Fifty Plus (50+) - Firsts and thoughts

This weekend I completed the Old Kentucky Home Tour, going from Louisville to Bardstown and back over two days. The advirtised miles were 50 on Saturday and 55 on Sunday. My mileage was 48 on Saturday and 62 on Sunday. So, my firsts were:

1. A metric century, on the day after a 50 miler. I was pretty proud of that.

2. Back to back long rides. Usually I'm dead for days after just one long ride.

3. People drafting on me. On previous group rides I couldn't stay with hammerheads long enough for anyone to draft me. On this tour I think people sought the protective shelter of my expansive backside. Or whatever.

Some observations:

1. You really can learn a lot from this site. I ate and drank the entire ride even though I never got hungry or thirsty. As a result I didn't experience even the vaguest prebonkitudinal state.

2. Tandems can be your friend. All the ones I saw out there were fast. I latched onto one towards the end of the first day and turned in my third fastest speed ever.

3. Triple chainrings are your friend. I passed enough people struggling up hills with their silly compacts and standards while I spun by them. Anyone who is over 50 who lives around hills and doesn't get a triple is a fool. There are lots of exceptions.

4. The second day was sure slower than the first.

I love the disclaimer style in item 3................can I steal it for use somewhere else?

Glad to see you had fun WL.

I hope your 2nd day ride was at least 62.14 miles.

I've yet to do longer rides on two consecutive days. I've done some 30-30s, and one 40-30, but nothing more. I'd be proud too of your double.

So you drank your way through the entire ride, eh. What was the beverage of choice?

Way to go TWL!

Next up: a 7 day tour.:thumb:

Way to go TWL!

Next up: a 7 day tour.:thumb:

Hopefully, that goes better than a 3 hour tour.

Hopefully, that goes better than a 3 hour tour.

Oh, I don't know about that. Being stuck on a deserted island with Ginger and Mary Ann sounds pretty good.

Oh, I don't know about that. Being stuck on a deserted island with Ginger and Mary Ann sounds pretty good.
That's what did me in.:innocent:

"Prebonkitudinal state" is now my newest most favorite phrase.

Lessee:

1. I drank water with just a few cups of Gatorade at the SAG's. Sports drinks don't sit well on my stomach. Clif Shot Bloks are OK and seemed to give me enough electrolytes to keep from cramping. The chocolate chip cookies were also good.

2. I've changed my mind about "average moving speed". I used to think it was a bogus stat, but after parking my bike at a SAG, waiting in line for water and cookies, and waiting in an even longer line for the Portapotties, I found that I could turn a quick 5 miniute break into 25 minute camp-out.

3. I'm telling you, a tiny tube of Analpram (local anesthetic and steroid) was worth it's weight in gold.

4. The safety video said that there was no shame in walking up hills. They're wrong. Only a contempable wuss would walk up a hill.

5. Speaking of hills, this is a picture of yours truly making it up the steepest hill out there, sporting the "Over 50" jersey proudly: http://www.photoreflect.com/pr3/orderpage.aspx?pi=0DDI002X000711&po=711

4. The safety video said that there was no shame in walking up hills. They're wrong. Only a contempable wuss would walk up a hill.

5. Speaking of hills, this is a picture of yours truly making it up the steepest hill out there, sporting the "Over 50" jersey proudly: http://www.photoreflect.com/pr3/orderpage.aspx?pi=0DDI002X000711&po=711

Nice picture.

It was generous of them to let you get back up on the bike before taking it.

"Prebonkitudinal state" is now my newest most favorite phrase.

+1000! Let's all strive to maintain that prebonkitudinal state, 50+ers :thumb:

...3. I'm telling you, a tiny tube of Analpram (local anesthetic and steroid) was worth it's weight in gold....

You forgot to include the * in your stats.:innocent:

In any case, congratulations!

5. Speaking of hills, this is a picture of yours truly making it up the steepest hill out there, sporting the "Over 50" jersey proudly: http://www.photoreflect.com/pr3/orderpage.aspx?pi=0DDI002X000711&po=711


I think I'm going to get me a 12"x18" for my living room.

Well done on the double day ride + metric, TWL.

Fuel and fluids, perhaps more than one thinks he needs, will get one through a longish ride assuming, of course, one has a few base miles/saddle time under one's butt. A little warm-up time at the beginning and a sane pace never hurt, either.

Oh, and I totally agree with your assessment of the triple chain ring. Don't leave home without it, especially in these parts.

Anyway, you done good. Congratulations!:beer:

5. Speaking of hills, this is a picture of yours truly making it up the steepest hill out there, sporting the "Over 50" jersey proudly: http://www.photoreflect.com/pr3/orderpage.aspx?pi=0DDI002X000711&po=711

Nice job with the color coordination. Red helmet, jersey, red accents on the gloves and the bike--you're well on your way to becoming OCP!

Oh, and I :love: my triples.

Congrats on achieving a milestone. Being able to ride two consecutive days without feeling like road kill is great. I remember previous posts where that was not the case.

Triple schmiple - - - double schmuble. The fast 50+ guys with 53/39 and 50/34 doubles were long gone. You saw the wussy gang that needed lower gearing and probably a lot less weight.:p

Nice going. Can three successive long rides be far behind?

prebonkitudinal! i love it. it leads to postbonkitudinal ... bonkitudinous... bonkitude...

triples... they make bikes that don't have triples? dang! whoda thunk?

great pic. great job.

be well,

jim

Congrats....doing back to back long rides is a big deal, and a "personal best" is always great.

And thanks for introducing me to a new word ('prebonkitudinal.')

Nice picture............if you would just tip the computer forward untill its parallell with the ground you would be more aerodynamic...............:D

Triple schmiple - - - double schmuble. The fast 50+ guys with 53/39 and 50/34 doubles were long gone. You saw the wussy gang that needed lower gearing and probably a lot less weight.:p

+1 You must have a double

Congratulations! We were out riding around Middletown on Sunday and saw several riders on their way back from the OKHT. Met a couple on a tandem while a friend stopped for an energy drink. They were saying we should try it next year--and I thought I might-if I can get more rides in to work up to it. This year hasn't been real full of riding, and Donna has me riding one of the horses now also, so lots of things keeping us busy, but ya just never know! Again, Congrats, and glad it was an enjoyable and safe ride!

Triple schmiple - - - double schmuble. The fast 50+ guys with 53/39 and 50/34 doubles were long gone. You saw the wussy gang that needed lower gearing and probably a lot less weight.:p

You are correct of course. I got off to a late start both days and so I was slogging it out with the lower level Freds and poser wannabes. At that level, there was a lot of suffering going on up hills that could have been prevented by timely use of a triple.

My hill comment came across more snarky than I had intended. I used it as a mantra to get over about two or three steep climbs where I was tempted to stop but shamed myself into going on.

Congratulations ------- well done!!! Only one comment re the photo of you grinding up the hill. Did the little thingamabob hanging off your helmet hurt you aerodynamics? :D Kidding aside ----- fantastic. Lane Lp

My hill comment came across more snarky than I had intended. I used it as a mantra to get over about two or three steep climbs where I was tempted to stop but shamed myself into going on.

Not a problem...I recently got my compact double after riding a triple. My wife still rides a triple although she climbs in a 30/17.:D In the future, be careful around those Freds and Poseurs. You guys spend so much time looking at each other in your helmet mirrors you may crash.:p:D

4. The safety video said that there was no shame in walking up hills. They're wrong. Only a contempable wuss would walk up a hill.

Nice ride. Fine report. Why not lose the name calling?

Suggesting there may be something wrong with a cyclist who walks up a hill only helps keep people away from riding and riders away from otherwise great routes.

Nice ride. Fine report. Why not lose the name calling?


The curse of the implied smiley strikes again!

If you have read TWL posts in the past, you'd have recognized that he was only funnin' with you.

Nice ride. Fine report. Why not lose the name calling?

Suggesting there may be something wrong with a cyclist who walks up a hill only helps keep people away from riding and riders away from otherwise great routes.

You might have missed post #23 in which I confessed: My hill comment came across more snarky than I had intended. I used it as a mantra to get over about two or three steep climbs where I was tempted to stop but shamed myself into going on.


Anyone who knows me will tell you that my humility is rivaled only by my brutal good looks.

One other thing since I'm baring my soul: I got passed twice by an older woman riding a hybrid. I could see her fluorescent green shirt (I think it was cotton) in my helmet mirror as she relentlessly reeled me in. The first time was bad enough. Then after a SAG I was crawling up one of the aforementioned hills telling myself "Stopping is for wussy" and dang if she didn't pass me again.

For someone who rides full carbon and fancies himself an up and coming recreational cyclist with racing potential, it was truly a humbling experience.

Anyone who knows me will tell you that my humility is rivaled only by my brutal good looks.

Then who was that in the photos?

< Insert implied smiley here >

There truly is no shame in walking up hills. I wouldn't be caught dead doing it, but there's no shame in it. :p

Good job, TWL!