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

Why I ride.

Old 07-26-19, 03:02 PM
  #51  
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Originally Posted by Bandera
Agree. Those choices for many of us are not a sudden revelation or atonement for past missteps but part of a lifestyle that was out of the mainstream decades ago but with some beneficial consequences that are a by-product of cycling as a sport, along with the injuries that are also part of the deal.

That being said there is nothing more tedious than the smug sanctimonious humble brag inserted into a sermon on riding the bike as some sort of health panacea, sign of superior virtue, vitality and determined grit. Yawn.....

-Bandera
Well put.
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Old 07-26-19, 03:03 PM
  #52  
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Originally Posted by indyfabz
This thread reminded me that I need to pick up a pack of smokes after I leave work and ride to happy hour for a couple of Manhattans. My favorite bartender works tonight. She and I have know each other for more than 14 years.

OBTL
Speaking of Manhattans I have recently improved to my taste on the classic recipe by substituting Knob Creek Rye whiskey for the Evan Williams Bottled in Bond Bourbon that I've used for cocktails and Dolin Sweet Vermouth for the Martini & Rossi Red Vermouth and Orange peel for a Cherry. Ask your bartender, good choice to avoid "mixologists", to concoct one along those lines for you.
There are many ways to actually enjoy life without making it into a dour struggle, a carefully prepared cocktail being one of them.

-Bandera

Last edited by Bandera; 07-27-19 at 06:17 AM.
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Old 07-26-19, 04:01 PM
  #53  
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Originally Posted by Bandera
Speaking of Manhattans I have recently improved to my taste on the classic recipe by substituting Knob Creek Rye whiskey for the Evan Williams Bottled in Bond Bourbon that I've used for cocktails and Dolan White Sweet Vermouth for the Martini & Rossi Red Vermouth and Orange peel for a Cherry. Ask your bartender, good choice to avoid "mixologists", to concoct one along those lines for you.
There are many ways to actually enjoy life without making it into a dour struggle, a carefully prepared cocktail being one of them.

-Bandera
Ah, one of my favorite alcoholic beverages. You can't beat a good manhattan ... and the key is the bitters. I have no idea why.

Some time ago, after the Solvang DC, three of us went to the Hitching Post ... the bar/restaurant featured in the move "Sideways." We each ordered a manhattan, each with a different whiskey/rye, and tasted the result.

I'm generally a JD fan (I'm actually a Tennessee squire), but we all agreed that the red top darling ... the Makers Mark ... made the best Manhattan.

I read somewhere recently that despite all the health claims for red wine and the like, adding all the risks together, NO amount of alcohol in any form is safer than abstention.

So what.
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Old 07-26-19, 04:49 PM
  #54  
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Originally Posted by Ray9
A lot of people wonder why I do something every day that would kill most people if they tried it once.................
I rode today to celebrate a friend who 7 years ago was doing what he loved and it did indeed cost him his life. Peter M. Cornell | ghost bikes

For my friend who was a wall of a rider, my 101 miler, begun at 12:29AM during a frog choking thunderstorm on my 2002, $100.00, 7 speed Magna with front basket purchased at Target.
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Old 07-27-19, 04:55 AM
  #55  
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Why I ride
Originally Posted by Ray9
A lot of people wonder why I do something every day that would kill most people if they tried it once. Because I read the warnings on cigarette packages I abstained from the habit in 1976 when the price of the lung destroyers was 35 cents a pack.

Observations of friends and relatives that abused alcohol convinced me to avoid the poison and seeing the damage done to those who smoked weed and progressed to the stronger stuff alerted me to the reality that I and I alone have responsibility for my personal health….

As a Baby boomer I got great deal. Jonas Salk and Alexander Fleming cleared the minefield of many diseases that took out depression-era citizens and my path was easier. I have a huge appreciation for those who worked so hard to make things better for me. That’s why I ride my bike; It’s good for my heart, my lungs and my mind.

You do what you want; you’re free for now. See you on the road.
Originally Posted by indyfabz
This thread reminded me that I need to pick up a pack of smokes after I leave work and ride to happy hour for a couple of Manhattans.

My favorite bartender works tonight. She and I have know each other for more than 14 years.

OBTL
Originally Posted by gregf83
I think you need to ride more and worry less about what other do. Maybe have a drink and relax once in a while.
Originally Posted by Bandera
Agree. Those choices for many of us are not a sudden revelation or atonement for past missteps but part of a lifestyle that was out of the mainstream decades ago but with some beneficial consequences that are a by-product of cycling as a sport, along with the injuries that are also part of the deal.

That being said there is nothing more tedious than the smug sanctimonious humble brag inserted into a sermon on riding the bike as some sort of health panacea, sign of superior virtue, vitality and determined grit. Yawn.....
Originally Posted by teejaywhy
As a Libertarian, you should believe that everyone DOES have the right to poison themselves.

But you are correct, they should have the responsibility to bear the consequences of their behavior.
Originally Posted by big john
The Wrath of Ray9?
Hi @Ray9,

I won’t attempt to insinuate myself into this controversial discussion, but I am reminded of a controversial thread you started in 2017. I responded with several posts in ambiguous reply:
Originally Posted by Ray9
“My new $7,000 bike and the futility of justifying the price to the average person.”

The average cost of a pack Marlboro Reds in the US is … The average cost of a six pack of Bud in the US is … The average weed smoker in the US spends about $...

$9.73+$7.25 = $16.98 a day for the booze and butts. $2500/365= about $7 a day for weed. $16.98+$7 = $23.98 a day. $23.98 x 365 = $8,752.70 in a year for the average American to satisfy his or her self gratification. $8,752-$7000 = - $1,1752.

So I'm still short since I do not smoke tobacco, consume alcohol or use weed. This is the best I can do. And this expense is for just one year, the expense for average self gratification goes on year after year until of course the medical expenses kick in.

My last bike which I paid $3000 for in 2008 has lasted me for seven years. This is the best way I can explain the cost. People look very confused and dumb when I explain it this way. The pedals and some special wheels increase the cost of the bike.
Originally Posted by Jim from Boston
Frankly, besides justifying your purchase to yourself, I detect a hint of self-righteousness in your detailed analysis of costs of the habits of other, “average” (read: lesser) individuals compared to the monetary value of your superior cycling lifestyle. Kind of like the so-called “reformed smoker.”

Nonetheless, you’re speaking to the choir here, a better informed and receptive audience

I think a more appropriate discussion of explaining costs of a fine bike to a non-cyclist was asked on this thread, Do you tell strangers how much your bike costs?"
Originally Posted by Jim from Boston
…bragging rights are also fun.
Originally Posted by Jim from Boston
Furthermore as described previously:

This enhanced riding experience translates into greater motivation to cycle-commute with corresponding monetary savings, and additional road cycling, both with health-promoting benefits. To paraphrase the MasterCard slogan:

Specialized S-Works carbon fiber bike, $4000…riding it, priceless.”

Last edited by Jim from Boston; 07-27-19 at 04:59 AM.
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Old 07-27-19, 05:21 AM
  #56  
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I ride a bike because I like to ride a bike. The fact that I am in pretty good health at 78 has more to do with having healthy ancestors than my habits.
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Old 07-27-19, 05:52 AM
  #57  
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Originally Posted by Ray9
A lot of people wonder why I do something every day that would kill most people if they tried it once. Because I read the warnings on cigarette packages I abstained from the habit in 1976 when the price of the lung destroyers was 35 cents a pack. Observations of friends and relatives that abused alcohol convinced me to avoid the poison and seeing the damage done to those who smoked weed and progressed to the stronger stuff alerted me to the reality that I and I alone have responsibility for my personal health.

In 1972 when I watched Frank Shorter win the Olympic Marathon I started running to stay in shape when no one else I knew was doing it. I ran for many years until my joints and ligaments began to protest and because I had saved thousands from not buying tobacco weed, or alcohol, I had the resources to purchase an expensive racing bicycle in 1983. It was the best investment of my life as nearly all of the people who were putting powder up their noses at the time are either already dead or swallowing their faces in a nursing home today.

As a libertarian I support the choices of all the corpses and institutionalized vegetables warehoused in beds across the nation enjoying the fruits of those choices. Every day at 72 I get on my bike and ride fifty miles, chasing the wind with clear lungs by choice. I know there is a risk due to traffic, driver inattention and impaired vehicle operation but it’s a risk worth taking just like the risk many others took when they voluntarily sabotaged their vital organs with chemicals.

If I should meet my end on the highway don’t feel sorry for me because any sympathy I have for those who threw away their health by eating like pigs, smoking like chimneys and drinking like fish can be measured in microns.

As a Baby boomer I got (a) great deal. Jonas Salk and Alexander Fleming cleared the minefield of many diseases that took out depression-era citizens and my path was easier. I have a huge appreciation for those who worked so hard to make things better for me. That’s why I ride my bike; It’s good for my heart, my lungs and my mind.

You do what you want; you’re free for now. See you on the road.
Have mercy - I never begrudge anyone a decent life, but your arrogance is almost palpable.

Seriously, there's only one way we all get out of here (i.e., life on this earth), and the effects of aging are inevitable for all of us. A very few get to the end of life fully ambulatory and with their wits intact, only to go out quickly and with little fuss. The rest of humanity fights against the infirmities of aging and eventual loss of faculties to the very end.

Then, just as someone else carried us from the birthing table to the crib without us knowing it, we are carried from the deathbed to the grave without a clue as to what is happening.

Some sage once said that "humility is seeing ourselves as the divine sees us." I'm not advocating any particular religion, but I am saying there is an inescapable reality that each of us has to face at the end of life.

So you certainly should enjoy the vitality you have, but you also need to know the day is coming when a bit of humility will help you face those who will care for you when you are no longer able to care for yourself.

BTW, please excuse my nitpicking (former English teacher here), but I corrected your writing in your penultimate paragraph.

Just keeping it real...
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Last edited by BookFinder; 08-02-19 at 04:56 AM. Reason: Clarity of word-usage
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Old 07-27-19, 10:33 AM
  #58  
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A little arrogance might help as you get older. As Betty Davis is reported to have said"Old age ain't for sissies."
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Old 07-27-19, 12:13 PM
  #59  
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IDK ... having spent a lot of time working for a firm known for its arrogance, I found a great difference between 'I'm top notch' and 'I'm better than you.' One acknowledges that there are other capable people around; the other does not.

Taking pride in one's own accomplishments is great. Dissing others demonstrates ... suffice it to say that needing to criticize others, especially as generalizations, isn't a winning characteristic, IMO.
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Old 07-27-19, 12:23 PM
  #60  
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As the Monkees so elequently put it, "People say we monkey around, but we're too busy singing, to put anybody down ... Hey hey we're the Monkees", etc.
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Old 07-28-19, 08:34 AM
  #61  
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Originally Posted by ironwood
A little arrogance might help as you get older.
A boatload of it won't. As demonstrated on this thread it appears to have resulted in a bitter old man ranting that no one else is as wonderful as himself.
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Old 07-28-19, 02:40 PM
  #62  
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A boatload of arrogance is hubris, which the Greek gods punished. One example is J.I. Rodale founder of Prevention Magazine, who was being taped on the Dick Cavett show and was bragging how healthy he was and said he would live to a hundred, and then dropped dead. The segment never aired.
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Old 07-29-19, 12:30 PM
  #63  
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Originally Posted by jon c.
I ride because it makes me smile.
OOO Rah.
(And no, I am not a Marine, and I don't mean to be blasphemous by that response: it's a whole-hearted affirmation of this sentiment.)
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Old 07-29-19, 12:46 PM
  #64  
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Originally Posted by ironwood
A boatload of arrogance is hubris, which the Greek gods punished. One example is J.I. Rodale founder of Prevention Magazine, who was being taped on the Dick Cavett show and was bragging how healthy he was and said he would live to a hundred, and then dropped dead. The segment never aired.
Are you saying that Zeus killed Rodale like he whacked Phaethon, Icarus and possibly Paul Castellano?
I did not know that.

-Bandera
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Old 07-29-19, 01:51 PM
  #65  
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Kind of a harsh judgement of others. However....

I understand your sentiment and applaud you for the choices you've made. And, not to be political (but you know I am about to that's what makes this country so great...the ability to choose our lives and either benefit from, or pay for, our actions.

I grew up in a house where my dad smoked 3 packs of unfiltered Camel cigarettes a day. It wasn't until I was ~12 yrs. old that I realized it interfered with my eating (no clue about the health issues at the time). Never smoked.

In high school, one of my best friends was a reds, 'ludes and, eventually, cocaine user (which killed him @ 45 yet, all I did was smoke dope for a few years until I realized how much it affected my attitude and perspective on life.

~20 yrs. ago, I created a sciatic nerve issue playing competitive volleyball one night. Not long after I gave up high impact sports: v-ball, b-ball, downhill skiing, cross country skiing, backpacking, hiking, etc. So I went out and bought a mtn. bike because I needed to remain active. Best choice I made.

Ironically, becuz of a spill I took on my bike one day ~6 yrs. ago, it "realigned" my body and the sciatic nerve issue disappeared (still occasional morning soreness in that hip area, tho). However, after spending so long wondering if the condition was really gone, I am now getting back into hiking and hope to do my 1st backpack trip at the end of this summer (prob'ly overly optimistic) in over a decade or more.

BTW - I turned 66 this year.

To all those who made choices that improved their lives and the lives of those around you, I salute you. To those who did not, I hope you are able to find your way back to a path which brings you joy and happiness in the world.

Be smart. Be safe. Always have a plan b, c, d, etc.....

Originally Posted by Ray9
A lot of people wonder why I do something every day that would kill most people if they tried it once. Because I read the warnings on cigarette packages I abstained from the habit in 1976 when the price of the lung destroyers was 35 cents a pack. Observations of friends and relatives that abused alcohol convinced me to avoid the poison and seeing the damage done to those who smoked weed and progressed to the stronger stuff alerted me to the reality that I and I alone have responsibility for my personal health.

In 1972 when I watched Frank Shorter win the Olympic Marathon I started running to stay in shape when no one else I knew was doing it. I ran for many years until my joints and ligaments began to protest and because I had saved thousands from not buying tobacco weed, or alcohol, I had the resources to purchase an expensive racing bicycle in 1983. It was the best investment of my life as nearly all of the people who were putting powder up their noses at the time are either already dead or swallowing their faces in a nursing home today.

As a libertarian I support the choices of all the corpses and institutionalized vegetables warehoused in beds across the nation enjoying the fruits of those choices. Every day at 72 I get on my bike and ride fifty miles, chasing the wind with clear lungs by choice. I know there is a risk due to traffic, driver inattention and impaired vehicle operation but it’s a risk worth taking just like the risk many others took when they voluntarily sabotaged their vital organs with chemicals.

If I should meet my end on the highway don’t feel sorry for me because any sympathy I have for those who threw away their health by eating like pigs, smoking like chimneys and drinking like fish can be measured in microns.

As a Baby boomer I got great deal. Jonas Salk and Alexander Fleming cleared the minefield of many diseases that took out depression-era citizens and my path was easier. I have a huge appreciation for those who worked so hard to make things better for me. That’s why I ride my bike; It’s good for my heart, my lungs and my mind.

You do what you want; you’re free for now. See you on the road.
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Old 07-29-19, 01:56 PM
  #66  
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I appreciate and admire your subtlety. I too am a baby boomer, but I did contribute generously to the tobacco industry for many years. I did not, however, give to the weed, alcohol, or illicite drug trade. Unfortunately, I did not take up the cycling habit until my latter years, but now that I have, I love every minute of it. Due to my advanced age and inability to heal quickly, I have avoided the mountain bike thing, but as a roadie, there is nothing better that brand new asphalt. God, I love a smooth, clean, flat road. This year, I did have to have my aortic valve replaced, but I don't think that was caused by any particular thing that I did. The flaps just got hard. Oh well, in any case, I am glad you are a happy cyclist. Maybe I will see you on the road some day.
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Old 07-29-19, 02:13 PM
  #67  
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@Leadrunner

Not sure if your comment was directed at my post (which is right above yours). If so, thank you for noticing and reading and I appreciate the feedback! If not, ignore this post

I love a smooth, clean, flat road, too (ride with kind of hybrid tires). Unfortunately, I have run into more than my share of road bikers who seem to look down on me (and may have the same attitude as the person I quoted above). It only happens often enuf for me to notice, but it never takes away from my enjoyment of my rides. And some of the trail walkers and riders seem to exhibit similar discourteous behavior



Originally Posted by Leadrunner
I appreciate and admire your subtlety. I too am a baby boomer, but I did contribute generously to the tobacco industry for many years. I did not, however, give to the weed, alcohol, or illicite drug trade. Unfortunately, I did not take up the cycling habit until my latter years, but now that I have, I love every minute of it. Due to my advanced age and inability to heal quickly, I have avoided the mountain bike thing, but as a roadie, there is nothing better that brand new asphalt. God, I love a smooth, clean, flat road. This year, I did have to have my aortic valve replaced, but I don't think that was caused by any particular thing that I did. The flaps just got hard. Oh well, in any case, I am glad you are a happy cyclist. Maybe I will see you on the road some day.
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Old 07-29-19, 02:59 PM
  #68  
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Old 07-29-19, 09:36 PM
  #69  
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Why do I ride ?
Why don't I ride ?
Why do all these people post on Bike Forums ?
Why am I reading all these posts ? I could have gone on a ride. Now it is too dark.
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Old 07-30-19, 08:21 PM
  #70  
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Just like some religious zealots I've met. Everyone who's not them drinks a fifth of JD, smokes 2 packs of ciggies, and has hook-ups with a different woman, every day. Makes me wonder where they got their statistics but also why I never had that much fun.
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Old 07-31-19, 09:10 AM
  #71  
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This is what I should have said the first time:


I’m taking today off to give my saddle sores a break. 350 miles a week takes its toll but it is manageable. At 72 I am 5’5 and weigh 125 pounds. When I go to a department store to buy a pair of pants I get the same size I wore in high school. I pull them off the rack with a 29 inch waist and they slip right on like they are tailored. Because I go to a gym most days of the week I still have six-pack abs even though I never do ab workouts; only biceps, triceps, chest, shoulders and latts; about 40 min a day.

To me cycling is like brushing my teeth or bathing; a necessary chore. You don’t have to ride on my level to get the major benefits of cycling. In fact twenty miles a day will get you the golden protection that comes from taxing your heart and lungs to get a return on good health. You don’t even have to lose a lot of weight though if you want to get faster and stronger you will need to. Cycling is flexible; your muscles, joints and bones benefit even at moderate rates of effort so long as you do it regularly.

We can’t fight aging. I am getting cataracts and when I read or do close work my eyes will not refocus for distance instantly like they used to. I can’t read road signs far away like I could a few years ago. I have Solar Purpura which means “easy bruising” on my forearms. Years of running, cycling and triathlons with no sunscreen have compromised the thin connective tissue just beneath the skin and just a minor bump will produce a bruise that lasts for about three weeks. I wear Under Armour sleeves all the time now. I also have ocular hypertension which is high pressure on the optic nerve but I do not have glaucoma which is damage to the nerve. I take eye drops to drop the pressure (I forgot to put them in last night).

My bloodwork is always great, BP is good. I had a stress test last year and exceeded all the parameters for heart heath. The cardiologist stated that heart disease is very unlikely though I have had atrial fibrillation on rare occasions brought on by stress and anxiety. He did not recommend blood thinners because they are more dangerous than the heart rhythm changes.

I ride because I can and because years ago I got good bicycles when I gave up running. I’d be a fool to stop now. See you on the road.

Last edited by Ray9; 07-31-19 at 09:20 AM.
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Old 07-31-19, 09:26 AM
  #72  
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Originally Posted by movelo
Why do I ride ?
Why don't I ride ?
Why do all these people post on Bike Forums ?
Why am I reading all these posts ? I could have gone on a ride. Now it is too dark.
"But why, some say, the moon? Why choose this as our goal? And they may well ask why climb the highest mountain? Why, 35 years ago, fly the Atlantic? Why does Rice play Texas?

We choose to go to the moon. We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard, because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone, and one which we intend to win, and the others, too." - JFK speech at Rice University in Texas on Sept. 12, 1962
Above quote begins at 2:47
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Old 07-31-19, 09:34 AM
  #73  
Bandera
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OP: Thanks for the revised sermon and detailed report on your pants size over time, arduous workout schedule, variety of chronic and age related health conditions and hope that your saddle-sores clear up soon.
I'll take it under advisement to not attempt to "ride on your level" even though I'd never be able to get my now elderly legs developed over decades of cycling into my high school Levis.

See you on the road.

-Bandera
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Old 07-31-19, 11:31 AM
  #74  
teejaywhy
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Originally Posted by Bandera
Speaking of Manhattans I have recently improved to my taste on the classic recipe by substituting Knob Creek Rye whiskey for the Evan Williams Bottled in Bond Bourbon that I've used for cocktails and Dolin Sweet Vermouth for the Martini & Rossi Red Vermouth and Orange peel for a Cherry. Ask your bartender, good choice to avoid "mixologists", to concoct one along those lines for you.
There are many ways to actually enjoy life without making it into a dour struggle, a carefully prepared cocktail being one of them.

-Bandera
Originally Posted by Biker395
Ah, one of my favorite alcoholic beverages. You can't beat a good manhattan ... and the key is the bitters. I have no idea why.
I like the Dolin vermouth as well. Rittenhouse is my go to rye for Manhattans. What bitters do you like biker395? I've been using the standard Angostura.
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Old 07-31-19, 12:27 PM
  #75  
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Saddle sores are a fact of life if you ride high mileage. I keep them clean and mix a triple antibiotic with cortisone cream rubbed into them. I also use a product that I get at Dick’s Sporting Goods called “Body glide” as a lubricant applied before the ride. My last ride was 72 miles with 5,000 feet of ascent (we have hills here). On hill is 2.3 miles long at 12%. Many more hills are 10% and long. I also go to sales at the end of the cycling season and buy a bunch of bib shorts at half price so I can throw away the ones that are worn.
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