Many Coronado residents know Barb Trenchi as the owner of SoCal Food Tours, but long before she began introducing visitors to the city’s restaurants and history, she had built a lifelong passion for cycling. Now 74, Trenchi can still bike between 50 and 100 miles on her trusty Merlin titanium bicycle that’s been with her on countless rides and excursions. She rides two or three times a week — a habit she credits with improving both her health and her life.
Her love of cycling spans more than four decades and has taken her from the Pacific Northwest to San Diego, while helping shape both her personal and professional life.
Trenchi discovered organized cycling after moving from Tampa, Florida, to the Seattle area following her graduation from Vanderbilt University. She joined B.I.K.E.S. Snohomish County in Everett in 1981 and quickly became deeply involved in the local cycling community.
She eventually served as president of the club and directed the McClinchy Mile, a fundraising ride featuring multiple route options. She also led rides through other cycling groups, coworkers, and her church, spending 25 years organizing outings throughout the Puget Sound region.
“It’s the perfect place to get out on the roads and trails because of the temperate climate and scenic byways that circumnavigate the hills and valleys of neighboring Skagit County,” Trenchi said.
Along the way, she found inspiration in fellow cyclists decades older than she was.
“There were a dozen members who could pedal 100 miles in a single day despite being 65 to 80 years old,” Trenchi recalled. “This blew my mind.”
Seeing older riders remain active convinced her that if she wanted to enjoy that kind of health later in life, she needed to make cycling a lifelong habit.
That commitment took on even greater meaning after both her father and younger brother required major heart surgery. Concerned about her own family history, Trenchi underwent a series of cardiac tests that ultimately revealed she needed emergency double bypass surgery.
“The cardiologist told me, ‘If you don’t agree to surgery, your job is not going to matter,'” she recalled.
She chose to undergo surgery the following day. Friends, family, and members of her church helped support her financially during her recovery, allowing her to focus on healing.
The experience only strengthened her determination to stay active. Just one year after surgery, she completed the Seattle-to-Portland Bicycle Classic, one of the Northwest’s signature endurance rides. Over the years, she has completed the event seven times, along with other popular rides, including the Cascade Bicycle Club’s “Chilly Hilly” ride and RSVP (Ride from Seattle to Vancouver, B.C., and Party).
After moving to Coronado in late 2006, Trenchi became active with the San Diego Bicycle Club, where she has served as both a ride leader and communications director. She also rides with the Crown City Cyclists and is a Licensed Cycling Instructor through the San Diego Bicycle Coalition, teaching bicycle safety at rodeos for elementary school students throughout San Diego County.
In recognition of those efforts, the coalition named her its Educator of the Year in 2023.
Today, Trenchi continues to look to other active older adults for inspiration, including friends who continue to cycle, play tennis, hike, and camp well into their 80s.
When she’s not on two wheels, Trenchi can be found leading visitors on walking tours that combine local history with stops at Coronado restaurants though SoCal Food Tours, which she has operated since 2012.
For Trenchi, staying active has become less about reaching the next milestone and more about maintaining a lifestyle that has carried her through some of life’s biggest challenges.
More than 40 years after joining her first bike club, she’s still enjoying the ride.
