LUBBOCK, Texas (KCBD) – A Lubbock veteran’s 75th birthday party ended like others might, with a slice of celebratory pizza. But it started with him setting out to do something he’s never done before, a 75-mile bike ride.
Wayne Sullivan and his cousin, Don Rohde, turn 75 this year, giving each other the gift of a challenge. They rode their bikes Wednesday from New Deal to Hale Center and back.
“The goal is to come back breathing,” said Rohde. “We were both athletes in our early life, all through college, and life happens and you get away from it. And so, we’re sitting there on the couch at 74 thinking, you know, we’re not done.”
PJ Sullivan, Wayne’s wife, is usually by his side on the marathon route. They ran another just last month. But this time, she’s following behind, cheering from the truck.
Wayne suffered from a stroke eight years ago, so she says he does live within some limits.
“You know, he can’t speak, as you know, he can’t drive. So, he stays pretty active at home,” PJ said.
But when it comes to things most 75-year-olds say they can’t do, like a 75-mile bike ride, she’s there to cheer him on.
“I said go for it. You can do it, you can do it,” PJ said.
She also got to cheer him on last year as he returned home from the Texas South Plains Honor Flight. The Vietnam War veteran was able to see the memorials built in his honor.
“He’s still quite the guy for 75,” Rohde said.
Don has his own health concerns that could slow him down, like an irregular, rapid heartbeat and a pacemaker.
“See this? Never let your mind tell your body how old it is. There’s more truth to that than people understand. When you admit you’re old and admit you’re disabled or you admit you can’t do this or you can’t do that, you can’t. When you don’t listen to that and you say, I can get up and do this, I can get up and do that, you do,” Rohde said.
When people heard they planned to ride from New Deal to Hale Center and back, they questioned the plan.
“They say, you know, how do you guys do this? I don’t know. I don’t have an answer other than we’re just too stupid to quit,” Rohde said.
But the pair won’t be outsmarted by a silly little number like 75.
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