bobvonb

I did my first 20 mile ride Saturday last for my birthday and find that I really enjoyed it and will try to tack on a few more this Saturday. I'm still riding only 3x or 4x week but enjoying it more each ride.

Now today I had to take my car to the shop. Previously it was always a question of how to get home after dropping a car off. Not today! I just threw the bike in the back and rode home. It's only 7 miles. I can't imagine even thinking that 7 miles was trivial until this year.

stapfam

Hope not- 65 in January.

John_V 

About a year and an half ago, I was at the bike shop and this young man was there having something done to his road bike. I had just started riding and he was talking about his 40 mile ride that he was going to do the next day. I was lucky that I could get in 5 miles without aches and pains. Today, I can do a 100K with ease and I'm working on a full century. I'll be 65 in October. Life is changing for me because when my father retired, all he did was stay home and watch the grass grow. I vowed that that would never happen to me and I am making good on my promise to myself.

teachme

+1

Northwestrider

I think that things begin to change when one retires, not at a certain age. I retire in less than 2 weeks and am very much looking forward to it. What I expect will change is that I'll have more time to ride. I'm in no way worried about a lack of things to do. Touring more frequently is a change I happily anticipate.

volosong

^^^^
Got that right! I'm really looking forward to retirement, not because I hate my job, because I really love doing what I do, but I want more time to ride other than on weekends. With winter approaching, it will be dark when I leave the house in the morning and dark when I get home in the evening. Using a trainer is the only option then.

John_V 

Actually having been retired for a while (dummy me went back to work), I can say that it is much better than I had anticipated. If my wife had been able to retire when I did in 07, I would not have gone back to work. She will retire in June of next year and I will be right there with her. We are looking forward to traveling Florida, the US and Europe and riding in all the different places that we can.

cehowardGS

Yes, and it changes from good to BETTER!!

Old big mouth here!! With that said, let me give you all a cue to what awaits you after 65!!

At 65 years old, I decided to do a trackday with my sportbike. First time in my life I ever been on a racetrack with a motorcycle. Two years later at 67, I am racing motorcycles with WERA and CCS. At 66 I decided I wanted to do a skydive. At 66 I did a tandem jump.. Come to 68 years old, still racing motorcycles, I decide to do a AFF skydive. Tandem you connected to the instructor, AFF, you jump with two instructors, with you in the middle, and we all free fall together, then they let you got... A blast..Oh, at 69, I got married too..

I am doing things at 65+(I am 70 now), that I never did. Oh, I am way, way faster on the sportbike then I was when I was in my 30s, and 40s.

I said all that to say, life starts at 65..

Oh, I still work, because I got a gravy/perk job, and I need the dough..

bruce19

Just turned 65 in June. I live with a woman who is the best person I know...have two dogs who are the best non-human friends ever...have two Ducati's that I can't imagine not owning...am excellent on the Ducati's and faster on my Masi than I can remember and have two great kids and a life full of wonderful friends. Life is better than good.

DnvrFox

At 71, I am in better shape and doing more sports-type activities than I have ever been/done in my entire life.

I learned to (really) swim 3 years ago, have built up my muscular strength, learned to properly stretch, and am riding my bicycle 125 miles per week or so.

I am not a racer, have never been athletically competitive (and never want to be), but I am really pleasaed with my overall physical well-being. Despite what others say about reflexes slowing, etc., I feel that my activities and exercise have kept my reflexes in pretty good shape.

I am active in a whole lot of community activities, have my own - highly accoladed - singing group.

I have a great life partner.

Life is not bad at all.

Busy people keep busy, no matter the situation. Busy is good.

bobvonb

just what I was hoping to hear. I've gotten hints of better days ahead but cycling seems to have accelerated the benefits. Previously it was just 4 and 5 mile daily walks and weekend hikes. Not bad, but I just wasn't getting quite what I wanted, as fast as I wanted.

Can't sing. Accident put me off motorcycles (although I still dream of a Triumph Bonneville). Married 44 years.

bruce19

My experience is that cycling definitely provides benefits. For so many reasons it is a great activity that is pleasurable on each ride and yields long term benefits. Good stuff.

CrankyFranky

Welcome to the altered reality club!

I had the great good fortune of learning this when in my early 20's. Not only does bicycling change your perspective on distances, it enables one to hold on to that source of power far longer than other means - by maintaining your fitness.
I see you mentioned an accident - Motorcycle? Just be aware that the machine you ride and your manner of riding need to take into account both your healthy physiognomy as well as any damage you suffered in the accident. This is absolutely the best forum for discussion on how to remain vital as you age.

ps At least you don't dream of a Vincent Black Lightning!

Northwestrider

I'm happy to see all of the positive attitudes out there.

cehowardGS

I can't sing or dance.. With motorcycles, accidents most likely will happen. I advocate wearing full gear at all the times, that is what I do. Also, to take a motorcycle course at a racetrack. Don't have to race, or even do trackdays, just take a course on the racetrack. The motor vehicle transportation departments in our states, are sad when it comes to giving out test. Their test have NOTHING to do with the real world, just rules. At the racetrack, they teach you skills that are lifesaving on the street. Be that as it may, that might not be everybody's cup of tea. The main thing is, after 65, there is a whole new wonderful world waiting for you to enjoy. Mainly, staying fit with daily or regular exercise is a key ingredient in keeping us healthy pass 65. Being healthy gives one a sense of well being, and that is a plus..

Enjoy, as you can see, even the peeps at over 70 are having a ball..

On the 44 years being married, you and your SO, deserve TROPHIES!!!

ScorpioLance

Excellent attitude!!!! My dad was the same way due to bad legs from the WW II. He only lived to be 60. I'm 62 and riding 100+ miles a week. Rode an 80 miler on Sunday in preparation fro my first century ride on 09/11.

Philipaparker

Hey how about that social security check! Let's not forget the biggest benefit of living so long.

ModeratedUser150120149

Yeah, that whole $39 a month a person close to me gets. A lot more out there too. They just don't hit the news.

buelito

cycling (or exercising) may not add years to your life, but will add life to your years

train safe-

Timtruro

Looking for opportunities to ride, like when you dropped your car off, is fun and a good way to build up mileage. Recently I was going to a cookout but my wife had a meeting and couldn't go until later. I took off on the bike and 25 miles later I had gotten in an unexpected ride, and when she joined us later.............I had a ride home, so I could eat that extra cheeseburger.

Retro Grouch 

[QUOTE=bobvonb;13121593]Now today I had to take my car to the shop. Previously it was always a question of how to get home after dropping a car off. Not today! I just threw the bike in the back and rode home.[QUOTE]

I've said many times that one of the under appreciated luxuries of life is a garage with an electric door lift. Bicycling from the car service shop home is another. It simplifies your life way more than you imagine.

Thanks for the reminder.

jackb

I've been retired for three years and I am 63. I never realized how much I disliked having a job until I didn't have one. I will never take another job again. Retirement is great . Time for everything. No real responsibilities.

berner

I retired at 67 but continued to work for several years until the economy hit the skids. I'm a yacht builder, enjoyed the work and the people I worked with. The last few years I worked sort of part time - several months on followed by several months off. As far as change goes, life changes all the time but I think we notice changes more as we get older. Many changes, especially unpleasant ones, are beyond our ability to influence. Those you have to get used to. The changes you can influence, well get cracking. This is pretty much my philosophy of life. Do what you can and deal with the rest.

cehowardGS

Ha, forgot about that one. Also, a lot of us, I know I am, where we can make as much as we want and they don't take nothing out your Social Security Check. Dam, I am trying to remember that last time I saw my SS, my wife spends it even before it comes!!

VegasTriker

I turned 68 on the 19th of August. I can't remember 65 being any life changing event but certainly do think that retiring in the middle of April has. I can now ride every day without a second thought and do a lot of other things that I was too busy to do while working. My retirement was precipitated by the arrival of the supervisor from hell. Suddenly a job that what was once interesting and rewarding turned to dung and I put in for retirement. That person has since been fired but I am very glad to have retired. Two of my former coworkers died recently and it reminded me that one's time on earth is limited. BTW, the person receiving only $39 per month in SSI must either have earned below minimum wage their entire life or not paid into the system very long.