Fifty Plus (50+) - How many of you do birthday rides?

That is, how many of try to ride your age in miles around your birthday? I usually attempt a birthday ride every year, but the weather often rules it out since I was born on Jan. 19, 1954. It's also getting harder and harder as I get older each year. I came very close this year, riding 53 miles on the day before my birthday. I figured that was close enough and didn't feel like riding loops around the neighborhood just to get 3 more miles.

My most memorable attempt was about 4 years ago when I talked my friends into riding a 52-mile loop on the Saturday near my birthday. The weather appeared to be good -- cloudy but warm for January and no rain in the forecast. Unfortunately, the forecasters had it all wrong and it started raining hard about 20 miles into the ride. My friends decided to call it quits and we looped back, ending up with about 35 miles. The temperature dropped about 10 degrees and we were all cold and soaked. I haven't been able to talk my friends into trying another birthday ride with me since then.

A couple of years ago I got lucky on an early-January ride that was supposed to be about 40 miles. The ride leader made some wrong turns and we ended up riding about 56 miles, but the weather was warm and sunny so nobody minded.

With my 50th birthday I started riding my age in miles plus one to grow on as close to my birthday as possible. I am lucky that the weather is usually very good for riding here in early October. At 54 I haven't missed riding on or within a few days of my birthday so far.

Having only been riding now for the last two birthdays. I have.

This years will be 58 miles and in October the weather has been pretty nice so far, cool when I start and warming up a little by the time I finish.

Fortunately for me, the Solvang Double Century usually falls either on or very near my birthday. So, unless I live beyond 200 (yeah, I know, impossible!), I get my birthday miles in with a few bonus miles on top.

http://www.planetultra.com/solvang/index.html

Rick / OCRR

Yeah, I do them. This year, however, didn't pan out all that well, as noted in an earlier thread: http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?613291-Didn-t-get-it-done

Yeah, I do them. This year, however, didn't pan out all that well, as noted in an earlier thread: http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?613291-Didn-t-get-it-done

Oh yeah the 50+ pounds of stuff you wanted to carry :rolleyes: I remember that thread.

You're are all healed now so within 58 days you can finish and "get-it-done!!!:innocent:

I do but not on my birthday. I turned 68 on January 15th. Last year I did 70 miles in one day in April. Did 67 plus 3 in case the computer was a bit slow. This year I will do 70 to 75 miles. I am getting the urge to do 100 miles in one day.

I do cheat a bit in this. I use the asphalt paved Schuylkill River Trail at Betzwood. Run from Pawlings Road to Norristown and back. Just doing this until I have the desired mileage in for the day. No big hills.

I do them sometimes, depending on motivation. My birthday is September 22, perfect for NE Ohio bicycling.

I ride my age (67 last year ) to celebrate my birthday within a week or so of my mid Sept birthday. I ride that distance ,+/- a few miles, at other times during the year, but then it's just because I want to get somewhere.

Yes I do. Luckily mine is in June so it's easier. But I do have to move it to the closest Saturday on occasion because of work scheduling.

I did the last two years (60 and 61).

I do my birthday ride as well as most of the ones of my group. This year I can ride my age and do a metric centery.

Personally, I think the birthday ride should be 100 - your age!! I think that more and more as I get over 70!! :lol:

Given my back problems and family situation, I haven't done a birthday ride in several years.

I've thought about when my age would be a challenge in miles, it's not yet. I've ridden 3 centuries this month and may do another one tomorrow, so 56 miles in April is probably doable.
Maybe when I'm 65 it will be tough to do 65 miles. I hope not.
One of my friends was having a century ride for his b-day every year and it rained for most of them. He moved away, so we're off the hook for the rain century.

I did my 68 miles for my 68th birthday, but I'm 69 now and if I do it fine, if not Oh well, that's fine too.

I try to but Feb. 26 riding conditions are unpredictable in NE Ohio. I do plan to ride the 57 miles on this years B Day as a sign of recovery from my December 1st ankle fusion surgery.

I try to but Feb. 26 riding conditions are unpredictable in NE Ohio. I do plan to ride the 57 miles on this years B Day as a sign of recovery from my December 1st ankle fusion surgery.

Mines February 25th, so what is the "Official Birthday Ride Consortiums" policy on making it an official ride if one's birthday occurs in the dead of winter

I try to get the annual b'day ride in as close to the birthday as possible. Birthday is IN May, so weather is not so much of a concern.

I do them sometimes, depending on motivation. My birthday is September 22, perfect for NE Ohio bicycling.

You, me, frodo, and bilbo! Only I don't think that they bike.

Mines February 25th, so what is the "Official Birthday Ride Consortiums" policy on making it an official ride if one's birthday occurs in the dead of winter

We winter babies should be able to choose a time of year to do our birthday ride:thumb:

I've been doing a birthday ride since the mid 90's and have never done it on my birthday. January in Ohio doesn't have a lot of good riding days. We have a local ride on the 4th of July and I often use it to do my birthday miles.

I'll be 55 on Sunday Feb. 21st. Will do my ride on the Katy or Vadalabene trail unless the weather is too bad. No reason to suffer.

That is, how many of try to ride your age in miles around your birthday?


Hey Mr Tarwheel

We almost have a birthday in common - I'm April 7 1954

I like the idea of 'ride your age', and have done so since chancing upon this forum a while ago

And I've been trying to 'ride my age' not on a single ride but 'per week' on the gym bike since I had some broken bones last October

And I fully hope that they'll be healed enough to ride my 56 miles on April 7 2010 on a proper bike. (Actually, I'd like to do it on the cool folder that I fell off, just to put a ghost to rest)

I guess it doesn't matter a bit, apart from the symbolism that, to me and possibly to others, becomes iconic

Safe and happy miles to you

I haven't done one before, but I intend to start this year. My birthday is in early May. Great bicycling weather that time of year in the Phoenix area. I'm sure I can get my twin brother to go with me. That's 110 miles combined (I think I'll only do my half, though).

The third week in June works well, lucky me. I'll do a minimum of 59 miles this year within a week or two of the Big Day (lotsa driving around that time of the year due to moving college age daughters to and fro).

The area recumbent group usually runs a century the following weekend which may become my annual Birthday ride. :recum:

This year will be my third consecutive Ride my Age - Birthday Day ride.

Not a concept or idea that had occured to me but wot a good'n. I was born in march so family,work and weather permitting i shall give it a go....Thanx for the idea

Mines February 25th, so what is the "Official Birthday Ride Consortiums" policy on making it an official ride if one's birthday occurs in the dead of winter

It's your birthday, you get to make the rules. Do the ride whenever you want for as many miles as you want.

There needs to be an official ruling, I say. I crave order. Other than that it's just a long ride

Something tied to the moon or sun would be nice i.e. " If thy birthday falls in the dead of winter, the birthday ride must be completed within 30 days of the vernal equinox"

There needs to be an official ruling, I say. I crave order. Other than that it's just a long ride

It should be a fun ride.
67 here.

Had 226 rides last year with a average of 70. 45 miles each.

it's just a long ride

That depends on how old you are. My next b-day will be 56, and that could be a very short ride.

We don't really have winter here so I can't help with your rule thing. I did live in the mountains for a few years and did a lot of mtb riding in the snow. You could ride your birthday in minutes instead of miles.

There needs to be an official ruling, I say. I crave order. Other than that it's just a long ride

It's your birthday. Make your own rules.

I'm fortunate in that my local audax group typically rides a 200K on my birthday, which is Jan 1. I've been riding it for the past three years. It's fabulous to have a big group to ride your birthday ride with you.

I also an a Jan., 1954 birthday boy. Most of my riding is trails, so I went "halvies" and rode 28 miles. Since I returned to riding last July after taking a 15 year rest, (HA!) Biking is the perfect celebration of life.

Yes, but at 50, I should do doubles.

What a great idea - something I've never done, but I think I should - Jan. 29 for me. Either 62 miles or maybe 29, depending on my mood.

There needs to be an official ruling, I say. I crave order. Other than that it's just a long ride

My birthday is in February and I live outside of Boston, so I've arbitrarily selected my "half-birthday" (in August) for the birthday ride. This usually works out well since its a couple of weeks after the PMC and by then the miles are a drop in the bucket.

(I'll ride on my actual birthday too if the weather happens to cooperate or if I'm on vacation someplace warm. Like everyone has said, we get to make up our own rules on this one.)

Mines February 25th, so what is the "Official Birthday Ride Consortiums" policy on making it an official ride if one's birthday occurs in the dead of winter

I don't know what the official rule is, but why not ride on your half-birthday instead?

My nephew's birthday is in Christmas week. Ever since he was a toddler, we've celebrated his half-birthday instead. That's cool by me since that's right around my birthday too. Of course now, I'd have to take him out for beers or something.

EDIT: Whoops. I see someone beat me to it. Good idea anyway.

Mines February 25th

Hey, wait a minute. That's my mother's birthday.

Mom? Is that you?

I also an a Jan., 1954 birthday boy. Most of my riding is trails, so I went "halvies" and rode 28 miles. Since I returned to riding last July after taking a 15 year rest, (HA!) Biking is the perfect celebration of life.

56 miles on mtb trails would be quite a ride!

What a great idea - something I've never done, but I think I should - Jan. 29 for me. Either 62 miles or maybe 29, depending on my mood.

Jeeze, I have chamois older than you. Get off my lawn junior! :)

I don't make a point of riding it on my birthday but did ride my age 4 times in '09. I was born in 44.

The laid plans.....

I announced a Metric Century on my 62nd bday on 1/10/10. Planned a big bday party that night. Then the Arctic Express made a unexpected 2 week stop in So. Fla. No one was riding, and I decided to postphone the everything until the weather got better. Now my grandson is in the hospital.

Worst case, we'll hold until June and make it a true 62.5 mile ride!

For some reason I started riding double my age a few years ago......I'm betting it's a tradition that will run its course in due time.

We're fortunate in NC that you can usually find an opportunity to do some longer rides year round. Sometimes you have to bundle up a little more than normal this time of year but it's very doable. We did 110 miles a couple weekends ago with temps in the 20's/30's.

BTW Tarwheel, please tell me you don't support the boys in Blue!!

I'm fortunate my birthday occurs in May. Rode 62 miles a few years back for my first birthday ride. Skipped 63, but did 64 miles last year. Relocating the homestead this year in May/June, hope to do 65 miles, but may have to push it off a few months. I do recall a suggested formula that appealed to me. Was something like ride 120 minus your age in miles.

For my 60th birthday I started a tradition of riding a century. I will be 66 on August 10th and planning on doing the 7th in a row. It's always nice and warm here in Texas then.

Well, as it turns out, I rode my birthday mileage after all. I rode from my house to the park where I meet my friends for weekend group rides. The guys have only been wanting to ride about 30 miles lately, so I wasn't planning to ride 56 or more miles. However, they ended up riding 40 miles, and with the 10 miles each way from my house, I ended up with 60 miles today. Not bad for mid-January. I don't think I'm up for doubling my age, at least not this time of year.

Well, as it turns out, I rode my birthday mileage after all. I rode from my house to the park where I meet my friends for weekend group rides. The guys have only been wanting to ride about 30 miles lately, so I wasn't planning to ride 56 or more miles. However, they ended up riding 40 miles, and with the 10 miles each way from my house, I ended up with 60 miles today. Not bad for mid-January. I don't think I'm up for doubling my age, at least not this time of year.

Way to go, tarwheel.:beer: And :bday:too.

I call it an Age Ride, and then lets me do it whenever I want during the year. Don't remember when I did last year's but this year's was today, the day after my birthday (it was raining yesterday).



And it turned into a Metric Century.


Anything worth doing is worth overdoing.

I call it an Age Ride, and then lets me do it whenever I want during the year. Don't remember when I did last year's but this year's was today, the day after my birthday (it was raining yesterday).



And it turned into a Metric Century.


Anything worth doing is worth overdoing.

Happy belated birthday:bday:

Some years I get a birthday ride in but early January is not good riding weather.

I do a ride in April which is about the earliest I can guarranty good weather- although I am wrong some years. It is a 40 miler and I used to get a lift down to the start and then ride home once it had finished- That would give me my Age ride- but Just realised I have been cheating a bit for a few years now. This year and I will have to ride to the start- do the 40 and then ride home to get my age ride in. I now have to do a metric to do my age.

Better start practising.