Comments on: Too Old for This

By: Geoffrey

Geoffrey — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 18:54:47 +0000

First of all, I hate you. I cracked my pelvis last week, stumbled on your blig, and upon reading this entry, giggled myself into some real pain.

Too old: let’s take a hypothetical example we’ll call “my dad”

My dad started riding when he was 53. Full rigid and toe straps, because hat’s all he had, and he LIKED it! He started racing XC, had two bad accidents, involving broken faces and ribs and a lacerated liver. Came back, raced the 65+ xc nats, and won by a half a wheel! He bought a new mtb this year when he was 74.

I will be old enough to stop riding when my dad stops riding, because I’d hate to be dropped by a 75 year old man.

Of course, if I do another pelvis crack, I may be forced into retirement by my lovely wife.

By: Augustus

Augustus — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 13:33:15 +0000

As to the music, my son turned me on to a lot of bands, RATM among them. I listen to some new stuff now and again to keep my library fresh, but I still listen to stuff I had back in the sixties!

By: Augustus

Augustus — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 13:28:26 +0000

As to camping, I did a 25 mile ride to a local campground with 40 pounds of gear on my 2001 Cannondale T800.

By: Augustus

Augustus — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 13:26:19 +0000

The day after my 55th birthday, last week, I went trail riding on our club trails. I was, of course, dressed in Fatty drag! You are beginning to become well known around here. I talked to one woman who actually heard of you! This was through your work with LIVESTRONG.

“You are never too old to rock and roll, if you are too young to die”…Jethro Tull

By: AngieG

AngieG — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 02:42:23 +0000

It continues to baffle me that male cyclists shave their legs. If you want to share our pain, wait in line for the bathroom every time you need to go.

As for the facial hair, I think the soul patch is very sexy. Particularly on a man with a little salt and pepper.

By: Cycling Fiend

Cycling Fiend — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 05:55:33 +0000

I second the laser hair removal… I had it done and not only does it save time, but will save you from a sore back trying to reach below the knees!

By: GJ Jackie

GJ Jackie — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 15:45:53 +0000

I’m a 49 yr old Grand Junction female, and I’ve cleared more tough technical stuff on my MTB here this year than ever in my past. The key is not to be stupid about how I attempt them.

And we just camped in Utah with our kids for a week. There’s nothing like riding from the camper to the trail head without having to pack up the bikes and all the gear. Key to camping at our age? Camper with a comfy bed and a full fridge!

By: FliesOnly

FliesOnly — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 14:37:37 +0000

Let’s see, at 51 I:

1) Still shave my legs. Like you, I cannot imagine what my legs would be like with hair on them again…but I’m sure I wouldn’t like it (nor would my wife).

2) Still try to do “mtn bike moves”, but only the easy ones, and only those that will result in a “soft landing” if I fail. And I definitely go downhill a lot slower than I use to.

3). Broke my collar bone into four pieces (actually, I did that at 50) and missed all of the Winter and early Spring riding as a result. But eventually went right back at it and had my best racing season ever.

So, I’m not really sure when I will stop riding because all I do know is that I am having waaaaaaaay to much fun right now to even consider getting off the bike

By: Tes

Tes — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 14:29:03 +0000

How about laser hair removal for your legs?

By: Mike - Arlington VA

Mike - Arlington VA — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 11:50:25 +0000

I’m 45 and have started to wonder the same thing lately. But then I took my 10-year-old son mountain biking the other day, and he cleared his first log ramp. All of a sudden I felt 20 years younger.

Too old? No way.