# W'at? No 65+ (old fart) forum???



## mudflap (Feb 23, 2004)

Where's the love? 
I tell ya, after 60 it's hard to get any respect.
Well, I'm not dead yet, and I don't plan on playing dead any time soon, either.
So shuffle me up a forum for 65+. 
I got the goods...


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## PlutonicPlague (Jan 19, 2014)

I'm in! These "wet-behind-the-ears" 50 year-olds don't really know squat about gittin' old!
Hell, I still thought I was young at 60! It was the heart failure at 63.5 that made me feel like I'd been run over by the "old age truck." I even had to quit surfing! The health care providers will try to eat up all of your free time with inconveniently scheduled appointments, long waits, and formsthatneedtobefilledout, if you let 'em!

My Pugsley is the vehicle that has carried me back from near death, though. Its so fun to ride, that I ride it a lot, and that's been really good for my heart. :thumbsup:


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## Velobike (Jun 23, 2007)

Aye, but there's only about 15 of us.


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## PlutonicPlague (Jan 19, 2014)

Well, there was the "Dirty Dozen." We can be the "Fartin' Fifteen," (or maybe the "Forensic Fifteen" when we finally kick off and then get autopsied to determine if old farts who ride bikes have innards of steel).


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## fred-da-trog (Oct 28, 2003)

I need to hang out the 50 year olds to help remind me of the good ol' days. Hanging out with only you old farts only...er...dang it...forgot where I was going with this....


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## mudflap (Feb 23, 2004)

It's not that important to be able to remember what you are talking about, unless you're chatting with a younger female rider - you don't want them to think you only have one thing on your mind, and that one thing is pulling all the blood out of your head.
What is important is remembering that first ride at age 5 or 6, and the feeling that you had when you could finally keep it upright, straight, and somewhat steady.
But that might be for the 5+ forum, but I don't see that forum either.
Next up...First Ride!


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## rogerfromco (Jun 22, 2007)

I think that's the "Old-er Farts" forum!


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## bsieb (Aug 23, 2003)

mudflap said:


> Where's the love?
> I tell ya, after 60 it's hard to get any respect.
> Well, I'm not dead yet, and I don't plan on playing dead any time soon, either.
> So shuffle me up a forum for 65+.
> I got the goods...


Good idea, those 5x+ don't know nothing! :eekster:

Retirement is slowing down, not speeding up, in my experience. I've done a lot of stuff in my life thus far, and have come to resent logistics. I appreciate flow, or resonance, and have little patience for much else. I've been retired since '06, finally feel like most of the parameters I lived under most of my life have disolved, so that I can live in the present on my mountain and explore the unknown within as well as without, maybe design a new trail route if that resonates. I feel like my riding and xc skiing keep getting more effortless. :thumbsup:


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## Rev Bubba (Jan 16, 2004)

66 and rode 110 times so far this season... I guess that means I'm in. Of course, looking at the number of people looking at the 50+ Forum at any given time, the only place with less interest seems to be the 26" forum.


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## PlutonicPlague (Jan 19, 2014)

I've only gone for 37 fat-bike rides since my 65th b-day in mid-Sept. The weather has gone into Winter mode, and that means wind and lots of rain here on the coast. We get what's known as "The Pineapple Express," which is, in effect, a "river in the sky" rampaging across the northeastern Pacific from Hawaii to the Pacific Northwest. Its not the greatest riding weather. Also, I don't like to ride on the really frigid (below freezing) and windy days, even if there is noprecip. The wind chill seems to cut right into me. 
I sacrificed 3 good riding days in November to go lake fishing for trout in my hybrid canoe. My local rivers and creeks closed to fishing early due to poor salmon runs in some of the major rivers...including all of the spots that I used to ride into on a bike. 
The major logging companies in my area have gated many of their logging roads and put up "No Trespassing" signs, and now require one to purchase an expensive pass to access what was, until only recently, land freely accessible by the public. It now costs $250.00 for a yearly pass to get into what used to be one of my favorite trout lakes to visit 2 or 3 times each year. 
Nobody can keep me off the beaches though. 

Now if the weather, the land managers, and the Dept of Fish & Wildlife were more amenable, its likely that I'd be out riding more.


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## PlutonicPlague (Jan 19, 2014)

Here's some good news. I just had an echocardiogram done this Tuesday morning, and met with my cardiologist later in the day to discuss the results.
My doctor was pleased to inform me that my recovery is going better than he originally expected! Last year at this time he told me that I could expect my heart health to recover to where my heart would be pumping around 85% (or so) of the volume that is considered normal. Yesterday, he informed me that my heart function is now back to 95%! 
I have been taking my meds and following my medical team's recommendations. Until the weather went south, I was riding my fatbike about 4 or 5 days per week, on average.
Also, my self-image is healthy and active. I still see myself as "young" in my minds eye. The bathroom mirror must be a horrendous serial liar! 
A nurse only a few years younger than myself recently told me that, "We all feel young inside, but face it, you're actually pretty old to be doing the things that you do. Maybe you should take it all a bit easier..."
OK. I refuse to crash while riding my bike. At 65, dirt rash,bruises, and broken bones are sure signs of insanity, not badges of courage. I don't need no stinkin' badges!


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## Rev Bubba (Jan 16, 2004)

*I love some of the comments we have to put up with*

I live in an "Active" Adult Community. Nice place but I'm convinced active means your heart is beating and you have money and if you have money, they will keep your heart beating.

I get comments like "you only run up the stairs, walk, bike, ski etc., because you are in shape." People ignore that I am in shape because I do those things.

If we were younger, no one would notice.

Hell with the nurse. You can do what you want as long as you always did it.


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## jcd46 (Jul 25, 2012)

Nice a forum where I can feel young again! : )


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## RIng (Aug 27, 2015)

at 66 and recovering from cancer and hart problems I am dreaming of back country bike packing . Loading my new blackborow with the hamick , float tube and tenkara rod and heading to a remoat Adirondack or Green Mt. trout pond . 5 +/- years ago I looked and acted like a 30 year old that was in good shape . Now I struggle to get on and off the bike and can barley walk 5 mi. if I take it easy . I am working to get back in shape . Doing some riding around my house , and finding and enjoying some mild off road riding in southern Maryland where I spend a lot of time kayak fishing and hunting . The trick is staying away from Dr. and truing my dreams into reality . Hope to see you on the trail and good health and happiness to you .


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## Repack Rider (Oct 22, 2005)

I'm 70. Eye doc says it's time to get glasses.

Only time I agree is riding DH on a narrow singletrack in dim light. I passed my driver's license test because I have 20/25 in one eye.


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## bsieb (Aug 23, 2003)

^Repack- Cheers, you are still leading the way, much respect!


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## twilli53 (Jan 9, 2006)

I'm lurking at 62 and developing trail skills late in life after being a roadie forever. Still a roadie just loving the trails now.


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## mactweek (Oct 3, 2011)

This thread would get a lot more interest if you didn't have to be so damn old to join. I'm only 64 so I have a hard time getting the jokes.
There is a difference between being 50+ and being 65+. The most important thing is to never stop having fun.
Total respect from me.


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## bsieb (Aug 23, 2003)

^"The most important thing is to never stop having fun." Sustainable fun, I might add, because time flies when yer having fun. Zoom... 2016 now. :eekster:


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## telemike (Jun 20, 2011)

I'm sixty seven and my riding has slowed quite a bit lately. I'm having trouble with my other addiction, skiing the backcountry. I was on the snow 11 times in December versus on the dirt only 10 times. Of course, two of the snow days were on the Fatboy, not the BC125's!

My heaven is April at the KOA in Mt Shasta city. Ski corn in the morning, bike the gateway trails in the afternoon. Sleep early and well.

I don't ride as fast and wild, I don't ski as steep, fast or icy. But I live for this stuff. To see and what an old dude sees at Lassen Park in the spring, try this video:


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## spindeepster (Nov 25, 2015)

Start your thread....I'll be along in 6 years. Tell me this....How Old Would You Be If There Were No Such Thing As Birthdays?


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## PlutonicPlague (Jan 19, 2014)

Ahhh, here's one for the comic books:
My a-fib was brought under control with a mix of pharmaceuticals. I have been following my Cardiologist's advice very closely, with the exception of not severely limiting the amount of alcohol that I consume. He'd like for me to quit drinking, or limit my consumption to one or two drinks per week. I've still been quaffing down two glasses of wine with dinner (and dinner prep), or maybe a couple of hard apple ciders at the end of the day. I more or less quit beer at the end of last Summer, because the yeast and hops were no longer agreeing with me. The stuff just seems to make me groggy these days, and it has begun to seem as if maybe the couple of ales I drank each day and my heart meds were no longer coexisting...so switched to moderate amounts wine and hard apple cider.
Lately, although I still like the wine and hard cider, I am starting to develop a "meh, who needs it?" attitude, since it really does nothing for me when I am alone home for the evening, except rob my energy and make me drowsy. 
So now I've been cutting back on drinking wine with meals when I'm alone. My new goal is to just limit my moderate consumption to times of social interaction. I still really enjoy a glass or two of good wine, and the occasional craft hard cider. I'm trying to avoid drinking when alone, though.
I've been riding my Pugsley as often as I can, and doing some day hiking, to get my feet, ankles, and calves back into better shape. That's been paying off. With slightly less alcohol consumption, a clean healthy diet (cut out nearly all refined sugar, overly processed packaged foods, un-pronouncable additives, most breads...I prefer bread from sprouted whole grains. I avoid sugary deserts, ice cream, cakes, or pies, and indulge in plenty of cycling, walking, hiking, and some flatwater paddling.

All of this has been beneficial for my health. Just a month ago, I met with my Cardiologist after just having had an Echocardiogram done. My doc was very pleased with the results, which indicated that I had recovered almost 95% of my cardio health! He had originally said that he'd only expected me to recover to the tune of my heart pumping at approximately 85% of its former healthy capacity, and that my 95% recovery had exceeded his expectations.
He advised me to continue doing what I was doing, and he gave me the go-ahead to act with "no restrictions" on my physical activity, except to use my own judgement and back off, if I suddenly felt like my breathing was getting labored, with my heart rate picking up too much. I seemed to be self-monitoring my situation very well.
He did "up" the dosages of two (out of the total of seven) of my prescription drugs. He doubled both of them, but that was supposedly standard operating procedure..

Tuesday afternoon, I got up from my chair to go to the bathroom. I hadn't felt at all dizzy when I first stood up. But then, I suddenly blacked out completely, and (this reconstructed from the evidence after the fact) fell face forward onto the bathroom floor, striking my forehead against the bottom of the open door, and shattering the bottom of it. Due to the blood thinner I'm on, I bled profusely for a bit while"out cold" on the floor. I came to very groggily, without any memory of what had just occured, and crawled to my feet.
My neck was sore. I had a very sore and bleeding lump on my forehead. My hair was blood soaked, from being out cold in a small pool of it on the bathroom floor. I slowly came to realize what had happened. I'd never in my life blacked out like that before, fallen onto my face, and then knocked myself further unconscious. I called a friend who lived nearby, who came over and helped evaluate the situation, and we decided I needed an ambulance, and called 911.
We think that maybe it was the increased dosage in two of my prescription meds that made me have the sudden blackout. I'd consumed no alcohol that day. Hitting the floor hard was just gravity.
I've got a fractured C-1 vertibrae, a mild concussion, & a very sore neck. A large cut, some bruises, and a lump adorn my forehead. I chipped a front incisor.
This "event" happened in the comfort and safety of my own home. 
Fortunately, I survived!
I go in to see a neurologist for further testing this coming Monday.

The neck brace I'm wearing is a pain in the neck, but it works!


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## H0WL (Jan 17, 2007)

Velobike said:


> Aye, but there's only about 15 of us.


Make that 16.


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## Julie (Jul 26, 2005)

Yeah so I'm here to join the "Over 65" Forum...at 67 next week. Forever seeking the lighter more capable bike that will keep me riding and zooming...up and down...on and on...through hill and dale and forests and Moab-ian marvels.


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## Sirguy (Aug 10, 2014)

Checked out you video looks beautiful up there!


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## joebike (Oct 11, 2004)

Count me in, I'm 69 still love riding. It takes longer to recover from a hard ride and the falls seem to do more damage than they use to, but I can deal with all that.

Had a great ride yesterday with my two pals and hope to have many more!


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## thecanoe (Jan 30, 2007)

I'm in. 67 y/o. I own a SC Tallboy and Pivot Carbon Fatbike. Also ride a recumbent on the road and fish out of a kayak. I ride with all ages, but, am well aware of my capabilities and never get in over my head. 


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


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## Maheoway (Nov 19, 2006)

First tide ended in 1960, second first ride, i remember this one, 2008 at 62, still riding despite being vision challenged, i will ride slower. As long as i ride the 429 i'm not blind.
I only ride the home trails because I know where i'm going.
Pedal on, i walk too, yoga and tai chi some weights, organic foods, works for me. If i don't take care of this body, who will? Nobody.
I crash alot, being in a constant state of healing keeps me "young" and part of the fun is i can do it and do.


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## Mr5150 (Dec 20, 2011)

66 here. Been riding since 1992, but the last two years not so much due to work and Mrs 5150 wanting to go camping every weekend or so. But I retired Dec 11, 2015 and now get four rides a week in, unless the skiing is good. I look forward to having a 20 mile ride as my norm once again.


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## OldMTBfreak (Apr 8, 2006)

Good forum all, I'm 68 soon to be 69. I retired on my b'day at 55. I had a job on Friday and was unemployed on Saturday. I ride my road bike to stay in shape. I was able to put 7000 miles on road bike and 2000 miles on mountain bike last year. My road bike has 75,000 miles on it. I like mountain bike the best and I have a carbon Anthem X29 with carbon wheelset. I really have to work to pound those pissant youngsters. After climbing the Red road at Oak Mountain last month the group I was with were pissing and moaning. Someone asked how old I was; I answered not dead yet. I have a 40 resting heart rate, take no drugs, drink very little. Ok, a little weed now and then. I was in the LBS yesterday and an older gentleman came in to get his wife's bike tuned up. He asked me how old I was, so I said how old are you? He was 85 and rode a couple days a week; damn I got something to look forward to. Going to go work on trails tomorrow and ride tomorrow night.


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## H0WL (Jan 17, 2007)

Was trying to remember if I had already posted on the 65+. Heh.
67 here, still riding but not hardcore; happily mellow intermediate. 
Love this thread. It feels like home.


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## CaptDan (Jun 26, 2013)

IIR, the various Age classifications for racing are listed as;

Vets (30+) 
Seniors (40 to 45+)
Masters (50+) 
Super Seniors (55+)

And I believe the 60+ class is known as Fossils.


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## H0WL (Jan 17, 2007)

Our state race series has recently added a Cat 1 70+ category, otherwise known as the 70 to Death category


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## niknas (Apr 25, 2012)

Adding my name to the 65+ (old fart) list. Soon to be 71 in a couple of months. I mix my riding between the hills of the Pacific Northwest and sandy beaches of Mexico with trips to Utah. Cut my teeth mountain biking in Utah, Park City and Moab for 20 some years before moving to da Gorge (Hood River) 15 years ago. Slowing down but still moving. Seems like everyone I ride with is 10 years younger. Only a couple of us in the 70 plus age group in my area riding mountain bikes. Come to think of it I was always riding with people 10 the 15 years my junior. However I am not ashamed to admit to riding a e-bike (Felt Lebowske) along with riding my Santa Cruz Solo. As I age I can see the day when a e-bike will take over most of my day on the trails. For now I will continue to mix it up between the two bikes.

Cheers,


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## PlutonicPlague (Jan 19, 2014)

I've never raced, nor do I go on group rides, since I'm not even aware of any "oldie rides" ever happening around where I live. I just head out alone, and ride at my own pace, wherever I feel like riding. I don't even let anyone know I'm going for a ride, or where I'm going, since there's no longer anyone I know around here who would care. I just try to keep my riding under control, and not push myself too hard. I carry a minimal amount of survival gear (water, snack, windbreaker or extra layer, first aid kit, tire repair kit, bike multi-tool, folding knife, lighter, and sometimes a can of mace).
This results in a feeling of freedom. I don't have to worry about notifying anyone, being late, or making anyone else worried about me.

Same goes for most of my fishing excursions. I went fly fishing for trout on a river last week, which involved wading and crossing the river with no one else around. I only caught a few small trout, which of course I released. A couple of days later, I paddled my fishing kayak alone 4 miles to the back of a local estuary, and another mile up a remote tidal creek to a series of runs near the "head of tide water" that often hold Searun Coastal Cutthroat trout, and I scored! I enjoyed a couple of hours of fast action with some nice Cutts, and only lost three of my good flies to submerged logs. Those dang cutthroat held me there captive for a little too long, though, and I ended up paddling out against a building onshore wind and quickening incoming tide. I gladly paid that price. I hope to do it again soon.
Folks around here probably would think I'm crazy, if they only knew. On days that I don't go fishing alone, I ride my Pugsley on the beach alone, or drive my Krampugs 29+ to a trail and ride alone.

I'm not crazy enough to ride a bike alongside the highway anymore.:nono:

At my age, I'm through buying any more bikes. I have enough of 'em to last me the rest of my riding years.
However, I just ordered a Torqueedo ultralight 403 electric motor for my fishing yak, so that I can ignore the incoming tide and onshore wind, and thus extend my fishing excursions for a few hours longer without paying such a steep price.


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## mudflap (Feb 23, 2004)

A few years back, met a father/son at the Slickrock trailhead parking lot as they were prepping for a ride. Dad was 75! I was impressed, to say the least, and inspired to live another twenty years. I've managed to live ten more of those years, and still ride like the wind, and ski the steep and deep in my own private powder stash somewhere in the heart of Idaho. I know I've beat the odds, but then we just buried my mom a couple years ago at age 95, so maybe I've got the genes on my side.

Nothing I do today is as hardcore as it was twenty, or even ten years ago, but me and my 71 year old riding buddy, who's fighting the cruel effects of Parkinson's, still manage to hit the trails whenever the smoke from this summer's fires lets up enough so you can breath without hacking up a lung.

We have slowed down so much from our younger years that neither one of us even looks forward to riding with anyone younger than us anymore (unless opposite sex, of course.) Now we just mosey along at our old fart pace and are happy just to still be alive, let alone out on our carbon fiber race horses stirring up the flies.

I've got my health issues (seem to start around age 60) just like the rest of you, who like me, deal with them, and yet still dream the dreams of eternal youth and the next big adventure.

Funny how we may be 65+, but in our heads (and pounding hearts) we don't let age slap us around and bully us into thinking we're old: we just shift down to the big cog and grind our way through the tumult and turmoils of life, never looking back, all the while eagerly anticipating that ice cold beer at the end of the trail.

Yep, to quote Joe Walsh, "life's been good to me so far."


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## portnuefpeddler (Jun 14, 2016)

67, and a half. I ride 3 different ebikes, snowboard every day (almost, still work some, but it pays real well so I don't mind) and fly over 200 hrs a year, bush flying, no airports. 
Often, not that rarely actually, I've boarded in the AM, did a quick crane job, then went flying (skis on the plane in winter), and then got a few miles in riding. Best part of getting older ALL MY ****S PAID FOR, and no debt. The Golden Years, hell yeah.


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## fos'l (May 27, 2009)

People ask me what it's like and I reply "Remember when you were 10 years old and summer arrived? Well it's like that except you never have to go back to school".


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