A Severna Park bike path is bringing smiles through Cycling Without Age, a program giving seniors free rides that spark joy and connection.

SEVERNA PARK, Md. — On first glance, the bike path winding through Severna Park looks like any other. But every so often, a sight here makes neighbors stop and stare.

It isn’t extraterrestrial. It isn’t unusual cargo. It’s something far more uplifting: groups of older residents beaming as they ride by in a three-wheeled bike, wind in their hair and joy on their faces.

The riders come from Sunrise Assisted Living, just down the road. They’re part of an international program called Cycling Without Age, which offers seniors free rides on custom-built trishaws piloted by volunteers.

“It’s a head-turner,” said Sandy Bishop, who leads the local chapter. “It gets attention. But more importantly, it gets people smiling.”

Every week, Bishop and her team of volunteers pedal residents along the trail, sparking conversations, laughter and memories.

“It doesn’t matter where you sit on the bike — everyone benefits from it,” Bishop said. “Conversations start, memories come back. There’s just something different about it.”

Christine Joyce, a volunteer pilot, remembers one ride with a woman from memory care. “She loved the crepe myrtles,” Joyce said. “Every tree in bloom was a new experience for her. It was magical.”

Those moments have been repeated millions of times. Since its founding in Denmark in 2012, Cycling Without Age has given more than 5 million rides worldwide.

For Carol Jones, a Severna Park native, the program offered a chance to reconnect with something she thought was lost.

“I always had my own bicycle,” Jones said. She used to ride these same paths but had to give it up with age. “I was thrilled when they decided to include us.”

For her, the rides mean much more than transportation. “As you can maybe tell, there’s no place I’d rather be than out in the woods, out on the trail, outside,” she said. “It means everything to me. If I couldn’t be outside, I might as well give it up.”

Now, with the help of volunteers and a sturdy three-wheeled bike, Jones and others can feel the breeze on their faces once again.

“Just seeing the bike makes people smile,” Bishop said. “Being on it makes them smile even more.”