Some Things Remain the Same
06-09-22 | 08:56 PM
#1
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 5,049
Likes: 4,905
From: Point Reyes Station, California
Bikes: Indeed!
Some Things Remain the Same
Today I rode 70 hilly miles on some of my favorite roads to mark my 70th birthday. On a long ride like this I have plenty of time to think. In the 57 years since my first long bike ride there have been changes, some of them quite unpleasant. Old friends with whom I have shared some fine bicycle adventures will never again turn a pedal. I need bigger gears now, and I get a little slower with each rotation of the calendar.
But today was a beautiful day, leading my mind to explore the joys of riding that remain unchanged from that earliest 50-mile ride until now.
The soft sound of my tires on the pavement of a quiet road is as mesmerizing as ever.
The battle between my hands which want to grab the brakes and my brain which knows better, in the apex of a downhill curve which I entered a little too quickly, still holds every bit of its old exhilaration.
I still find new views on roads that I have been riding for decades.
The joy of a well-tuned bike that becomes so much an extension of my own body that I almost forget it's there.
I'm sure you can add your own experiences to this list.
Brent
But today was a beautiful day, leading my mind to explore the joys of riding that remain unchanged from that earliest 50-mile ride until now.
The soft sound of my tires on the pavement of a quiet road is as mesmerizing as ever.
The battle between my hands which want to grab the brakes and my brain which knows better, in the apex of a downhill curve which I entered a little too quickly, still holds every bit of its old exhilaration.
I still find new views on roads that I have been riding for decades.
The joy of a well-tuned bike that becomes so much an extension of my own body that I almost forget it's there.
I'm sure you can add your own experiences to this list.
Brent
06-09-22 | 09:13 PM
#3
Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 16,126
Likes: 9,489
From: PDX
Bikes: Merz x 5 + Specialized Merz Allez x 2, Strawberry/Newlands/DiNucci/Ti x3, Gordon, Fuso/Moulton x2, Bornstein, Paisley,1958-74 Paramounts x3, 3rensho, 74 Moto TC, 73-78 Raleigh Pro's x5, Marinoni x2, 1960 Cinelli SC, 1980 Bianchi SC, PX-10 X 2
Today I rode 70 hilly miles on some of my favorite roads to mark my 70th birthday. On a long ride like this I have plenty of time to think. In the 57 years since my first long bike ride there have been changes, some of them quite unpleasant. Old friends with whom I have shared some fine bicycle adventures will never again turn a pedal. I need bigger gears now, and I get a little slower with each rotation of the calendar.
But today was a beautiful day, leading my mind to explore the joys of riding that remain unchanged from that earliest 50-mile ride until now.
The soft sound of my tires on the pavement of a quiet road is as mesmerizing as ever.
The battle between my hands which want to grab the brakes and my brain which knows better, in the apex of a downhill curve which I entered a little too quickly, still holds every bit of its old exhilaration.
I still find new views on roads that I have been riding for decades.
The joy of a well-tuned bike that becomes so much an extension of my own body that I almost forget it's there.
I'm sure you can add your own experiences to this list.
Brent
But today was a beautiful day, leading my mind to explore the joys of riding that remain unchanged from that earliest 50-mile ride until now.
The soft sound of my tires on the pavement of a quiet road is as mesmerizing as ever.
The battle between my hands which want to grab the brakes and my brain which knows better, in the apex of a downhill curve which I entered a little too quickly, still holds every bit of its old exhilaration.
I still find new views on roads that I have been riding for decades.
The joy of a well-tuned bike that becomes so much an extension of my own body that I almost forget it's there.
I'm sure you can add your own experiences to this list.
Brent
06-09-22 | 10:20 PM
#5
Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 1,082
Likes: 536
From: Reno nevada
Bikes: a few that I can't recall
That's the attitude that we all ride bikes to try to get to. Sometimes it takes a kilometer, sometimes it takes 30 miles, sometimes it takes a rainstorm, and sometimes it takes the memories of your friends. Good for you.
06-10-22 | 03:17 AM
#6
Senior Member♣️
Joined: Jan 2016
Posts: 4,075
Likes: 3,004
Very nice and well stated . Happy Birthday and I’m so glad that you were able to get that ride in. I’m not far behind you in years, this year I will turn 68 , but I won’t be riding 68 miles or….maybe not. You may have inspired me to do so! I do get the whole mental floss of riding my bike. The bike, the road , the adventure, and ,yes , the thrill. Even while struggling up that last hill to my home I feel the same joy that attracted me to cycling when I was young. Thank you for sharing.
06-10-22 | 04:49 AM
#7
Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 2,400
Likes: 1,574
From: Near Pottstown, PA: 30 miles NW of Philadelphia
Bikes: 2 Trek Mtn, Cannondale R600 road, 6 vintage road bikes
Thanks for taking the time and the photos for this. I’m about 6 months ahead of you and am quite mindful that there are more years behind than ahead. I’ll do my 72 miles sometime in the fall (top shape for the year) but I feel like you just did on every ride. Well written.
“Stay strong, keep moving, stay away from the bad fuel.”
“Stay strong, keep moving, stay away from the bad fuel.”
06-10-22 | 06:35 AM
#9
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2016
Posts: 2,937
Likes: 3,623
From: Carmichael, CA
Happy birthday, Brent! My uncle (who got me into road cycling) and the handful of retired fellows he rides with do this every year for each of their birthdays, with a couple of them going on 80 now. It's a good tradition!
-Gregory
-Gregory
06-10-22 | 09:06 AM
#12
Freshman Member
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 5,872
Likes: 4,162
From: City of Angels
Bikes: A few too many
Brent,
The best roads are winding because one never knows where they will lead or end.
Ride on for many many more years!
Best, Ben
The best roads are winding because one never knows where they will lead or end.
Ride on for many many more years!
Best, Ben
__________________
"EVERY PERSON IS GUILTY OF ALL THE GOOD THEY DID NOT DO"
Voltaire
Voice recognition may sometimes create odd spelling and grammatical errors
"EVERY PERSON IS GUILTY OF ALL THE GOOD THEY DID NOT DO"
Voltaire
Voice recognition may sometimes create odd spelling and grammatical errors
06-10-22 | 09:16 AM
#13
Bike Butcher of Portland
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 12,463
Likes: 8,013
From: Portland, OR
Bikes: It's complicated.
Brent lives in what I consider the greatest cycling area in the US. I typically plan my TdMIL rides in that area, and now I'm thinking I've missed out on meeting him several times!
Brent, next time I'm in the area maybe we can hook up and get a ride in!
Brent, next time I'm in the area maybe we can hook up and get a ride in!
__________________
If someone tells you that you have enough bicycles and you don't need any more, stop talking to them. You don't need that kind of negativity in your life.
If someone tells you that you have enough bicycles and you don't need any more, stop talking to them. You don't need that kind of negativity in your life.
06-10-22 | 09:36 AM
#14
Banned.
Joined: Jan 2022
Posts: 1,070
Likes: 585
Great job
70 for 70.
Long past the days of hoping hills will go away.
Long past the days of wondering if wind will wither.
Still in the habit of whoopee on the descents, tempting fate and physics.
Still in the grips of the elegant simple approach to moving across the earth with fluid effort.
The days of admiring engineering that connects humans directly to distance are not over.
The days of looking forward to the next time being both the same and different are not over.
Savory.
Long past the days of hoping hills will go away.
Long past the days of wondering if wind will wither.
Still in the habit of whoopee on the descents, tempting fate and physics.
Still in the grips of the elegant simple approach to moving across the earth with fluid effort.
The days of admiring engineering that connects humans directly to distance are not over.
The days of looking forward to the next time being both the same and different are not over.
Savory.
06-10-22 | 09:42 AM
#15
Matt Pendergast
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 3,411
Likes: 7,931
From: North Bend, Washington State
Bikes: 1937 Hobbs; 1977 Bruce Gordon; 1987 Bill Holland; 1988 Schwinn Paramount (Fixed gear); 1999 Fat City Yo Eddy (MTB); 2018 Woodrup (Touring) 2016 Ritchey breakaway
Happy Birthday and best wishes for many more, Brent.
06-10-22 | 10:02 AM
#16
Senior Member
Joined: May 2019
Posts: 3,965
Likes: 3,195
From: Bloomington, IN
Bikes: Paramount, Faggin, Ochsner, Rossin, Ciocc
Sherman,
Good on ya! for the ride and the shared memories. Some days after passing 70 it gets a bit hard to get motivated, but once on the bike the mind clears. Glad you shared with us.
Professor Peabody
Good on ya! for the ride and the shared memories. Some days after passing 70 it gets a bit hard to get motivated, but once on the bike the mind clears. Glad you shared with us.
Professor Peabody
06-10-22 | 01:06 PM
#17
Senior Member
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 18,787
Likes: 11,528
I've been doing year = distance birthday rides since around when I turned 50, I believe (I turned 62 this year). What I want to know is if I get credit for the miles I ride on those days beyond my age. I'm going to need them for when I turn 70!
06-10-22 | 02:37 PM
#20
Senior Member
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 15,388
Likes: 8,304
From: Seattle area
Bikes: Bikes??? Thought this was social media?!?
Major congrats on all of it. The birthday, the mileage, the attitude, the bike, the location (altho still 2nd to Santa Cruz and Monterey county, IMHO 
)
70 on 70 I made, although in kilometers.
71 on 71 won't happen.
Keep on rolling.
)70 on 70 I made, although in kilometers.
71 on 71 won't happen.
Keep on rolling.
__________________
Vintage, modern, e-road. It is a big cycling universe.
Vintage, modern, e-road. It is a big cycling universe.
06-10-22 | 03:12 PM
#22
Cyclotouriste
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 11,786
Likes: 7,004
From: South Holland, NL
Bikes: Yes, please.
Congrats on the first 70, Brent! Thanks for sharing the past ten with us.
06-10-22 | 09:49 PM
#24
Partially Sane.
Joined: Jan 2016
Posts: 3,559
Likes: 646
From: Sunny Sacramento.
Bikes: Soma Saga, pre-disc
I just now looked at that thread a bit, and have to agree, there's some excellent riding in that area. 👍 I posted a pic somewhere on the forums, awhile back now, of Francis Ford Coppola's "grape ranch",which I found by accident. 😎 It's well marked on the security gate, which made me wonder if they hold tours or anything like that. 🤔
06-11-22 | 06:25 AM
#25
Extraordinary Magnitude
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 14,081
Likes: 2,136
From: Waukesha WI
Bikes: 1978 Trek TX700; 1978/79 Trek 736; 1984 Specialized Stumpjumper Sport; 1984 Schwinn Voyageur SP; 1985 Trek 620; 1985 Trek 720; 1986 Trek 400 Elance; 1987 Schwinn High Sierra; 1990 Miyata 1000LT
Happy Birthday Brent!!!
__________________
*Recipient of the 2006 Time Magazine "Person Of The Year" Award*
Commence to jigglin’ huh?!?!
"But hey, always love to hear from opinionated amateurs." -says some guy to Mr. Marshall.
Commence to jigglin’ huh?!?!
"But hey, always love to hear from opinionated amateurs." -says some guy to Mr. Marshall.