Fifty Plus (50+) - Woo Hoo! I'm back in the saddle.

There have been a couple of threads about "beater bikes" and "bikes you can just jump on and ride" so I decided to give mine a try this afternoon. Actually, I had a couple of additional agendas 1) I wanted to explore a new route and I didn't want to do it on a recumbent and 2) I wanted to try out my elbows since I haven't ridden an upright bike in over a year.

I rode for around an hour and a half and everything went just great. The weather was perfect, my elbows remained pain free, the route to Creve Coeur Park was adequate to wonderful although I did ride counter-traffic for a shirt distance on the return, and the bike reminded me of why I love it so much. (Did I mention this is the bike I was riding when I broke my elbows?) The tushie? - well, lets just say I haven't been on an upright bike in over a year.

All-in-all a very satisfying ride.

Congrats and many happy miles to you this year.

I got back on my bike for the first time since December 13. I can't lift my head for very long, so my vision is restricted to about 20 feet in front of the bike. Hopefully physical therapy will have that fixed in the next week. (Broke c1/2 in my neck) Nothing like recovery.

There have been a couple of threads about "beater bikes" and "bikes you can just jump on and ride" so I decided to give mine a try this afternoon. Actually, I had a couple of additional agendas 1) I wanted to explore a new route and I didn't want to do it on a recumbent and 2) I wanted to try out my elbows since I haven't ridden an upright bike in over a year.

I rode for around an hour and a half and everything went just great. The weather was perfect, my elbows remained pain free, the route to Creve Coeur Park was adequate to wonderful although I did ride counter-traffic for a shirt distance on the return, and the bike reminded me of why I love it so much. (Did I mention this is the bike I was riding when I broke my elbows?) The tushie? - well, lets just say I haven't been on an upright bike in over a year.

All-in-all a very satisfying ride.

You do, of course, know what the treatment to cure this is? More time on the upright!

Pain-free elbows are a good thing.

(Did I mention this is the bike I was riding when I broke my elbows?)... All-in-all a very satisfying ride.

Good for you! You got back on the horse.

Congrats on the good ride:beer:

:thumb:

That is truly great news! So very glad to hear it, and looking forward to running into you in Calhoun County or on the flats...

That is truly great news! So very glad to hear it, and looking forward to running into you in Calhoun County or on the flats...

Calhoun County is a less attractive ride since the Brussels Ferry closed.

Thanks for the updates. I just returned back to riding also and it feels great.

I'm newly back in the saddle too, but short rides for now. 20 years ago I was in a club and rode often, including a couple of 'metric centuries'. I have just completed overhauling my 1989 Bridgestone Comp MB2 and am using smoother 26x1.75 tires on it with the idea of it being a general-purpose bike and my 'go-to' for an impromptu ride. I also have a Trek 930 Singletrack and a Trek 420 touring bike for other kinds of riding, and I'll be working those in too. Right now my legs get rubbery after 15 minutes and my saddle area is sore. Of course, I'm almost 66, but I'm not looking at that as an excuse. I expect to continue to build up my stamina on the bike over time, and I'm enjoying it a lot more that I thought possible. Here in VA we're just starting to get into some really good weather, and by June it will be getting hot and humid, so I hope to be up for harder, faster riding by then.

Calhoun County is a less attractive ride since the Brussels Ferry closed.

'Tis true! But keep your fingers crossed; Grafton has bought the Illinois landing, is finalizing purchase of the Missouri side, and has worked an agreement for the Golden Eagle/Winfield ferry operators to run the Grafton. They expect to be operational this spring. Probably just in time for the floods...
I really miss that three ferries loop.

'Tis true! But keep your fingers crossed; Grafton has bought the Illinois landing, is finalizing purchase of the Missouri side, and has worked an agreement for the Golden Eagle/Winfield ferry operators to run the Grafton. They expect to be operational this spring. Probably just in time for the floods...
I really miss that three ferries loop.

That sounds promising. I understood the issue was sand deposits at the confluence of the Illinois and Mississippi required a detour that made the trip too long. I wonder if I'm up to the 3 ferries loop on my recumbent. That's pretty hilly on the Illinois side.