July 4th Rides

[mudmucker]

I went down to the valley (western ma) to visit friends and parents over the last few days. My dad and I went to the fireworks on our bikes. I had my mt bike with me. I got him a comfort bike last year and he rides it like crazy. He's 83! Remember, it's never too late. So I set him up with blinky lights because it'd be dark. I took a blanket and rolled it into a backpack and put that on (for me). So dad would be comfortable, I strapped a collapsable lawn chair on my back along with the pack and off we went. The fireworks were great and it was fun to bike there with my dad. Then this morning we got up and we rode 6 miles on his favorite bike path. I have to say his riding skills have improved a lot since last year. It was hot but he was fine. We had to drive the car to get there and on the way back he dropped me off to a place where I used to mt bike a lot. So I aired it out a little and did some single track and it was close enough to ride back to the parents.

I'll be 50 tomorrow so I'm going to take the road bike and on my birthdays I usually go out and do some sort of long pilgrimage ride in celebration of life. I'll also be going to a BBQ tomorrow and actually will be celebrating with various friends during the month because I can't get together with them all at the same time.

What a privilege though, to be 50 and able to ride with your 83 year old father.

[redrhodie]

I went down to the valley (western ma) to visit friends and parents over the last few days. My dad and I went to the fireworks on our bikes. I had my mt bike with me. I got him a comfort bike last year and he rides it like crazy. He's 83! Remember, it's never too late. So I set him up with blinky lights because it'd be dark. I took a blanket and rolled it into a backpack and put that on (for me). So dad would be comfortable, I strapped a collapsable lawn chair on my back along with the pack and off we went. The fireworks were great and it was fun to bike there with my dad. Then this morning we got up and we rode 6 miles on his favorite bike path. I have to say his riding skills have improved a lot since last year. It was hot but he was fine. We had to drive the car to get there and on the way back he dropped me off to a place where I used to mt bike a lot. So I aired it out a little and did some single track and it was close enough to ride back to the parents.

I'll be 50 tomorrow so I'm going to take the road bike and on my birthdays I usually go out and do some sort of long pilgrimage ride in celebration of life. I'll also be going to a BBQ tomorrow and actually will be celebrating with various friends during the month because I can't get together with them all at the same time.

What a privilege though, to be 50 and able to ride with your 83 year old father.

That's a beautiful post. Happy birthday!

[violetpurl]

38 mile club ride - route had little to no traffic today . We stopped for smoothies, ice cream, frozen coffee drink, pasta salad, etc. (not all me ). Weather was sooo much better than it's been for the past 2 weeks. Great day!

[Gowest]

Bouncy Bouncy (Laurie) and I rode the Fabulous 4th very very hilly metric century today with our significant others. Of course I found mine asleep under a tree when I rolled in after he did. It was a great ride - and we are planning on torturing ourselves even worse next weekend in Mars Hill, NC.

[tangentgirl]

My bf and I have some old $50 beater bikes that we use for casual around-town riding. We spent the morning and the evening on them yesterday, tooling around the beach.

Morning ride turned out I had my back break rubbing the whole time - wondered why I was so slow! It had nothing to do with the giant breakfast burrito or the bloody mary I had.

Evening ride, headed out to see the fireworks, got a mile down the road and the entire pedal crank fell off of the bike my bf was riding! He scooted it back home, grabbed his road bike and we got back on the road, arriving at the beach just in time for the fireworks show to start. Woohoo!

All in all, got 15 miles of stop-start in on a heavy ol' bike. My road bike will fly like the wind today!

[BikingNurse]

In the morning I did a wonderful 15 solo. had a blast some good hills to mix it in...
That felt so good I decided to ride the 15 miles from my mom's house to mine. had 5 miles to go and I sprained my Left knee! didn't have my cell to call anybody. Was balling by the time I got home and made my hubby take me in to the ER. Didn't sleep well and have to work today.
Morning ride was better than I could ask for......

[KatieJean]

Rode my longest distance yet--48 miles from my home to the harbor at Oxnard, California. That was 40 miles, but with my birthday coming up I wanted to "ride my age" and do another 12 miles after lunch. Almost made it, but I cut it short at 8 miles due to road construction along my route. Just couldn't manage to circle around for the the last 4 miles, but I'll settle for an "almost rode my age" day.

Weather was beautiful, but I stupidly forgot sunscreen. Ouch!