It's immensely gratifying to read posts from guys 70 and over who are still going strong on their bikes. At 66, I am confident I've got plenty of good years ahead of me.

I see a lot of guys my age riding solo in the Berkeley and Oakland hills where I live. Like me, they probably feel "aged out" of younger groups, where many of the riders are angling to get the fastest Strava segment or otherwise outpace the rest of the group.

I like riding with guys my age, where we can talk as we spin along at a good clip.

So a few days ago I started a Meetup (Meetup.com) called "Sport Cyclists Over 60". Every Tuesday morning at 10:00 a.m. we'll gather at a Berkeley cafe, then do a 17-mile route that takes us all the way up Grizzly Peak on one side of Berkeley, along the top, then all the way back down. This will be a ride for serious cyclists; recreational riders will not be able to do it. But it will be a no-drop ride with regroups. The veterans among us will not be left behind.

My Meetup went online just a couple of days ago and is already a big hit -- I've already got 27 riders signed up. As is typical with Meetup, probably far fewer will show up at the weekly ride. But even if I have to ride alone some weeks, I'll be at the start point every Tuesday like clockwork. While it will provide all participants with a good workout, this will also be a social ride. Swapping stories and making friends my age who are still avid riders are essential to my game plan. If you're in the Bay Area, check out the details on my Meetup page and come along!