Fifty Plus (50+) - Doing ok for 72--dont give up if you really dont have to--keep trying

Looks like my bike riding is done for 2010, it going to turn cold. My total for the year is 2300 miles. My 2 1/2 year old Stratus now has over 6000 miles on it. I dont think this is too bad for a 72 year old guy.

My main reason for posting this is to encourage everyone to do what you can to keep active if at all possible. My father was a farmer all his life and worked like a dog all that time. Farming was his life and his hobby. When he retired he sat in his easy chair and rusted out in about 3 years. This also happened to most of the old farmers in the small town I grew up in. So----keep active dont use old age as an excuse to quit doing what you can.

:thumb:

I hear ya.

I'm just a lad of seventy, so I don't worry about old people stuff!

Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, champagne in one hand - strawberries in the other, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming "WOOHOO - What a Ride!"
-- Attributed to an octogenarian named Mavis Leyrer, of Seattle
I agree, It's better to burn out, than it is to rust!
Enjoy the ride!

Its just to bad that one of the not so good things about aging its that things tend to go wrong with the old body. I have been trying to get my thyroid medicine dosage right for well over a year now and I am starting to lose my motivation for the sport. My Max Sustainable Heart Rate has dropped to 128 as a result. As you know it doesn't take much exercise to get to that. It kinda takes the fun out of cycling. I'm still working on it and hopefully it will come back in line to what it was.

I remember laughing at my parents when they were complaining about their aches and pains, and taking their numerous pills. AND now I are one!

I still remember the guy who owned the neighborhood grocery store in the small town I lived in, he was 100 years old and stocking shelves every day. I don't know when he died but for me, he set the bar. You don't have to be an iron man in your old age, but as the OP said - just don't give up.

...and you don't need to be 70+ to benifit from being active. I'm almost 20 years younger and need the added activity that cycling provides, too!

+1 OP Exercise is good for the body and soul.

I'm looking forward to retiring so I can start doing more riding and all the other things I love to do.

I guess I should add that the day you say well I better not do that, you probably wont ever do it again. That starts the down hill slide.

Btw riding a recumbent with its comfort probably helps. And when my Stratus seems a bit much I will go to a trike. They are a hoot to ride anyway, but have many advantages for the older rider.

I guess I should add that the day you say well I better not do that, you probably wont ever do it again. That starts the down hill slide.

Btw riding a recumbent with its comfort probably helps. And when my Stratus seems a bit much I will go to a trike. They are a hoot to ride anyway, but have many advantages for the older rider.

177675
You riders make us feel so 'o-l-d' . . .
At ages 78/75 we still get in 4 or 5 days a week on our tandem.
. . . and living in southern AZ we get to ride 13 months out of the year!
Pedal on TWOgether!
Rudy and Kay/zonatandem

That is fantastic, keep it going. By the way what is the name of that 13th month, we don't have it here in Ohio?

As a black contrast to the spirit and motivation of those on this forum there is, no, was, the guy who lived a bit south of here and committed suicide. He no longer could compete at the Top Level. So he went out in the woods and did himself in. I felt sad then and I feel sad now that he never gave himself a chance to Live.

You are an inspiration!!! Keep on pedaling.

Looks like my bike riding is done for 2010, it going to turn cold. My total for the year is 2300 miles. My 2 1/2 year old Stratus now has over 6000 miles on it. I dont think this is too bad for a 72 year old guy.

My main reason for posting this is to encourage everyone to do what you can to keep active if at all possible. My father was a farmer all his life and worked like a dog all that time. Farming was his life and his hobby. When he retired he sat in his easy chair and rusted out in about 3 years. This also happened to most of the old farmers in the small town I grew up in. So----keep active dont use old age as an excuse to quit doing what you can.

Buy E-Motion Rollers, and you can ride indoor every day for the winter; that's what I do.

I'm looking forward to retiring so I can start doing more riding and all the other things I love to do.

You know, until I started riding I didn't ever think about retiring.

I had no idea what I would do with myself if I were retired.

Now I have an idea.

Thank you, very inspirational! :thumb:

Am 63 with plenty of aches, pains and new parts. Decided to get back into riding this past June. Found an upright a bit difficult for me and researched recumbents. Decided on a custom Red Rim trike and should be receiving is first part of December. I am REALLY looking forward to riding again. I have three trips, all near the Chesapeake bay planned for 2011, plusplenty of local riding. It's never to late to start again.
Harry

Last week I was riding on Pacific Coast Hwy in my town and there was this rider who was almost finished fixing a rear flat. I stopped to help and the only thing he needed was to put the rear wheel back on and some more air in the tire. The rider was 79 years old and he has been riding for 40 years. I helped him roll up his old tube and off he went right into the Santa Ana River Trail.