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Fifty Plus (50+) Share the victories, challenges, successes and special concerns of bicyclists 50 and older. Especially useful for those entering or reentering bicycling.

Sharing other 50+ interests

Old 07-25-09, 02:08 PM
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Sharing other 50+ interests

Sharing other 50+ interests

Over the years, it has been enjoyable to me to read about and write about other interests of 50+'rs in addition to bicycling. I know that at least one fellow 50+'r has been motivated to follow an interest based upon my sharing a similar interest.

So, 50+'rs, what are you doing in life in addition to your bicycling? I am always amazed at the very great variety of interests of this group. It proves the axiom that busy people are busy people - or whatever that saying is. We have a lot of new folks since we last had this opporunity. Tell us about your interests.

OK, here is what I am doing. (You never could have guessed that I might share, right )

My Xy Zingers gospel group is going great guns. We are being invited to sing around the state. Last week, we sang in Grand Junction, CO. Tomorrow we will sing in Colorado Springs. A few weeks back, we sang in Limon, on the eastern plains. We are singing at several churches in Parker. In Grand Junction, we passed the plate and got $432.16. So, our bank account now has enough for us to do a real CD, if we want. Yesterday, I got a call for a XMAS program in December. And, I have been doing more solo work.

This has been great fun, because I started the group a little over 3 years ago, just for fun. We are currently at 8 guys, ages 65-80 years old.

If interested, you can see and hear us here:

https://www.ourwebs.info/indexxyz.htm

Also, I am still heavily involved in the national group I started, National Organization to End the Waitlist (for individuals with developmental disabilities). I started a petition in May, and we now have over 7,000 signatures. You can learn more at https://www.noewait.net

And, I continue my activities in Colorado supporting parents of individuals with disabilities, and advocating for better services. You can learn more at: https://www.ourwebs.info/indexpad.htm

I also continue my weight lifting (into a new program), swimming, walking, stretching. I am also working on becoming a certified personal trainer through AFAA.

So, what are the rest of you up to?

Last edited by DnvrFox; 07-25-09 at 06:54 PM.
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Old 07-25-09, 02:24 PM
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Work - I do High-tech research, guess I'm still lucky to have a job. Anyway it has gotten extremely frustrating over the past 2 years.

Keeping the house/yard up - a never ending list of chores

Raising an 8YO daughter - the absolute joy of my life.

Skiing in the winter and some volunteer work that goes along with that.

Woodworking when I can, I like to make furniture, mostly tables but lately all I have had time for are few picture frames.
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Old 07-25-09, 02:27 PM
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Nothing as benificial as you-but I have interests that still keep me going. Some of you may know I am a keen gardener but I used to be a Champion exhibitor of Alpine Plants. The showing stopped with the bypass and the alpines are now in the garden- but I still give talks to garden societies on Alpines. Suppose this is where my interest comes for climbing hills but I don't get much time to look at the native flora on my rides. I'm too busy trying to catch the others.

I am also learning to become "Competent"********** with woodworking tools. The wife keeps wanting things like a pergola outside the shed- Decking outside the Pool and the latest is a chicken coop. So another bit of the lawn won't be needing cutting shortly.

And fresh eggs have a taste all of their own- and so do Beans- Potatoes- Carrots and Swede. All I needed for dinner tonight was fresh chicken and we would have been self sufficient.
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Old 07-25-09, 02:47 PM
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Some interesting "other interests" here. It's nice to see other gardeners and woodworkers.

As for me, I carve canoe paddles:



And garden:


Last edited by PrairieDog; 07-25-09 at 04:24 PM.
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Old 07-25-09, 02:55 PM
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Originally Posted by PrairieDog
As for me, I carve canoe paddles:
I have a canoe that could use some hand carved paddles...
That is one thing I forgot to mention - we hike and paddle in the Adirondacks when we get up to our place there. Next trip is in a early August - if I am lucky I will spend weekends up there starting then as well as a few extra days of vacation. This year I want to take my daughter up her first High Peak climb - we are planning on Giant Mountain near Lake Placid.
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Old 07-25-09, 05:23 PM
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Great Depression 2.0 has been forcing me to leap prematurely and headlong into a long-planned career transition from full-time electronics engineering design and management into part-time consulting and college-level teaching. I have taken a big hit in income this year, but I am also having a blast teaching, networking, and doing a little contract work with my former employer, which is valiantly attempting to get recapitalized and relaunched. I am also trying to start a high speed "triple-play" telecommunications electronics business with three other guys, but that's all "pro bono" until we can pull some seed funding together.

I thought I would have more free time for home improvement, car repair, and piano practice (mostly classical), but I am currently as busy as ever. I also enjoy running a weekly discussion forum at church (https://sdumc.org/forum.html), and organizing topics and inviting guest speakers takes some time. I have also been helping my wife (flanked by two of her fellow artists in https://offtrackgallery.com/files/Image/Calle%20Mag.jpg) with her art career, including computer coaching for her soon-to-end 2-year stint as president of a local art guild (https://offtrackgallery.com/). We're off tonight to help host another gallery reception.
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Old 07-25-09, 05:41 PM
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In addition to riding, I repair/refurbish/re-sell various bikes I pick up from various sources. I've got about 800 bucks sitting in a coffee can downstairs I've made this season, and I'm working on a much-neglected Giant CFR-1 that I can maybe sell for 350.
I build cigar-box instruments; guitars, ukuleles, mandolins... Great fun. I also pick and grin a bit...
My wife and son and I did a gig earlier this summer at a convention, playing folksy and roots music.

I'm also in the process of putting together a 2-stroke snowblower engine with an eye towards building a motorized bike.
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Old 07-25-09, 06:19 PM
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GREAT idea for a thread! It's fun seeing what everyone else is into.

I have a full time job and I'm trying (unfortunately somewhat in vain) to convince a 20 year old and an 18 year old to go to college.

In addition to those necessary pursuits, and along with cycling and wasting way too much time on the internet I play guitar (not very well)



and I also am an amateur luthier (a luthier is someone who builds and repairs stringed instruments, in my case, guitars).

Here's one that I was in the middle of resetting the neck:



Here's one in the early stages of build



I sold my house just as the market was collapsing last summer (got out just in the nick of time) and unfortunately my apartment doesn't have room for a wood shop so my luthery is on hold at the moment.

Bikewer - there used to be a CBG convention not far from me in York, PA. Those are very cool instruments. I used to frequent a blues bulletin board and one of the regulars there "Boz" loved the CBG's

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Old 07-25-09, 06:29 PM
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Originally Posted by zoste
I'm trying (unfortunately somewhat in vain) to convince a 20 year old and an 18 year old to go to college.
Please Please don't give up - even if it is community college.
I got my older daughter into college, she decided on fine arts, after three years and a few disasters she grew up and switched to a BS degree. She worked through this in 5 years and after 8 years total, she graduated last June, now she is getting ready to take the state Nursing boards to be an RN. It's been a long haul. I am convinced that kids these days don't grow up until they reach mid 20's. We haven't given them any incentive to do so - they have had so much.
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Old 07-25-09, 06:39 PM
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Originally Posted by cyclinfool
Please Please don't give up - even if it is community college.
I got my older daughter into college, she decided on fine arts, after three years and a few disasters she grew up and switched to a BS degree. She worked through this in 5 years and after 8 years total, she graduated last June, now she is getting ready to take the state Nursing boards to be an RN. It's been a long haul. I am convinced that kids these days don't grow up until they reach mid 20's. We haven't given them any incentive to do so - they have had so much.
Congrats, and thanks for the encouragement. Our local community college is very highly rated and virtually all of their credits are fully transferable to the local four year institutes, which include some state schools, but also Temple University, Villanova and Drexel. I think that my community college is the absolute best bargain in higher education. A full course load costs about the same as it would cost to pay for medical insurance - if they go to school they stay on my employer's plan at no cost to me. It's almost like they're getting the education for free.
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Old 07-25-09, 07:15 PM
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This is a very interesting and controversial subject for me.
It is generally applauded to do community services and I do understand that very well. So let me describe what my wife and I do. We are both 67 and married for 47 years.
-----------------
I have always chosen to focus on my career to the exclusion of everything else. This has enabled my wife to do volunteer/unpaid services all her life. She has letters from US President hanging on our wall for those many hours of services. My wife works on collecting people and spends all her energies on that. Countless lunches, dinners, meetings, etc.
I OTOH almost ruined my health with being a workaholic. Ten to twelve hour days including Saturdays and virtually no vacations.
This created financial wealth and a comfortable life for my immediate family.
--------------------
Somewhere in my 50's I decided this was going to kill me and I started focusing on health maintenance. That has morphed into a passion for biking and other outdoor activities.
In addition to that I focus on financial issues. All our resources are exposed to the dangers of the marketplace. I could probably make a living as a financial advisor but do not need to do that.
Health maintenance and financial maintenance eat up much of my time and energy.
My wife is continuing her life and we enjoy certain things together such as biking, good food, dining, wine, music and friends.
--------------------------------
My community services have been expressed by paying lots of taxes and enabling my wife to be a full time community service activist.
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Old 07-25-09, 08:12 PM
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When I'm not with the family, repairing cars or other stuff around the house...... or still doing my career of 35+ years I still enjoy playing golf. I've had the chance to play in numerous Pro Ams. Here is one with Jay Haas from the Senior Tour where he gave me a putting lesson-best golf lesson I've ever had.



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Old 07-25-09, 08:57 PM
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Just shy of 40 years after dropping out/flunking out of college, and 25 years after becoming an RN with an associate degree, I'm more that halfway through a three year BSN program that my hospital system has developed for nurses without bachelor degrees. (I don't pay, except for books--> the price is right). I'll be almost 61 when I finish - not terribly rare these days. No plans to retire.
The pending degree allowed me to take a new position specializing in patient safety, away from the patient care delivery world for the first time in my career.

For birthday #50, my stoker let me buy a new guitar, a (Korean) Ovation acoustic-electric, with a shallow composite back. Still pleased with it; have played it enough to require fretwork repair twice. The sound is a bit thin on the bottom but plugged-in has a great full acoustic sound and an even better electric sound when run through a cheap "Tubulator" effect box.

Feeling no great desire for a new axe for birthday #60. Maybe it's time to beg for a Ti frameset?
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Old 07-25-09, 09:20 PM
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Well, right now, mostly I work. I leave for work at about 6 am and return at 7pm and need to be in bed by 8pm to wake up at 4 am to shower, shave, meditate and eat breakfast. It's about an hour each way by bike, and I work long hours. On weekends I do errands and make a trip to the library for the next weeks videos.

On the surface a tedious and boring existance. Perhaps like a caterpillar's cocoon.

It's a period of change. I'm done with cleaning up from my marriage and starting to work towards a new life. A lot of the change is internal, and I really think it would be more difficult if I lived with someone who always was reacting to the me of yesterday. My life is almost monastic, but I'm never lonely.

But coming and going, I watch the wildlife in the local creeks almost obsessively. I'm involved in the local Bicycle Advocacy group and with local anti-coal and other organizations.

I'm trying to repair my career as a computer animator that got severely derailed when my ex decided to move to the desert in the early 90's and I followed to attempt to keep our marriage together.

I'm also a space activist and feel that any real sustainable living schema must involve space habitation. The Earth is definitely the sweetest planet in the known universe, but it won't last forever. It's time to fulfill our destiny of being the first species of life able to expand its range beyond a single planet. The cockroaches, rats, plants and single celled organisms are depending on us, especially the plants. We can't let them down.

Though I disagree with the Astronauts urging Obama to focus on Mars instead of the Moon. They think it's uninteresting. I don't think they looked.
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Originally Posted by Bjforrestal
I don't care if you are on a unicycle, as long as you're not using a motor to get places you get props from me. We're here to support each other. Share ideas, and motivate one another to actually keep doing it.

Last edited by Artkansas; 07-25-09 at 09:25 PM.
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Old 07-25-09, 11:10 PM
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In addition to cycling, my two other passions are drumming and model railroading. The drumming is profitable and helps to pay for the bike and train supplies.
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Old 07-25-09, 11:29 PM
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Well...cycling is interrelated to most of these! I'm not quite sure how to order these, but I'll use weekly frequency:
  • multi-ethnic cooking
  • roasting coffee
  • large format film photography
  • tube audio
  • vintage Porsches
  • mushrooming

I have raised 3 wonderful daughters, focused on community service and of course, THE JOB, but, (other than my girls!), the list pretty much captures my passions.

Cheers,
Geary
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Old 07-26-09, 12:08 AM
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Originally Posted by cyclinfool
I am convinced that kids these days don't grow up until they reach mid 20's. We haven't given them any incentive to do so - they have had so much.
I tried in vain to get my eldest daughter to take further studies. She drifted from one bad job to another till Floristry caught her. She then put herself through College at her own cost- gained her diplomas- won a big National award and did well. Then got married and I now have a grandaughter but she has two floristry companies trying to get her to work for them.

Some do not want to settle into a job for a long time. They just have to find out what they want to do.
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Old 07-26-09, 02:08 AM
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I'm a Realtor -- so riding keeps me sane.

I have a green thumb and enjoy making plants flower. We made 45 half-pints and 6 full pints of peach jam from our Babcock peach tree. I believe we have 3 gallon baggies of frozen peaches as well. We also have a dwarf (and I use the term loosely)Washington Navel Orange tree that makes winter colorful and juicy. This year I failed at tomatoes but rooted some basil (I've grown many different types of basil for pesto; lemon basil is the best). I take orchids and African violets and rebloom them.

Cgallag and I also train our dogs for obedience/rally/agility. They aren't over-achievers but they're good at what they do.

When I didn't own a tv and before the Internet I sewed and made my clothes. Nowadays I'm lucky to my clothes, let alone sew them.
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Old 07-26-09, 03:37 AM
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When not making things.......developmental laser systems at work....race cars in a former life and bicycles in this life, I............make things.

Radio control airplains and sailboats.....yea, cars too
Models of almost anything, including architectual models


And then, when all else fails, there are the cats...
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Old 07-26-09, 05:51 AM
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I'm retired and spend a bit of time volunteering with a local nonprofit that helps seniors age in place - I help the members with computer problems. I used to teach (volunteer) introductory computing to immigrants but am just substituting for now to permit travel. My hobbies/pastimes include Scuba, skiing/snowboarding, golf (hack), rollerblading, reading, reading.
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Old 07-26-09, 06:18 AM
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Originally Posted by JanMM
J...For birthday #50, my stoker let me buy a new guitar...

Feeling no great desire for a new axe for birthday #60. Maybe it's time to beg for a Ti frameset?
Guitars have their own N+1: it's called GAS (guitar acquisition syndrome).
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Old 07-26-09, 06:37 AM
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In 1999 (when I was 54) I started taking weekly violin lessons. That lasted for about a year. My job was outsourced in 2000. That was the last really good paying job I had (it's tough finding a good paying job at 55) and the end of my violin lessons ($50 per session is kinda steep unless you're making good money). So now my violin ($1800 ) is sitting in the case. I dust it off and check it every few months.
Worked at various "low-paying" jobs until 2007, then semi-retired. Now I work p/t at a bike shop. Now there's a really low-paying job.
My wife retired 31 Dec 2008 and now that she's home with me, she keeps telling me I need a hobby or two and that I shouldn't quit my job at the bike shop. It gets me out of the house.
So I've been looking into other activities. We don't have a garage or basement so there's no room to set up a workshop of any kind.
I've been taking a yoga class with my wife and next week we're going to "camp" for a few days. She'll be taking another basket weaving class (she makes some nice baskets) and I'll be taking a rocks and minerals (prospecting??) class. I already have the 30x loop and rock hammer. BAM BAM!! Maybe that will lead to another hobby/activity.
I've been reading through astronomy websites and reading reviews of telescopes and looking at telescopes on CL. Seems they make telescopes that work quite well in bright urban areas. Maybe the next big comet will be "Ron's Comet".
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Old 07-26-09, 06:52 AM
  #23  
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Originally Posted by RonH
In 1999 (when I was 54) I started taking weekly violin lessons. That lasted for about a year. My job was outsourced in 2000. That was the last really good paying job I had (it's tough finding a good paying job at 55) and the end of my violin lessons ($50 per session is kinda steep unless you're making good money). So now my violin ($1800 ) is sitting in the case. I dust it off and check it every few months.
Worked at various "low-paying" jobs until 2007, then semi-retired. Now I work p/t at a bike shop.
My wife retired 31 Dec 2008 and now that she's home with me, she keeps telling me I need a hobby or two and that I shouldn't quit my job at the bike shop. It gets me out of the house.
So I've been looking into other activities. We don't have a garage or basement so there's no room to set up a workshop of any kind.
I've been taking a yoga class with my wife and next week we're going to "camp" for a few days. She'll be taking another basket weaving class (she makes some nice baskets) and I'll be taking a rocks and minerals (prospecting??) class. I already have the 30x loop and rock hammer. BAM BAM!! Maybe that will lead to another hobby/activity.
I've been ready through astronomy websites and reading reviews of telescopes and looking at telescopes on CL. Seems they make telescopes that work quite well in bright urban areas. Maybe the next big comet will be "Ron's Comet".
Funny you mentioning Astronomy and rock collecting. Last summer my wife, daughter and I went to an old garnet mine in the Adirondacks that was abandoned over a century ago - we found lots of neat samples just laying around, there were a few other folks chipping away with rock hammers. We are going back this summer armed with rock hammers and safetly glasses as it is only a few miles and a short hike in from our camp. Also my brother sent me a note and said he wanted me to help him build a telescope, there are quite a few simple plans for reflectors on the internet - I suggested the 6" or 8" version of this one: https://pages.sbcglobal.net/raycash/manualv2.pdf. I would think if you knew someone with a table saw this would go together quickly given you buy the mirrors and spider from an optics house.
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Old 07-26-09, 07:10 AM
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For me my time is spent on Triathlon but I am a cyclist first, photography, playing guitar and making lampwork glass beads. Oh yeah and planning for retirement in the next few years.
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Old 07-26-09, 09:09 AM
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I work full time running a small training and consulting agency for not-for-profit organizations (mostly those working in community based long term care). I also teach critical thinking, social systems theory, and social deviancy in a graduate program in Philadelphia. Yard/garden/landscape work in the summer, guitar in the winter, photography when I have the time, cycling all year long, and spending time with family (wife and two grown sons and their significant others). I suspect I'll be well into my middle or upper 70s before I can afford to retire, but I like my work. So, that's not a bad thing.
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