Fifty Plus (50+) - Any special 50+ bicycling plans (or other plans) this weekend?

It is probably too late to ask, because many of you may have already started on your special 50+ activities.

But, for those of you not yet out the door tell us of your 50+ bicycling/other plans the next few days. Anything special? What are we missing out on that you are doing?

Come on - make us a bit envious!!

As for me, it is 6:15 am, and I will be awakening the wife soon, and we will be going for a ride together. Generally we go out amd she then returns while I continue for a longer period of time. We likely will end up at McDonald's up the trail, each splurging on a McD's fruit and low-fat yogurt parfait (about 140 calories) for $1.00 each.

Later today. my group will be singing at some friends (and singing group member) surprise 50th anniversary party. Tomorrow, sing at church for 2 services, then tomorrow pm a big choir party. Somewhere I will sneak a bicycle ride in.

I just have to add that last night I slept better than I have for a loonngg time since I started having ssvere/excruciating pain from my back situation. I actually slept all night amd it was really great.

Monday I am off to get a cortisone shot in my L-4/L-5 vertebrae area. I am discovering that this is a pretty big deal - they use x-rays as they shoot you, etc.

So, what about you? Anything special or different or even mundane.?

DnvrFox,

Glad to hear you are getting some relief for your back! And great to hear about your plans. Today the hubs and I will ride the towpath in the Cuyahoga Valley, Ohio. We will probably do 20 miles round trip with a stop at Szalay's farm market, known for their locally grown, then roasted corn and we will fill up the paniers with other goodies to take home.

The weather is perfect, dry and cool and sunny. Later in the day we will host some fishing in our front pond for some city folks. And if we still have any energy we will head to the county fair. My work is also a bit exciting as we are opening a new art foundry as the old one is shutting down. So I may sneak some time to go and work on setting up the new digs. Of course with this beautiful weather we will just have to do another ride tomorrow.

I got a ride in this week in the Cleveland metroparks of 27 miles and it was another perfect day. As we get about 6 months of crap weather-I feel a bit compulsive about riding as much as possible now. I am amazed at the folks who log in over 100 miles a week-I hope to get over 500 on the new bike (bought in July) in before the snow flies.

Enjoy!

We have a group of 6 or 7 meeting at the 5500 foot level in the local mountains and heading up for either 55 or 75 miles. It's been very hot at work and I'm looking forward to this ride and I am taking next week off.
Next Thursday a few of us are going to Lake Tahoe for mountain biking. I haven't been there in 10 years.

Ride today. I'll be heading out in about an hour for 35+ miles. No riding tomorrow. We're driving to north Georgia to look at a piece of property we're considering buying. Monday morning I have my annual physical. Probably ride after I get home.

30 mile commute back from work place this morning-on the bike of course. Then there is a local Festival of Transport---Lots of classic cars- lots of Steam traction and staionary engines- And then a weeks holiday at home that "May" allow for a few rides if the weather is going to be good enough. It does look like a wet week again.

I have recently returned to riding after a 20 year absence to shed some pounds from my 62 year old frame. My stable of old steel frame bikes have been receiving restoration in recent weeks. I started riding a Scott Paisley racing bike 52x42 with 13-23 6 speed three weeks ago over small hills here in middle Tennessee, and found that I needed more gearing to help these old legs climb better. This past week, I built up my old my 30 year old Matt Assenmacher frame with a Velo Orange Grand Cru 46/30 and a Suntour 12-28 7 speed to help tackle the hills. The Assenmacher would be considered a Rando bike today, longer wheelbase but responsive. It is much kinder to my upper body as well. I have ridden many centuries and double centuries in years past on this favorite frame, and I wish I could talk Mr Assenmacher out of retirement to build another.

I will be riding 30 miles this morning, 25 early Sunday, and 30 more miles tomorrow afternoon with local bike club members. The weather here has finally cooled down where riding is enjoyable again.

I bought a Gary Fisher Cronus a week ago. Its my first road bike and its been a rough painful week trying to get use to it. Yesterday the Cronus started feeling halfway comforable. I rode her 24 miles yesterday. This afternoon I'm gonna try a 40 miler and tomorrow who knows. I think I'm gonna love the bike when I break in the seat and get use to the drops.

Going to Golden to be part of a groups riding loops through downtown on Sunday between noon and 1pm.
Golden is putting in a bid to be a host city for the Quiznos Pro
Challenge bike race next year. Some of the organizers will be visiting Golden for lunch tomorrow.
Given its history with the Coors Classic and movie American Flyers if there is one place that should be a host city its Golden.
Having the organizers see lots of bicycles riding thru downtown could help Golden's chances to be a host.

My wife and I are flying to Frisco, TX on Sunday and taking our track bikes to compete in the US National Masters Track Championships at the Superdrome 250 meter outdoor wood track, Our first race is Wednesday and the last one on Sunday. Today, I have to pack up the bikes in boxes today along with the other cycling paraphernalia and go for an easy 1 1/2 hour ride. We will get in some track practice on Monday and Tuesday.

I took todays commute off to rest the legs for tomorrow. Tomorrow a couple of friends and I are going to tackle Monument hill in the Castle Rock/Monument area. I need to work on my hill riding as I found out last week during the Tour de Cure. I may be fast on the flats I can be beat by most turtles on anything over a 4% grade. I need to hill work because next year I want to ride either the Denver Century Ride or the Deer Creek Challenge and the MS 150.

I'm going to the grand opening of a BIKE SHOP in my little suburb!!

The Seattle area is blessed by many, many bike shops -- many of them are good, and a few are world class. But for some reason there has not been a shop in my little suburb for many years. I can ride 45 minutes to an hour and visit about 10 shops, but nothing closer. By car, all of these shops are at least 20 to 30 minutes from my house.

But now there is a shop -- and a pretty high end shop -- moving into a shopping area about 5 miles from my house. Easy 20 minute drive, easy 10 minute drive. It should be a big convenience to me...

Great ride today. Nora and I rode together to McD's for our fruit and yogurt parfait. Nora decided to ride a bit further, so she turned around at 5 miles, giving her 10, which, combined with her extensive aquaaerobics workouts, is a really good program for her at almost 73.

I decided to continue on and challenge some particularly noteworthy (to me) hills, also met some folks I knew along the trail and chatted a bit, ended up at the Parker Art in the Park festival - where Nora joined me for lunch, and headed home - a bit over 30 miles.

So much fun. This is how I like to ride.

I have been working like a f-ing madman lately. I can't do the math - what's 6 time 14?

Any ride time will be appreciated. Even if it is pointless.

Out to the beach today and back and around town a bit. Wednesday is my birthday, so I'm planning a (2a)km ride (where a=age= 54 on 9/1). 108 km is about 67 miles, and I'm getting ready for that. It's still way too hot here, so it's out and back early.

The beach I ride to is Playalinda Beach, which is part of the Canaveral National Seashore, which is the longest undeveloped beach on the east coast. The ride runs just north of the space shuttle landing strip and the shuttle launch pads. Beach Road provides a stunning view of the launch pads, and when a shuttle is on the pad, it's a spectacular sight (pads a vacant at the moment).

The road ends at a nude beach, which is the halfway point of the ride, which is, of course, a good place for a break. The beach was crowded this morning, mostly with folks who, at a clothing optional beach, should opt to keep their clothes on.

This is what I did today: http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?670670-SF-Bay-Area-Moulton-Meet-Up-August-28th-11am/page2

Great fun!

The road ends at a nude beach, which is the halfway point of the ride, which is, of course, a good place for a break. The beach was crowded this morning, mostly with folks who, at a clothing optional beach, should opt to keep their clothes on.
Are you familiar with Maroney's Law?
The probability that someone will remove their clothing is inversely proportional to your desire to see them naked.

Are you familiar with Maroney's Law?
The probability that someone will remove their clothing is inversely proportional to your desire to see them naked.

Reminds me of the nude beach in St. Maarten's Island where my wife and I saw an overweight guy lying on his tummy on a loosely webbed beach lounge chair.

I got to ride a part of the Skyline Drive in Northern Virginia while my wife and daughter picked up our new puppy.

http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p37/apadyk/IMG_5145.jpg

Reminds me of the nude beach in St. Maarten's Island where my wife and I saw an overweight guy lying on his tummy on a loosely webbed beach lounge chair.

A lovely, witty, 50+ lady cyclist I recently met was talking about her husband's and her many activities outside of cycling. She claims he bought each of them a neoprene wet suit for scuba diving. According to her, she "isn't safe in the ocean wearing that thing...especially during whaling season".

I'll be trying for something near 30 miles while participating in the Shoo-Fly Classic on Sunday. http://www.berksbicycle.com/Shoo-Fly-FLYER.pdf.

Since I recently moved, I'll be able to ride to the start, just a mile away. And as in the past, since I'm well familiar with the roads, I routinely modify the route to suit my style. Actually not sure why I pay to ride when every other day I ride same roads for free. Although I do get to ride with a crowd.

At a miles per month rate of nearly 300 since snow off in April I finally decided my butt was broken in enough to start looking for a new saddle to relieve my numbness(not up there, down there:)) and soreness. Day before yesterday I rode 21 miles on it and 31 yesterday. Better so I'll tinker with it for a bit before trying another.

Depending on weather I'm headed up river to a place 22 miles off the road system and accessible only by boat or plane for a couple days. It will be a solo trip in my little open boat. I've got the big boat winterized and don't want to have to do the job all over.

Then back to town to start fall and winter things.

Yesterday was the Pat Stratton Century way up in Saranac NY, the north side of the Adirondack Park. Saranac is actually my favorite town in the Adirondacks. Not many riders but we all had a great time, I met my riding buddies sister who lives up there, we did the last half of the ride together. I posted some pics in another thread that seems to have died an early death so I will repost them here,

The start - with the ski area in the background (very small town hill)
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_2n6FkrWqcFk/THmuuUnW3cI/AAAAAAAAAe0/LnY6BE6wdjU/s640/Picture%20001.jpg

And the home made pies at the end

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_2n6FkrWqcFk/THmuuxIvmiI/AAAAAAAAAe8/2aHjWq8KiRM/s640/Picture%20003.jpg

Since this is the beginning of my 10 day vacation and a did 100 yesterday I will not ride today but do some of my favorite Adirondack loops starting Monday. I plan to try a new 85 mile loop later in the week - it should have a lot of climbing a be way back in some wilderness areas.

Went to the Festival of Transport that is held locally. Haven't been there for years but it has got a lot smaller and a lot more expensive. Plenty of steam traction engines but my interest lies in the Stationary engines that are/were used on Farms to run small farm machinery. Something like these two


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=peON-_SU1eY



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Llub_z8iXTI

There is no way I could ever have the skills to maintain a big engine- but these smaller machines could be interesting.

I'm planning a ride with my son in law to Wonder Lake. Actually he's planning to ride to Wonder Lake and I'm planning to ride to Polychrome Pass. Both rides will be from Teklanika for those who know the road. I may continue to Wonder Lake depending on how tough I feel. It would be 55mi out, spend the night, 55 back, but the return trip is a long uphill and then some pretty tough up and down. My legs will hold up but maybe not the same for shoulders and butt :). Both of my shoulders have torn rotator cuffs. All of this depends on weather, but we have an alternate ride if Denali weather is bad. I've ridden the entire road, out and back (camping at Wonder Lake) several times but it's been a while. It remains to be seen if I can do it again, but I know I can do a few of the hills in an out and back day which would be great too.

I rode the bike the drive ride in Madison Wisconsin yesterday and this guy in the red jersey show up.

RDW3261...I don't get it. What is the significance of the guy in the red jersey? Is he somebody famous? It looks like he has mtn bike bars on a road bike frame...but you'll have to enlighten me as to his significance...
I see now it's a single speed...how'd he do?

RDW3261...I don't get it. What is the significance of the guy in the red jersey? Is he somebody famous? It looks like he has mtn bike bars on a road bike frame...but you'll have to enlighten me as to his significance...
I see now it's a single speed...how'd he do?

I don't think Lance came to race. He did his one lap of the city and left.

Saturday, 9/4 I'll be joining about 59 other riders for a 115 mile loop around Lake Okeechobee in central FLA. Here's hoping for good weather and not a lot of wind. The levee road is about 15 ft above the lake, and there is no windbreak. Nor is there any shade. A nice calm overcast day would be perfect.

Hopefully the nasty storms out in the Atlantic will head north east and stay away from the USA!

Well, one weekend late. This coming weekend (Sep 4/5) is followed by Labor Day on Monday. I've got tickets to see the local university opera ensemble perform a semi-staged production of Puccini's La Boheme with my Danish blonde gf at 1 pm on Monday. The "problem" is, I'm scheduled to ride a 1000 km randonneur brevet starting on Saturday at 6 am. I need to do this ride in order to get an early registration for next year's Paris-Brest-Paris, where they might be limiting entries. Fortunately, I am not riding my fixie, I am riding my old carbon fiber racing bike, the Campag 10-equipped Trek. I THINK I can finish by Sunday midnight (42 hours); I'll just need to maintain a 25 kmh average and minimize sleep time, hoping to get by on one or two hours of sleep. This may be a little difficult, as I need to go over three mountain passes: the Coquihalla (1244 meters - 4080 ft), Pennask Summit (1728 meters - 5760 feet - the second-highest pass in BC!), and Stevens Pass in Washington (1236 meters - 4056 ft). I'm not a climber, but I do enjoy climbing, as long as it's not too fast, and I figure I can make up some time on the long descents (40 km downhill from Pennask summit). If I'm on schedule, the long night section will be along a straight stretch of Hwy 97 in Washington with a net descent, and the next night section will be the final 100 km. I've got the bike already set up and waiting in the back of the Subaru, with the Schmidt front hub and E6 headlight, Ksyrium rear wheel, spare LED lights, etc. As long as the weather is good, it should be fun; there's nothing better than being on a bike, even for 1000 km. I've been dong reasonably quick rides with some local clubs in Victoria, and I've got over 14,000 km in my legs this year, so I should be ready for this.

Luis