Today is an extraordinary day for me. and it all has to do with cycling. In fact, I honestly rate the achievement I'm about to describe as one of my Top Ten accomplishments in my life.

Today I completed my first full calendar year of cycling in perhaps twenty five years, maybe more. And it’s the first year EVER that I rode consistently all year long.

Today’s ride was a simple 10 miler, but with it I surpassed a milestone I would never have thought possible – 2,500 miles. Throughout the year I had several highlights which I couldn’t have imagined: a metric century on my no-frills mountain bike with knobbie tires (and achieved by taking a 6+ mile loop around Coronado ten times); I rode my age at least twice, I bought four more bikes (all used), and sold one.

What made all this possible was a combination of things. First, I discovered that biking is just pure fun. I’d long since forgotten that! Second, I was fortunate to have discovered Bike Forum from the very beginning, and quickly found the Fifty + forum, which became my home base. The people in this forum have made me feel welcome, they have tolerated and answered my newbie questions, they have patted me on the back when I earned it, and encouraged me to stretch my thinking when I needed it.

I have never been a jock. I have never stuck with a fitness program. I participated in three high school sports, but was never any good at any of them. Finally, after over fifty years, I’ve found something physical and athletic to be passionate about. I may never achieve some of the incredible accomplishments of some of the people on this forum, but I’m not competing with them. I am reclaiming my own physicality and having a blast doing it.

I want every person over the age fifty who’s thinking of taking up cycling to just do it. You’ll have a blast, you’ll go places you never would have imagined, you create a sense of pride, and you’ll amaze your friends and family. What other activity can do all that as cheaply as cycling?

Thanks, everyone, for all your support, advice, humor, stories, and so on. I’ll conclude with the same question I think I started with, one year ago, the question that never changes:

What kind of bike should I get?

Congrats, DeeGee. You're good-natured humor always picks me up! If I were in your shoes I'd opt for a Giant Cypress SX or maybe a Trek 3900 MTB.

Congratulations Gary. You've been a voice of fresh air. You're logging more miles than I am, but part of the fun is seeing how different people are doing it.

What bike should you get? forget brand and all that boring stuff, one with a custom paint job.

How very cool, very cool indeed - just think in another coupla decades you can be the fellow that is pointed out to newcomers to your community as "that crazy ol' guy that rides his bike everywhere - but he's cool, man, have you ever talked to him? He knows a LOT about bikes...and has ridden EVERYWHERE you ride a bike!"

I, too, have very much enjoyed discovering this thread out of the millions that exist in the ether. Thank you for your perennial humor and always posing the eternal question...

Since this is your first birthday and you have made it 2500 miles on old bikes, I think you should go and pick out a nice shiny new bike so you can ride with pride for the next year.

Congratulations! I can't wait to see what I've accomplished when my first year comes up.

Thanks for the post. Your sentiments probably reflect a lot of the folks here.

Answer: Get the bike that you want......it really doesn't matter which one because you'll be changing it out one day anyway........

Congratulations! I am one of those riders for whom 12 miles at one time is a big deal. You are definitely an inspiration!

Thanks for being here Gary. Still not certain about you but You are a stayer. Reason I am not certain is the date- 6 6 6. Are you sucking us in so that you can revert to your natural form this evening.

Well done for finding cycling and for a newbie you are not doing too bad- all you have to do is lose about 20lbs and do a century but that will come. Eventually. Your experience has shown what can be done in a year. Give it another 5 and the 20 will be 40 and you will be following Will on his 6th successful ride across America. Although unless you spend more time on the bike and less on the computer, you might struggle a bit. Now where did I leave the garlic and wodden stake for tonight.

And I thought you had only been around a decade!

2500 miles and 1,288 posts (3.52 posts per day) 1 post for every 2 miles!

Congratulations. 2,500 miles is indeed somethig with some bragging rights (well, so is 1288 posts!).

About the bike - I hear that WalMart is selling a pretty good 40 pound road bike. (I have seen it sold on EBAy for more than it is sold in WM, so buy one, ride it awhile and make a profit)

Congrats on your accomplishment, Gary! It's amazing how the miles just pile up, isn't it??

May you enjoy many tens of thousands of miles more, and take care!

Steve

The year went quickly. You and I signed onto BF at about the same time. Like you I find riding to be a wonderful thing to do, (however there were a couple of mornings in Feb at 25F when my feet froze). I don't know that I am up to you in total mileage, but the progression is similar
Began with a 6 mile ride changed to a 10 mile ride in July and changed again this April to a 15 mile ride. Last year I recall the great feeling I had completing the birthday ride and now on any good weekend day I can go out for 40-50 miles without it feeling an exceptional venture.
So the quest for the perfect pie continues!

Gary! You da man! And just think, you didn't cross the finish line, you just made the first lap of many! Should we start calling you Wheels Diego?

AWSUM!

Thanks for posting and keep posting. I enjoy reading what you have to say.

I'm still doing 12-15 mile rides. Over 400 and hope to make 1000 this year. 2500 seems a long way off.

Keep'em rolling!

Gary,

Congratulations, You are well on your way to 50,000+. It is always interesting to read what you write.

+1

congrats Gary--

as to what kind of bike-- you should get a FIXIE!!

train safe-

Gary,

Congratulations on your year milestone, a great accomplishment. Nothing better than being in the outdoors, legs spinning out a nice pace, the road rolling under you, the smells of mother earth (both good and bad) and your heart and lungs getting healthier by the beat. Keep at it. With respect to a bike, get one you can afford that fits you well and that you always look at and want to get on it for the next ride. We quickly forget how many folks are out there our age and younger who can't fathom riding 20 miles or more. Keep encouraging them to ride, use your own experience as an example. I read an article today in US Today about the percentage of baby boomers who are considered obese and the health issues they will have in the latter part of their life. Let's get them all to ride, even it it justa round the block.

Power to the "pedaler"

Thumbs up, Big Guy. You da man!

- congrats!

- i'd bet you're going to do much more than 2,500 miles in the next 12 months, eh?

:-)

Nice going Gary. I just passed 2500 miles recently as well (1700 on the road bike, 800 on the hybrid) over about 15 months. I can see, though, that I am far behind on Bike Forum posts

BTW, I also last did organized sports in high school, including one I was pretty good at. But I haven't seen too many recreational water pool leagues.

As far as the bike goes, how about a nice Reynolds 853 steel frame? Looks nicer than those oversized aluminum frames. I guess carbon fiber would be okay as well.

Nick

+1

A changed man, right? Or, at the very least, a changed lifestyle.

Congratulations, Gary, you da man!!!

OK, I have to ask, where'd you get the yellow jersey in your picture there?

Celebrate, celebrate, dance to the music!

On sale, under $20, at Kohl's Department Store. No pockets, though.

Way to go Gary.

I also am a new rider who feels good about the fact that I get out for a 6-8 mile ride each evening. Certainly it's nothing compared to your accomplishment over the past year...but for me, for now, it's progress. Whoever thought that doing something good for yourself could be so enjoyable?

You have every right to be proud of yourself. Now go out and get that new bike that's got your name on it.