Pedaling the Pueblo – Team Yaqui at El Tour de Tucson
In 2013 the first team of 30 Pascua Yaqui riders, funded through a special grant aimed at helping to prevent Type-2 diabetes in First People communities through diet and exercise, completed 50 miles of El Tour de Tucson in freezing cold weather. Christine Chavez was one of the first riders. Christine suffered from diabetes and depression, but when she was introduced to bicycle riding through pro-cyclist James Stout and a physician, all that started to go away.
Now, through the Pascua Yaqui Diabetes Prevention and Treatment Program, Christine recruits new riders to join the team which now numbers at least 120 people, all tribal members of various ages.
In this episode we listen to the stories of Cecilia Cordova and Daniel Baumea, two first-time riders who recently completed 25 and 50 miles respectively in El Tour. The two share what it was like to train for the ride, how it felt crossing the finish line and why bicycle riding for them is key to maintaining their physical and mental health.
Pedaling the Pueblo – Team Yaqui at El Tour de Tucson
Pedaling the Pueblo is a mini-program and podcast that connects people to news and information about Tucson’s bicycle culture. A collective of bicycle enthusiasts host and produce weekly programs covering a wide variety of topics. From community events to questions about how bicycle funding works; tips to start riding more to interviews with local bicycling legends, Pedaling the Pueblo explores life on two wheels from a “people first” approach, allowing us all to have an open dialogue about how people move through our shared built environment.
Content is responsive to and driven by the community, so if you have a question or topic you’d like to hear covered, email us at [email protected]. You can also find us on Facebook.
