You know you are getting old
#26
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I kind of felt old, but good at the same time, when I rec'd a left-handed compliment. My wife and I arrived back at the trailhead on our outdated mtn.bikes. Removed my helmet to cool off a bit and take a drink. Upon seeing the color of hair, and less of it than used to be, a young man asked my age and I volunteered. He remarked "I just can't picture my dad doing this".
#27
Senior Member
Mostly the reaction I get is "WHATTTTT??? You can't be 65, you ride like you're 30". I only look 65 when I take my helmet off. And you know what, I still feel like I'm 30. Except of course when I can barely walk after a 50 mile ride. Or when my HR hits 180 and I know I better ease up. I always used the term "blow up" when I've gone all out until I can't go any more. Now I'm afraid my heart will literally blow up. That's how I know I'm getting old.
#28
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I'm 60, and I haven't gotten any slower. In fact, I'm probably a little faster than I was at 20, 30, 40, or 50. That's the beauty of being REALLY slow when you're young. Almost everyone still passes me, but at least I can honestly say I haven't slowed down!
One "nice" thing about the pandemic, there are more people out there on the roads who haven't been doing much cycling lately. Pre-pandemic, while I'd pass the street people, the beach cruisers, and occasionally pass other people riding flat bars (even if FAR more with flat bars pass me than ones I pass), I could count on one hand the number of people I'd passed in the past 10 years who were on road bikes. I'm not going faster since the pandemic hit, but now I need both hands to count the number of people on road bikes I've passed in the last 6 months! I'm just waiting until I need to use my toes as well as my hands to count the number of people on road bikes I've passed since the pandemic hit!
One "nice" thing about the pandemic, there are more people out there on the roads who haven't been doing much cycling lately. Pre-pandemic, while I'd pass the street people, the beach cruisers, and occasionally pass other people riding flat bars (even if FAR more with flat bars pass me than ones I pass), I could count on one hand the number of people I'd passed in the past 10 years who were on road bikes. I'm not going faster since the pandemic hit, but now I need both hands to count the number of people on road bikes I've passed in the last 6 months! I'm just waiting until I need to use my toes as well as my hands to count the number of people on road bikes I've passed since the pandemic hit!
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#30
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When I pass people, they always look down at their speedometer.
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#31
Me duelen las nalgas
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Very loosely related to bicycling**, but does anyone remember when a rainbow banner/rainbow flag was a symbol of the hippie movement? Seems its been re-used (or co-opt'd) by the racial equality folks in the 1980s-1990s-2000s, then the LGTBQ(?) crowd in the 2000-2010 era.
** - I saw a rainbow-shaped rainbow sticker on the rear window of a 1960s-era VW bug while out on a ride early this morning.
** - I saw a rainbow-shaped rainbow sticker on the rear window of a 1960s-era VW bug while out on a ride early this morning.
#32
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Very loosely related to bicycling**, but does anyone remember when a rainbow banner/rainbow flag was a symbol of the hippie movement? Seems its been re-used (or co-opt'd) by the racial equality folks in the 1980s-1990s-2000s, then the LGTBQ(?) crowd in the 2000-2010 era.
** - I saw a rainbow-shaped rainbow sticker on the rear window of a 1960s-era VW bug while out on a ride early this morning.
** - I saw a rainbow-shaped rainbow sticker on the rear window of a 1960s-era VW bug while out on a ride early this morning.
As to the VW... I still have mine. Bought it new in 74. Still have a Grateful Dead sticker on it.
#33
Senior Member
Very loosely related to bicycling**, but does anyone remember when a rainbow banner/rainbow flag was a symbol of the hippie movement? Seems its been re-used (or co-opt'd) by the racial equality folks in the 1980s-1990s-2000s, then the LGTBQ(?) crowd in the 2000-2010 era.....
#34
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You know you're getting old when at the meeting to set up festivities for your 50th high school class reunion, you smile and propose a group bike ride around town on the 10-12 miles of paved path on Saturday morning? The room goes silent and you have several blank faces staring at you with their mouths open.
#35
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I'm at the age when I can't see with my glasses, can't see without them. Usually hang them on my shirt for need.
Often riding my bike I feel my shirt for my glasses and they're not there. Then after a moment of panic realize I'm wearing them properly. Pretty bad when you can't remember you're wearing them!
Often riding my bike I feel my shirt for my glasses and they're not there. Then after a moment of panic realize I'm wearing them properly. Pretty bad when you can't remember you're wearing them!
#36
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You know you're getting old when at the meeting to set up festivities for your 50th high school class reunion, you smile and propose a group bike ride around town on the 10-12 miles of paved path on Saturday morning? The room goes silent and you have several blank faces staring at you with their mouths open.
#37
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You know you're old when you find the time to read six pages of a disc vs. rim brakes thread.
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#40
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It helps to get old and still be rich enough to enjoy it.
#41
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Just to be in the US, we're way ahead of most of the world.
But back to the OP, I think you REALLY know you're getting old, when people start talking about you in the third person, and you're not allowed to participate in family discussions.
But back to the OP, I think you REALLY know you're getting old, when people start talking about you in the third person, and you're not allowed to participate in family discussions.
#42
Grouchy Old man
You know your getting older, when the music you grew up listening to as a teen, becomes fodder for TV commercials.
#43
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He said they made more money from the commercial than they ever did from record sales.
I know some bands won't do it but for these guys it helped a lot.
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#44
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You know you are old when you are spending your kids' inheritance instead of your own.
#45
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Nice looking beetle. A friend had one while we were in high school almost 50 years ago. It was missing half its paint. We decided to give it a repaint using white exterior latex paint. Lasted until he got rid of the thing a few years later.
#46
Senior Member
But that music is still being played in college bars everywhere! Current music is so fragmented in terms of genre and taste that college bars settle on the one thing all the kids know, their parent's music. Hotel California anyone?
#47
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Being old and a biker isn't about going somewhere fast. It is a matter of getting there at all.
#48
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#49
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You know you're getting old when you forget your way back to the parking lot, and you're on a rail-trail.
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#50
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I'm old enough to remember when red ribbons were to symbolize opposition to apartheid. Then briefly, anti-drunk driving and substance abuse awareness. And then HIV-AIDS awareness. So yeah, symbology can change.