoring his heart rate — no more than 100 beats a minute for the first 15 minutes, then to 120 beats after that.
“I’m not trying to set any records. I’m not trying to beat anybody,” he said. “I’m just out there enjoying that hour and a half, an hour and 40 minutes, then I come home, putz around the house a little bit and then at 2 o’clock, I hit the casino.”
To reach Summerlin Area View reporter Jan Hogan, email jhogan@viewnews.com or call 702-387-2949.
SHARE THE ROAD
The Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles now offers a specialty plate for cycling enthusiasts. It displays a "Share the Road" message with a bicycle and pedestrian image. The plates cost an initial $61 and $30 for renewal. Proceeds of $25 per plate will provide grant money for nonprofit and government organizations to plan and construct bicycle and pedestrian facilities, as well as to support bicycle and pedestrian safety, education and other programs. The grant funding will be awarded by the Nevada Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Board and administered through the Nevada Department of Transportation.
The specialty license plates are available for purchase at Nevada DMV offices. You must visit the DMV in person and pay specialty plate fees and a $5 plate transfer fee. No registration renewal or emissions inspection is required to swap existing plates for a set of Share the Road plates. Find more pedestrian and bicycle safety information at bicyclenevada.com.
