"over 40"...show of hands?

I'm so happy to see so many over 40's riding bikes!
Bikergirl- I would love to know what great trips a biker bum takes!!!
Let's hear it for the husband that gets a gift that is LOVED/Wanted/ and sentimental...score huge points for your husband!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I have to say, my husband is totally supportive, would never complain about anyting related to bikes and tolerates me refering to my new bike as "slick" and listening to how awesome i think it is!

My dream: to have a women's 40+ bike trip! With women from all over the country...how awesome would that be?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Anyone else up for something like that?
I"m thinking of a summer ride, maybe covering a state or two (!) and staying in great little B&B's along the way!!!
Am i dreaming alone?
Let me know if you'd be interested. I love to organize and would be happy to plan something.
gretchen

47 and proud of it...raising hand.

Gretchen,

Over 40 trip would be great! Some of us over 40 still have little kids (my bum days put me behind) A quick one would be great. I used to do camp and rides through the Ozarks in Arkansas.

Gretchen,

I just noticed your post relating to your back pain. I had disk surgery five years ago. I was back at work in a week. I am still careful, keep superfit and have had few reaccurances since. I don't know where you are, but interview surgeons and get recommendations from happy customer before you do anything.

I was out of town (Puarto Rico) for a week adn feel so out of it. (I would NOT recommend a Carnival Cruze - we got off in PR and stayed off...WAY too many spring breakers!).
I got back on my bike this morning at the LBS on his vertual trainer (anyone tried one...?) and cruzed 20 miles in 49.5 minutes.....feel'n good!
Anyone who has not found a great LBS needs to! I felt so intimidated when i went in for the first time. At 45, just starting to get into biking, i thought for sure they would look at me and think, "what the heck are you doing in here...go get your kids"...but NO! The guy that owns the store is so awesome. He used to race in some country overseas and is now on the advisory board for Specialized. He has the virtual trainer and it's so awesome. It was only my second time on it and i met this great lady to ride with who is also just getting into it. We fly!
I can't wait to ride with the group from the bike shop now.
(I used to be afraid of that too!).

I"m going to start a new thread to see how many people in the "Over 40 set" are interested in a bike ride somewhere in the midwest this summer.....check it out if that sounds good to you!
happy riding!
gretchen
ps.... t.otal j.oy - soon your 25 mile ride will seem like a piece of cake! You'll want to try 30 then 45 then 70 and then 100!!!!

i'm almost over 50 and i just recently started riding - my husband is an avid runner and biker. he's been trying to get me on a bike for awhile. he just bought me a new road bike - what a difference from my hybrid! i'm so impressed that i'm actually going to buy some biking shorts and a shirt (gotta have the right equipment).
i'm a little on the chuncky side (hence the big guy's efforts to get me out on the road) and was excited to see plus size apparall.
i can do 20-25 miles fairly well if there aren't a lot of hills. an over 40 ride would be fun.:cool:

Sillypat (did i get that right?!)
Way to go!!!
You will get TONS of support here with this group!
Anytime you are feeling down, have questions (even the ones that you think you could never in a millioin years ask) or just need a pep talk...this is the place!
I have learned so much from reading others questions/answers/suggestions, etc.
Tell us about your new baby! Mine sits in the living room !!!!!!! and it's name is "Slick". I LOVE MY BIKE!
Did you find a good seat for it? That will make or break a long ride. I finally found an awesome one.
And, when you start hooking up with other wackos that "Love" their bikes as much as their grown children (!) it really becomes fun.
You mentioned that you are on the larger side?...just keep biking, cut back on some of the carbs, fuel with protien and watch the pounds melt off!
Congratulations on the new stage in your life!
gretchen

Raising hand! I'm 461/2.

Started riding at 23 and stopped when I moved into NYC at 28. Relized that I was going mad in city partly becuase I couldn't ride (or so I thought), so a year and a half ago I bought a mtn bike, and figured out where I could ride in my neighborhood and feel safe. Now "they" have finished the Greenway path around the edges of Manhattan and I can get there from here!!! Very excited - hope to ride to work most of summer.

Being over 40 is much better than being under 30!

I'll be 41 next month, have been riding for 10 years, the last three seriously. I piddled around town on my hybrid and did some longer rides with here and there, but it wasn't until I got my road bike that eveything just "clicked!" Ahh, this is what it's supposed to feel like! I'd struggle up hills, walked some (the worse was walking up one on my 40th Bday last year) and then with the road bike, it was like - WOW! And, I owned the hill that kicked my hybrid butt!

So now I am officially addicted and my mid-life crisis from last year has turned into a year-round fitness routine. Go figure! I feel better and look better than I have in years! My husband just checks my wish list at the Team Estrogen website for gift ideas!

Love to bike, live to bike!

Quote:

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Originally posted by ragbrai40
I'll be 41 next month, have been riding for 10 years, the last three seriously. I piddled around town on my hybrid and did some longer rides with here and there, but it wasn't until I got my road bike that eveything just "clicked!" Ahh, this is what it's supposed to feel like! I'd struggle up hills, walked some (the worse was walking up one on my 40th Bday last year) and then with the road bike, it was like - WOW! And, I owned the hill that kicked my hybrid butt!

So now I am officially addicted and my mid-life crisis from last year has turned into a year-round fitness routine. Go figure! I feel better and look better than I have in years! My husband just checks my wish list at the Team Estrogen website for gift ideas!

Love to bike, live to bike!

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:D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D
Congratulations!! Your words are very inspiring! I'm not "there" on my road bike... I don't know if I ever will be. But mountain biking is definitely part of my life--I'm addicted, too.

Hi... My name is Adventure Girl. I'm addicted to cycling....:D

Happy Birthday, Gretchen!!!!!!! :D :D :D :D
Hope you have a great one!

Happy Birthday Gretchen!!!
Hope your day has been a good and after you do your thing at the LBS go have something that is yummy, indulgent and sinfully good.
Dea

I'm over 40. Always rode -- 20-30 miles since my 20s but now I am doing centuries. You only get better as you get older :)
Ok, I will tell me age 51. :D :D

I too plan to ride into my 70s!!!!!!!!! The century rides are inspirational seeing the older people riding them! I saw an 80 yr old couple on one -- and we were all at the 80 mile mark!

Quote:

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Originally posted by barrb46
The century rides are inspirational seeing the older people riding them! I saw an 80 yr old couple on one -- and we were all at the 80 mile mark!

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Did you pass them at 80 miles or did they pass you??:D