listener profile By Christine Jarmuz
Dynamic Duo Senior cyclists find that KBAQ is good for the road.
Nora Timson and Jim House “The first time we went 50 miles, I wasn’t sure if I should shower or go straight to the funeral home.”
14
Wavelength
N
ROBERT WESTERMAN
Long rides and warm weather require Arizona cyclists to rise before dawn. KBAQ offers Nora Timson and Jim House the right kind of wake-up call.
Nora Timson and Jim House might give the impression that they’re taking it easy in Sun City Grand, acquiring a healthy glow from lounging by the pool or maybe a round of golf every week. Think again. This couple will knock the cycling socks off anyone’s feet. Last year, Timson and House pedaled, respectively, 10,500 and 12,500 miles, chalking it up to the fact that they love to ride. While nonchalant about the rubber they lay on asphalt every year, House reveals his sly sense of humor when he says, “The first time we went 50 miles, I wasn’t sure if I should shower or go straight to the funeral home.”
If the mileage quoted doesn’t seem too impressive, given the popularity of the sport in Arizona, just know this: Timson is 62 and House is 83. Aboard titanium road bikes, they trek roughly 60 miles along the White Tank Mountains three times a week, with smaller rides in between. Added to that regimen are hikes and jaunts to the gym. Both natives of Michigan, the two didn’t meet until March 1999, when they participated in a West Valley bike club ride at the White Tanks. As Timson puts it, “I ended up taking a shortcut and he followed me.” Between 1990 and 2007, House pedaled more than 179,000 miles. And not much will get in the way of his upping that number. When he decided to trade in his tennis racket toward a bike, he became a kind of Superman. And since that shortcut, wheeling along beside him is a wonder of a woman. While their home is a respite from the tough exercise schedule they keep, it’s also an oasis of calm thanks to KBAQ. With music in their backgrounds—violin for House, flute for Timson—they are avid KBAQ listeners. Their radio goes on daily at 4:30 a.m. and their favorite programs include the Mozart Buffet and Performance Today. “I love to know about upcoming musical events and enjoy competing to win complimentary tickets,” Timson says. They also enjoy how announcers offer “this day in music history” tidbits and bring facts about composers and their works to vibrant life. Their appreciation extends to their active support and contributions to the station during fundraising events. Timson sums it up by saying, “It’s part of our life: KBAQ and exercise.”