Fifty Plus (50+) - I'm Official

Yep, yesterday I officially met the requirement to stop lurking and become a full-fledged member of the 50+ forum. :eek: I've already picked up a lot of pointers from this group and look forward to learning even more. Work was nuts in 2006 so I carried over an extra week of vacation. Hmmm, what to do, what to do? I think I should take a summer trip on my bike! Any suggestions?

Come the summer it will be so hot- it will not be comfortable riding. Take a week off around Easter and whatever the weather- go and ride. Why wait till then- Wan't to ride? You are now at an age when all your workmates realise how old you are so will understand a couple of days "Off Sick"

Welcome by the way.

Happy birthday, old man! ;)

And... Welcome!

May I suggest a wonderful week long trip in September - it's LAGBRAU (see lagbrau.com). It's a week long ride from Blanding (just east of Moab) to St. George, Utah. You won't see prettier scenery anywhere! Every day is more beautiful than the next!!!! Also some epics riding - big climbs, steep downhills, clean, carless roads, wonderful people from around the country!!!! When I get home - I'll try and post some pics... if I remember - being old I forget sometimes!

I think I should take a summer trip on my bike! Any suggestions?

Well, I'm planning to do The Rural Ride in Indiana. I had a grand time last year. www.triri.org
I'm also thinking about the Bon Ton Roulet in upstate NY: www.bontonroulet.org

I'd be glad to meet up with you--or anyone else who joins in.

And this will connect you to links to lots of cross-state rides, including some very nice ones in your home state:
http://www.bikingbis.com/blog/_WebPages/statebicycletourindex.html

Yep, yesterday I officially met the requirement to stop lurking and become a full-fledged member of the 50+ forum. :eek: I've already picked up a lot of pointers from this group and look forward to learning even more. Work was nuts in 2006 so I carried over an extra week of vacation. Hmmm, what to do, what to do? I think I should take a summer trip on my bike! Any suggestions?

Spring time weather rocks man, take a vacation like in May to Penn. or Maine go sight seeing.

I see that bike4life is a fellow Wisconsinite. Summer in Wisconsin can be nice. We have weeks where the highs are in the mid-70s. Can't predict them though. Can be in the 90s too. But the average high in central Wisconsin in July is 82/83.

Lots and lots of tours & rides too, here and in nearby states. Here are several to pick from:
http://www.bfw.org/events/calendar.php
http://www.bikewisconsin.org/

Pick up a copy or "wisc. 100 Best cafes" and see how many you can ride to in one week! Welcome aboard,

rck, are you from the Monroe area? I seem to remember someone saying that you went with them on a bike ride last week on the new Badger Trail. One of my goals is to build up to the point when I could consider riding all the way to Monroe, which I think is about 35 miles. I know, I know, it isn't that far! but I've never ridden more than about 22 miles in my life, and that ride was 30 years ago.

Yep, yesterday I officially met the requirement to stop lurking and become a full-fledged member of the 50+ forum. :eek: I've already picked up a lot of pointers from this group and look forward to learning even more. Work was nuts in 2006 so I carried over an extra week of vacation. Hmmm, what to do, what to do? I think I should take a summer trip on my bike! Any suggestions?

Welcome to the clubhouse.

That Sarthe you're riding is one sweet bike festooned with all that Campy. I missed my chance to buy a new one in '05. I still want one.

Yep, yesterday I officially met the requirement to stop lurking and become a full-fledged member of the 50+ forum. :eek: I've already picked up a lot of pointers from this group and look forward to learning even more. Work was nuts in 2006 so I carried over an extra week of vacation. Hmmm, what to do, what to do? I think I should take a summer trip on my bike! Any suggestions?

Check out Adventure Cycling for maps and descriptions of routes. If you want to read about cycling trips, try the "journals" at http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/

Yep, yesterday I officially met the requirement to stop lurking and become a full-fledged member of the 50+ forum. :eek: I've already picked up a lot of pointers from this group and look forward to learning even more. Work was nuts in 2006 so I carried over an extra week of vacation. Hmmm, what to do, what to do? I think I should take a summer trip on my bike! Any suggestions?

There's a bike trail down the Mississippi River. mississippirivertrail.org (http://www.mississippirivertrail.org/)

Great suggestions, one and all - thanks a lot! I'll be sure to research each one of them as I wait for winter to end. Given the current 8" snow cover in Milwaukee, that might not happen until June! Louis, I do like my Sarthe and I am glad I bought an 05. Nothing against Shimano, but the Campy does look good. I had to replace the Bonty crank it came with, so now the gruppo is 100%. Thanks again for the suggestions, I'll post back later this month when I narrow the field.

Welcome to the better side of life!