Maple Crest residents Sandy and Jim Benner can’t say enough about Bluffton as a place to enjoy outdoor activities.
“You can walk or ride the bike path almost to downtown, where there’s a great bike shop, too. The country roads are flat and not heavily-traveled. We can ride our bikes to Pandora or use the ever-expanding bike paths,” exclaimed Jim.
The Benner’s are grateful to still be physically active in their 8th decade. Sandy has walked 5 miles a day for the past 14 years and they are both avid bicyclists. Although they spend the winter months in Deland, Florida, they didn’t start biking regularly until they moved to their villa at Maple Crest.
“Bluffton and our location at Maple Crest are ideal for biking,” added Jim. “You can ride for several miles in any direction before encountering a busy road. In Florida, we ride in our development, but there’s too much traffic to go much further.”
The couple rode in their third Ride to Remember in Bluffton on July 14. Accompanied by their daughter, they rode 26 miles. Sandy has ridden as far as 40 miles in the past, but wanted to finish before the temperature hit the 90s.
Sandy is originally from Illinois and Jim from Pennsylvania. They both graduated from Bluffton University, as did their four children. They enjoy traveling and hiking, especially out west. They particularly love Zion National Park in Utah, where they hiked the challenging Angels Landing Trail. Sandy and the Benner’s dog Rusty take long walks and it seems like Rusty, too, is a fan of Bluffton.
Do the Benner’s have a message for other elders in the community?
“Just keep going,” said Sandy. “If you stop, you don’t start up again, so keep going even when it’s tough.”
Jim added, “We’re just both so grateful to be able to stay active and enjoy the outdoors, Maple Crest and Bluffton.”