NOS88

Took a half day from work today so I could ride my age. Unfortunately, 20 degree weather, 18- 30 mph wind gusts, some dubious planning, and a rather surprising accident kept me from the planned 58 miles. I knew it would be a difficult ride (at least the first half) since I was riding into a pretty stiff headwind, and for a reason I can't now fathom, I thought I'd load the commuter with 58 lbs of gear to 'double' mark the event. I was planning a simple out and back route. About 3/4of the way out, I was headed around a very sharp icy incline and clipped the front wheel/fender with my right foot. I had totally forgotten that I had put slightly larger fenders on the bike to accommodate the studded tires. I went down pretty hard, and must have slid 30 yards on the ice. No damage to the bike. Only minor damage to my ego, a few bruises (thank heavens for the additional padding extra layers provide) and a somewhat swollen right knee. It was the quickness with which the knee swelled that told me I needed to turn tail and head back home. So, I did get in 42 miles.

I'm wondering if it will still count if I ride my age at the mid-way point in July? I'm sitting at my desk typing this with an ice pack on my knee and thinking that birthdays in January suck.

bobthib

Nos, Im with ya buddy. I appreciate your guts and determination, and respect your good judgement. I vote for allowing the July (or sooner if you wish) ride.

I'm scheduled to ride my age 62 on sunday with some buddies from the bike club, but us FLA wimps are dropping like flies. The sunday forecast calls for 38 deg at 7am with a 10 MPH Northwind, increasing to 14 as the day progresses. It won't make it to 60.

Being the FLA wimp I've become, I'm going to postone my Bday ride until it warms a little. But the party is still on!!

CACycling

42 miles is equal to 67.5 kilometers. You rode your metric age plus almost 10K more. I'd say you did well. Happy Birthday and hope your knee recovers quickly.

jppe

Is it warm anywhere in the US right now???

stapfam

I should think some parts are warmer than here

Trouble with January birthdays is the weather. I have ridden my age on my birthday occasionally but high winds- rain- work and this year snow, have meant that My age ride gets done on a suitable day.

Now got to the age this year where a metric won't count any longer so it looks as though it will have to be a separate ride. Before I have managed to do an organised metric or 4 and count that as my ride.

That's the trouble with maturity- Means you have to ride more.

Louis

Ouch! I hope that knee is okay.

Under the circumstances, I think you should be allowed to tack on the remaining miles after the knee heals.

nwmtnbkr

First off, Happy Birthday! I'm sorry that you fell but I'm glad you weren't seriously injured in the fall. I hope the knee improves quickly. I've got to order some strapless toe clips from Amazon. I find that riding with boots on I sometimes have my foot forward on the pedal just enough that I can clip the front fender on a turn. I figure that the toe clip is good insurance to keep my foot properly positioned. As for your birthday being in January, remember celebrating a birthday is better than the alternative.

rdmjr

According to my Yahoo weather widget, Honolulu is at 80F at the moment; San Diego is at 66 - sounds good compared to the current 24 in Cincinnati, and we're a LOT warmer than those the the west and/or northwest of us!
- Bob

CACycling

It's mid-60s and sunny here at the moment. They're predicting low 70s and more sun this weekend. (Hey, you asked)

CB HI

It sort of gets warm about 8 am here.

About 20 mph winds last few days.

gcottay

Happy birthday.

The Foul Weather Emergency Cycling Act of 1933 allows you to ride your age on a day of your choosing within the same calendar year. Next year, however, you may want to consider celebrating in a warm weather climate.

kjc9640

NOS88, first of all Happy Birthday, I would use the Foul Weather Emergency Cycling Act of 1933 that gcottay mentioned. Thank goodness my birthday is in Sept. so I don't have to worry about the cold and ice. Hope you are not to sore

bjjoondo 

Hope the knee heals 100% and asap! I took that type of fall 3 weeks ago and I'm still avoiding ICE, even if it means using the sidewalk! 42 miles in those conditions ain't to shabby my friend!

cyclinfool

42 miles done sub freezing is as good as 84 miles - in my book you passed the test.
Happy Birthday and I hope the knee turns out OK.

cranky old dude

I believe he was looking for warm, not oppresive heat!!

Happy Birthday NOS88. 42 miles in this crap makes you either Super Biker Guy, or nuts....either rate that's an impressive ride (and I live in this stuff).

We saw the sky here briefly this afternoon for the first time since mid-day Saturday. Even the grey clouds look good after one has endured several days of non-stop snow flurries. Lake Effect Snow is really something!

Oh well. The plows are out, the road salt is starting to work. Should be back on two wheels in a day or so myself (I'm a wimp-I've seen other's tracks every day).

Hope you heal quickly! I've always been under the impression that a B-Day ride needs to occur during said birthday year. You've got 359 more days to squeeze in your 58 miler.

Beverly

Happy Birthday and I hope the knee heals quickly.

My birthday is also in January and I never plan to ride my age until June or July

The Weak Link

The whole month of January sucks unless you can afford a Caribbean cruise.

Not to quibble, but who says that you have to do your birthday ride in your birthday month?

In July you'll be 58.5 years old. Do 58.5 miles and all will be well.

doctor j

Happy Birthday. Certainly, you get an A for effort. 42 miles in those conditions is quite an accomplishment. Heal quickly, my friend.

BengeBoy 

NOS - Happy birthday! 42 miles in 20 degree weather is a lot. When it's under 30 degrees, I think instead of "riding your age" the goal is to "ride the temperature." If you can ride 20 miles at 20 degree, or 10 miles at 10 degrees, or 30 miles at 30 degrees, you're doing good. So you rode "double the temperature," which seems like a lot!

As for this --
We're having a nice stretch in Seattle right now. Rainy Monday, but the rest of the week is (or is forecast to be) clear and/or very light rain, and about 45 to 50 degrees. Pretty decent commuting weather for January.

kr32

First and I hope the knee isn't too bad and heals well.

Second...I heard the mind is the first thing to go...please leave the 58lbs of stuff off next time. Sometimes plans sound good on paper but in the real world they suck.

NOS88

Yeah, not my smartest idea. I actually ended up strapping down a 10 lb and a 5 lb plate from the free weight set with bungee cords to my already loaded camping gear to get weight up to 58 lbs. Sometimes I think that maybe my mother did raise at least one "not so bright lad". However, in my own defense I was thinking that each year it gets a bit harder to try and stay fit, eat right, and generally do the things I know I should be doing. In my over the top determination I was attempting to reinforce the idea that I'm not afraid of or deterred by something just because it's hard. My oldest son, after hearing of the fall made an observation. He said, that I went down because I didn't evenly distribute the 10 and 5 lb weights. My youngest son made slightly different observation: "No, his thinking was off because he needs to remember to loosen this bike helmet straps with that thick balaclava he wears underneath to keep warm. Cutting off the flow of blood to the brain is never leads to good ideas." Needless to say dinner with the family was as it usually is, free wheeling fun and talk. All it all it was still a good birthday.

Thanks for the birthday and recovery wishes folks. The knee isn't too bad this morning. I think I'll be good to go in a day or two.

PaulH

Good going! I hope you heal quickly so as not to miss too much of the winter cycling season. Anyhow, I'm really impressed, particularly as I don't think I've ever ridden more than my ten miles to work. Next time you decide to carry 58 pounds, use a trailer -- I've found that the bike is pretty twitchy with a load like that. A four mile ride with 58 pounds of groceries gets me pretty tired -- I can't begin to imagine 42 miles. Your "failure" is ten times what I do. Personally, I consider any ride with at least 50 pounds of cargo a long ride, regardless of distance.

Paul

Retro Grouch 

So lets see: You're attempting a 58 mile ride packing 58 pounds of crap that you don't need in 20 degree weather with wind gusts to 30 mph.

Are you trying to prove to everybody that your IQ is also 58? I'm thinking that ride would be more appropriately done when the temperature was 58.

NOS88

I think you're on to something.... maybe even do it with 58 other people! So, you want to be the first one to sign on?

Hermes

I am glad your knee feels better.