Fifty Plus (50+) - Time To Say Goodbye

I've always been one to see what needs to be done, and then do it.

With that being said, I'm sorry to say that I feel it is already time to say goodbye. Instead of a Century, just consider my time here a Sprint.

It was great finding a forum about bicycling -- and a group of folks that have been as great as all of you have been. But I feel I've been spending way too much time going throughout the threads and posting, and to that I must put a stop to it right now. I think I've racked up close to 200 posts in less than a month! I check in here in the daytime, and I check in here at night. Doesn't seem to be a middle ground -- and I don't seem to be developing any discipline with it -- which says a great deal about how great the forum really is, and what a draw it has for me.

I will be leaving a few other forums as well (bodybuilding.com, etc.) for the same reason.

You all take care of yourselves. It was great meeting all of you for the short time that I've had here. I didn't want to head out without saying goodbye.

Have a great 2006 -- and many more years to come.

Damn!!!

I've been SO delighted with your presence on the board. Won't you reconsider? You're an asset and a resource and an all round good guy. I'll hate to see you go.
:(

I see a closet lurker.
Don't be a stranger, we'll all be here.

OldCrank.....you had so much to offer the forum and nice guy to boot. You'll be missed....hoping you check in from time to time. Seems a shame when "regulars" sort of vaporize but understand too much keyboard time. Good luck with your intended hill climbing competition.

**Wait, I never got your pizza recipes 8-)....or pics of the new Kroll.

I've always been one to see what needs to be done, and then do it.

With that being said, I'm sorry to say that I feel it is already time to say goodbye. Instead of a Century, just consider my time here a Sprint...snip.. But I feel I've been spending way too much time going throughout the threads and posting, and to that I must put a stop to it right now. I think I've racked up close to 200 posts in less than a month! I check in here in the daytime, and I check in here at night. Doesn't seem to be a middle ground -- and I don't seem to be developing any discipline with it -- which says a great deal about how great the forum really is, and what a draw it has for me.
I will be leaving a few other forums as well (bodybuilding.com, etc.) for the same reason.
You all take care of yourselves. It was great meeting all of you for the short time that I've had here. I didn't want to head out without saying goodbye.


too bad... well maybe some future time will find you back on.

I have a bit of the same problem - a balance that's hard to find. But I'm gonna give it some more effort.
Set a max time to be on BF, and try to adher.
Beats veggin out in front of the toob (and that isn't even an issue considering the 200 channels of crappage at my finga tips).
I guess I could clean out the garage and rescue my 'workshop'... :rolleyes:
hope you get some 'discipline' and come back soon ;)

good for you. we have such limited time during our day to accomplish our goals. thanks for the explaination (although not required) ... good luck!

Revisit us when you can! Thanks for the time you've given.

- i know exactly what you're talking about... have been working with and using computers for nearly 30 years... active Internet user since 1987 (uucp, then host dialup)... have written more than 20 computer-related books...

- i hit the wall this last year... yep, got fed up and decided to perhaps change venues for something new (have been 'working' retired since 1997 [military retiree])...

- so good luck... hope you spend more time outside, less time at the keyboard!

- enjoy!

I've always been one to see what needs to be done, and then do it.

With that being said, I'm sorry to say that I feel it is already time to say goodbye. Instead of a Century, just consider my time here a Sprint.

It was great finding a forum about bicycling -- and a group of folks that have been as great as all of you have been. But I feel I've been spending way too much time going throughout the threads and posting, and to that I must put a stop to it right now. I think I've racked up close to 200 posts in less than a month! I check in here in the daytime, and I check in here at night. Doesn't seem to be a middle ground -- and I don't seem to be developing any discipline with it -- which says a great deal about how great the forum really is, and what a draw it has for me.

I will be leaving a few other forums as well (bodybuilding.com, etc.) for the same reason.

You all take care of yourselves. It was great meeting all of you for the short time that I've had here. I didn't want to head out without saying goodbye.

Have a great 2006 -- and many more years to come.

See ya tomorrow. ;)

Seriously, i am all for discipline but the question becomes....what else will you be doing with the time? Watching TV? Cutting the grass? Drinking coffee? Having wasted a good number of years sitting in bars, i can assure you that there are much worse places to be.

I've enjoyed your posts as well Old Crank, and know of which you write...

I hope to find a proper balance for myself as well. I think my New Year's resolution will be to spend as much time on the bike as I spend in the forums. :o

So long!

Beyond your superb knowledge of cycling, I admired your class. Really going to miss having you around, but you gotta do what you gotta do, right. I really hope you stop by once in a while to visit and lend your support, expertise, and enthusiasm.

I probably spend too much time in online discussion forums myself, but I have met some fine folks, particularly here. Instead of quitting altogether, consider permitting yourself to log on one or two days per week for awhile, and see how it goes.

Here's wishing Crank the best! He always seemed to have a lot of wisdom and expressed himself very eloguently.

His dilemma is a reflection and a credit to the very fine folks we have using this forum.

Moderation in all things is key. That said, hope you will recall that spending time with friends on the boards was, in fact, quality time. Don't know you, but sounds like you'll be missed here and that you made a difference in a few lives by being a small part of this cyber cycling community.

Yes, some of you are right -- I can't stay away. I'm hoping that the few days that I had off allowed me to put things in a little better perspective, and will give me a little better balance.

I was logging in all the time, posting . . . and even when I wasn't online I'd be wanting to come online again. At Christmas when the family was here, I kept wondering what was going on in the forum. As soon as the house emptied, I was back online and logged in posting again. I have a new frame and components here that I wanted to get finished over the holiday -- and just sat back and browsed and posted on the forums instead.

The past few nights I managed to get a set of wheels trued and rebuilt the hubs. I'm going to try a first-things-first approach and see how it goes -- watching carefully for bad habits to slip back in again.

I had to do something and I had to do it fast.

In hindsight, saying goodbye to my newfound friends here was quite a bit of overkill -- but, at the moment, I wasn't even thinking about other options.

If anything, my time here -- although excessive -- was and is more a reflection of how I feel about everyone here and the forum itself. I just need to be careful from here on out.

Woohoo! :D

Yes, some of you are right -- I can't stay away. I'm hoping that the few days that I had off allowed me to put things in a little better perspective, and will give me a little better balance.




Welcome "Back" :) . As you mention, I also find BF addictive--especially after frequently read screennames have developed an identity in my mind. The sense of mutual encouragement, shared and common problems/ideas, etc. always makes me curious to hit the "50+" on my toolbar and see what's up with "the guys" (girls included). But, absolutely right that BALANCE is important...we all have so many interests, obligations....time is breathing on our collective necks. Right now, I supposed to be figuring out my monthly finances and/or mounting my new Cateye...or maybe even out braving the oncoming rain and actually, not virtually, riding.

Good that you're back OC....want pics of the Kroll and still interested in your pizza recipes (when convenient ;) )

I was logging in all the time, posting . . . and even when I wasn't online I'd be wanting to come online again. At Christmas when the family was here, I kept wondering what was going on in the forum. As soon as the house emptied, I was back online and logged in posting again. I have a new frame and components here that I wanted to get finished over the holiday -- and just sat back and browsed and posted on the forums instead.


Can you say "internet addiction"! I was the same. I finally couldn't deny my addiction when one day I found myself bending away from the keyboard to kiss my wife good bye as she headed to work on a Saturday morning, only to find myself still there when she returned 8 hours later! I was ignoring my wife, my life on a horse hobby farm, my companion animals, and beautiful 80 degree summer weather.

I had a real problem. I needed limits. When my motherboard finally crapped out (burned out?), I refused to replace my home computer. And I took the modem out of my wife's computer (she was addicted to eBay). I forced my access to the net to coffee breaks and lunch hours at work. Abuse that and I'll lose my job! I have to admit I "slipped" a bit over Christmas. I drove down to the library in town a few times to get online. Luckily the library is only open a few days a week and online time is restricted to an hour.

Last spring I joined a local touring club and tried to make every ride they had, as many as 3 a week. The really fit people didn't spend much time online or in front of a TV. I road 2500 km. my first year. Just this week I joined the local YMCA and went to my first cyclefit class last night. I'll try to make them daily to get fit for a cycling vacation in Cuba the end of March.

My life - my physical, emotional and marital well being - have improved since restricting online time. Internet addiction is a real problem for a lot of people. But an easier habit to break then many.

I see some of the guys on this board posting so often I wonder how much time they really spend on their bikes! I try to keep my priorities in mind. And "just south of 60" I'm keenly aware I only have so much time, so many good years, remaining. I don't want to spend what's left glued to a computer!

My life - my physical, emotional and marital well being - have improved since restricting online time. Internet addiction is a real problem for a lot of people. But an easier habit to break then many.

I see some of the guys on this board posting so often I wonder how much time they really spend on their bikes! I try to keep my priorities in mind. And "just south of 60" I'm keenly aware I only have so much time, so many good years, remaining. I don't want to spend what's left glued to a computer!

I too spend too much time on the net. I used to watch 25 or so hours a week watching TV. I'm now down to about 7 hours a week for TV. But I spend about 20 hours a week on the net mainly here, and on two other bike boards. It's winter, and when it is nice I will ride instead of surf, but a lot of stuff takes me a lot longer to do than it should cause of surfing.

Where else can you go where others share the same interests -- and it's "open" 24/7? Same with news, sports, weather . . . no need to wait for the specific news that you want (like on TV), just find whatever it is that you're following immediately.

With the forum, I've been checking in once in the morning, again mid-afternoon, then take a little more time in evening with a cup of tea -- providing that other things have been taken care of first. I've been managing to hold it in check . . . so far, so good.

I too spend too much time on the net. I used to watch 25 or so hours a week watching TV. I'm now down to about 7 hours a week for TV. But I spend about 20 hours a week on the net mainly here, and on two other bike boards. It's winter, and when it is nice I will ride instead of surf, but a lot of stuff takes me a lot longer to do than it should cause of surfing.


Adios & Welcome back. Much like Megaman, my net time has come at the expense of TV watching. Perhaps I should spend more time here & give up TV all together. Seriously, though, I sometimes think I should put an old fashioned kitchem timer by the monitor so that I can more easily limit my time. 20 min. to kill, set the timer for 20, timer goes ding, & log off. it is worth a try. Bob

OldCrank - it is easy to get sucked into forums where you have many common interests with the other members and this time of year when the weather isn't friendly to riding its even easier to spend all day online. I've been guilty of this more than I care to admit as well. (Dares not go look at my post count) But I'm glad you've decided to stick around and try to self regulate your time online instead of going cold turkey. BikeForums is certainly a great thing in moderation. ;) *slips out of this forum before anyone notices that I'm not nearly 50+ yet*

Cuda, you are welcome here anytime. Afterall, I am told that age is only a state of mind. Bob

BikeForums is certainly a great thing in moderation. ;) *slips out of this forum before anyone notices that I'm not nearly 50+ yet*

Like 24yo? :eek: