10 Years and 68th Birthday

In November, I will be 68, and also it will be near my 10th anniversary of "serious" bicycling.

Here is a post I wrote on Rec.bicycles.misc on March 17, 1999 (the earliest appropriate post I could find) in response to someone asking about a new bike.

"Dorothy, I started about 1.3 yrs ago.

Don't be too impressed by all those who state you must buy a very expensive
bike to see if you like the sport.

I started with a Specialized Hard Rock, their best model, at about $285.00.
With a few accessories and clothing got to about $400.00 Added slick tires and
tubes with slime.

In any event, have put 3,400 miles on that little bike, a per mile cost of
about 11 cents, and still going. Replaced a upgraded a couple of things this
year at $175.00.

Rode a 360 mile ride over the Rockies, also.

Was I slower than the Road Bikes? - YES!!

Did I have a ball? - YES.

Have I bought a new Road Bike this year? - YES

Do I still ride the Specialized and have a ball on it? - YES

The net result was that for a minimum expenditure I was able to find out if I
enjoyed biking in today's world before committing major funds to an expensive
road bike.

Heck, before I bought the Specialized, I tooled around the neighborhood and
trails on a $15.00 ten speed I bought at a garage sale. I also had a lot of
fun on that bike.

It is the biking that is fun. The better bike only makes it MORE enjoyable. "

Here is a picture of me 10 years ago at age 58, "Riding the Rockies" in June, 1998, on that mtn bike. It was taken on the "Peak to Peak" highway between Ward and Estes Park.



It appears that things haven't changed much in my attitude during 10 years!

I hope the next 10 years are as much fun!

Here to ya DFox, I hope I can get 10 more years out of this body. I'm glad, I started though.

Ditto - I wonder what I will look like at 78?

It might sound corny and a lot of us 50something guys don't like to admit it, but we really do look up to guys like you, and I hope I am still riding 14 years from now. I want to be able to continue to enjoy life as you seem to do, especially after seeing too many people go the other way.

Happy 68th. I started last year at 58. I hope to follow in your footsteps.

Don

Happy 68th birthday, Denver.

Congratulations on your cycling progress over the past ten years, and thanks for all you've done for the 50+ community.

Happy B'day. On the discussion forum I read connected to the AIDS/LIfeCycle, there was a post this morning that "fat" or "overweight" riders who make the SF to LA trip are called "inspirational". I think "old" and "elder" riders should be referred to as "inspirational" as well.

You don't look 58 in that pic - bet you haven't changed too much at 68 cause your still using this pic as your avatar. My guess is if this pic were taken today the smile would be a little bigger!

That's pretty amazing, Denvr, I started 10 years ago (at age 60) on exactly the same bike at almost exactly the same cost. Must be something about those old hardrocks that hooks one on cycling.
Sadly, I don't have the bike any more, no room in the storage area, but my son does, and he still rides it. Too bad Specialized decided to turn the hardrock into a "real" mountain bike instead of one that people actually ride.

See you are still using the same body as you did 10 years ago so hopefully it will still do a few more years like the Hard rock.

I, and the rest of my family, feel quite proud of myself to still be riding at 60 so You have set a goal for quite a few of us. So happy birthday and heres to the next 10.

Happy 68th DnvrFox. If you're anything like the gentleman I met the other day, you'll be collecting bikes and riding as much if not more than you are now.

But I am a little confused. If that picture was 1998 and this is 2007... either we have a typo or only 9 years have elapsed. So are you maybe only 67?

Picture was 1998, several months AFTER I started bicycling (in late 1997). Nope, I didn't buy the bike and go on the Ride the Rockies the next day. Birthday is next month.

You obviously are NOT a certified corporate manager. They know about these things.

Yes, - you know - yesterday, my wife and I went bicycling on some soft surface trails, and we both have Spec HR's (old versions) which we rode. I left them in the car, and then today at church my wife wanted to stay for a ladies' luncheon, so I unloaded the Spec HR and rode it home - dress pants, dress shoes and all. And I was cruising along at 20 mph. I really love that bike.

Congratulations!

Alas, I've never had a "road to Damascus" cycling experience. Other cyclists ask me when I started cycling seriously, and I tell them my dad took the training wheels off in spring, 1962. They ask, no, when did I start cycling as an adult? I answer 1975 when I turned 18 and became an adult. Then they ask, no, when did you come back to cycling? The answer: right after breakfast, the morning after my dad took the training wheels off!

TCS

Congrats, Dnvr.....68 couldn't happen to a more deserving, worthy guy. Fully expect you and the HardRock to be tooling along (when not posting) for the next 10 years.

[HIJACK]
TCS - Your experience and mine are the same except mine was two years earlier and my Dad was taking the training wheels off one of my older brother's bike to give to the next one older than me but my brother did not want to ride it (he was holding out for a new bike - not a hand-me-down) so I got on it. My feet could not reach the bottom stroke on the pedal so I took my first few strokes pushing the pedal through the stroke with the top side of my high foot until I found my balance and could pedal standing up. My brother got his new bike - a heavy tank of a bike. It was almost a year before I could sit and pedal this bike. My Dad asked if I wanted a new bike and I said no - I saw what he bought my brother and there was no way I wanted a big heavy clunker, I was a bike snob back then too. I never rode a bike with training wheels. I think that was 1960. I rode that same little bike for 10 years. Towards the end of its life it had a bannana seat and butterfly handlebars all of which I modified myself and bought the parts from lawn mowing money. I eventually peeled the steel out around the head set - you could say I used it as an early mountain bike. A neighbor gave me his son's 10 spd when I was 14 and then I bought a new Raliegh Grand Prix at age 17 with money from flipping burgers. I rode that for 12 years, then a Miyata in the mid 80s for 11 years (which I ended up hating), my Simoncini (which I adore) and a Gary Fisher both of which I ride now were bought in the mid 90's and I just added a new Specialized (Jurys still out) to the mix. This addicition has been going strong.
[/HIJACK]

Yes. I would be more the Dilbert type... maybe even Wally. But as certified corporate management, you obviously overlooked the obvious.

Great stuff Dnvr. Happy birthday!

Here is a picture of another totally different part of my life. An a capella singing group I organized almost 2 years ago singing this week at a local nursing home.



Hear us at

https://www.xyzingers.info

We profess no goals! We just love to sing. We are doing a major (for us) hour-long performance of about 20 songs at our local coffee shop on October 26th.

Happy BD DnverFox. It's always, and let me emphasize _always_, good to congratulate someone for being older than me. Here's to many more good years on two wheels.

Let me chime in with another pat on the back for staying with it for 10 years.

The Peak to Peak Scenic Byway is a pretty stiff challenge. Riding up those hills to Ward, at over 9000' would have me screaming for oxygen.

Also ... nice flatbar bike there!!

Whoo-hoo! Hope you had an awesome day!

In '99 cgallag and I bought Spec. HRs, in green, and rode the heck out of 'em for about a year or so. Lent mine to our daughter for her last year at UC Davis and it was stolen. We still have the one, and 2 years ago it was bringing me along into Roadieville. We keep it for guests/kids who want to ride when they visit.

Love that you and your friends sing to seniors! Your outreach and activism for the less-able are as admirable as your tenacity and passion for cycling. I hope you're around to inspire and amaze us for many more years.

Thanks, but:

"In November, I will be 68," and also it will be near my 10th anniversary of "serious" bicycling.

And an early Happy Birthday!

Maybe it's the angle of the picture but that bike looks really small..

Sort of like a clown riding a tiny bicycle at the circus?

Naw, it IS the angle or whatever. Fits me like a glove, and, besides, most bikes are bought too large!