# I got my AARP card last week...



## Arebee (Sep 13, 2012)

...and I've been able to cope with turning 50 with the help of some really great presents! 

Tickets to see The Who, a couple bottles of Scotch, and most relevant, a never-ridden 2016 Scott Spark! My wife bought it for me a few months early back in November from my local shop. I got a fantastic deal on it and worked in a host of upgrades. 

It's my first full-squish and I am riding better than I ever have! I don't chalk that up to the full suspension but because I feel like I'm finally on a bike that fits me correctly. That's a testament to the shop owner who took the time to put me on several bikes of different sizes. I was sized for my previous bike (at a different shop) by a guy who asked me my height and my inseam. Six years later I now know that it was just a little too big for me. Although I rode it fine, I was never as comfortable on it as I am on the Scott. 

All kidding aside, turning 50 didn't bother me at all. Over the last six-plus years I've ridden more and better than ever and have gotten more enjoyment out of this sport by just being in the woods. We have a rider in our crew who just turned 65 and he's my inspiration to just keep pedaling. Looking forward to being a part of this group!


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## honkinunit (Aug 6, 2004)

Consider this: even really good Scotch these days was bottled *after* the Who became popular. Long after. 

I've been getting AARP cards in the mail for nearly a decade now. Still can't bear the thought of joining. Trust me, they won't give up on trying to get you to join. 

Wait until cashiers start asking you if you are eligible for the senior discount. Or even worse, they just give it to you without asking. Sheesh. That hurts. 

Enjoy the bike!


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## ltphoto (Sep 11, 2014)

It hurts to get the automatic senior discounts, but I never correct them!


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## str8edgMTBMXer (Apr 15, 2015)

I turn 50 this year, and am not afraid of it at all...the biggest thing that boggles my mind is that...it is actually me turning 50, and not some other person. I remember I used to wonder what it would be like....what 2019 would be like etc....when it got to 2009, I was like...hmmm...not a lot of difference other than I am more achey after a ride/fall, 


A lot of the guys I work with are dreading getting the AARP card...I really don't mind....I will take the discounts!

I figure as long as I am still 25 in my brain, I will be ok.....I think the day I fear the most , is when I become truly immobile. I hope that is not for another 20 years


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## pctloper (Jan 3, 2016)

Having a hard time with it but received my medicare card last week----wish I was 50 but 65 it is------still going strong and riding the same places---just a bit more careful I have to admit.


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## Slowdownhill (Oct 20, 2015)

sXeXBMXer said:


> I turn 50 this year, and am not afraid of it at all...the biggest thing that boggles my mind is that...it is actually me turning 50, and not some other person. I remember I used to wonder what it would be like....what 2019 would be like etc....when it got to 2009, I was like...hmmm...not a lot of difference other than I am more achey after a ride/fall,
> 
> A lot of the guys I work with are dreading getting the AARP card...I really don't mind....I will take the discounts!
> 
> I figure as long as I am still 25 in my brain, I will be ok.....I think the day I fear the most , is when I become truly immobile. I hope that is not for another 20 years


Oh no! I've only got a few weeks left before I become immobile at 70. Guess I better hit all of the Pisgah I can before then.


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## Sanchofula (Dec 30, 2007)

It’s when you realize you’ve gotten old that all the mistakes of your youth come back to take their revenge.

I feel sorry for the folks who smoked and drank and ate poorly. They say they’d rather live big and go out early, but about the time “early” comes around they have second thoughts 

Daily exercise since I was a child, healthy eating (vegetarian since age 20), non smoker, no drinking or drugs, sleep well every night, happily married, who needs AARP when I still have my youth?

My plan is to continue riding, playing, and living happy and healthfully well into my eighties or even nineties. Who knows, maybe I’ll still be shredding when I’m 104!


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## BigSki (Jan 14, 2014)

RB--At 57, I'm with you on how my riding and confidence has peaked in the last few years. For me it started 5 yrs. ago with bike shopping and training for a boys trip to N. Dakota and a 100 miles on the Maah Daah Hey trail. Despite growing up on motorcycles (as a kid and thru college), I didn't catch the MTB bug until late in life--the training, planning and online camaraderie was the best part since we were all over the country. This past Fall most of that same group met-up in Moab for an epic 5 days. On a trail but not a bike, we did the R2R2R in the Grand Canyon a couple of years ago (22hrs.). I'm not a crazy over-motivated person but setting a goal and connecting with friends works for me--gonna enter my first 24hr. race this Memorial Day for a local fun event with a friend's family team. After a full shoulder repair (a year ago this week) I'm completely stoked to start this season and push my riding while exploring more of this GREAT region I live in: E. Washington/N. Idaho/W. Montana! ...and doing it on my '18 Rocky Mtn. Instinct I picked-up last year! 

My wife's favorite band is The Who--saw them last summer in Vegas...those guys are motivation! As my PT says, "running water never freezes."


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## Crankout (Jun 16, 2010)

I signed up last year, but never took advantage of the deals so I discontinued my enrollment. 

I'm not ready to face the future quite yet, and am not feeling the vibe of the magazine and newsletters.


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## JimmyAsheville (Oct 21, 2018)

The AARP car insurance is insanely inexpensive. That’s the reason I joined AARP. Not quite there for Medicare yet, but I know AARP has some attractive rates for supplemental insurance.


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## tjchad (Aug 15, 2009)

I'm 52 and have not joined AARP yet... I did, however, get my Who tickets the day they went on sale!


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## str8edgMTBMXer (Apr 15, 2015)

Slowdownhill said:


> Oh no! I've only got a few weeks left before I become immobile at 70. Guess I better hit all of the Pisgah I can before then.


No man...go until you can't!! I just said 20 years for me cause of my families history of bad knees and arthritis...



tjchad said:


> I'm 52 and have not joined AARP yet... I did, however, get my Who tickets the day they went on sale!


got my Iron Maiden tickets for August

No one better tell me to "sit down and stop moving" like at some of the other concerts I went to recently...gonna be some head bangin' and air drumming for sure


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## jcd46 (Jul 25, 2012)

sXeXBMXer said:


> No man...go until you can't!! I just said 20 years for me cause of my families history of bad knees and arthritis...
> 
> got my Iron Maiden tickets for August
> 
> No one better tell me to "sit down and stop moving" like at some of the other concerts I went to recently...gonna be some head bangin' and air drumming for sure


Lol that happened at the Eagles concert I went.

That wont happen with IM, to this day my favorite concert.(after Floyd) Enjoy!


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## Flash (Jan 30, 2004)

jcd46 said:


> Lol that happened at the Eagles concert I went.
> 
> That wont happen with IM, to this day my favorite concert.(after Floyd) Enjoy!


Saw them in Detroit. Damn what a show!


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## Arebee (Sep 13, 2012)

Seven years ago, I bought a new bike to replace my 20 year old Raleigh Chill. My wife gave me a $700 budget. I got her up to $1,200 by telling her "I'm 43 and this will probably the last bike I'll ever buy." Man did she fall for that one! 

I sounds like watching 70 year-olds running around on stage is helping a lot of feel better about our age!


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## Crankout (Jun 16, 2010)

sXeXBMXer said:


> No man...go until you can't!! I just said 20 years for me cause of my families history of bad knees and arthritis...
> 
> got my Iron Maiden tickets for August
> 
> No one better tell me to "sit down and stop moving" like at some of the other concerts I went to recently...gonna be some head bangin' and air drumming for sure


Are you in Buffalo? I think they play Darien Lake in August?

Nicko has this odd style, at least to me...super fast playing, but when you watch him he seems otherwise, if that makes sense. Effortless...


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## ddoh (Jan 11, 2017)

"I feel sorry for the folks who smoked and drank and ate poorly. They say they’d rather live big and go out early, but about the time “early” comes around they have second thoughts"

That!

I was one of those. Fortunately, I was lucky (genetics?). Also, I think I got out of that lifestyle early enough. I'm 68 and hoping someday to be that 92 year old MTBer I met in Utah.


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## cyclelicious (Oct 7, 2008)

Canada has a similar non-profit association called CARP (which does a lot of advocacy) but it seems to pale in comparison to AARP

Membership is $19.95/year and that provides access to various services for discounts at select businesses like: insurance, car rental, hotel, motel, funerals, eye exams, cannabis....

http://www.carp.ca/

For being over 55 I get extra discounts and points on my Optimum card if I shop at Shoppers Drug Mart and Loblaws which is cool with me


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## honkinunit (Aug 6, 2004)

cyclelicious said:


> Canada has a similar non-profit association called CARP (which does a lot of advocacy) but it seems to pale in comparison to AARP
> 
> Membership is $19.95/year and that provides access to various services for discounts at select businesses like: insurance, car rental, hotel, motel, funerals, eye exams, cannabis....
> 
> ...


That name seems a little fishy to me.

Probably gets a lot of snide comments about old people carping about this or that as well.


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## tom tom (Mar 3, 2007)

JimmyAsheville said:


> The AARP car insurance is insanely inexpensive. That's the reason I joined AARP. Not quite there for Medicare yet, but I know AARP has some attractive rates for supplemental insurance.


It's not as good as USAA.........


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## tjchad (Aug 15, 2009)

sXeXBMXer said:


> No one better tell me to "sit down and stop moving" like at some of the other concerts I went to recently...


This happened when we went to see Roger Daltrey solo last fall- some ladies in the row IN FRONT OF US were giving my wife the stink eye for dancing and having a good ass time... My wife was having none of that! She just kept on going and when they would throw her the odd look she just gave it right back!


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## Curveball (Aug 10, 2015)

sXeXBMXer said:


> got my Iron Maiden tickets for August


Oh wow, I had no idea that they were even on tour again. This is awesome.

I'll try to go to the September 5 show in Tacoma.


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## cyclelicious (Oct 7, 2008)

honkinunit said:


> That name seems a little fishy to me.
> 
> Probably gets a lot of snide comments about old people carping about this or that as well.


lol Some people join for the halibut


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## Osco (Apr 4, 2013)

AARP, yeah I remember that, It was useless, 1.5% discounts and tons of advertising in my mail box trying to take advantage of my approaching senility.

I never renewed, ten years now and they are still like vultures circling, the paper mail adds will not stop EVER!
What a rip..


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## str8edgMTBMXer (Apr 15, 2015)

Crankout said:


> Are you in Buffalo? I think they play Darien Lake in August?
> 
> Nicko has this odd style, at least to me...super fast playing, but when you watch him he seems otherwise, if that makes sense. Effortless...


In Columbus Ohio...we are driving over to Indianapolis to see them. And yeah, Nikko definitely has one of the most unique styles in all metal drumming...and is really hard to copy! Very "Schitzophrenic", but also rock solid



tjchad said:


> This happened when we went to see Roger Daltrey solo last fall- some ladies in the row IN FRONT OF US were giving my wife the stink eye for dancing and having a good ass time... My wife was having none of that! She just kept on going and when they would throw her the odd look she just gave it right back!


It happened to me at the last few Rush shoes I saw. I was the only one standing and going for it in the whole section...everyone else was sitting in their daad jeans and button down shirts calmly tapping their feet...it w as like a freakin Lawrence Welk show



Curveball said:


> Oh wow, I had no idea that they were even on tour again. This is awesome.
> 
> I'll try to go to the September 5 show in Tacoma.


the rumor is that this will be their last. That is the ONLY reason I shelled out the money for the tix...this will be the first show in my life that I have ever spent more than $70 for a ticket. <- That goes against every fibre of my being! I have not seen them live since the Fear Of The Dark tour


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## Flash (Jan 30, 2004)

sXeXBMXer said:


> In Columbus Ohio...we are driving over to Indianapolis to see them. And yeah, Nikko definitely has one of the most unique styles in all metal drumming...and is really hard to copy! Very "Schitzophrenic", but also rock solid
> 
> It happened to me at the last few Rush shoes I saw. I was the only one standing and going for it in the whole section...everyone else was sitting in their daad jeans and button down shirts calmly tapping their feet...it w as like a freakin Lawrence Welk show
> 
> the rumor is that this will be their last. That is the ONLY reason I shelled out the money for the tix...this will be the first show in my life that I have ever spent more than $70 for a ticket. <- That goes against every fibre of my being! I have not seen them live since the Fear Of The Dark tour


Who sits during a Rush show? I've seen them a dozen times. The last tour everyone was standing.

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk


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## JimmyAsheville (Oct 21, 2018)

tom tom said:


> It's not as good as USAA.........


I actually dropped USAA to go with AARP. The quote was exactly the same, but AARP treats me a little better. And unlike USAA, anyone over 50 can get AARP insurance. To see USAA TV ads, they are all about their customers. In practice, they are just another for profit company trying to get your money.


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## pitdaddy (Aug 6, 2013)

AARP membership is $16 a year. My wife & I love to travel so I try to get AARP rates at motels. The discount for one night will pay my yearly dues. After that it's money saved to buy bike parts!

One year we got a really good rate renting a car from Avis via AARP. More $$ for bike stuff!

As far as age goes I never think about it. About 20 years ago someone older than me gave me that advice. The only time I do think about it is if I get on a trail over my skill level.


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## Curveball (Aug 10, 2015)

Flash said:


> Who sits during a Rush show? I've seen them a dozen times. The last tour everyone was standing.
> 
> Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk


I'm a huge Rush fan. I went to their last concert and the seat was up near where the bleachers meet the ceiling and the sound was horrible. Geddy's bass just sounded like mush. I was pissed that it was their very last tour and I got hosed on the sound.


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## Curveball (Aug 10, 2015)

sXeXBMXer said:


> the rumor is that this will be their last. That is the ONLY reason I shelled out the money for the tix...this will be the first show in my life that I have ever spent more than $70 for a ticket. <- That goes against every fibre of my being! I have not seen them live since the Fear Of The Dark tour


Now I have to go. The last time I saw them was the Aces High tour. They're an awesome live band.

It seems like there are a lot of last tours going on - Ozzy, The Who, Bob Seeger, etc.

It looks like the end of a generation of music is happening now.


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## str8edgMTBMXer (Apr 15, 2015)

Curveball said:


> Now I have to go. The last time I saw them was the Aces High tour. They're an awesome live band.
> 
> It seems like there are a lot of last tours going on - Ozzy, The Who, Bob Seeger, etc.
> 
> It looks like the end of a generation of music is happening now.


Rush is my most fav band, Maiden is very very close second...like .1000' of a second closer!!

I think all arena shows sound is awful in the past 15 years...granted, I have only seen all the Rush shows, and one Police show, but I feel like they pump tons of fake bass and reverb into the overall sound, which definitely muddies it up. It might be the speaker arrays...don't know, but it is definitely too boomy for me...and I like the bass...I play bass, and stand right in front of my stack when we practice, but too much in the wrong mix is not good

And the only thing that has really made me feel old in the past 5 years is the amount of our rock and roll legends who are passing, or hanging it up. That seriously makes me feel older than anything on my bike. Music has been my life, my career, my rock and my Zen/religion, and to see all of those people who are my safety net starting to go away is scary

and if AARP is only ~$16 a year, I would DEFINITELTY recoup that in the amount of traveling I do and getting discounts there


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## Curveball (Aug 10, 2015)

sXeXBMXer said:


> And the only thing that has really made me feel old in the past 5 years is the amount of our rock and roll legends who are passing, or hanging it up. That seriously makes me feel older than anything on my bike. Music has been my life, my career, my rock and my Zen/religion, and to see all of those people who are my safety net starting to go away is scary


Yeah this is unsettling. All of these great musicians and bands that I grew up with and are inspired by are either passing away or retiring. It does make me feel old and sad.

When Peart retired, that really struck me hard because his lyrics and drumming were always such a big part of my life.


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## Cuyuna (May 14, 2017)

I had an AARP card once. I tore it up when they endorsed Obamacare. If it's discounts you want, join AAA.


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## str8edgMTBMXer (Apr 15, 2015)

Curveball said:


> Yeah this is unsettling. All of these great musicians and bands that I grew up with and are inspired by are either passing away or retiring. It does make me feel old and sad.
> 
> When Peart retired, that really struck me hard because his lyrics and drumming were always such a big part of my life.


yep...I don't think I will be able to recover when we lose those guys...I don't even like to think about it.


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## Arebee (Sep 13, 2012)

sXeXBMXer said:


> yep...I don't think I will be able to recover when we lose those guys...I don't even like to think about it.


I was surprised how hard Bowie's death hit me. It affected me more than any other musician to date, even Freddie Mercury and Gregg Allman.

Bowie was probably the best concert I ever saw back in 1990.


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## str8edgMTBMXer (Apr 15, 2015)

Arebee said:


> I was surprised how hard Bowie's death hit me. It affected me more than any other musician to date, even Freddie Mercury and Gregg Allman.
> 
> Bowie was probably the best concert I ever saw back in 1990.


 I was getting into metal/Ozzy right as the Randy Rhoades plane crash happened, and remembered how bizarre it was that famous musicians could die/go away...

that was the first time I experienced that...

then the Cliff Burton thing happened years later. I got to see Metallica with Cliff luckily, but I remember hearing about that and just being stunned. Thinking :"man, I just saw him alive a few months ago, and now he is gone...


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