Coronado Cyclist Rides for Fun and Cardiac Health

When the recent graduate of Vanderbilt University struck out for the scenic Pacific Northwest from Tampa, Florida, she had no idea how much the change in climate and activities would also change her life.

Barb Trenchi, then the adventuresome cyclist, 29 years old, joined one of several bike clubs in the Seattle area. First, it was B.I.K.E.S. Snohomish County in Everett, WA in 1981. Her cycling enthusiasm grew along with her leadership skills, as she was then elected president of the club as well as director of the McClinchy Mile, a fundraising bicycle ride with five different routes. She also linked up with fellow riders from GTE Data Services and others at her neighborhood church who also liked the cycling lifestyle.

Barb Trenchi, 2023 Educator of the Year, Golden Gear Awards

“I led a variety of bike rides during my 25-year term in 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 was inspired by some of the hearty co-riders in her club. “There were a dozen members who could pedal 100 miles in a single day, despite being 65 – 80 years old. This blew my mind, because my parents were not that big into exercise.”

If she were to be able to ride like that as a senior citizen, Trenchi decided “I’d better start now.” That was 45 years ago but she still hasn’t stopped.

Her cycling avocation was nearly stopped in its path when both her father and younger brother had serious cardiac surgery. Her brother had entered the emergency portal at the local hospital with angina pains which led to heart surgery only a couple of weeks later. Trenchi saw this as a prescient sign...

“I took all this as a serious family warning, so I proactively took myself to the highly renowned Virginia Mason Hospital in Seattle, for a cardiac stress test. It was abnormal but inconclusive. So, next I did a nuclear stress test where they injected me with a radioactive tracer. Again, abnormal, but inconclusive. The next step was an angiogram,” said Trenchi. “As it so happened while there, my blood pressure fell like a rock, alarming both the cardiology staff – and me!”

“The next thing I knew, I was in a sterile hospital room with a cardiologist standing bedside. Quite nonchalantly he stated, ‘Oh, by the way, you need double bypass surgery. And, we have a surgeon and an available operating room tomorrow.’”

“Whew, I exhaled,” recounted Trenchi. “Tears flooded my eyes as cold reality struck. I would have no income if I had the operation that soon. Reactively, I exclaimed, ‘I can’t do that, I wouldn’t have an income if I undergo surgery!’”

“The cardiologist calmly said, ‘If you don’t agree to surgery, your job is not going to matter.’”

“He followed up by saying I could come back in a week,” Trenchi explained. “I said ‘If you are telling me that I could walk out the front door of this hospital, and be dead just like that, I think I’ll stay.’ I had surgery the next morning.”

“On the financial front, friends, family and my fellow church members at Overlake Christian Church, generously gave me $6,000 in six weeks. So, I wasn’t thrown into abject poverty because of my time off from work,” recalled Trenchi. “Still, it was far from easy. On June 29, I will be a 22-year double by-pass survivor.”

A year after her cardiac surgery, she completed the STP, the popular Seattle-to-Portland ride, having done the ride seven times. Now, she’s scheduled to ride again in 2026. Trenchi has also ridden in the Cascade Bicycle Club’s “Chilly Hilly Ride” and the RSVP (Ride from Seattle to Vancouver, B.C. and Party).

Barb teaching kids how to ride safely

Since moving to Coronado at the end of 2006, she has biked with the San Diego Bicycle Club and is a ride leader; plus, she served as their communications director for a year. In addition, she rides with the Crown City Cyclists of Coronado. Trenchi is also a Licensed Cycling Instructor (LCI) with the San Diego Bicycle Coalition and has done bicycle rodeos at various elementary schools from San Ysidro to Oceanside. In 2023, she was named the “Educator of the Year” by the coalition.

“Looking forward to being active in my 80’s, I look to a couple of older inspirations,” recalled Trenchi. “There is Nan Myers, 88, of Bonita who plays tennis and pickleball and goes camping by herself in her RV and Jim Callaway of Coronado, 84, who still cycles 100 miles per week and has participated in 50 marathons.”

Now, 74 years-young, Trenchi can still bike 50 to 100 miles on her trusty Merlin titanium bike. It’s been with her on countless rides and excursions, still riding two to three times per week.

She has owned SoCal Food Tours, Coronado since 2012. When she is not biking, you will likely find her leading a walking food and history tour of Coronado. (socalfoodtours.com).

Barb enjoying a day of teaching about bikes