How many summers do you have left?
05-08-26 | 12:24 PM
#26
Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 777
Likes: 7
From: Hot-Lanta
Bikes: 2007 Specialized Tarmac (sold) 2009 Specialized Hardrock (sold), 2014 Rivendell Sam Hillborne (sold), 2025 BMC Roadmachine 01 Two
I left NYC some 40 years ago because of the winters and never returned, and I love NYC, but I hate the winters. Now I live in the south and can ride just about year-round and it's wonderful.
05-10-26 | 06:08 AM
#27
Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 3,161
Likes: 571
From: Torrance, CA
Bikes: Homebuilt steel
I'm 64, so hoping for at least a decade more riding. Balance is an issue; I need visual reference to assist my poor inner-ear balance control. We'll see. I'm making a big push to improve health; losing weight, increasing exersize, eating better. It's working, and I'm feeling better than I have in years.
In addition to loving sports, I'm also a garage rat. Love me a good project, like building a bike frame. Along those lines, I like tools. Quality tools. More recently, I find myself conflicted sometimes with spending the money on "the good stuff", realizing that my years are limited. I half way joke about my expensive tools getting liquidated during an estate sale after I die. Do I really need a Mitutoyo digital micrometer, when a china cheepie will suffice for my needs? Don't answer that...
In addition to loving sports, I'm also a garage rat. Love me a good project, like building a bike frame. Along those lines, I like tools. Quality tools. More recently, I find myself conflicted sometimes with spending the money on "the good stuff", realizing that my years are limited. I half way joke about my expensive tools getting liquidated during an estate sale after I die. Do I really need a Mitutoyo digital micrometer, when a china cheepie will suffice for my needs? Don't answer that...
05-10-26 | 05:29 PM
#28
Should Be More Popular
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 46,222
Likes: 11,769
From: Malvern, PA (20 miles West of Philly)
Bikes: 1986 Alpine (steel road bike), 2009 Ti Habenero, 2013 Specialized Roubaix
RMOT
The clock of life is wound but once
And no man has the power
To tell just where the hands will stop,
At late or early hour.
To lose one’s wealth is sad indeed,
To lose one’s health is more.
To lose one’s soul is such a loss
As no man can restore.
The present only is our own.
Live, love, toil with a will.
Place no faith in ‘tomorrow’
For the clock may then be still.
The clock of life is wound but once
And no man has the power
To tell just where the hands will stop,
At late or early hour.
To lose one’s wealth is sad indeed,
To lose one’s health is more.
To lose one’s soul is such a loss
As no man can restore.
The present only is our own.
Live, love, toil with a will.
Place no faith in ‘tomorrow’
For the clock may then be still.
05-10-26 | 10:03 PM
#29
Full Member
Joined: Sep 2021
Posts: 296
Likes: 140
Summer is indeed a wonderful time. Life seems so much more cheerful. easier and relaxed. I think the song that describes it the best is "Summertime and the Living is so easy."
Sadly , we're mortal. I'm going to miss riding my bicycle on a summer day, and downing a bottle of ice water when its over.
Probably I'm going to say to myself, why the hell did you have to push so hard all those rides?.Couldn't you have just once or twice slowed down and admired the scenery or chatted with someone?
Sadly , we're mortal. I'm going to miss riding my bicycle on a summer day, and downing a bottle of ice water when its over.
Probably I'm going to say to myself, why the hell did you have to push so hard all those rides?.Couldn't you have just once or twice slowed down and admired the scenery or chatted with someone?
05-11-26 | 07:47 AM
#30
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 30,484
Likes: 4,563
From: 25 miles northwest of Boston
Bikes: Bottecchia Sprint, GT Timberline 29r, Marin Muirwoods 29er, Trek FX Alpha 7.0
convo w/ Wifey this morning:
me: wanna go for a bike ride Saturday?
her: what are you crazy I can't ride with this leg
me: so can we sell your bikes now?
her: what are you crazy? you can't sell my bikes
the storage wars continue ...
me: wanna go for a bike ride Saturday?
her: what are you crazy I can't ride with this leg
me: so can we sell your bikes now?
her: what are you crazy? you can't sell my bikes
the storage wars continue ...
05-11-26 | 12:02 PM
#31
Newbie
Joined: May 2020
Posts: 10
Likes: 5
Bikes: Canyon Endurace AL 6.0, Sirrus x5.0, Roll Sport
Interesting comments from people in their 60s hoping they have 10 years of cycling left. I thought the same thing. But don't sell yourself short. I'm 77 and just bought a new bike.
05-11-26 | 07:39 PM
#32
cycles per second
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 1,975
Likes: 203
From: Minnesota
Bikes: Early 1980's Ishiwata 022 steel sport/touring, 1986 Vitus 979, 1988 DiamondBack Apex, 1997 Softride PowerWing 700, 2001 Trek OCLV 110
This question reminds me of the old commercial where a cartoon owl was asked how many licks it takes to get the center of a Tootsie Pop. He determines it is 3 because he was impatient and bit into it instead of licking it 
05-12-26 | 08:28 AM
#33
Senior Member
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 45,296
Likes: 23,477
I generally don’t like summers. Often very hot a humid where I am. Give me spring and fall.
Having came extremely close to death 3 years ago, I don’t wonder about how much time I have left. It’s pointless. Could be 5 minutes. Could be decades. I just want the end to be quick and painless.
Having came extremely close to death 3 years ago, I don’t wonder about how much time I have left. It’s pointless. Could be 5 minutes. Could be decades. I just want the end to be quick and painless.
05-12-26 | 01:41 PM
#35
Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 21,816
Likes: 5,766
From: Middle Earth (aka IA)
Bikes: A bunch of old bikes and a few new ones
Hey I just bought a new old bike to rebuild and ride for the summer. There is something about stripping a bike down to the frame, truing the wheels, dealing with any paint issues, overhauling the parts and installing new tires, cables, and tape, that just say summer to me.
I picked up a 1989 Trek 520 with all original parts a few days ago. The first two pics are of the bike after a short neighborhood cruise on the original tires (dry rotted but with good tread). This is a low mileage bike. The 3d pic has all the parts from the tear down. The 4th pic is my workbench. Rebuilding a new old bike and riding is a good way to spend a summer in my book.
I picked up a 1989 Trek 520 with all original parts a few days ago. The first two pics are of the bike after a short neighborhood cruise on the original tires (dry rotted but with good tread). This is a low mileage bike. The 3d pic has all the parts from the tear down. The 4th pic is my workbench. Rebuilding a new old bike and riding is a good way to spend a summer in my book.
Last edited by bikemig; 05-12-26 at 01:47 PM.
05-13-26 | 11:09 AM
#36
OM boy
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 5,328
Likes: 1,311
From: Goleta CA
Bikes: a bunch
The world is a place of constant Wonder - All The Time ! All The Seasons !
There is Music in everything! All the smallest corners, all the smallest things !
... just back from Parkfield Bluegrass... 5 days of wonder and joy, no bike, but plenty of wandering in meadows on the verge of Dry and Golden glow...
Hawks, Vultures, WoodPeckers and Owls. Coyote and field mice, Butterflys and Bees...
Giant Ancient Oaks and Scottish Thistle...
Ride, Hike, Walk, - lay in the grass...
listen to the music... both manmade and always extant in the world
connect, enveloped in the magic...
Vivaldi is till the Master (among many others...)
And Max Richter distills the 'juice', an apprentice
squeeze the juice from every breath and note...
Ride On
Yuri
05-13-26 | 11:11 AM
#37
OM boy
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 5,328
Likes: 1,311
From: Goleta CA
Bikes: a bunch
The world is a place of constant Wonder - All The Time ! All The Seasons !
There is Music in everything! All the smallest corners, all the smallest things !
... just back from Parkfield Bluegrass... 5 days of wonder and joy, no bike, but plenty of wandering in meadows on the verge of Dry and Golden glow...
Hawks, Vultures, WoodPeckers and Owls. Coyote and field mice, Butterflys and Bees...
Giant Ancient Oaks and Scottish Thistle...
Ride, Hike, Walk, - lay in the grass...
listen to the music... both manmade and always extant in the world
connect, enveloped in the magic...
Vivaldi is till the Master (among many others...)
And Max Richter distills the 'juice', an apprentice
squeeze the juice from every breath and note...
Ride On
Yuri
Youtube to: ' Parkfield Bluegrass Festival ' iffn you want some of that...
