# I think I've aged out of my home trails



## Rev Bubba (Jan 16, 2004)

I rode what I used to call my "home park" on Monday and was not happy with my riding. So, I went back today and rode a different section. I was not happy with my riding. 

It's not my bike (it never is the bike). It wasn't the weather. It wasn't the crowds (I was the only rider). It was me. Period. End of discussion. I have aged out of the place. 

I'm 72. I used to be a lot younger and probably got a good thirty years out of the trails but its time to move on. Fortunately I have plenty of options and will be doing trail maintenance on one option tomorrow.


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## Happybill68 (Feb 4, 2020)

What’s the song? To everything there is a season. If you got 30 good years out of them then you got the jackpot. 

Glad you have new places to try. 

Bill


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## mr_chrome (Jan 17, 2005)

- it most certainly happens; it's getting to that point for me on my single-speed on my home trails........yes, I can still get around on the full suspension / fully geared bike but I still love my SS so I have to travel to slightly easier trails to enjoy riding it.........yes, I could change the gearing yet again but maybe, just maybe, I need to change tactics instead...........


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## shwndh (Nov 20, 2004)

Were you on an e-bike?


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## Juansan (Dec 30, 2020)

Are you training ? How often are you riding ? I'm 70, I ride road 3 days a week and trail 2 to 3 days and feel pretty good about my condition. I went Vegan 10 years ago, stopped drinking but I do smoke the Herb. Read the Ned Overend post.


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## 33red (Jan 5, 2016)

My turn will come. I am 63 and i guess in 10 years or less i will stay away from some black trails.
Lucky me i am an outdoor guy, so listening to the birds, seing them, being outdoor will be my joy
on my bike. The distance, the speed will be what they will be.


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## bitflogger (Jan 12, 2004)

Rev Bubba said:


> I rode what I used to call my "home park" on Monday and was not happy with my riding. So, I went back today and rode a different section. I was not happy with my riding.
> 
> It's not my bike (it never is the bike). It wasn't the weather. It wasn't the crowds (I was the only rider). It was me. Period. End of discussion. I have aged out of the place.
> 
> I'm 72. I used to be a lot younger and probably got a good thirty years out of the trails but its time to move on. Fortunately I have plenty of options and will be doing trail maintenance on one option tomorrow.


I'm younger in my 60s but the past two seasons have shown me I'm lower in the range of what's an expert trail and I reconsidered the amount of low level flight I'll do. Eyes are one part. If I take the time to wear single focus distance only contacts it can help. Some used to be small hurts have taken more time to heal so there's cutting risk.

On the bright side is just looking at the rest of my cohort - the Facebook group from my high school, how friends and family have aged. There or for people I supervise with parents my age I can still seem okay.

Keeping the right spirit and still pushing our minds and bodies is what's important. We moved my mother to our city in a senior apartment recently. She'll be 90 soon but I see she's still as playful as can be for getting frail and pushes herself in important ways. It is sad as we lose some capabilities but we just need that correct spirit.


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## kosmo (Oct 27, 2004)

Rev Bubba said:


> I rode what I used to call my "home park" on Monday and was not happy with my riding. So, I went back today and rode a different section. I was not happy with my riding.


Curious, what was the main factor? Rugged trails? Steep trails?

One of my favorite places to ride has a lot of what I'll call underlying roughness. Not super chunky, but plenty of roots and moderate chunk, and it has me thinking about trying a coil fork............


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## Rev Bubba (Jan 16, 2004)

shwndh said:


> Were you on an e-bike?


Hell no!


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## Rev Bubba (Jan 16, 2004)

kosmo said:


> Curious, what was the main factor? Rugged trails? Steep trails?
> 
> One of my favorite places to ride has a lot of what I'll call underlying roughness. Not super chunky, but plenty of roots and moderate chunk, and it has me thinking about trying a coil fork............


Rugged, steep, narrow, roots, drops, off camber trails, moist conditions making it often snot slick, narrow bridges (I hate bridges, especially snot slick ones), washouts and plenty of places where you can get seriously injured by being an inch off line . My bike handles all of this very well. I no longer handle all of it very well.

This is a park that is known for its technical riding. A place where my wife finally gave up mountain biking after picking her sun glasses out of her check once too often.

If I want to ride another twenty years or more, its time to move on so I can keep moving on.


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## Rev Bubba (Jan 16, 2004)

Juansan said:


> Are you training ? How often are you riding ? I'm 70, I ride road 3 days a week and trail 2 to 3 days and feel pretty good about my condition. I went Vegan 10 years ago, stopped drinking but I do smoke the Herb. Read the Ned Overend post.


Training? I suppose I'm always training. I ride, on average, two days a week on my road bike for 50 miles and three days MTB. As of today, for a season that started 3/31/21, I have 76 days of riding in plus a couple days skiing at a local indoor facility. My annual goal is to always have my days riding and my days skiing add up to at least 180 or basically, every other day all year round. I am in quite good shape for anyone over 40 I guess. My wife is an RN. She makes sure I eat well though not Vegan. I never drank too much nor smoked anything.


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## kosmo (Oct 27, 2004)

Bubba, I hear you on this topic. We recently moved, and my old, beloved, pretty darn tough and steep home area......is not missed much. Our new locale offers more riding options that my fast young friend calls "kinda boring" to which I reply "kinda easy, but still fun as hell".


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## Rev Bubba (Jan 16, 2004)

kosmo said:


> Bubba, I hear you on this topic. We recently moved, and my old, beloved, pretty darn tough and steep home area......is not missed much. Our new locale offers more riding options that my fast young friend calls "kinda boring" to which I reply "kinda easy, but still fun as hell".


"... fun as hell" is what it is all about. I joined a crew building a new trail at a local park yesterday and it promises to be "... fun as hell" without the blood loss.


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## Rev Bubba (Jan 16, 2004)

bitflogger said:


> I'm younger in my 60s but the past two seasons have shown me I'm lower in the range of what's an expert trail and I reconsidered the amount of low level flight I'll do. Eyes are one part. If I take the time to wear single focus distance only contacts it can help. Some used to be small hurts have taken more time to heal so there's cutting risk.
> 
> On the bright side is just looking at the rest of my cohort - the Facebook group from my high school, how friends and family have aged. There or for people I supervise with parents my age I can still seem okay.
> 
> Keeping the right spirit and still pushing our minds and bodies is what's important. We moved my mother to our city in a senior apartment recently. She'll be 90 soon but I see she's still as playful as can be for getting frail and pushes herself in important ways. It is sad as we lose some capabilities but we just need that correct spirit.


Attitude is so important.


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## Ft.Rock (May 7, 2020)

Came back from a week off (house hunting out of state) to the trails I've ridden (and built) the last 25 years. For the 3rd time straight I walked the bridge I hurt my shoulder on last month. It still hurts and though I've ridden the bridge several hundred times it's in my head now. I too have learned to hate bridges and skinnies, I'll be 66 in about 6 weeks. I always hated climbs, gravity whore, but lately have been cleaning climbs and feeling happier than I do surviving drops. I'll be moving away in a couple months and I think I'm finally OK with leaving these trails behind, at least the blacks. I still love it, but I get more tentative each year and that's not a good thing. I see more technical xc and less freeride in my future. Probably more kayaking and fishing too...


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## MSU Alum (Aug 8, 2009)

I'm 69 - next month - and when I get to this point, which is inevitable, I'll get a ebike.
Or, maybe a dirt bike for riding in the Uintas.


Rev Bubba said:


> I never drank too much nor smoked anything.


Well, there's your problem!


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## Rev Bubba (Jan 16, 2004)

MSU Alum said:


> I'm 69 - next month - and when I get to this point, which is inevitable, I'll get a ebike.
> Or, maybe a dirt bike for riding in the Uintas.
> 
> Well, there's your problem!


It depends on how you define "too much."
I make no apology for never smoking - anything.


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## Sparticus (Dec 28, 1999)

Anything worth doing is worth doing to excess.

You may quote me on that.
=sParty


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## WHALENARD (Feb 21, 2010)

Sparticus said:


> Anything worth doing is worth doing to excess.
> 
> You may quote me on that.
> =sParty


Words to live by.

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## Rev Bubba (Jan 16, 2004)

Sparticus said:


> Anything worth doing is worth doing to excess.
> 
> You may quote me on that.


There is little doubt I bike and ski to excess and many may think my wife and I travel to excess. She may exercise to excess. We live an excessively satisfying and happy life.


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## kosmo (Oct 27, 2004)

Sparticus said:


> Anything worth doing is worth doing to excess.


That is my family motto.

Trademarked.

Please submit royalty payment via Venmo!


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## MSU Alum (Aug 8, 2009)

Rev Bubba said:


> There is little doubt I bike and ski to excess and many may think my wife and I travel to excess. She may exercise to excess. We live an excessively satisfying and happy life.


How come you're not interested in going the ebike route? My wife (67) thinks it's cheating.....is that how you feel about it?


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## Shark (Feb 4, 2006)

Sometimes you just have an "off day"

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## Rev Bubba (Jan 16, 2004)

MSU Alum said:


> How come you're not interested in going the ebike route? My wife (67) thinks it's cheating.....is that how you feel about it?


Cheating? No. 
(ok, maybe a little but not enough to keep me from buying one)

At this point, the minus outweigh the pluses.

I have a new Tallboy and climbing is not an issue. I love climbing. 
If my motor conks out, I eat some Clif Bloks or repair my chain. 
Fording deep water is not an issue.
Putting a 30 lbs bike in (or on) my car beats doing the same with 50 lbs. 
The prices may be coming down but not enough for me. 
I don't want to make mountain biking more complicated then it already is. I really love the simplicity of my 16 lbs road bike with rim brakes.

I have ridden a couple higher end eBikes on dirt and don't find any big problems with them. I just don't need one. I'm more excited about the 29" hardtail my son wants to build up with fatter tires, etc. I can always use his bikes and it costs me nothing.

I can kill myself at the area I said I aged out of just as easily on any type of bike. The rocks, narrows and drops will not go away just because I ride an eBike. It may be easier to hurt myself at speed.


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## Sanchofula (Dec 30, 2007)

So what is this thread?

Agjng out of your trails, as in getting to old to ride/enjoy them?

I thought this thread was about getting bored with your local trails 🙄

I rode with a buddy this past week, he’s out visiting from North Carolina. I used to whitewater boat with him, ran steep sketchy creeks, but this was twenty years ago.

I expected him to ride the way he once paddled; that’s how I am, but he was far more conservative. I asked him if he jumps, rides tech, and he said “not anymore”.

I know a few folks who got premature old person brain: I think I’m old therefore I should limit what I do.

^ To me this is the worst thing possible, so I’ll do everything I can to avoid it.

I jump off every rock I see 👍👍


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## Sparticus (Dec 28, 1999)

Nurse Ben said:


> So what is this thread?
> 
> Agjng out of your trails, as in getting to old to ride/enjoy them?
> 
> ...


At 67 I shudder to think I do the same thing. 
=sParty


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## Rev Bubba (Jan 16, 2004)

Nurse Ben said:


> So what is this thread?
> 
> Agjng out of your trails, as in getting to old to ride/enjoy them?
> 
> ...


Damned if I know what the original thread was about and I wrote it.

All my life, I have had ideas in my head that were turned into an idea in print.

Its the next step in my life, that's all. I'll still ride and ski a whole bunch*. There are days on the mountain when I am still the best skier but none when I am the worst. I'm not the worst rider and not the best. I love climbing. I love rocks. I love twisty trails but I also love just riding anywhere on anything. I can enjoy skiing a big mountain and have just as much fun on a small mountain.

Riding the park in question is no longer fun for me and with nothing to prove, not being fun is a very good reason to stop riding there.

* Bunch: A combination of days skiing and days riding that adds up to 180. Like the accounting term "sh!tload" to signify a lot of money, it can be defined as anything by anybody.

Did that answer your question? Probably not. Did it make you think? Maybe, maybe not...


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## MSU Alum (Aug 8, 2009)

Rev Bubba said:


> Damned if I know what the original thread was about and I wrote it.


Yeah, I was kind of wondering.


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## upstateSC-rider (Dec 25, 2003)

When the local trails get boring I know it's time to switch bikes for a while.


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## Sparticus (Dec 28, 1999)

upstateSC-rider said:


> When the local trails get boring I know it's time to switch bikes for a while.


Good idea. Personally, when my local trails get boring I just wait for the seasons to change. The PNW is a great place to live & ride. 
=sParty


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## Rev Bubba (Jan 16, 2004)

Sparticus said:


> Good idea. Personally, when my local trails get boring I just wait for the seasons to change. The PNW is a great place to live & ride.
> =sParty


The trail in question is anything but boring. The consequences of crashing as you get older increase the severity of those consequences. I would rather back off one set of trails so I can ride the numerous others where I live. That's all.

PS: My wife and I are going skiing in a couple hours....
PPS: Yes, on real snow...


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## dir-T (Jan 20, 2004)

Rev Bubba said:


> Rugged, steep, narrow, roots, drops, off camber trails, moist conditions making it often snot slick, narrow bridges (I hate bridges, especially snot slick ones), washouts and plenty of places where *you can get seriously injured by being an inch off line . *


I'm only 46 and already aged out of that crap! 'Bought time you grew up. You might have "aged out" of a place but didn't age off of the bike.

I know what you mean though. I have a friend that was a pro-downhiller about 20 years ago and still a really talented aggressive rider. He'll try to "coach" me on how to rail faster turns etc. and I'm just like, "Why? I'm already having fun".


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## dir-T (Jan 20, 2004)

Rev Bubba said:


> PS: My wife and I are going skiing in a couple hours....
> PPS: Yes, on real snow...


Oh, now we're talkin'! Snowboarding is really my passion. I was going to mention that I've "aged out" of some backcountry terrain that I never flinched at when I was younger. The crappy avalanche conditions (climate change, it's real) and greater awareness of risk has changed my style quite a bit.

Where are you skiing at?


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## Rev Bubba (Jan 16, 2004)

dir-T said:


> Oh, now we're talkin'! Snowboarding is really my passion. I was going to mention that I've "aged out" of some backcountry terrain that I never flinched at when I was younger. The crappy avalanche conditions (climate change, it's real) and greater awareness of risk has changed my style quite a bit.
> 
> Where are you skiing at?


Big Snow American Dream. An indoor area in NJ. My other choices if I want real snow indoors are in Dubai and Tokyo I believe.

It's a hoot to ski when its too hot to ride.


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## .WestCoastHucker. (Jan 14, 2004)

Rev Bubba said:


> ...I'm 72. I used to be a lot younger...


you don't say?


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## Rev Bubba (Jan 16, 2004)

.WestCoastHucker. said:


> you don't say?


I did say.


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## .WestCoastHucker. (Jan 14, 2004)

trail maintenance is as satisfying as actual riding to me. i easily spend way more time behind the business ends of tools than my handlebars and i wouldn't have it any other way. if we don't build it, it's not just going to create itself..


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## chazpat (Sep 23, 2006)

Hopefully you're many years from needing this bad boy.


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## MSU Alum (Aug 8, 2009)

chazpat said:


> Hopefully you're many years from needing this bad boy.
> 
> View attachment 1940658


I want one!


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## fredcook (Apr 2, 2009)

Rev Bubba said:


> I think I've aged out of my home trails


I've been thinking a little bit like this, but from a "bored with" point of view. I'm 60 now, and have been riding the same cluster of trails (30+ of them, 250+ miles total) for years. More and more, every time I get back from a vacation that included riding in places like New Mexico, Colorado, Tahoe basin, Arizona, Utah, Nevada, NW Arkansas, etc., I kinda yawn at the XC stull mainly available to me on a daily basis. Don't get me wrong, plenty of technical, rock garden stuff., and the XC grind keeps me healthy and fit. Just too repetitive, I guess. Used to be a mix of daily XC and some black diamond downhill was enough. These days, I tend to miss the downhill stuff the minuet I return. Maybe it's the thrill of pushing the limits at my age (I'm actually riding more aggressive now than I had 20+ years ago) and chasing someone a third my age down a mountain. I think more and more about moving...


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## Rev Bubba (Jan 16, 2004)

fredcook said:


> I've been thinking a little bit like this, but from a "bored with" point of view. I'm 60 now, and have been riding the same cluster of trails (30+ of them, 250+ miles total) for years. More and more, every time I get back from a vacation that included riding in places like New Mexico, Colorado, Tahoe basin, Arizona, Utah, Nevada, NW Arkansas, etc., I kinda yawn at the XC stull mainly available to me on a daily basis. Don't get me wrong, plenty of technical, rock garden stuff., and the XC grind keeps me healthy and fit. Just too repetitive, I guess. Used to be a mix of daily XC and some black diamond downhill was enough. These days, I tend to miss the downhill stuff the minuet I return. Maybe it's the thrill of pushing the limits at my age (I'm actually riding more aggressive now than I had 20+ years ago) and chasing someone a third my age down a mountain. I think more and more about moving...


Sometimes I get bored with a local trail but that is not my reason for leaving the specific park I was referring to. The chance of serious injury or death is just getting to be a bit too much at 72 in that one park. Conditions there have deteriorated even more then me. I do trail maintenance in a few other parks but this one just seems to be going down the tubes for me.

At 60 I had my near death experience surfing in a tropical storm. (Intensive care for three days, broken ribs, dislocated shoulder, an ear hanging by a thread and a few other things that took three surgeries to repair). At 60, I was pretty aggressive but life happens.


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## Rev Bubba (Jan 16, 2004)

.WestCoastHucker. said:


> trail maintenance is as satisfying as actual riding to me. i easily spend way more time behind the business ends of tools than my handlebars and i wouldn't have it any other way. if we don't build it, it's not just going to create itself..


I've gotten back into maintenance these days too.


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## 33red (Jan 5, 2016)

fredcook said:


> I've been thinking a little bit like this, but from a "bored with" point of view. I'm 60 now, and have been riding the same cluster of trails (30+ of them, 250+ miles total) for years. More and more, every time I get back from a vacation that included riding in places like New Mexico, Colorado, Tahoe basin, Arizona, Utah, Nevada, NW Arkansas, etc., I kinda yawn at the XC stull mainly available to me on a daily basis. Don't get me wrong, plenty of technical, rock garden stuff., and the XC grind keeps me healthy and fit. Just too repetitive, I guess. Used to be a mix of daily XC and some black diamond downhill was enough. These days, I tend to miss the downhill stuff the minuet I return. Maybe it's the thrill of pushing the limits at my age (I'm actually riding more aggressive now than I had 20+ years ago) and chasing someone a third my age down a mountain. I think more and more about moving...


Without a car a do not have a lot of variety. I just ride a different bike than switch back. 
A tad of variety.


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## PierreR (May 17, 2012)

Nurse Ben said:


> So what is this thread?
> 
> Agjng out of your trails, as in getting to old to ride/enjoy them?
> 
> ...


This is out of character with many of your other posts.

I have a lot of friends in their 80's. Invariably they all say "I wish I had listened to my body when I was younger and not beat it up so bad" Too many injuries in my 50's and 60's that are catching up with me. Back then I thought I could still do what I did in my 20's and 30's" 
I got smart and developed an age appropriate brain for my older body and have not been injured in the last 6 years. No injuries means I can slowly maintain or gain.


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## PierreR (May 17, 2012)

Rev Bubba said:


> Big Snow American Dream. An indoor area in NJ. My other choices if I want real snow indoors are in Dubai and Tokyo I believe.
> 
> It's a hoot to ski when its too hot to ride.


Some day this olé flat lander e biker would like to give you a run for you money on snow. I have indoor skiing in my hanger. I built a machine 480-3 phase I teach people how to balance from their core instead of on their skis. Snow is not a reliable balancing surface.

Into more remote e bike touring these days and not technical single track.


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## Xylx (Mar 18, 2005)

My solution to aging is to ride a fat bike in winter. I broke a collar bone (again) 20 months ago and that's the last time I want to do that. Also just got some 3" tires and a new wheelset for my FS mountain bike. That ought to slow me down over those 2.2" tires. The fatter tires are more sure-footed too. I'll be leaving the trails I've been riding for 20 plus years here in Idaho in the next year. None were particularly challenging with a few maybe I should walk this exceptions. I'm looking forward to new trails. At a slower pace.


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## 33red (Jan 5, 2016)

Xylx said:


> My solution to aging is to ride a fat bike in winter. I broke a collar bone (again) 20 months ago and that's the last time I want to do that. Also just got some 3" tires and a new wheelset for my FS mountain bike. That ought to slow me down over those 2.2" tires. The fatter tires are more sure-footed too. I'll be leaving the trails I've been riding for 20 plus years here in Idaho in the next year. None were particularly challenging with a few maybe I should walk this exceptions. I'm looking forward to new trails. At a slower pace.


I also like 2.8 and 3 in. The 2.4 i use to do my grocery. At 63 i enjoy time outdoors, no focus on speed. I still have 20 years, 30 with some luck and my good genes.


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## kosmo (Oct 27, 2004)

fredcook said:


> I've been thinking a little bit like this, but from a "bored with" point of view. I'm 60 now, and have been riding the same cluster of trails (30+ of them, 250+ miles total) for years.


Same. Moved recently. I"m finding a new "back yard" to be a joy!

I'm sure that in 20 years I'll have figured out everything that annoys me about my new circumstances, but for now.....


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## Offspring (Jan 29, 2006)

I have aged into my local trails! Used to be boring, flat-ish, wide etc, now they are a safer way to get my 18 mile every other day rides in under two hours. I should bike down but too expensive at this point.


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## SanDiegoMTB (Nov 25, 2014)

Rev Bubba said:


> Hell no!


Some people never learn, no matter how old they become. The ebike was created for riders like you. A pedal assist bike requires you to pedal - and you can control how much assistance you receive. In other words, the workout can be as easy or difficult as you choose. Make those long climbs possible again and work the rest of the ride as you see fit. Some of the newer ebikes are fantastic and very capable all mountain rides (albeit expensive). Most of all, enjoy your time on the trail! The approval of the analog/push bike community is not required.

It seems that many mtb'ers want to trash ebikes out of some "fundamentalist" philosophy, the spewing of which satisfies them far more than taking a few moments to think about why one might need or want to ride an assist bike. 

OP, face it, you're getting older and the only one who is hurt by your refusal to consider the obvious is you. No one cares what you ride. If you can still keep the bike on two wheels and not hurt yourself, then ride what you are able and enjoy getting older. It beats the alternative.


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## Rev Bubba (Jan 16, 2004)

SanDiegoMTB said:


> Some people never learn, no matter how old they become. The ebike was created for riders like you. A pedal assist bike requires you to pedal - and you can control how much assistance you receive. In other words, the workout can be as easy or difficult as you choose. Make those long climbs possible again and work the rest of the ride as you see fit. Some of the newer ebikes are fantastic and very capable all mountain rides (albeit expensive). Most of all, enjoy your time on the trail! The approval of the analog/push bike community is not required.
> 
> It seems that many mtb'ers want to trash ebikes out of some "fundamentalist" philosophy, the spewing of which satisfies them far more than taking a few moments to think about why one might need or want to ride an assist bike.
> 
> OP, face it, you're getting older and the only one who is hurt by your refusal to consider the obvious is you. No one cares what you ride. If you can still keep the bike on two wheels and not hurt yourself, then ride what you are able and enjoy getting older. It beats the alternative.


I think you missed the point of my original post. I never said I rode less. In fact, in 2021, I rode 166 days, over 2400 miles and climbed well over 100,000 feet. I just said I "aged" out of one trail system that has deteriorated over the decades. 

I have a one-year-old Santa Cruz Tallboy and a perfectly good road bike. Spending $8000 or whatever on an eBike is not something I want to do. I am not against or for eBikes. Fine for some but I don't need one. 

Putting that aside, it is winter and, in a few hours, I'm leaving for another ski adventure. At 72, I'll ski 70 days on top of the 166 days riding. For every season there is a time or whatever Mr. Dylan said 50 years ago. Aloha...


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## 33red (Jan 5, 2016)

A retired guy in my area is 61. About 18 months ago he bought a Bosch/Cannondale road bike and loves it. 
Last december he bought a Shimano/Norco fatbike and loves it. He could probably loose 30 pounds.
Yesterday he told me there is no way back. He is going to sell his Trek mountain bike.
He rides often so it is better than bingo. 
On my assist FS i just do more distance. At 64i still need skills to play with the trees and
rocks and that keeps me young. At 138 pounds i am not carrying fat, i am exercising 
whatever some think or say.


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## noapathy (Jun 24, 2008)

33red said:


> blah blah blah e-bike blah blah blah


You should really just stop typing while you'e behind. smh


Rev Bubba said:


> in a few hours, I'm leaving for another ski adventure.


Hope you have/had a good trip (depending when you read this).


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## azjonboy (Dec 21, 2006)

Still riding technical stuff at 62, on a SS 29+. I dont see that changing anytime soon, but I’m sure there’s a geared or FS bike somewhere down the road. 

Still pushing it in tech stuff, but doing more remote, backcountry rides to keep things fresh.

Miles of smiles!


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## Rev Bubba (Jan 16, 2004)

noapathy said:


> You should really just stop typing while you'e behind. smh
> 
> Hope you have/had a good trip (depending when you read this).


I had a great trip, thank you. I got in 5 new areas in three days. The best was at an place called McCauley Mt. in the Adirondacks. It was raining when I pulled in the lot and I could not tell if it was open or not, so I hiked to the office to find out and they said, "of course we are open." "But your lift is not running" I observed. "It will start as soon as you ski up to the chair" I was told, and it did. I got a couple hours at a nicely technical area all to myself. In the rain, through the trees, over the bumps and down the steeps. 

Before I left, I told the liftie it would be my last run and he could shut the lift down when chair #23 made its way around.

As I loaded the car, I could see the lift has stopped running.

Adventure still awaits if you give it a chance. Age is not a barrier, only an excuse.

PS: McCauley was my 141st area skied. I did two more the next day.


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## FitmanNJ (May 23, 2011)

Rev Bubba said:


> I rode what I used to call my "home park" on Monday and was not happy with my riding. So, I went back today and rode a different section. I was not happy with my riding.
> 
> It's not my bike (it never is the bike). It wasn't the weather. It wasn't the crowds (I was the only rider). It was me. Period. End of discussion. I have aged out of the place.
> 
> I'm 72. I used to be a lot younger and probably got a good thirty years out of the trails but its time to move on. Fortunately I have plenty of options and will be doing trail maintenance on one option tomorrow.


Howdy, Rev! You've left the identity of your former "home park" unknown at this point. As a fellow New Jersey resident (67 years old) who's faced some the same challenges as you've described, I'm wondering which of the state's trail systems has gotten the boot. Could this be Wildcat Ridge/Splitrock? Ringwood? Allamuchy North? Inquiring minds want to know!


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## Rev Bubba (Jan 16, 2004)

FitmanNJ said:


> Howdy, Rev! You've left the identity of your former "home park" unknown at this point. As a fellow New Jersey resident (67 years old) who's faced some the same challenges as you've described, I'm wondering which of the state's trail systems has gotten the boot. Could this be Wildcat Ridge/Splitrock? Ringwood? Allamuchy North? Inquiring minds want to know!


It a Morris Couty Park actually. 

Mahlon Dickerson. I can still ride it and occasionally do but the fun just isn't there for me.

Wildcat Ridge/Splitrock - Now there is a challenging area. Stupid kids that we were 60 years ago, we use to enter that system by the bat cave and ride there on our proto-mountain bikes. 

These days, I get more joy out of doing three laps of Lewis Morris or The Tourne. In a couple months I'll be joining a relocated friend riding places in Marin County, NorCal. Sometimes it's nice not to have to put up with rocks and roots all the time.


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## PierreR (May 17, 2012)

Rev Bubba said:


> I had a great trip, thank you. I got in 5 new areas in three days. The best was at an place called McCauley Mt. in the Adirondacks. It was raining when I pulled in the lot and I could not tell if it was open or not, so I hiked to the office to find out and they said, "of course we are open." "But your lift is not running" I observed. "It will start as soon as you ski up to the chair" I was told, and it did. I got a couple hours at a nicely technical area all to myself. In the rain, through the trees, over the bumps and down the steeps.
> 
> Before I left, I told the liftie it would be my last run and he could shut the lift down when chair #23 made its way around.
> 
> ...


Screw that skiing in the rain stuff. I don't even really like low teens for temps anymore for skiing. Skiing doesn't give me the thrill it use to. Now its about the people and the food.


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## FitmanNJ (May 23, 2011)

Rev Bubba said:


> It a Morris Couty Park actually.
> 
> Mahlon Dickerson. I can still ride it and occasionally do but the fun just isn't there for me.
> 
> ...


I hear you. There are some pretty dicey trails at Mahlon...unless you're a trials rider. I've definitely become more selective in recent years. Nearer where I live in North Plainfield, you have Sourland Mountain, which I find beautiful in an rocky/austere sort of way, but it's hard enough even when I stay away from the Boulderama side. Lewis Morris and The Tourne are definitely less risky, but plenty fun...


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## Hibikealot (Oct 14, 2021)

If I ever age out of my home trail I'll happily find some easier bike paths....paved(gasp😱)if need be.
I know.....the horror right!?


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## Stewiewin (Dec 17, 2020)

Rev Bubba said:


> I rode what I used to call my "home park" on Monday and was not happy with my riding. So, I went back today and rode a different section. I was not happy with my riding.
> 
> It's not my bike (it never is the bike). It wasn't the weather. It wasn't the crowds (I was the only rider). It was me. Period. End of discussion. I have aged out of the place.
> 
> I'm 72. I used to be a lot younger and probably got a good thirty years out of the trails but its time to move on. Fortunately I have plenty of options and will be doing trail maintenance on one option tomorrow.


get ebikes back in business


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## D. Inoobinati (Aug 28, 2020)

Wait....you haven't aged out of your local ski area?








I'm confused.


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## Rev Bubba (Jan 16, 2004)

D. Inoobinati said:


> Wait....you haven't aged out of your local ski area?
> View attachment 1971278
> 
> I'm confused.
> ...


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## Rev Bubba (Jan 16, 2004)

Stewiewin said:


> get ebikes back in business


Sorry, I don't understand the eBikes comment at all. I biked 166 days in 2021 without batteries except in the lights on my road bike.


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## Stewiewin (Dec 17, 2020)

Rev Bubba said:


> Sorry, I don't understand the eBikes comment at all. I biked 166 days in 2021 without batteries except in the lights on my road bike.


OK I THOUGHT U SAID Retiring cus of age


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## Rev Bubba (Jan 16, 2004)

Stewiewin said:


> OK I THOUGHT U SAID Retiring cus of age


I said retiring from my usual home park. Hardly retiring. Just tired of an overly technical park that has deteriorate over the decades. A few days ago, I said age was an excuse, not a reason. My reason for leaving that particular park was simply a risk/reward analysis.


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## PierreR (May 17, 2012)

Rev Bubba said:


> I said retiring from my usual home park. Hardly retiring. Just tired of an overly technical park that has deteriorate over the decades. A few days ago, I said age was an excuse, not a reason. My reason for leaving that particular park was simply a* risk/reward analysis*.


The begining of the end for seniors. That is where I started. Once I accepted that, I have been much happier since.


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