In winter, they carve through snowy mountains on skis. When the snow melts, they trade their ski poles for bicycle handlebars.
These aren’t athletes in their 20s or 30s. Members of a Korean senior sports club in Southern California are spending retirement skiing mountains, cycling across states and proving that adventure doesn’t come with an age limit.
Members of the Jae Mi Ski Club escaped Southern California’s summer heat on Aug. 20, departing for a 10-day ski trip to Santiago, Chile.
Just before the group left, the Korea Daily met with coach Richard Park, 72, who has earned a nickname among members: the “ski and cycling evangelist.”
Park encourages seniors who find themselves spending retirement at home to simply get outside and start moving.
The club’s youngest members are in their 60s. Its oldest are approaching 90.
Its 36 members travel wherever their skis and bicycles can take them—from neighborhood trails at Griffith Park to destinations
across Washington, D.C., Maryland, Virginia, Ohio, Missouri, Idaho, Utah, Colorado and Oregon.
He Didn’t Become an Expert Until 50
Park wasn’t always a sports fanatic.
He began skiing relatively late after people around him told him he seemed to have a natural talent for athletics.
Age didn’t stop him from taking the sport seriously.
After failing the qualification test five times, Park earned the Professional Ski Instructors of America’s highest Alpine Level 3 certification at age 50.
Having started later in life himself, Park now has a simple message for seniors hesitant to try something new: start first, then learn.
His approach is deliberately gradual. Beginners start with shorter routes on basic bicycles before slowly increasing their distance and difficulty and investing in more advanced equipment.
“There’s no reason you can’t do it just because you’re a senior,” Park said. “If you learn properly and practice consistently, you can do it.”
From Heart Surgery to Cross-Country Cycling
For some members of the Korean senior sports club, the results have been dramatic.
One 74-year-old woman currently active in the club had undergone two heart surgeries and once struggled simply to climb stairs.
At Park’s encouragement, she began cycling two or three times a week, gradually increasing the distance she could ride.
“In less than a year, I was able to do long-distance rides,” she said.
By 2024, she had joined Park and five other seniors to complete a bicycle journey across South Korea.
That same year, another club member—then 91 years old—joined a 14-day cycling trip from Portland to San Francisco.
Last July, members also completed a 350-mile bicycle journey from Pittsburgh to Washington, D.C.
More Than Exercise
The miles have created something beyond physical fitness.
Members celebrate birthdays together, exchange gifts and gather at one another’s homes to cook and eat. After years of traveling, skiing and cycling together, many say their friendships have grown into bonds resembling family.
For Park, that’s part of what keeps them moving.
Sports provide exercise, but they also offer friendship, travel and a reason to keep exploring.
Cycling in particular allows riders to experience places differently, Park said.
“When you’re driving, you miss so many things that you finally notice from a bicycle,” he said. “You can ride down trails cars can’t enter, feel the cool breeze and slowly take in the scenery. It’s difficult to describe how moving those moments can be.”
For Korean American seniors wondering what comes next after retirement, Park’s advice starts with something much simpler than a 350-mile bike ride or an international ski trip.
Get out the door. “It’s never too late to start today,” Park said. “You can start pedaling a bicycle right now.”
Contact: (562) 544-3697 | parkskifamily@gmail.com
