Fifty Plus (50+) - Old photos (add yours)

Scanned some photos from our 1977 photo album. The first three are from a 3-day bike trip I took with my friend Doug. We started in Kingston, Ontario, cycled to Merrickville where we stayed with a friend, then to Westport, then returned to Kingston on the third day.

http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/ee202/cycletourist/biketrip1a.jpg

I am on the left. I can't believe how lightly we traveled. I also can't believe how weird we looked.

http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/ee202/cycletourist/biketrip2a.jpg

Me in Westport.

http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/ee202/cycletourist/biketrip3a.jpg

Doug on the way back to Kingston. I will never forget that headwind. It was only 40 miles but that was the toughest day.

Below is a photo of me with my first daughter on the back. She will be 32 in a few weeks.

http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/ee202/cycletourist/KenLia-1.jpg

Below is a photo taken this October during our cycling trip in Austria. I am in the middle and Doug is on the right. I think we both look better than we did 30 years ago.

http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/ee202/cycletourist/Austria%202007/3465b.jpg

Please add you old photos, and I love the then & now comparisons.

A couple more photos. My 1970 Camaro with my bike on the back. My wife and I were rock collecting on the Canadian Shield, and our dogs went along as "rock hounds".

http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/ee202/cycletourist/camaroa.jpg

This is OJ Simpson in the broadcast booth at the 1976 Montreal Olympics. I took my bike to Montreal and cycled the road race course the day before the event.

http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/ee202/cycletourist/Olympics2-OJ.jpg

Ken,

It is truly great to see that you are still cycling after all these years. I rode a bike as a kid, but got away from it as a teenager and just in the last couple of months re-discovered the joys of pedal power.

Thanks for a really neat thread for us 50+. I hope others post their biking history here also.

Great photos! Know what popped out at me first? NO HELMETS! And then, look at all that hair covering up their young faces. Finally: short shorts! ;) Ah, those were the days!

I agree with you that you are much better looking now!

1984 Rockford Criterium, Rockford, IL

http://home.insightbb.com/~dtresenriter/viner.png

1989 Cyclocross National Championships, Milwaukee, WI

http://home.insightbb.com/~dtresenriter/CX_Nats1989.jpg

I've been looking for a reason to post this. Must be 1980 or so. My Dad shot it when I had my bike repainted. I still have this bike. I just got it back from my som who took it to college. I think I'm going to turn it into fixie and be all cool (again)
http://curtis.corlew.com/hosting/Curtis-2.jpg

This is me (in back) and one of my roommates (we're still buddies) at UC Santa Cruz in 1965. I really don't remember what is going on here. But I think we were groovy.
http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k87/tomfrady/Bikes65.gif

Me in Westport.

Doug on the way back to Kingston. I will never forget that headwind. It was only 40 miles but that was the toughest day.

My family has been vacationing on Wolfe Lake, a few km outside of Westport since 1962. My parents bought the place in 1973. Even without the caption I'd have recognized that shot. It's just after the screaming descent down Mountain Road and just before the intersection by the Brewer's Retail. Erm, sorry, now it's called The Beer Store.

There's a little falls you had just crossed, and a pond on the right in your pic. The attached pic is from this past summer on The Perth Road at the other end of that same pond, right where it empties into Little Rideau Lake.

Your pic heading to Kingston is also on The Perth Road, isn't it?

This is me (in back) and one of my roommates (we're still buddies) at UC Santa Cruz in 1965. I really don't remember what is going on here. But I think we were groovy.
http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k87/tomfrady/Bikes65.gif

Dig the hats, baby. So groovy!

Oh, and the bikes are rad, too. :D

My first adult bike....a Univega, about $285 as I recall. Note the brake lever extensions. 1983. (Did we all wear those striped socks?)

My first adult bike....a Univega, about $285 as I recall. Note the brake lever extensions. 1983. (Did we all wear those striped socks?)

OMG
The hair! The socks! The Shades! Amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

OMG
The hair! The socks! The Shades! Amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You forgot the shorts! :D

I'm really enjoying this thread. Regretfully, I have no pics to contribute since there were not many pics taken during my heyday. I don't remember if anyone I knew even had a camera.:(

If I had a scanner, however, I could post one pic of me in a Nehru jacket (1965).:rolleyes:

Fun thread...here's some of my cycling history:

My first bike, circa Christmas, 1959:
http://www.cyclistats.com/biketours/History/015_15.JPG

Same Christmas, with my kid brother (the training wheels came off a month or two later):
http://www.cyclistats.com/biketours/History/011_11.JPG

My second real bike, circa 1961. Notice the cool baskets, and the high-tech speedometer (I was always a geek):
http://www.cyclistats.com/biketours/History/014_14.JPG

A "Texas Ranger (http://www.bikeicons.com/1950s%20Texas%20Ranger%20Boys%20and%20Girls.html)" bike, in good condition, sells for around $800 today. It was sold at White's Auto for around $10 new.
http://www.cyclistats.com/biketours/History/012_12.JPG

My Schwinn Continental, circa 1971. It was considered much cooler than the more common Varsity model, but not as cool as the beautiful red Paramount (that I could never afford).
http://www.cyclistats.com/biketours/History/GGPearce1.jpg

July, 2004 - touring in France:
http://www.cyclistats.com/biketours/TDF2004/TdF_2004_0078.JPG

October, 2007 - winner of 2 gold medals, a silver, and a bronze at the Huntsman World Senior Games, in St. George, Utah:
http://www.cyclistats.com/biketours/2007SeniorGames/CritGold_web.jpg

I moved away from bicycles in the early portion of my life.....there were reasons.

The picture of the Daytona Charger was taken in 72 shortly before my marrage.
The engine was from one of the race cars.
The Barracuda Funny Car was owned by a much more famous racer before I got my hands on it.
Life seemed more simple then.

(Did we all wear those striped socks?)

Thankfully... No:D:D

http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL1600/696605/3153848/291725616.jpg
No bike pics but I just scanned this one last night.
Returning from a Colorado camping trip, June '75, with my lovely bride somewhere in SW Wisconsin, in our '73 Spitfire. We miss that car.

+1 "Life seemed more simple then."

Your pic heading to Kingston is also on The Perth Road, isn't it?

Yes, that is the Perth Road.

Note the price of gas in jedde's photo.

I agree with you on the "traveling light" comment. I rode motorcyles in the 70s, and would take off with my buddies on a two-week trip with everything I needed just strapped to the passenger seat and rear rack. And that included a tent and sleeping bag! A spare pair of jeans and a bunch of t-shirts was a full wardrobe in those days.

And for maddmax, here's what else I was driving in those days:

http://haze.wdgordon.com/photos/indy74.jpg
http://haze.wdgordon.com/photos/edgew75.jpg

I agree with you on the "traveling light" comment. I rode motorcyles in the 70s, and would take off with my buddies on a two-week trip with everything I needed just strapped to the passenger seat and rear rack. And that included a tent and sleeping bag! A spare pair of jeans and a bunch of t-shirts was a full wardrobe in those days.

And for maddmax, here's what else I was driving in those days:

http://haze.wdgordon.com/photos/indy74.jpg
http://haze.wdgordon.com/photos/edgew75.jpg

Outstanding. The smaller fuel dragster classes were my all time favorites along with the hodge-podge of cars that were grouped together in that eliminator class. You would be interested to know that my wife (sitting on the nose of the Daytona) was crew on one of these fuel dragsters when I met her. That car ran in the IHRA as a C/FD with the very small and little known early hemi. (if memory serves 305ci) that was the baby brother to the 392.

http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL1600/696605/3153848/291725616.jpg
No bike pics but I just scanned this one last night.
Returning from a Colorado camping trip, June '75, with my lovely bride somewhere in SW Wisconsin, in our '73 Spitfire. We miss that car.

+1 "Life seemed more simple then."

Cool car...wonder what it would be worth these days? And gotta love those gas prices!

Outstanding. The smaller fuel dragster classes were my all time favorites along with the hodge-podge of cars that were grouped together in that eliminator class.

Not to get any further off-topic, but I remember a 354cid hemi for certain. Here is a link to a website that I made that has our whole racing story: http://haze.wdgordon.com. There's a page with links for some videos made from old movies that I took back in those days. And here's a short Google Video that I recently put up: Purple Haze (http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=3251502364286157147).

And this one with some shots from the 60s and 70s: Distant Thunder (http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=2974141086621777533).

OK don't everyone say "aaaaahhhhhhhhh!" all at the same time! ;)

http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o288/bcipam/websitephotobabyPam.jpg

Even at age 1 I was "dirt girl"! Circa 1952

OK I do have my share of goofy bike photos:

Circa 1980 - after my first century... note how stylist we were! LOVE the sunglasses!
http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o288/bcipam/Goofyfriends.jpg

OK this is really a goofy photo. Late 80's - just got my second mountain bike(full rigid baby!) a Kuwahara with disco 80's paint job. Note the sylist helmet, shoes and lack of jersey (I didn't start wearing jerseys until the late 1990's)! I thought I was doing tough stuff! See how intent I am?
http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o288/bcipam/GoofyMountainbikier.jpg

And continuing on the mountain bike theme - riding in Alaska, on a borrowed bike. Note the lack of any equipment - in the wilderness - what was I thinking (obviously like I wouldn't mind getting eaten by a grizzly bear!)? I wasn't even carrying a tube or tire irons (I think back then I didn't know how to change a tire). Was with a girlfriend so she was as useless as I.
http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o288/bcipam/AlaskaBiker.jpg

And me now - still mountain biking... I now carry everything!
http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o288/bcipam/Limestoneridesmall.jpg

By the time I was in jr. high, I only rode the stingray to by job at the motor-sickle shop; and most of my "two-wheeling" involved an engine:

http://www.aimcomm.com/users/dminor/images/startup_70.jpg

Startup, Wa - ca. 1970 (plate no. 777)

http://www.aimcomm.com/users/dminor/images/seattle_col_70_web.jpg

Seattle Colliseum (now Key Arena) - about 1970 (on the polished concrete :eek:)

http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t162/dminorwa/Doug_wheelie.jpg

Wheelie contest, Monroe, WA fairgrounds arena, about 1971


And today . . .

http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t162/dminorwa/BearCreek_IMG_2400.jpg

This September, downhill at Mt. Spokane, WA

By the time I was in jr. high, I only rode the stingray to by job at the motor-sickle shop; and most of my "two-wheeling" involved an engine:

http://www.aimcomm.com/users/dminor/images/startup_70.jpg

Startup, Wa - ca. 1970 (plate no. 777)

http://www.aimcomm.com/users/dminor/images/seattle_col_70_web.jpg

Seattle Colliseum (now Key Arena) - about 1970 (on the polished concrete :eek:)

http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t162/dminorwa/Doug_wheelie.jpg

Wheelie contest, Monroe, WA fairgrounds arena, about 1971


And today . . .

http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t162/dminorwa/BearCreek_IMG_2400.jpg

This September, downhill at Mt. Spokane, WA

We should consider another division of BF......"Old gearheads on bikes". I think Stapfam and a few others are qualified as well. Cool pictures.

I've been thinking about motorcycles for the last few months. I had a lot of motorcycles up until I was 45 and then sailing took over, but I still think a lot about getting another one. I would think a Harley or a BMW, I've ridden all the other ones. We use to call them rice burners, but they were fast. The fastest one I had was the Kawasaki 900. You could get between a 130 to 135 out of it, right out of the box.

^^^^^
With 5 bicycles, a bike work area, weight lifting gear, and a car, I don't think a moto would fit in my garage or my budget (I'm currently saving up for a pair of Zipp time trial wheels).

That said, the BMW touring style bikes are pretty tempting. The Harleys are too damned common, and too damned loud for my tastes.

The fastest one I had was the Kawasaki 900. You could get between a 130 to 135 out of it, right out of the box.

I can vouch for that. I got my '75 Kawasaki Z1-B 900 up to 130 on a boring stretch of I-10 in Florida on my way to Daytona when I was a 19 y/o immortal.

I can vouch for that. I got my '75 Kawasaki Z1-B 900 up to 130 on a boring stretch of I-10 in Florida on my way to Daytona when I was a 19 y/o immortal.

In '71 my Kawasaki 500 triple (2 stroke) was the fastest thing on the road for the first quarter mile. But it sure was squirrely above 70 mph.

I ALWAYS wanted a Kaw triple. Got to ride a friend's RD350 in cafe racer trim and tune; knew if I owned one at the time I'd have probably only lived another 6 months.

In '71 my Kawasaki 500 triple (2 stroke) was the fastest thing on the road for the first quarter mile. But it sure was squirrely above 70 mph.
A friend had one of those with expansion chambers. It sounded like a motocross race coming down the road. Ungodly fast, but a violently narrow powerband and it handled like it had a hinge in the middle of the frame. :eek:

Crossing the Hudson at Poughkeepsie in 1981. Atlanta to NH to Milwaukee trip with wife.
Anybody still have a Bell Biker?http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z284/JanMM/Scan10151.jpg

Anybody still have a Bell Biker?

No, but that was my first hard shell helmet, which I purchased in late 1976, right after my one-and-only close encounter of the wrong kind with an errant automobile (left cross). I had been wearing a Kucherik, by far the best of the padded vinyl "hairnets," but decided I needed more protection. I have most recently graduated to a Giro Xen, which is my favorite, and probably safest, helmet ever.

Found a few more old cycling photos. Not a Bell helmet in sight.

http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/ee202/cycletourist/Outletbeach1.jpg

These two were taken at an Ontario Cycling Association group ride in 1977

http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/ee202/cycletourist/Outletbeach2.jpg

Following one is of me on a different ride in 1977

http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/ee202/cycletourist/77biketrip2.jpg

My mom had a real comfy looking bike.

Since the pic was positioned in a scrapbook around several pictures of my dad working at the gas station he bought (or started buying) just out of high school, I'm gonna guess 1940?

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v162/eleemosynary/oldbike.jpg

Ski touring in the Aspen, Colo. backcountry in 1984
http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d126/telehammer/Goodhut1.jpg
http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d126/telehammer/Oldguys.jpg

Couldn't find one with a bike but found this:
http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd44/donheff/DON73S.jpg

No bike, but this is me contemplating something on the throne, circa 1972. Sigh.

^^ :D Reminds me of Frank Zappa's Phi Zappa Crappa poster!

http://www.zappafreak.com/second_print_crappa.jpg

My mom had a real comfy looking bike.

Since the pic was positioned in a scrapbook around several pictures of my dad working at the gas station he bought (or started buying) just out of high school, I'm gonna guess 1940?

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v162/eleemosynary/oldbike.jpg


I LOVE THIS PHOTO! It is soooo charming. Thanks for posting it.

Not old photos, but old bikes in the Deutches Museum in Munich. Eleemosynary's Mom's bike belongs in a museum.

http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/ee202/cycletourist/Austria%202007/P45b.jpg

http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/ee202/cycletourist/Austria%202007/3461b.jpg

If you get to Munich, be sure to go. The museum has a wonderful collection of bikes, cars, trams, trains, motorcycles, etc. Another museum with a wonderful transportation collection is the Henry Ford in Dearborn, Michigan.