"over 40"...show of hands?

[Trek420]

"Today being our 19th anniversary and next Monday being his birthdayso I am going out today to get him a carbon crank for his beloved Colnago."

what a lucky guy! Diamonds may be a girls best friend but carbon cranks would be my favorite gift ;-)

[kelrunran]

I'm taking Friday off (from work) to spend with my hubby for our 19th wedding anniversary also! The kids will be in school so we're looking forward to an 80 mile ride.....out in the country - what else would we be doing

Oh and for a present (for me) - whole new biking outfit....shorts, jersery......socks! Maybe even a new bike bag!

For him......don't know yet........

[massbikebabe]

Kelly:

Sounds like the perfect way to spend your anniversary, and with the perfect gifts also!! We usually take our bikes and head to the south coast of Maine, but this year we had too many commitments going with the kids...maybe in the fall we will have time to celebrate...hopefully!!

karen

[emily_in_nc]

Interesting that so many of us are celebrating a 19th anniversary right around now - hubby and I celebrate ours on May 25! We've been cycling on and off for most of those years and more "on" now than ever....

Happy anniversary to the others!

Emily

[Veronica]

Our 18th anniversary is June 13. We'll be back in Hawaii on the big Island.

V.

[Adventure Girl]

Our 17th is June 6th. And we're still cra~zy in love! Aren't we all too young to have been married so long??

[Veronica]

We were babies when we got married, 3 years old.



How much will you give me for that bridge?

V.

[Irulan]

as you all know, we had our 20th in Mexico. It really ought to be 24 if you count the years we lived together!! I feel young too for that many years.

Our trip was really special to us. A few years ago the **** really hit the fan, and instead of bailing we both did some really hard work. We came through it more in love, and more emotionally healthy that we had ever been before.

It was a wonder to wake up every day in Mexico filled with so much love and joy and peace to know we did the right thing.

in between dives:

[Trek420]

Hi gals, I don't think I've ever specified my age...48 and counting, still riding. I rediscovered cycling when my partner (now ex) signed up for the AIDS ride. She's gone, and stopped cycling to boot or so I hear, but I love the sport, just got a new bike! Also I'm doing the california AIDS lifecyle this year, not bad for the shady side of 40.

Dita

[bentforlife]

Here's another hand for the 40+ group. And my husband and I will be celebrating our 23rd anniversary this June. I think we will be headed to South Dakota, Mt. Rushmore, Custer's battlegrounds, etc. on our anniversary. There are supposed to be some spectacular fireworks planned this year at Mt. Rushmore, something about the 50th year as a national park.(?)

Since we are renting a pop up tent trailer I don't think I can take my bike(you know, the 6 foot recumbent) but plan to do plenty of walking and hiking. Our 14 year old is very excited. We may stop at Yellowstone as well.

To the teachers among us, just a few more days and we are free!!

Donna

[Veronica]

When's your last day? Mine is next Friday - May 28! We're going to take a trip to the Big Island in the middle of June with Thom's folks. A few days after we get back I'm driving to Jackson to do a tour of the Grand Tetons and Yellowstone with akaKim. I think I'm more excited about the 2nd trip. Thom and I are planning on doing some weekend camping trips to do some mountain biking over on the coast in July and August.

This will be my first summer off in a long time. I've been at a school that has been year round and will be converting to a traditional schedule this year. So I have a huge break. Thom worries I'll go stir crazy with so much time.

V.

[gretchen]

Trek420...tell me about the AIDS ride...
I'm doing the BikeAid Ride but it has nothing to do with Aids. It's down the west coast. What's yours? and When?

I would love to set my sights on next summer so i'll stay motivated over the next year. (listen to me...i should prob. give this summer a chance first, huh!!!?). My dad died of AIDS (bad blood transfussion )and i would love to do something in his memory.

Don't you just love hearing about everyone's adventures, stories, etc...
We are a great group i think!

[bentforlife]

Veronica,

Our last day is also on May 28th. I worked last summer but just could not finish up all my projects I had planned to do. So I plan to finish them this summer. With an aging house I can always find something to work on. I'm going to finish painting the kitchen cabinet doors(that one has been ongoing for a while), tile the kitchen back splash, and tile the laundry room floor. The outside of my house really needs a coat of paint but that will have to wait. Besides, I'm not willing to get out in the TX sun to paint. May have to hire someone to do this in the fall.

Right now we are planning to go up to Mt. Rushmore and area at the end of June, first of July. Until then My 14 yo daughter has 2 different orchestra and band camps and several percussion clinics. She just made the cymbal line at the high school, not many incoming freshmen make that.

We have to be back at school August 9th and the kids start back Aug. 16th. Summer is just too short.

I understand about the stir crazy thing but if you look around, I'll bet you can find enough projects to keep yourself busy.

Good luck and Happy summer!!

Donna

PS. Do you have a sailboat? We have a 26 foot Mcgregor about a 1986 model. My husband, Larry, teaches and races on the lakes around here.

[Veronica]

We have a little cat rigged boat that we take out on the Delta. We used to charter boats to sail in SF bay, but when we started volunteering at the Maritime park we ran out of time to do everything. Of course then I really got bit by the biking bug...

I hear you about the heat. Our summers are generally in the 90s. Too hot for a lot of outside work. Not too hot to ride though!

We start back a bit later then you. The kids start Aug. 30. We'll go later next year. A couple of weeks into June.

V.

[fultzie]

There's an annual AIDS ride in Illinois too... last year it was a 3-day ride in Starved Rock Nat'l Park, this year it's around Chicago (i think they're actually riding in the city, but i could be wrong... kinda like the AIDSWalk Chicago.)
the website is AIDS Ride Chicago
I checked it out, but couldn't find info on the route... i can't imagine where it'd be downtown to satisfy "all skill levels" (ie. hills)... if i remember, last time i was in Chicago (last month) it was still pretty flat!