Go Back  Bike Forums > Bike Forums > Fifty Plus (50+)
Reload this Page >

My 1st ride in 22 years!

Notices
Fifty Plus (50+) Share the victories, challenges, successes and special concerns of bicyclists 50 and older. Especially useful for those entering or reentering bicycling.

My 1st ride in 22 years!

Old 05-08-19, 01:56 PM
  #26  
fietsbob
Banned
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: NW,Oregon Coast
Posts: 43,598

Bikes: 8

Mentioned: 197 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 7607 Post(s)
Liked 1,354 Times in 861 Posts
Ah, 1st ride In 22 years , not a 22 year long ride ... ..
fietsbob is offline  
Old 05-08-19, 01:58 PM
  #27  
DowneasTTer
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: North Central Florida
Posts: 825

Bikes: 2022 LiteSpeed CHEROHALA CITY, 2019 Canyon Roadlite 9.0 CF LTD, 2015 Giant FastRoad CoMax 1, 2001 Mongoose Pro Triomphe,

Mentioned: 7 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 129 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 84 Times in 50 Posts
Originally Posted by FlRon
I live in SW Florida.
We're up in the north central part near the Withlacoochee Trail which is a paved 46 mile rail trail. We try to walk 3/4 miles and ride 30 miles each day. Anyway once you build up your bike riding ability, head over to Sanibel Island to ride Wildlife Drive during the cooler months. Lots of wifd life it's 4 miles long with another 3 or so back on the bike trail to the Ding Darling Nature Center. Enjoy your riding it's a great way to get and stay in shape or at least the best shape we old folks can get and remember no matter how far you pedal you are ahead of the guy on the couch.
DowneasTTer is offline  
Old 05-09-19, 05:06 PM
  #28  
FlRon
Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Apr 2019
Location: Florida
Posts: 49

Bikes: Specialized Crossroads

Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 17 Post(s)
Liked 34 Times in 12 Posts
2.1 mile walk and 3.1 mile ride this morning. Felt great!
FlRon is offline  
Old 05-10-19, 06:24 AM
  #29  
Gerry221
Senior Member
 
Gerry221's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: Scotland
Posts: 155

Bikes: Giant TCR Advanced, Merida Racelight, Specialized Allez, Bianchi Doss 500 MTB

Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 45 Post(s)
Liked 51 Times in 23 Posts
Originally Posted by FlRon
2.1 mile walk and 3.1 mile ride this morning. Felt great!
Amazing, buddy!

Logged in to see if you had updated us all.

Proud of you bud.
Gerry221 is offline  
Old 05-10-19, 03:44 PM
  #30  
FlRon
Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Apr 2019
Location: Florida
Posts: 49

Bikes: Specialized Crossroads

Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 17 Post(s)
Liked 34 Times in 12 Posts
Originally Posted by Gerry221
Amazing, buddy!

Logged in to see if you had updated us all.

Proud of you bud.
Thanks Gerry. No ride today(so far) as I took my wife shopping for a few hours. She’s been feeling cooped up a bit so I needed to make some time for her today. Still hoping to get out after dinner however😉
FlRon is offline  
Old 05-11-19, 01:29 PM
  #31  
FlRon
Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Apr 2019
Location: Florida
Posts: 49

Bikes: Specialized Crossroads

Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 17 Post(s)
Liked 34 Times in 12 Posts
Today’s Update

Walk= 2.6 miles

Ride = 6.16 miles

The heat and humidity are here in force!
FlRon is offline  
Likes For FlRon:
Old 05-12-19, 03:17 AM
  #32  
dennis336
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Connecticut
Posts: 523

Bikes: Trek Domane, Surly Disc Trucker

Mentioned: 3 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 170 Post(s)
Liked 103 Times in 68 Posts
From a 1 mile ride to over 6 miles in less than a week. You should feel very encouraged! Keep riding but watch the extreme heat and humidity!
dennis336 is offline  
Old 05-12-19, 07:18 AM
  #33  
FlRon
Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Apr 2019
Location: Florida
Posts: 49

Bikes: Specialized Crossroads

Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 17 Post(s)
Liked 34 Times in 12 Posts
Originally Posted by dennis336
From a 1 mile ride to over 6 miles in less than a week. You should feel very encouraged! Keep riding but watch the extreme heat and humidity!
Thank you Dennis. The heat and humidity are things I’m always aware of. I learned to pace myself in those conditions after my heart attack. I definitely have limits and am very careful not to cross the line as they say. When I finished my 6 mile ride I knew it was time to stop. I wasn’t exhausted by any means, I just knew that for me it was time to stop.
Take care!
FlRon is offline  
Old 05-15-19, 11:07 AM
  #34  
Doc_Wui
Senior Member
 
Doc_Wui's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Chicago Suburbs
Posts: 1,395

Bikes: GT Transeo & a half dozen ebike conversions.

Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 339 Post(s)
Liked 268 Times in 189 Posts
Originally Posted by FlRon
Walk= 2.6 miles

Ride = 6.16 miles

The heat and humidity are here in force!
We haven't either here in N. Illinois since last August. I miss it, but we were in SW Florida in January. Wow your winter weather is so nice. It was 80 on New Years Day in Tampa, and I know I walked a lot that day chasing my granddaughter thru Busch Gardens.

So the walk is probably 90 minutes. The ride is 45 minutes. Jump in the water for a bit to cool down, and you've got the beginning of a triathalon. Take care and stay healthy!
Doc_Wui is offline  
Old 05-15-19, 12:38 PM
  #35  
FlRon
Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Apr 2019
Location: Florida
Posts: 49

Bikes: Specialized Crossroads

Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 17 Post(s)
Liked 34 Times in 12 Posts
Originally Posted by Doc_Wui
We haven't either here in N. Illinois since last August. I miss it, but we were in SW Florida in January. Wow your winter weather is so nice. It was 80 on New Years Day in Tampa, and I know I walked a lot that day chasing my granddaughter thru Busch Gardens.

So the walk is probably 90 minutes. The ride is 45 minutes. Jump in the water for a bit to cool down, and you've got the beginning of a triathalon. Take care and stay healthy!
Just the other day my wife was teasing me about not doing too much too soon. She mentioned that I wasn’t training for a triathlon! Funny that the two of you would mention the same thing!

I did 7 miles on Saturday and I sure felt it. So I’m now hovering between 5-6 miles as I build my strength up. Getting out early is the key, but even then it’s been very humid the past few days. I also figured out that I’m not drinking enough water to replace what I’m losing.

Of course, everyone comes here in the winter to escape the cold, but they leave before they can truly appreciate how hot it gets here in July & August. Come back then and try Busch Gardens😁
FlRon is offline  
Old 06-03-19, 08:48 PM
  #36  
FlRon
Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Apr 2019
Location: Florida
Posts: 49

Bikes: Specialized Crossroads

Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 17 Post(s)
Liked 34 Times in 12 Posts
Still going!

So, I have adjusted my morning routine slightly. Instead of walking 3 miles I backed off to between 2-2.5 miles. Now that I’m riding 4-5 days a week five to six miles at a clip, I figured I could walk a bit less. The only down side is that I sometimes come up a bit short of my 10,000 daily step goal. At any rate, I’m still going strong while I put together a new exercise plan. Loving my bike!
FlRon is offline  
Likes For FlRon:
Old 06-05-19, 10:28 AM
  #37  
Maelochs
Senior Member
 
Maelochs's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2015
Posts: 15,453

Bikes: 2015 Workswell 066, 2017 Workswell 093, 2014 Dawes Sheila, 1983 Cannondale 500, 1984 Raleigh Olympian, 2007 Cannondale Rize 4, 2017 Fuji Sportif 1 LE

Mentioned: 144 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 7628 Post(s)
Liked 3,452 Times in 1,823 Posts
Originally Posted by fietsbob
Ah, 1st ride In 22 years , not a 22 year long ride ... ..
Dang, someone else noticed first .......
Maelochs is offline  
Old 06-06-19, 06:48 AM
  #38  
Helderberg
Senior Member
 
Helderberg's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2018
Location: Rolesville NC
Posts: 816

Bikes: Had an old Columbia in the 80's, here a used Schwinn hybrid, now a Cannondale Quick 3 and a Topstone 105..

Mentioned: 4 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 249 Post(s)
Liked 306 Times in 139 Posts
Congratulations! I am in NC and find the humidity is what hurts the most. Do what you can and enjoy.
Frank.
Helderberg is offline  
Old 06-06-19, 07:58 AM
  #39  
Thomas15
I think I know nothing.
 
Thomas15's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: NE PA
Posts: 711
Mentioned: 6 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 233 Post(s)
Liked 290 Times in 204 Posts
Originally Posted by FlRon
So, I have adjusted my morning routine slightly. Instead of walking 3 miles I backed off to between 2-2.5 miles. Now that I’m riding 4-5 days a week five to six miles at a clip, I figured I could walk a bit less. The only down side is that I sometimes come up a bit short of my 10,000 daily step goal. At any rate, I’m still going strong while I put together a new exercise plan. Loving my bike!
I really appreciate what it is that you are doing!

I just turned 61. The last big ride I did was a 50 mile trip in 1994. I have ridden a few times since, almost all of it on a rail trail using a mountain bike and nothing more than a slow 20 miles. I think going into 2019 I had a total of about 300 miles total over the last 24 years.

I decided that I would ride in a charity 65 mile road course in July. This meant that I had to take my mid-1980s classic steel out of mothballs and make her seaworthy. I did this over the long PA winter.

Long story short with about 400 rail trail miles logged in since January 1, I rode in a warm up 30 mile road ride last Saturday (6/1/19). This was challenging I think about 6 long hills to climb. I was not ready at all but somehow I made it. Took a few days to recover and hit the trail on Tuesday, did a "quick" 20 miles and I have to say I feel fantastic. I think having pushed myself beyond what would be consider reasonable, which I would never had done if I were simply riding on my own, I think that event took my physically into a different plane. I'm actually looking forward to increasing my ride mileage. I'm going to ride a minimum of 3 times/week and starting next week take my distance up 5-6 miles/week.

So I'm really glad I got up the gumption and made the commitment. I hope you FIRon are able to do the same!
Thomas15 is offline  
Likes For Thomas15:
Old 06-06-19, 04:47 PM
  #40  
FlRon
Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Apr 2019
Location: Florida
Posts: 49

Bikes: Specialized Crossroads

Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 17 Post(s)
Liked 34 Times in 12 Posts
Originally Posted by fietsbob
Ah, 1st ride In 22 years , not a 22 year long ride ... ..

For sure! I tried to edit the title but couldn’t so at least it’s generated a couple of chuckles!
FlRon is offline  
Old 06-06-19, 04:53 PM
  #41  
FlRon
Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Apr 2019
Location: Florida
Posts: 49

Bikes: Specialized Crossroads

Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 17 Post(s)
Liked 34 Times in 12 Posts
Originally Posted by Thomas15
I really appreciate what it is that you are doing!

I just turned 61. The last big ride I did was a 50 mile trip in 1994. I have ridden a few times since, almost all of it on a rail trail using a mountain bike and nothing more than a slow 20 miles. I think going into 2019 I had a total of about 300 miles total over the last 24 years.

I decided that I would ride in a charity 65 mile road course in July. This meant that I had to take my mid-1980s classic steel out of mothballs and make her seaworthy. I did this over the long PA winter.

Long story short with about 400 rail trail miles logged in since January 1, I rode in a warm up 30 mile road ride last Saturday (6/1/19). This was challenging I think about 6 long hills to climb. I was not ready at all but somehow I made it. Took a few days to recover and hit the trail on Tuesday, did a "quick" 20 miles and I have to say I feel fantastic. I think having pushed myself beyond what would be consider reasonable, which I would never had done if I were simply riding on my own, I think that event took my physically into a different plane. I'm actually looking forward to increasing my ride mileage. I'm going to ride a minimum of 3 times/week and starting next week take my distance up 5-6 miles/week.

So I'm really glad I got up the gumption and made the commitment. I hope you FIRon are able to do the same!
Thomas you are in a league that I doubt I’ll ever see. Twenty and thirty mile rides are something that seems unobtainable from where I’m at today. I’m doing between 5-7 miles four days a week, in addition to walking 2.5-3.0 miles six days a week. I’m trying to just get stronger, but I really don’t have any set goals as of yet. Maybe in a few months I’ll start thinking along those lines. Your post is very encouraging, and I thank you for it.
FlRon is offline  
Old 06-06-19, 04:55 PM
  #42  
FlRon
Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Apr 2019
Location: Florida
Posts: 49

Bikes: Specialized Crossroads

Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 17 Post(s)
Liked 34 Times in 12 Posts
Originally Posted by Helderberg
Congratulations! I am in NC and find the humidity is what hurts the most. Do what you can and enjoy.
Frank.
We’ve had 90% humidity for the last week here, and now that the summer rains are coming it’s only going to get worse. Most mornings on my walk it takes me about a 1/4 mile before my body adapts to the humidity, and after that I’m good to go for the day. I like how you said to “do what you can and enjoy”. That’s what I’m doing, and I really am enjoying it.
FlRon is offline  
Likes For FlRon:
Old 07-24-19, 10:22 AM
  #43  
FlRon
Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Apr 2019
Location: Florida
Posts: 49

Bikes: Specialized Crossroads

Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 17 Post(s)
Liked 34 Times in 12 Posts
Quick update

So I thought I’d check back in and let everyone know that I’m still riding. I ride 3-4 days a week in addition to my morning walk. I did my first 10 mile ride a couple of weeks ago, but typically ride 5-7 miles. I’m taking my time, gaining confidence and skills needed to ride, especially in traffic. Bought new lights and mirrors for the bike, as well as new tubes and tires. What a difference those made!
Take care everyone, and happy riding!
FlRon is offline  
Likes For FlRon:
Old 07-25-19, 01:00 PM
  #44  
philbob57
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Chicago North Shore
Posts: 2,331

Bikes: frankenbike based on MKM frame

Mentioned: 7 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 714 Post(s)
Liked 602 Times in 371 Posts
Twenty and thirty mile rides are something that seems unobtainable from where I’m at today.
Sure. Impossible. Except that now you can ride 10 miles.

I think there are 3 basic ways of going about this. One is to set a goal you really want to achieve - if you really want it, you'll probably get there. The other is to keep riding and see what happens. If you like riding, you'll probably find yourself increasing your miles even without a mileage goal. I mix the 2 - my main reason for riding is to enjoy myself, but I also have some goals.

The first time I rode after 11 years off (when I was 27), I had to crawl upstairs. Literally.

Going from 2 blocks with chest pain to 2.6 miles without pain is a substantial achievement any way you look at it. Congratulations and enjoy!
philbob57 is offline  
Old 07-25-19, 03:52 PM
  #45  
FlRon
Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Apr 2019
Location: Florida
Posts: 49

Bikes: Specialized Crossroads

Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 17 Post(s)
Liked 34 Times in 12 Posts
Originally Posted by philbob57
Sure. Impossible. Except that now you can ride 10 miles.

I think there are 3 basic ways of going about this. One is to set a goal you really want to achieve - if you really want it, you'll probably get there. The other is to keep riding and see what happens. If you like riding, you'll probably find yourself increasing your miles even without a mileage goal. I mix the 2 - my main reason for riding is to enjoy myself, but I also have some goals.

The first time I rode after 11 years off (when I was 27), I had to crawl upstairs. Literally.

Going from 2 blocks with chest pain to 2.6 miles without pain is a substantial achievement any way you look at it. Congratulations and enjoy!
Thanks for the encouraging words! I really haven’t thought of goals except for going 10 miles, which I did a couple of weeks ago. Right now I’m just enjoying being out riding. It is surprising to me just how relaxing and enjoyable this is. Got caught in a torrential rain this morning so I cut my ride short at 5 miles.
FlRon is offline  
Old 07-25-19, 07:11 PM
  #46  
jppe
Let's do a Century
 
jppe's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 8,316

Bikes: Cervelo R3 Disc, Pinarello Prince/Campy SR; Cervelo R3/Sram Red; Trek 5900/Duraace, Lynskey GR260 Ultegra

Mentioned: 59 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 651 Post(s)
Liked 879 Times in 408 Posts
Terrific! There are a lot of us here that started back Riding just like you have. Keep up the great riding. Regardless of what anyone says the most important thing is to keep the riding fun and challenging. Just do what you enjoy doing.
jppe is offline  
Old 07-26-19, 04:39 PM
  #47  
TiHabanero
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2012
Posts: 4,435
Mentioned: 15 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1726 Post(s)
Liked 1,350 Times in 705 Posts
FlRon, I had a co-worker back about 10 years that was seriously overweight and poised for cardiac arrest. His doctor told him to get his life under control. He turned to me out of desperation and asked if I would ride with him. Of course I did! Three years after that he was putting in 50 and 60 mile days, weighing in at 240 pounds and was healthy again. Every once in a while I hear from him as he lives several states away now, and he is still spinning the miles, and rides with the go fast club several times a week. Just think, all it took was a simple 2 mile ride with him and another and another.

YOU WILL DO IT!
TiHabanero is offline  
Old 08-24-19, 05:18 AM
  #48  
BookFinder 
Lifelong wheel gazer ...
 
BookFinder's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Lower US 48
Posts: 346

Bikes: All garage sale finds...

Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 72 Post(s)
Liked 36 Times in 26 Posts
Yo @FlRon I ran across this one again this morning and am wondering how things are going?

Best to you, and keep the rubber side down!
__________________
Current bikes: Unknown year Specialized (rigid F & R) Hardrock, '80's era Cannondale police bike; '03 Schwinn mongrel MTB; '03 Specialized Hard Rock (the wife's)
Gone away: '97 Diamondback Topanga SE, '97 Giant ATX 840 project bike; '01 Giant TCR1 SL; and a truckload of miscellaneous bikes used up by the kids and grand-kids

Status quo is the mental bastion of the intellectually lethargic...
BookFinder is offline  
Old 08-24-19, 01:45 PM
  #49  
FlRon
Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Apr 2019
Location: Florida
Posts: 49

Bikes: Specialized Crossroads

Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 17 Post(s)
Liked 34 Times in 12 Posts
Originally Posted by BookFinder
Yo @FlRon I ran across this one again this morning and am wondering how things are going?

Best to you, and keep the rubber side down!
Things are going great, and thanks for asking! I did 10 miles this morning, and my best to date is 12 miles. I could easily do 15 miles or more, but I'm pacing myself for now just enjoying being out there riding.
FlRon is offline  
Likes For FlRon:
Old 08-30-19, 07:05 PM
  #50  
rudypyatt
Full Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Brooklyn
Posts: 341

Bikes: Windsor TimeLine; Linus Gaston 3; Sears Free Spirit

Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 43 Post(s)
Liked 99 Times in 46 Posts
This is so inspiring to read. I went from about 1981 until 2010 without riding a bike. Got back into in a big way from 2010 until about 2 years ago: Thanks to some health problems, I only started riding again at the end of July. I used to ride 100 miles a week, and 25 miles was easy.

Since starting up again, I have gone from 4 to 7 to 14 to now 16 miles this past weekend. I want to add a couple of miles to that tomorrow. It is a big deal to get back into it. I just have to remind myself that it’ll take time to build back to what I used to do.

Keep rolling, and stay safe in FLA with that storm coming in!
rudypyatt is offline  

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.