I am going to set my bar at 8,000 miles this year. If I stay healthy I should be able to accomplish 8,000 with little difficulty. I would like to work more on climbing, although in Florida that is a little tough.

Well, I just got to over 3000 miles for this year. In 2010, I set a modest goal of 3650 miles (10 mpd) having made 3582 in 2009 without having a goal. But then my knee conked out, I only made 2695 miles and I had to skip the FANY ride. I did the FANY ride again in 2011 (after lots of PT and a SynVisc shot). On January 11, 2012 (less than two weeks), I'm going to have a right knee replacement. After that my goal will be to get back to riding and get in good enough shape to do the GFLBT in early June and the FANY ride (500 miles across NY) in late July!

Happy New Year to all!

- Ed

Gonna take you up on that! PM sent...

Congratulations on your retirement. I'm halfway through my second year and have adjusted very nicely. The first year I did what you have planned, and rode lots. Now I plan very little and am pretty much "winging it" through life.

Enjoy your new found freedom.

I plan to increase my commute to work to 5x per week. The lack of the public transportation has helped me a lot.

Since you are in West Central Florida, let me know if you want to do the MS 150. It's in your area and is a really great ride.[/QUOTE]

I am thinking about doing the MS150 again, I rode them for about 15 years in a row then took a little time off from the charity rides. Are you part of a corporate team and will they except outsiders?

I'm retired from the fire department here in Hillsborough County and ride on their cycling team. I ride with the team on all of the charity rides in the area and some out of the area. The MS 150 is an annual event with our team and we will be doing the one coming up in April (21st and 22nd). You may not be able to ride with the team jersey, but you are more than welcome to come ride along with us as an individual rider. I wasn't able to do the century last year because of doctor's orders but I hope that this year he will let me do the century or at least the 75 mile ride on day one.

I'm just starting....my goal is to ride a little every day and increase mileage every month this year.....

my goal is to also be alcohol free for 2012....if you knew me....you'd say it's impossible....if you were me...you'd say it's necessity......

Gotta go...only got a few more hours to drink everything in the house.....

I'll be in a better position to make 2112 plans in a week or so. I'm going to have some tests to see if I have a propensity for breaking bones or if the two serious incidents that I've had in the past few years is a fluke. There's a possibility that the Grouch's bicycling days are over.

Assuming the doctor doesn't discourage me, Mrs. Grouch and I will probably invest in a pair of delta trikes that link together to form a tandem. I'd like to take another week long cycling vacation with her. I'll probably also invite any 50+er to do the (near Des Moines) high trestle ride with me. Billydonn and I rode it last summer and it was the cycling highlight of my year. I think that I can also arrange a wine tasting in the area on Saturday night.

Like I told teachme, I know how. If you're serious, PM me tomorrow morning and I'll tell you what to do.

Trying to make it to 73. Besides that . . . .

Well, I want to swim, bicycle, walk, lift weights and other resistance exercises, stretch - all on a pretty regular basis. That keeps me happy. If I don't do that, my wife can tell you that I am NOT happy!!

Exercise is my only addiction, and I don't want/need a 12 step program to break that addiction.

Others have given their advice and plans. I can only add one thing from personal experience: Don't delay. Whether it is something you have always sort of wanted to do or doing more of what you are passionate about; don't waste time thinking; do it now. I could bore you with the things I've done over the past 20 years. I will say that I am thankful I had the chance.

No one can tell when the odds will catch up with you and life will radically change. Very often that change means you can't do what you want. It is much easier to cope if you can look back at adventure and accomplishment and not at opportunities wasted, or diversion into things that in retrospect weren't that awfully important.

I did 5,274 miles this year, which is by far my best year ever. Next year, I intend to cycle somewhat less (~4,000 miles), swim much more, and do weights. And I intend to weigh 175 this time next year.

I'm also going to do the Disorganized Ride Across Florida, that we couldn't do this fall due to an injury suffered by Bob Burns. Since we seem to be accumulating new 50+ers from Florida (I'm talking to you John_V, 12bar, vernonfla, and others), I want you guys to do it with us. It's 128 miles from the gulf at Crystal River to the ocean at New Smyrna. No entry fee, no t-shirts, no SAG other than your W/H/GF/BF/SO and the ubiquitous Florida convenience store. All you get is a photo of you and your bike with a wheel in the gulf, followed a few hours later by a photo of you and your bike with a wheel in the ocean. We did in in November in 2010 and unsuccessfully planned it for Nov 2011. Maybe this spring, maybe the fall, depending on Bob's ankle. How about you guys?

Get and stay healthy.

No mileage goals.

I like the bold sig line Dnvrfox has -- "SMILES, NOT MILES!" More than anything else, I want to be able to get off the bike with a smile every day possible. Since I number ride days somewhere around 300, it CAN be a challenge; there are just days that even a RIDE won't cure. (Had two of them this past week!)

Those of you that can set, and have set, mileage goals, I wish you enough; those of you who are in MY boat, I wish you at LEAST as much success as I wish for myself. As long as we all LIVE long enough and well enough to CHALLENGE those goals, we're good!

Not retired, in fact in many ways working much harder than usual.

Also coming off a poor year from an exercise standpoint, my worst since I started cycling a few years ago.

I was encouraged to put on 148 miles in a month I usually don't ride at all.

So, my goals:

-become a randonneur. I'm a member of RUSA, but you're not a randonneur until you've done a 200 km brevet.

-do RAIN in July.

-try to enjoy winter riding.

Congratulations on your retirement! I am just about in the opposite position as you, I have spent the past two years as a full time student, and now that I have finished it's time for me to return to the grind. I am going to try for 2000 miles in 2012. I think it's attainable, and I found out by having a goal in the December ride thread, I really try to keep to my schedule. I'm shooting for 100 miles a month in January and February, and then 200 miles a month for the rest of the year. January should be a piece of cake, I'll be in Florida for most of the month, but returning to New England in February and getting out there is going to be a challenge. I wish you well in your well earned retirement.

My main goal is to do a full Ironman70.3 triathlon this year, race walking the 13.1 miles after having a knee replaced last summer. I plan to have the fastest swim time in my age group.

I don't have a mileage goal but I'm going to try to get my commuting average up to 3-4 times per week vs. 2-3 with longer weekend rides. The plan is for a honeymoon bike tour in Northern Japan in the fall. Of course, if I get deployed this spring all bets are off.

My plan is to:

1. ride bike
2. have fun

Cycling goals for 2012:
4,000 miles, including 1,000 miles on the Screamer. Bike to work at least twice a week Spring through Fall.
Do more metric centuries. Maybe a real century.

General fitness/health goal:
Continue to visit the YMCA regularly. Especially during the Cold Dark Months. (Joined late in 2011.)

Congratulations on retirement I retired three years ago and have loved every minute of it. I recently had lunch with former co-workers who are still working and I can't imagine having to go back to that rat race.

I don't usually set mileage goals. 2011 I did shoot for 1,000 miles since I was battling breast cancer and it was important to me to hit that goal.....and I did

This year I'm just aiming to be back on the bike and riding as much as possible. I signed up for GOBA (Great Ohio Bike Adventure) so I'll need to be in good condition by June.