Olebiker

I can't get to Cape Haze to ride with you but, since it fits into my training for Three Gap, I will ride the mileage that day. I will be 55 on November 14 and will celebrate it with a 55 mile ride to the St. Mark's Lighthouse. The Monarch butterflys use the wildlife refuge there as a stop on their annual migration and they should be at about their peak at that time.

webist

Hmmmm. 54 miles on the 29th of August. Maybe. Just maybe.

lookinUp

A milestone day yesterday - rode 40 miles! Got three weeks left til the 65 mile ride! Think I'm going to make it!

GrannyGear

Congrats LookinUp.........keep it up. Don't even think about LazyBoys, sleeping in, or other luscious distractions. "See you" in 3 weeks!

BJ Ondo

LOL, I've just taken that challange, we've got a 69 and 79 year old in our cycling club and to their credit, they could both, "ride me into the ground" at a whim! :O August 5th. 2005, I turned 50 years old and went out on a cool, cloudy, semi-drizzily day to ride the first "1/2 Century Ride", in over 20 years!!

I was going to do a "there and back" run on the Pikes Peak Greenway Trail, from "Palmer Park, CO." to Fountain, CO. but with the hard rain the day before, the "dirt" portions of the PPGT would be soggy to muddy. I picked out my old "motorcycle" cabin fever run out to Pikes Peak International Raceway from my house at "Cheyenne Blvd. & 8th. Street". I took out Las Vegas St., LOL, I did the same road on a bicycle as a kid many, many times to go from Security to Colorado Springs. Up over the hills of Bradley Road to Fontaine to Markshuffle Rd. to Link Rd. thru the "Little Ranches of Fountain" finally to Old Pueblo Rd. out to PPIR. That made 26 miles, I took other backroads back towards my Mom's in Security, so she could check out my "bright yellow jersey", my grandaughter Hannah got me for my birthday. LOL, got to do a little "cyclo-cross" as I had to go thru a flooded part of the roadway, pick the bike up over a high center railroad track and ride a single track back out to Hwy. 85/87 to get back on Las Vegas St and head home.

Actual Road Time: 4 hrs. 20mins. 49 sec.
Total mileage: 53.5
Avg. Speed: 12 mph.
Top Speed: 32 mph. (lovely down hill!!)

I'll admit there were "more" hills than I remember when riding the same route on a motorcycle, LOL!! Next up will be a Metric Century: 62.5 miles I beleive before the end of the summer, then I'll go for a "flat as possible Century Ride" early next Spring, at least that's the notion, LOL!! Not bad for a old guy, who only started riding again on May 7th. 2005 and I did it on my Fuji Monterey Comfort/Hybrid bike. I think I'll buy a different set of wheels and get serious high pressure road tires put on them for future "road work"!! Thanks for listening!

DnvrFox

Join us in this thread

My wife and I did the Santa Fe Trail from Palmer Lake through the AFA.

We tried the trail from Greenland to Palmer Lake this summer, but it was too muddy, and too steep and rough for my wife.

FarHorizon

What a great idea! I'll do it this October and post a photo! Good luck with your ride, lookinUp, and many happy returns!

BJ Ondo

Howdy, we've been as far north as the USAF North Trail Gate on the Pikes Peak Greenway Trail, I've been to the end down south in Fountain, CO. (SCI plant). We couldn't locate the Waterton Canyon Trail out of Chatfield State Park. We road the concrete path from the Damn south and then found a "asphalt" trail thru the camping area and followed it to the end of the path at a northern point at the lake. Turned out to be 18 miles all total. I'm planning on riding from C Springs to Palmer Lake on the PPGT very soon.

Might try to do the "South Platte Trail" from Chatfield to Commerce City, CO. before the winter months, thought about camping at Chatfield and just heading out from there. I'm a native to Colorado Springs and was thinking of moving away till we started bicycling and found out how much we enjoy the "paths/trails", thru and around the City and outlying areas!

I checked out your webpage, wow, you've done some serious riding, LOL, I'm probably starting a bit to late at 50 to do a lot of serious touring via bicycle but who knows. If your really bored here's the URL for our homepage: https://bj-joondo.tripod.com/index.htm
My wife works 4 to 5 12hr. days so she only get's to ride on the weekends so she's not up to my riding abilities as I get to ride with the Colorado Springs Cycling Club on Tuesdays and then ride with Jo on the weekends.

Have you rode the "Mineral Trail" out of Leadville, CO. it's short but oh the views are awesome!! We liked it better than the "Glenwood Canyon Trail" we rode over the 4th. of July week. Yep, we are really enjoying this "bicycling" but it's just for FUN!

freeranger

If I get a road bike, maybe. Just rode 31 miles the other day (on pavement) with my mtn.bike with offroad tires and 42 lbs.of pressure. Felt like maybe 55 miles if I'd had skinny high pressure tires! How about I just ride how old I feel--lots less than the 55 I'll be!!

DnvrFox

Okay, in order:

At Chatfield, go on the paved road to the far west "loop" of the road. There will be a dirt road and a parking lot by three ponds. Go to the end of the dirt road/parking lot and continue west on the closed dirt road and you will end up by the Audubon Society. Angle a bit to your left on the trails and you will enter the Waterton Canyon parkig lot from the rear. Cross the paved (and busy) road and you are on the Waterton Canyon Trail/Road. Or continue driving southwest on Wadsworth and turn where the big brown rec signs state "Waterton Canyon" and "Roxborough" and turn left into the parking lot.

While not allowing bikes, Roxborough is a WONDERFUL (scenic, mystic) place to visit.

The South Platte Trail from Chatfield to about 120th and back is indeed a significant undertaking. Remember also that side trails include Lee Gulch Trail (to Jameson and Broadway), Big Dry Creek Trail (to Littleton), Bear Creek Trail to MOrrison, Cherry Creek Trail (to Cherry Creek Reservoir and now to Franktown if you don't mind 3 miles of highway), the Clear Creek Trail to Golden with the Ralston Creek Trail and the Little Dry Creek Trail as tributaries, the Sand Creek Trail to Aurora, etc.

Will check out your web page.

We have done both the Mineral Creek Trail in Leadville and the Glenwood Canyon Trail - both are great.

Also Vail pass from Frisco through Copper - many times. Wonderful but busy trail.

p8rider

I have been viewing this thread for awhile. Very interested, it sounds like my kind of thing, but 51 miles on Aug. 29. My longest ride to date has been 29 miles. I am a little aprehensive as I have never put in that kind of distance. Maybe, just maybe, I'll convince myself to do it.

Digital Gee

Oh boy. This thread has been the most thought provoking for me of ANY on the forum so far. I read it the first time it was posted, and I can't let the idea out of my mind. Could I actually succeed at this?

Quick stats: I'm 54, and my birthday will be October 19, so I have two months to keep training. I started biking once more with my new Trek 3900, a xcmtb, with those wide knobbie tires. My longest ride was last weekend, 25 miles, with some "urban hills." (I was reminded why my neighborhood is called Uptown and the place with all the tall buildings is Downtown!).

I ride as often as possible, but typically only 10 miles or so because of time. I try for longer rides on weekends.

Anyway, sorry to ramble. The hardest part of this challenge is the mental part -- 55 miles! My last and only half century was twenty years ago, Rosarito to Ensenada, and that took me nearly six hours (I wasn't prepared at all.)

So I guess I'm saying that I'm really wanting to try this, and recognizing that there's a big part of me that is anxious or whatever, and I could use some help conquering THAT part.

I will say that i felt GREAT after the 25 miler, could have probably done 35 without much more effort but time was a factor once again.

EDIT: Also, I'm having trouble figuring out a route. Part of me says figure out a ten mile loop from my door, and ride that five times (if there's a problem I won't be far from home!) But part of me says that will be too boring, long about loop 4.

I swear biking is 50% physical and 90% mental. LOL

BJ Ondo

Before I did my 50 miler on August 5th., my longest ride had been 32 miles, I knew I could do that as long as there weren't "LOTS" of hills so I just tried to think of the "balance", (18 miles), instead of the total, (50 miles). Biggest thing was I made sure I had "all the time in the world" and put no pressure on myself to actually "make the ride". If it happend, great, if not I was out for a good ride anyway.

Do to a slight "drizzle" and semi-foggy conditions, I changed from my orginal ride (50 miles of concrete/asphalt/dirt bicycle paths), to a old route out of town that I use to use as a "cabin fever ride", ie: a winter ride on a motorcycle, where I had cabin fever so bad, I just "Had To Ride", LOL. I did a lot of mental compairisons on what I saw different on a bicycle than I usually saw on the motorcycle. The first leg of 25 miles, went by quickly, even though there were more "hills and grades" than I remembered riding the motorcycle! I really enjoyed the ride due to picking a road with "very little traffic", could think about keeping a pace, not if a cage driver was going to run me down!!

I'll admit the last 10 miles back to home seemed tougher than I thought it was going to be but still, it was enjoyable and I chuckled at the "looks" I was getting from the cars on the road, in my bright yellow rain jacket, LOL. Don't beat yourself up too much on worrying about the "ride" just find a good backroad if possible and take off, if I can do it, you can too! ENJOY!

DnvrFox

Seems to me the ride should be 100-your age.

I.e., 50 years old rides 50 miles

60 years old rides 40 miles

90 years old rides 10 miles

100 years old gets off scot free

Now doesn't that make more sense?

(I am 65 and have already had my 35 mile ride, so maybe I am a bit biased.)

However, I am willing to give 65 - oops, it will be 66, won't it - miles a go, but not sure what I can do when I am 70!

lookinUp

Gary - what I have planned is to park my car a a central location (a park with some shade, water, bathrooms, picnic tables, etc.) From there, I have mapped out several loops all returning to the park where I can get food out of a cooler, more Gatoraid (or whatever) and ice for my water.

The first two loops are just over 20 miles - they will take me (and the group that seems to be forming to accompany me) about 1.5 or so hours each with a break in between. After the two 20 mile loops, we'll stop for 'lunch' and a rest. Then, with only 25 miles to go, I plan two 12/13 mile loops. Each of the loops are different, although some same roads are used to access them.

If you are a member of a bike club, let them know what you plan - I've got three or four folks planning to ride with me from the club - plus, when I let my friends know what was planned, several of them are going to ride a loop of the ride with me.

Good luck to you - looking forward to hearing about your success!

lookinUp

p8rider!

You can do it! Just don't make a race of it! I'll be glad to TRADE WITH YOU - I'll do 51 and you can do 65! However, I'd also like to be 51 instead of 65 as well. <g>

p8rider

LookinUp,
Thanks for the encouragement. I have been sitting here tonight trying to put together a route that makes sense. I'll speak with others at my LBS for ideas, but I think I should go for it. Sorry, but no trades!

KeithA

I know the route I want to take, but was really wanting my new road bike to come in and for me to get time to get used to it before the ride. If I'm patient with my hybrid, I'll be able to do it, but I might postpone for a bit as longer rides is what I ordered a road bike for.

Did do a thirty miler the other day on my hybrid though and, except for the heat, didn't feel bad at all.

DnvrFox's idea is a cool one too.

lookinUp

I'm in the same boat - will also ride a hybrid because my new bike won't be in for a while. Look at it this way, next year - you can go so much faster with your road bike you won't notice the extra mile (year).

DnvrFox

I have been rethinking my previously proposed formula, and propose a revised edition.

How about (100 - age) x 100/age

I.e., 50 year old would ride:

(100-50) x's 100/50 =
50 x's 2 = 100 miles

55 year old would ride:

(100-55) x's 100/55 =
45 x's 1.8 = 82 miles

60 year old would ride:

(100-60) x's 100/60=
40 x's 1.7 = 67 miles

65 year old would ride:

(100-65) x's 100/65 =
35 x's 1.53 = 54 miles

66 year old would ride (hey, that's me!):

(100-66) x's 100/66 =
34 x's 1.5 = 52 miles

70 year old would ride:

(100-70) x's 100/70 =
30 x's 1.42 = 43 miles

80 year old would ride:

(100-80) x's 100/80 =
20 x's 1.25 = 25 miles

90 year old would ride:

(100-90) x's 100/90 =
10 x's 1.1 = 11 miles

and a 100 year old would get off scot free.

Seems to me that hardly anyone 80 years old could "ride their age." Sure, we all know some who might, but that is very rare. Why not make this more realistic so that all could participate. And, almost any 50 year old decent rider should be able to do a century, right?

Using the old proposed "ride your age" formula, truly, it is hardly any challenge for a 50 year old to ride 50 miles, which would also require only 40 miles from a 40 year old, and 30 miles from a 30 year old, and, absolutely stupidly, 20 miles from a 20 year old. That is ridiculous.

The formula I have proposed above would require 150 miles from a 40 year old and 233 miles from a 30 year old. Now, those are REAL challenges for our younger brethren .

Anyway, this is the formula I am going to use, because I think it recognizes that some folks do slow down a bit as they get older.

p8rider

I also like DnvrFx's formula, but I know I cannot ride it this year. I believe I will try for my 51 as a step in building up to a century. Dfox really puts some nice thought into it.
I will get there. So far this year I began riding in early March. 6 miles every other morning. Initially that took me 35 minutes and about 12 mph av. Took that to 22 minutes and then changed route to 9.42 miles. Average was then approx 15, (June).
Now I have increased again to 10.62 miles am averaging better than 16 mph and I ride every morning. So I am getting there.
The real plus is that I feel 100%. Much more alive, clothing fits better too! Weight loss has not been a goal and I believe I have lost about 4 lbs.
I know I have strayed off message here, but it all relates. I look forward to trying a 51 mile ride on the date LookinUp rides his birthday ride!

Digital Gee

I'll be 55 in October. I will NOT be able to ride 82 miles (or, at least, I can't imagine it, which may be a different statement). So while the new formula is an interesting twist, if that had been the original challenge, I would not have given it a second thought. I find for me, at my fitness level, as a fairly new cyclist, that 55 miles is daunting enough. I'm still not sure if I can do it. And anyway, I'm not sure the challenge is appropriate for the outer ends of the age scale -- 20 year olds OR 90 year olds. Just my two cents! :-)

DnvrFox

I appreciate that.

I think any amount you ride as a challenge is great!

I just think there ought to be some way, to recognize that, generally, most 50 year-olds can(should?) be able to ride more miles than most 75 year olds.

Riding your age defies this logic.

Maybe you set the 82 miles as a future goal?

I rode my first century when I was 59 - believe me, it IS possible.

And, at age 65 with a 70% heart, I am riding 150 miles per week, every week.

Digital Gee

And I appreciate THAT! Oddly enough perhaps, I can see riding a century in a year or two, because by then, if I keep at it, I'll be in shape to take on that challenge. And I hope that I'll be riding 150 miles a week when I'm 65, as well. I think that's fantastic!

So right now, I'll focus on 55. Maybe the more we talk about longer distances, 55 will start to seem short. Now there's a thought!

EDIT: Here's a thought, Denver Fox: come up with a formula that takes into account a person's fitness level, i.e. beginner, intermediate, advanced. That should give you something to think about on today's ride!

DnvrFox

Well, my wife and I are headed out to Waterton Canyon, a local favorite following the Platte River gently up into the mountains and returning. And while it is a fun ride, it is only 14 miles, so I shall have to take another ride later to get my 25 miles in.

I doubt that I shall be contemplating formulas, however.

Besides, isn't it all about fitness and getting there? So, why should we have different standards or compromise our standards for those less fit. Instead, the formula should demand that they GET FIT!