Fifty Plus (50+) - What are your 2009 ride & tour plans?

I understand some of you are planning to get together in August for a 50+ ride. I haven't made a decision on that one. But I plan a couple of weeks for next year.

I went to register for Cycle Zydeco today and found, to my dismay, that the ride is full. It filled up since last week.

http://www.cyclezydeco.com/

So now I'm contemplating Oklahoma Freewheel, which I rode last year.

http://www.okfreewheel.com/

Mrs. Mono wants to gut up and ride Bon Ton Roulet in the Fingerlakes Regions next summer. Her idea of roughing it is a hotel that doesn't have room service. Nevertheless I have assured her that I can carry enough wine in my panniers to soothe her aches at the end of the day, even if she sleeps on an air mattress.

http://www.bontonroulet.com/

I'm really thinking hard about Texas Hell Week for April as it is convenient, world class biking, and one of my favorite places to vacation. Indeed, we've talked of buying a small place in F'burg.

http://www.hellweek.com/texas.html

Does anyone else have plans or have you ridden one of these?

June: Great Finger Lakes Bicycle Tour (http://www.southerntierbicycleclub.org/fingerlakestour.html). Third year for me. Maybe I'll actually ride all three days. First year my ride informed me (after we were on the way) that he couldn't stay the third day. Last year I left my shoes at home and had to go back an get them, missing the Friday night ride (and hitting a deer with my ride partner's car on the way back.).

July: A week of cycling from my parent's summer place in the Rideau Lakes region of Eastern Ontario. Last year I took the Portland with the road wheels and tires and the cyclocross wheels and tires. Used the road wheels only one day. Rode the dirt roads all the rest of the time. Did a half-century on dirt roads one day.

The rest is up in the air until DF's 50+ ride is nailed down.

Possibilities include: Either the Ididaride (http://www.ididaride.org/) or the Lancaster County Covered Bridge Metric (http://www.lancasterbikeclub.org/cbm.php) in August, the club's 1,000 Islands Ride Weekend over Labor Day, the Highlander (http://www.highlandercycletour.com/) in mid-September.

If the 50+ ride doesn't go off, then at least two of the above, and probably the BikeJournal Reunion, which isn't yet settled. Primary contenders are Chattanooga, TN in October or Phoenix, AZ in November.

Mrs. Mono wants to gut up and ride Bon Ton Roulet in the Fingerlakes Regions next summer. Her idea of roughing it is a hotel that doesn't have room service. Nevertheless I have assured her that I can carry enough wine in my panniers to soothe her aches at the end of the day, even if she sleeps on an air mattress.

http://www.bontonroulet.com/

Does anyone else have plans or have you ridden one of these?

Listen to Mrs. Mono, even if she makes you stay in a hotel or B&B every night.

Although I've lived all my life in Western, NY, I never really appreciated the Finger Lakes region (it's two words, BTW) until I started cycling. But do be prepared for some hills. None are particularly long, but they can be steep. State highways are very good, with broad, paved shoulders, and generally respectful drivers. County roads are generally good, with less traffic, but most have some chip seal.

My favorite piece of road, bar none, is along the west shore of Keuka Lake, NY54A from Hammondsport to Branchport. It's worth the detour even if it's not on next year's route. The first time I rode it, my mind clicked, This is what road cycling is all about.

Commute to work.....

If I ever get a job.

20,000 miles in my neighborhood.

Once I get strong again, I plan to make 2009 an epic year of cycling for me. I want to ride as much as I can work into my schedule and budget. Lots of local rides as well as organized centuries and tours. Maybe a MTB race or two just for variety.

A few specific plans are BRAG 2009 (north Ga. mountains this year), Six Gap, the 50+ Colorado retreat, a 50 mile MTB event and more rides as they fill in the schedule. I'd like to include another ascent of Brasstown Bald, but it can't be in conjunction with the Tour de Georgia this time. In case you didn't hear, there will not be a race in 2009 (http://www.cyclingnews.com/news.php?id=news/2008/nov08/nov14news3) :().

I'm really looking forward to seeing what it is like to climb hills at 170 lbs. vs the 200 lbs. I've carried with me for years. :D

I'm just hoping to be able to ride and not have the achilles tendons on both legs give me fits. I haven't been on the bike since early September and if I over do the excercise they start to act up again. Docs says ice and rest and anti immflamatories and time. Here's hoping

The centrepiece of my 2009 riding season is going to be The Great Waterfront Trail Adventure in early July. My brother and I are planning to enter the 680 KM eight day ride around Lake Ontario to the Quebec border.

http://www.waterfronttrail.org/gwta_web/

The Seattle area is blessed by lots of organized rides from March to October, and I put all of them on my schedule in 2008 and picked and chose the ones I wanted depending on the weather. Will do the same in 2009.

In 2009 I'm aiming to do the RAMROD (Ride Around Mount Rainier in One Day); 150 miles and lots of climbing. Entry is by lottery, so I'm crossing my fingers.

I also want to cross the North Cascades Highway by bike, one of the most beautiful highways in North America. Round trip from home it would be an easy 4 or 5 day credit card tour, but if I don't get time for that I may just go up, get a motel on the west side, and ride west to east on a Saturday and then recross East to West on a Sunday.

Would like to spend a long weekend cycling the San Juan Islands.

I want to repeat the Tour de Blast, the ride up to the top of Mt. St. Helens.

Might do a 200k with the Seattle Randonneurs but will skip their more insane rides (which is most of them...300k, 400k, 600k, 1200k...).

No organized rides or tours, but hope to put a couple of multi-day trail rides together again. I love doing those. Might consider a long'ish one (200+ miles) on my local trail if they get the connector finished between the two trail systems.

Outside of that it will be lots of day rides on trails in Wisconsin and Minnesota.

The only thing actually planned is my 5th AIDS/LIfeCycle from San Francisco to Los Angeles -- 545 miles in 7 days with 2500 of my closest friends raising probably over $12 million.

My plans are up in the air. I want to do the Pan Mass Challenge (for the third time) but I' not certain if I want to committ to raising $4000. If I don't do the PMC, then I'll probably do Kaitlyn's Ride in Amherst MA, along with one or two MS rides. And I'm thinking seriously about the Seagull Century in the fall. Mainly, I want to get a lot of miles in and lose some of the spare tire.

1 sprint triathlon in September. One BFN 50 First Annual ride August 31st. Otherwise, just keep on pedalin!

My plans are to just do a few organized centuries in the area and try to put in more quality riding time. With both kids still in college and the economy in the dumper this is about the most I can expect.

Probably a tour in May/June with my daughter, and possibly the other young woman who did the Trans America with us, at an yet undetermined location. Pacific Coast is high on the list but many other options will be considered.

A Spring tour on the Santa Fe Trail with an online friend is a possibility.

I am riding a bit less now than before because I am running a lot. I hope to do a half marathon in the spring and am toying with running 350 miles across my state in the Fall carrying my stuff in a baby jogger.

I will ride Cycle Oregon this year http://www.cycleoregon.com/

I may also ride the Seattle to Portland Classic ( STP ) in one day if I can get another rider or two to join me.

In March I'll attend the Moab Skinny Tire Festival http://skinnytireevents.com/content/section/4/31/
That's a very nice event at a time when I need to get away from the rain in Oregon.

I'm committed to do a "Century-a-Month" for this year, so I'll be going to all of the organized century rides in the Northwest, and maybe a couple in California too.

My plans are to just do a few organized centuries in the area and try to put in more quality riding time. With both kids still in college and the economy in the dumper this is about the most I can expect.

Join us on the Great Finger Lakes Bicycle Tour (http://www.southerntierbicycleclub.org/fingerlakestour.html) on the second weekend of June. Run by the Southern Tier Bicycling Club, it's three days of riding based out of the Hidden Valley Campground in Watkins Glen State Park.

It's been $68 for the weekend, $5 extra if you want a bunk in a cabin. The catered breakfasts and dinners are worth that alone. They really know how to tie on the feed bag.

Of course, the rides are marvelous too... Friday before dinner is a 20-miler just to break things loose. Saturday is a century (and shorter versions so everyone can ride), and Sunday a 45-mile recovery ride circumnavigating Keuka Lake.

It would be great to meet you (and any other East Coast 50+ers).

I'm really looking forward to seeing what it is like to climb hills at 170 lbs. vs the 200 lbs. I've carried with me for years. :D

It worked for Lance!

My plans are to ride the Montour/GAP/C & O again, this time with a group of posters to the Touring forum. I plan on seeing a number of other trails in and around PA, some as weekend trips, some longer. These include the NCR trail from York, PA, into Maryland, the Pine Creek Gorge Trail, the Delaware Canal Towpath, the Lehigh Gorge Trail, and the Allegheny Trail.

Next Year-
Assault on Mt Mitchell
3 Mountain Madness
Blood, Sweat & Gears
Ride Across Indiana (RAIN)
El Tour De Tuscon
a PAC Tour camp week
and anything else I can do based upon budget, circumstance and time. This was not as successful a year as I'd hoped, with injuries , job, and wife's illness all reducing the time I'd hope to spend riding this year.

I understand some of you are planning to get together in August for a 50+ ride. I haven't made a decision on that one. But I plan a couple of weeks for next year.

I went to register for Cycle Zydeco today and found, to my dismay, that the ride is full. It filled up since last week.

http://www.cyclezydeco.com/

So now I'm contemplating Oklahoma Freewheel, which I rode last year.

http://www.okfreewheel.com/

Mrs. Mono wants to gut up and ride Bon Ton Roulet in the Fingerlakes Regions next summer. Her idea of roughing it is a hotel that doesn't have room service. Nevertheless I have assured her that I can carry enough wine in my panniers to soothe her aches at the end of the day, even if she sleeps on an air mattress.

http://www.bontonroulet.com/

I'm really thinking hard about Texas Hell Week for April as it is convenient, world class biking, and one of my favorite places to vacation. Indeed, we've talked of buying a small place in F'burg.

http://www.hellweek.com/texas.html

Does anyone else have plans or have you ridden one of these?


I second what tsl says about the Great Finger Lakes Bike Tour - the Finger Lakes are a beautiful region of the country and the Southern Tier Bicycle CLub does a great job. I've been there every year since 1999 and plan to be there again in 2009.

Another ride is the FANY ride (http://www.fanyride.com/) (Five hundred miles Across NY) which starts at Niagara Falls and finishes 500 miles and one week later in Saratoga Springs. So you spend a day or so in the Finger Lakes, a day or so in the Adirondacks, etc. 2009 will be the ninth FANY ride and the eighth for me (I missed 2003). This week the FANY ride occurs the week before the Bon Ton Roulet. Usually they occur during the same week and we often wind up crossing paths with the BTR riders.

If you're interested in upstate New York and want a somewhat easier ride, there's the Erie Canal Ride (http://www.ptny.org/canaltour/) which does 400 miles in 8 days starting from Buffalo and finishing in Albany.

Gee, checking the dates for 2009, it looks like one could spend almost all July riding in New York - first the Erie Canal, then the next week the FANY, and the next week the BTR! I think I'll stick with the just the FANY

Photo albums for the some of these rides are on my cycling pages (http://grothserver.princeton.edu/~groth/random_pics/bikerides/bikerides.htmlx).

- Ed

My wife and I had scheduled a bike tour in Wisconsin last summer that was ultimately flooded out. We're considering doing the same one next year or possibly going to Xenia, Ohio for a week. The decision will probably hinge on what our friends think will be the most fun.

My wife and I had scheduled a bike tour in Wisconsin last summer that was ultimately flooded out. We're considering doing the same one next year or possibly going to Xenia, Ohio for a week. The decision will probably hinge on what our friends think will be the most fun.

If you decide to come to Xenia I would love the chance to meet you and your wife. It's just a 15 mile ride on the trails from Dayton to Xenia:)

Commute to work.....

If I ever get a job.

The only thing worse than having a job is looking for one. And vice versa. Good luck, man!

Does anyone else have plans ?

I'll be attending the 50+ ride in Denver:thumb:

I've done XOBA (Across Ohio Bike Adventure) the past two years and although I've enjoyed it I don't think I'll be doing it again this year. Last year was a tough one....heat and hills:eek:

I'm thinking about doing GOBA (Great Ohio Bike Adventure) this year. It's shorter daily miles but it has many more riders. Our cycling club provides a private SAG for this ride so that makes it much easier.

I don't have any other plans as I've just been elected the touring captain for my cycling club and I'm sure this will take up quite a bit of my time. I'll be planning rides for the club members and keeping the log for weekly scheduled rides. Some of the rides I'm hoping to plan are rides for new members, ice cream rides for families, a couple overnight rides with camping and rides to attend local festivals. Any suggestions for other types of one-time rides are welcome:D

Since I'm now retired I'm hoping to get out there and ride, ride, ride:love:

Ride plans? I do plan to ride, yes I do.
Last year I did about 1500 miles, I think
This year I'm already over 2000 and counting.
I've done a half century.
I've done a metric century.
I rode with George Hincapie. Sort of.

So... more of the same? Sounds good to me.
Actually I just found out there's another George Hincapie ride in Feb '09. In SF
This time, I could ride there, ride with George, then ride back home. :D

scenic midwest is on the radar screen
http://www.midwestscenic.com/tsr-route.php


or june triri http://www.triri.org/

i'm on waiting list for denver bike touring club's trip to kalispel and glacier np
http://www.dbtc.org/OTT_Desc/OTT2009_Big_Sky_Adventure.htm

which is just before the 50+ ride

Wow-I have not given much of a thought towards 2009 except for the 50+ ride. I still have 5-100 milers left to do in 2008.......

Will probably do many of the same events at PAlt. The ones I'll take a closer look at doing some planning around are:

Time Trials at Lowes-Assuming we have the series
Mountains of Misery-why am I even thinking of redoing the hardest finishing ride I've ever done???- hopefully there will be a conflict with Mitchell
Blood Sweat & Gears
RAIN
50+ Ride
Civil War Century
Bridge to Bridge-if they finish on Grandfather

Bucket list:
Mt Haleakala (climbing up-already ridden down!)
Tour in Utah-can't recall the name
Ride Across the US
Blue Ridge Parkway end to end
Lake Tahoe

Maybe I need to focus on scratching stuff off the Bucket list.........

Maybe I need to focus on scratching stuff off the Bucket list.........

A sign of good life is a Bucket List that grows bigger each day.:)

My wife will be retiring at the end of December and I'm semi-retired (working pt at the bike shop to stay out of trouble ;)) so I/we would like to do some touring but our 401k's are in the toilet thanks to the financial woes we're all suffering. So I might have to do like 10 Wheels. :(
20,000 miles in my neighborhood.

Like to go to Phoenix area after Christmas and ride there for a week if my Brother-in-law has room in their house for me to stay.
Then in March it's off to F'burg TX and a week of riding with the Twin Cities Bike Club.
This summer I'm going to catch the train in Winona MN sometime in late June or July and ride it to Glasgow MT. then ride back east to Williston ND, then north a bit and visit friends near Fortuna ND, continue east on ND 2 and US 5 and catch the train in either Devils Lake or Grand Forks for the ride back to Winona. Should be fun!

I also want to cross the North Cascades Highway by bike, one of the most beautiful highways in North America. Round trip from home it would be an easy 4 or 5 day credit card tour, but if I don't get time for that I may just go up, get a motel on the west side, and ride west to east on a Saturday and then recross East to West on a Sunday.

Would like to spend a long weekend cycling the San Juan Islands.

Nice! I rode over the North Cascades two summers ago carrying front panniers and a Bob Trailer (on an old 21-speed tourer.) It was hard on that rig carrying that weight, but an absolutely gorgeous road, with good shoulders all the way. I would love to ride it with just a credit card and some clothes!

I "did" the San Juan Islands during two spring breaks when I was in college at Western. Magical experiences for a young man, even though I was poverty-stricken and had very little equipment and an old Raleigh 10-speed bike. I'll go again before I die, even though I've moved to S. Cal.

I'm planning a tour on the Lewis and Clark route, from Portland to Great Falls, Montana - self-contained, all alone.

The double century that I thought I would be riding tomorrow has been rescheduled for Dec. 21 or 22nd, so if I complete that, it will be the least daylight double (and latest in the year) for me, ever.

No doubles in Jan. but we have El Camino Real Double (used to be Butterfield) in Feb. then Solvang Double in March and the Hemet Double in April.

Jackie and I decided not to do the 3-Spd Tour in WI/MN as we have the last 3 years, so we'll be able to ride the Davis Double in May, and maybe (if I feel brave) the Central Coast Double (also in May). In June I'll ride The Eastern Sierra Double (early June), and the Grand Tour Double (late June).

No doubles in July so we're thinking about another week-long organized tour. We've done Pacific Northwest tours for the last four years, so thinking about something "Back East" since we have some American Airlines points/miles (use 'em or lose 'em time). Maybe Maine, but we don't know yet.

The Mt. Tam Double is in August, and I may try that again, even though it's really tough (14,500 ft. of climbing), then Sept. is the Knoxville Double, easily my favorite. Then, if I'm still inspired, I may do the Bass Lake Double again (though it was difficult this year), and the Solvang Fall (much more difficult than Solvang Spring). So we'll see how I feel late season '09.

Other than that, we'll do a lot of club rides, lots of mountain (road) rides on Glendora Mountain Road and Angeles Crest and other adventures with Vertical Bob.

We hope to make the 50+ ride too, but that's not difinite yet. Well, really, none of this is definite, but the doubles, at least, are most likely.

Climbing rides wise, I plan to go for the King of the Mountains jersey this year, so Mulholland Century, Breathless Agony and Heartbreak Centuries for sure.

Fun Centuries will probably include Solvang (2 weeks before the Solvang Double), Wildflower, Lighthouse and Cool Breeze . . . just because we like them and always (well, most years) sign up and do them!

Other than all that, just ride the fixed gear bike on recovery rides on the MUP's and maybe do a few club rides on the fixed gear too.

Rick / OCRR

No specific plans for me.

I intend to ride my age sometime around June 19th and of course commuting
back and forth to work but that's all for 2009.

I've started collecting some interesting paperwork regarding smallish bike trails
along the North Coast areas. Erie Pa. looks interesting as does the Titusville/Oil City
Rail Road and trail (could satisfy the cyclist and the railfan in me). Someday perhaps
once the girls are out of college my bride and I can wander about a bit and Take
a bike or two along with us. I also still dream about the Erie Canal Organised ride
though I don't know if I really want to mix it up with hundreds of riders for
eaight days and 400 miles.

Happy Trails

Mrs Recycle is retiring in a few months and we've started planning a self supported trip from Chicago, IL to Glenwood Springs, CO.

MS 150 in May. BRAG in June. We are building a second/retirement home in the North Carolina mountains and I am dying to take my bike up there.

2009 will mean 2 kids in college, 1 in trade school so I will be riding from my house and all over the area where I live. I have done 2700 miles this year and a good bit of kayaking too. Another year or two like that is good with me. Maybe in 2010 a trip up north in the summer. I will just keep reading about all of your trips and enjoying the pics.

GFLBT was great when I did it in 2007, but it's a bit of a drive for just a weekend. I only did it because it was the designated BikeJournal Reunion Ride for that year. I love the terrain and the roads are pretty good, too. For that reason, I have BonTon on my list of Rides To Do Someday; but I don't think it'll be this year. This year, I think it may be BRAT (Bike Ride Around Tennessee) again, since it will be the in the western part of the state this year and that's the only part I haven't done yet.

I will probably do DALMAC again. I've done it so many times, it's a tradition.

I always intended to do the Avita Water Black Bear again; but ever since my doc decided I was going to die of high cholesterol, then proceeded to try killing me with Lipitor, I haven't been able to even THINK about doing a 100 mile road race. Maybe this'll be the year I go see a specialist to undo whatever it is that my doc did to me.

My wife will be retiring at the end of December and I'm semi-retired (working pt at the bike shop to stay out of trouble ;)) so I/we would like to do some touring but our 401k's are in the toilet thanks to the financial woes we're all suffering. So I might have to do like 10 Wheels. :(

I practiced for Next Year, this week.
Sun 74.52 mi
Mon 80.1 mi
Tue 100.1 mi
Thur 100.5 mi
Sat 100.8 mi
Had a rear flat 1.5 mi from home.
It was dark so I walked home.
Nice to be at home each night.

We'll be driving from California to St. Louis and back in May. We'll take our bikes, and later I'm going to start a thread asking for recommendations for absolutely great rides. Might hit an organized ride also.

Fingers crossed, I hope my recent knee and calf problems are gone next year, and I can do a 200-mile tour along the California coast in May or June.

Other than that, it's local rides in the New York area.

My wife is enthused about a Colorado trip, so I guess we'll be there. With my only other week of vacation used for a spring fishing trip, there will be no tours, and probably no other multiple day rides. I'll certainly be at Hotter 'N Hell Hundred (http://www.hh100.org/) again, and I want to do the Muenster Germanfest (http://www.nortexinfo.net/gfest/) bike rally hills in April. I wasn't up to that ride this year.

I'll be doing some randonneuring rides, too. But I don't have specific plans for that, either. I'll leave the series and 1200k rides to the more serious ultra distance folks. I like just taking off from my driveway on weekday evenings when I can, and figuring out where I want to ride on the weekend during the preceding week.

2009, I plan to:
do all 5 of the 5 Star centuries and get the vest...
Tour de Donut
Tour de Coal
Columbia, Mo MS150
Ride the Rivers Century
50+ Glenwood Springs ride
and one I've been wanting to try- the Horribly Hilly Hundred in Indiana
Also like to get back to Sparta, Wi. for the Sparta-Elroy trail.

My goals for this year are to up my average speed to 18-20 (from 15),
get at least one ride in every month (missed Feb last year),
and to jump up two sprockets on my local hill route.

I'll be retired in May and will begin riding full time while working somewhere part time earning "fun money". A couple of in-laws and friends are discussing riding across Nothern PA on Route 6 from Ohio to Wilkesbarre. The plan is developing that our wives will be riding support and shopping in our wake during each day's ride with stops for lunch and at B&B's or motels each night. I do want to at least one double century but that will have to wait until after my race season ends. Not having to go to work will allow me to just get out and do the double with a little support from my wife.

I'll repeat Mountains of Misery and the Civil War Century. For the "big ride out west" I'll either do the Death Ride, Triple Bypass or the Crater Lake Century. Of those, I haven't yet done the Death Ride and I want one of those skull pins, so that's the leading candidate.

I haven't yet done the Death Ride and I want one of those skull pins, so that's the leading candidate.

That sounds like pure hell. I going to give this a serious look.

I'll be doing the MS150 Houston-to-Austin in April, and hope to do the Hotter 'n Hell Hundred in Wichita Falls, TX in August.

I'm contemplating circumnavigating Washington state, starting and ending at my front door in Bellingham. East across North Cascades Hwy to Newport, south through Spokane to Clarkston, west to Walla Walla and Wallula Gap then down the Columbia, north up Hwy 101 on the Olympic Peninsula and back to the mainland on the Port Townsend Ferry (if there is one next year). I mapped it out to about 1500 miles and figured it would take me a good three weeks minimum. The time commitment is the only thing that makes me hesitate to take it on. My busy work season coincides with the most pleasant cycling weather. I'm thinking of a combination of camping, friends, and occasional motels.

Even if I don't do the big tour, I'll ride all winter and throughout the coming year but probably won't do organized rides you have to pay to register for.

For 2009 I will continue my daily commuting by bicycle. Other than that I am going to try and ride more organized group rides and may try to get to a couple of rides in on other regions all dependent on family and work commitments. I doubt I'll be able to get in as many miles as I have in 2008.