Birthdays and Bikes

[Maureen Valley]

Hi, Ladies:

This will serve as my new avatar and also my official 64th Birthday Portrait. I took it today after riding 20.4 miles on one of our Greenway Trails here in Florida. Gorgeous trail....it's becoming my favorite.

Tomorrow is my birthday and I'm so lucky to have my new bike, all of you to communicate with...and 365 days a year to ride unencumbered by white stuff. Did that...don't want to re-visit those years.

May all good things happen to all of you in 2007.

Maureen and her faithful...Boo

[kaybee]

Happy Birthday a day early Maureen! You DO NOT look 64! Let's change it to 46. Actually, you look younger than 46. :D I guess you're a living testament to the power of a healthy lifestyle. Hope you have a great day tomorrow.

KB

[Offthegrid]

Happy Birthday!

But 64? No way! You look amazing.

[Maureen Valley]

KB...you sweet thing. I'm flexible...ok...let's make it 46.

Gosh...I wish I could claim a healthy lifestyle....

...don't even ask about the 70's which we lovingly refer to as 'The Days of Wine and Roses'. :o

[Bad JuJu]

Woo-hoo, you rock, Maureen! I turned 54 about a month ago, and it's so inspiring to know that someone 10 years older than me--but in chronological years ONLY--is happily riding her bike.

This talk of bikes and ages makes me think of some lines from a love poem. I can't remember the title or even the poet's name, but the poet is thinking about how the beloved makes the prospect of aging seem like a delicious adventure rather than a frightening downward spiral. It works for us here at TE if we think of the "you" as our bikes:

"You alone can turn the weight of years
Into release,
Ecstasy."

Happy birthday to you and your beloved bike, Maureen!

[Maureen Valley]

Boy...I'm tellin' you JuJu....talk to me in ten years. On my ride today....a woman way into her 70's kept passing me...blowing my wheels off. I finally caught up with her, introduced myself and we had lunch. She's amazing and rides a hybrid type bike....very heavy....but bikes avidly every day. At the point I caught up with her she'd completed 30 miles.

Talk about a humbling experience. I have yet to do 30 miles...but will. Doing 50 is my goal for the first 1/2 of 2007....a century the second 1/2.

Wish me luck!!!

Maureen

[bouncybouncy]

Good Luck!






*and Happy Birthday!!!

[Meaux]

How are you in your 60's? Wow! I hope that I look as good as you do when I'm your age. Hell, I'd be happy to look that nice at 27. :) Happy birthday!!

[Aggie_Ama]

Boy...I'm tellin' you JuJu....talk to me in ten years. On my ride today....a woman way into her 70's kept passing me...blowing my wheels off. I finally caught up with her, introduced myself and we had lunch. She's amazing and rides a hybrid type bike....very heavy....but bikes avidly every day. At the point I caught up with her she'd completed 30 miles.

Talk about a humbling experience. I have yet to do 30 miles...but will. Doing 50 is my goal for the first 1/2 of 2007....a century the second 1/2.

Wish me luck!!!

Maureen

Happy Birthday! New bike, new friend. What a great time. We got dropped by a couple of men in their 60's last year on the MS150. My little 23 year old legs couldn't keep up. I was so impressed and humbled.

Good luck doing a 1/2 century and century! I can't wait to hear about it. :D

[doc]

Maureen

You look Fabulous!! You must be getting younger with every year.

My birthday is tomorrow too. 42. But I'm hoping to do a 200 mile ride this march. Don't hold me to it though...

[KnottedYet]

Happy Birthday!

damm, hope I look that good! your old avatar blew me away when I found out your age, and your new avatar just does it more! I like the bike, too...:p

[Bikingmomof3]

Happy Birthday! I love your new bike and you do not look at all like you are in your 60s! I want to look as good as you do. :) Good luck on your 1/2 century!

[spindizzy]

Maureen-
Wanna look like you when I grow up! Happy Birthday!

[Sheesh]

I had to read your message a second time because I was sure I had read "64" incorrectly once I saw your picture. You look great! :eek: Talk about incentive to keep on riding...if it means I can look as good as you do in the future! :o

Happy birthday!

[jobob]

How awesome, Maureen ! :cool:

[Grog]

Awesome, awesome, awesome, Maureen!

Happy birthday!

[Thistle]

Maureen, if i look that good at 54 i'll be ecstatic!

You look fantastic :D

Happy birthday, many many happy rides on your beautiful bike :D :D

[wannaduacentury]

Happy Birthday Maureen. You look great and very happy w/ your new ride. You look 35 to me and energy to match. A lot of the retirees go to Florida and live their 2nd childhood. Your bike friend sure is. Good for her too. Jennifer

[Maureen Valley]

You are all waaaaaay toooo kind.

A very Happy Birthday to you, today, Doc. Enjoy 'our' day!!!

Birthdays are a good thing, ladies. Embrace them....celebrate them....and be thankful for every single one of 'em.

I'm off to the beach....my husband is taking me to lunch at a seafood restaurant as old as I am ....then a fun water taxi ride up the intra coastal waterway.

Warm fuzzies,
Maureen

[IFjane]

Wow Maureen - ditto everything that everyone else has said about you. You look truly amazing. Have a wonderful, wonderful birthday. Enjoy that boat cruise & the lunch. Oh, and the new bike!

[jeannierides]

:D What they said!! :D

[GLC1968]

Wow, Maureen. Just wow. You are the same age as my mom and I thought she looked young. You look young enough to be her daughter (and I'm only 38)!! :eek:

Hope your birthday is wonderful!! :D

[kaybee]

I want to be doing what Maureen is doing today instead of what I'm doing -- working.

Happy Birthday to Maureen and Doc!

KB

[IFjane]

What Kaybee said.....(riding instead of working...):rolleyes:

[PinkBike]

all the talk of the older riders kickin' booty reminds me of my first senior olympics last year. at 51 i thought i was in good shape, thought i'd go to the senior olympics and show my stuff. what an eyeopener!!!!!!!!! those people are fast! i was way impressed. there were only three of us in the 50-54 women, and of course i came in third. IN EVERY EVENT - 5k and 10k time trials and 20k and 40k road races. the 55-59 men were smokin' - i found the competition in the senior olympics is not to be underestimated.
so maureen you look great, stick with it and go for it.