My dad lived to be 90. He smoked like a chimney until he was about 70 and his doctor told him to either quit or get another doctor. He had emphysema so bad that he couldn't do much for long. My mom lived to be 83. She was a chronic alcoholic and a heavy smoker right to the end. They had to amputate one of her legs because of smoking related circulatory issues. The first amputation did not work because gangrene set in so they cut again and that's what killed her. We thought about suing but did not.

I've been thinking about this exercise issue and ask myself some questions. Do I want to live past 100 and maybe outlive my kids and grandkids some of whom are overweight and smoke? I do not like to go there. This is far more complicated than just the physiology of exercise. I need to think about what makes me happy and that's riding my bike on a high level and getting lots of clean air into my clear lungs. If I die on the bike then so be it. I will go out on my shield.