Beverly

Today I joined friends to ride the Strawberry Festival bike tour. We planned on doing 66 miles to celebrate one of the riders birthday but the weather had other plans. About 15 miles into the ride it started raining. By the time we reached the point where the 66 and 44 mile courses separated we chose to cut the ride short. Of course it quit raining and the sun came back out about an hour later

This ride is fairly level except for Bruckner Hill. As you approach the area there is a sign indicating no trucks or buses can negotiate the hill The sign should have included bikes. It's a series of hairpin curves and they're steep. I had to stop and rest a couple times but finally dragged myself up the hill The food stop was at the top of the hill.

On the last part of the ride we hit a 5 mile straight and perfectly level stretch of road with just a little headwind. I shifted to the big ring and we were able to cruise along at 18-19 mph on that stretch. I was in the lead and thought the person pulling up beside me was one of the group but it turned out to be a young man who looked to be in his thirties. He was admiring the bike and asking me question about it. I told him it was my early retirement bike. He said you'll have it worn out by the time you hit retirement age. I told him I was 64 and had less than 2 years to go. He looked a little surprised and said "Damn I hope I can ride like you when I hit my 60's". That kid made my day

The picture is my two riding partners today. The birthday fellow is on the left.

MichiganMike

Sounds like you were making pretty good time and had some fun to boot. Nice compliment too. Now, did you get to sample any strawberries? That would have been the trifecta in my mind.

Beverly

I got to sample those strawberries. The food stop had fresh strawberries, homemade bread with honey, peanut butter & jelly sandwiches on cinnamon, wheat or raisin bread, cookies, yogurt and plenty of fresh fruit. If we had done the 66 they had strawberry shortcake and strawberry ice cream. Long or short ride they make you climb "the" hill

Louis

Nice ride Beverly. Makes me remember how much fun I had riding with the Akron club in days of yore.

SaiKaiTai

Oh yeah, Beverly, you rock!
That's much better than a 12 year old complimenting my climbing ability.
All I can sa is I hope I can ride like you even before I get to my 60s.

And you get much better food on your rides than I do on mine. I'm jealous

Terrierman

Wow, what a food stop, can I come over to your place sometime? Great ride, and what a comment from the young man to really make the day. Congratulations.

freeranger

Isn't it great when someone younger pays you an honest, off the cuff compliment, especiallly when it pertains to you fitness or riding ability. Donna and I used to frequent some mtn.bike trails outside of Shrewsbury, Pa., that were known for testing one's aerobic threshold. On the club's board, I noticed a post from someone new to the area who wished to ride with someone who knew the trails. So we met up and showed him around the trails. When we met, Donna and I already had helmets on, as we had warmed up just a little. At the end of the ride, after stopping MANY times to let him catch his breath, he looked at me, with thinning salt and pepper hair, and asked how old I was. At the time I was 50, and he was 25. He said that he hoped he could get in as good as shape as we were, and handle the climbs we made. Wish I was still that close to great trails like those-I think I'd stilll be in that shape!

Bacco

The comments I usually get are "Sir, do you want me to call 911?"