Fifty Plus (50+) - Take your bike and stay sane

Loooong family trip in the car, me, husband, brother-in-law, 85-year-old mother-in-law going down from Denver to visit her people in southern New Mexico. Car packed to the gills. Side mirrors a must. My bike on the back. Sighs all around, but hey -- only way to survive such a trip. C'mon. I get up early and ride every day! Fabulous. Then back to elderly shuffling around and much cramped car travel. Some family feuds thrown in that we try not to become part of. Bike saves me.

This morning, last day, we're halfway home, they all go gallery hopping in Taos. I hop on bike and take an incredible spin on back roads. Fall colors popping, crisp air -- the best. I look at my watch. I'm really late! Guess I was enjoying myself too much. I'm suposed to meet them and I'm 4 miles away and have ten minutes. Yikes. It's downhill.

Now the fun part. Back road, rural New Mexico, no traffic, trees blazing, streams bubbling, and I just hammer it. Thank you God, my knees felt good today. Big gear. I flew. A tarantula crossed my path. He lived. A lady waved. I waved back. I zoomed into Taos and felt so alive. I was a little late, but no one was mad. We got on the road and it was an awful long day, but I'm home again and I cannot wait to get up early and go ridin'.

One side note: At the very top of the Black Range, on the way home, we stopped for the view and caught up with a family from Indiana riding from San Diego to Jacksonville via the Southern Tier of Adventure Cycling's TransAmerica Route. Great talking to them.

Bicycles are salvation.

Therapy of the best kind! Ride on, Hwy 40 Blue!

Sounds like you've got it together, Blue. Congratulations.

You know, this country of ours is strange. I know that what you are describing is right. I have been there. Here, in Illinois, you may as well be on another planet. No road bikers. You can go for weeks and see no road bikers. We do have trails and they are used but not the roads. I understand that our governor is actually campaigning to keep bikes off the Illinois roads?

Ok, here is where I show my total ignorance...... they have fall colors in New Mexico? I never new this, but then again, I've never been to New Mexico.
Great post, thanks.

It's not New England, but the aspen are turning shades of bright gold. And there's purple and red stuff. (Not maples.) And of course, all set off by the vivid blue sky of the Southwest.

One of the first things "I" do on vactation is to remove my watch. All turned out well though for you.

The ride sounds great. You had fun, yes? Meeting the Southern Tier couple must have been a hoot.

The foliage show has not started yet in Southern New England. A couple more weeks.

For the rest of the 50+ forum-hwy40Blue did a ride earlier on in the year. Not an easy one- 100 miles up some of the toughest hills she has ever attempted. She finished the ride but admitted to the rest of us that she found it a trifle difficult.--See the 50+ers accomplishments to see how she got on--.

http://members.aol.com/bfn50gallery/Accomplishments.htm

It would become apparant that you have recovered from the ride Hwy. So what is this- Training for your next Century ride- or just gloating for those of us that can't find an excuse to get on the bikes as often as you can?

Sounds like a fantastic holiday- and glad you can now sit back on the saddle.