Retro Grouch 

I took my 10 year old grandson on a hike in the woods yesterday. The Lewis and Clark Trail is composed of loops of either 5.3 or 8.3 miles and includes some spectacular views from high limestone bluffs near the Missouri River.

So how'd we both do? The grandson did just fine, thank you. The Grand Dad also did fine for about 6 1/2 miles but it's an 8.3 mile trail. Grand dad has more weight to carry up the hills some of which are pretty steep. The last two major climbs I was reduced to hikeing about 100', stopping to catch my breath, and repeating until I got to the top. The muscles in my toushie got sore from the unaccostumed climbing and are still a little tender today. The steep downhills weren't much better because my feet would slide forward in my shoes and make my tootsies' hurt. There's no danger of being eaten by wolves because, if you run out of insect repellent, the insects of various types consume your carcus in minutes. We did have a real nice sized doe deer watch us from about 100' away for a couple of minutes.

I'm still glad that we went and I'm proud the grandson chose to accept the challenge of hikeing the longer loop. It took us between 3 and 3 1/2 hours for the hike (I didn't bring my watch).

I'm thinking I'll rest up today and only do a bike ride.

stapfam

How old is the grandson? You must be mad to take him with you. He spends all day running about-And I do mean running- and will never tire.

As I said-You must be mad.

Now Bike riding- reckon you might have 3 months before he gets cycle fit so that gives you 3 months of Gym work- Heavy labour to build up the muscles and 3 months where you can take him on a 25 mile ride and beat him. After that----Depends how much training you have got in.

Well done on getting the Family time in.

John_V 

Exactly! Take him on a bike ride.

Last year my 16 yo grandson tells me he can beat the pants off of me riding and he could do it on any bike. I told him I would bet him $20. He thought I wouldn't take him up on the bet when he let his mouth override his ass and bet me $200.00. So, one day I took him to the park where I ride. It's a seven mile paved loop with two service roads; a one mile service road on one end and a two mile on the other. Before I went to pick him up, he tells me that there is something wrong with his bike and couldn't go, so I tell him he could use either one of my bikes, so he opted for the hybrid so he could "give the old man a break."

So, we are on the short service road going around 8-10 mph and I tell him when we get to the loop kick it in gear and haul butt. We got to the loop and I get the road bike at around 25 mph in no time and look back, no grandson. I pulled over and waited for him and when he finally catches up to me I get 10 reasons why he's having a hard time riding and might not be able to beat me on that day. I tell him I would give him a 30 second head start as the bet was that he had to be ahead of me the entire 7 miles. He takes off, 30 seconds later I take off and soon pass him by, waited for him to catch up and got more excuses. So for the rest of the ride, we pretended that grandma (my wife) was riding with us because she doesn't ride vary fast and we couldn't leave her behind.

I didn't collect from him, but he has never bet grandpa that he could outdo me since then. Also, he hasn't been bike riding with me since then. Sometimes you just have to show these kids that being older doesn't mean you're old.

rydabent

Biking is not for sissies. As I tell my 41 year old son that rides a Harley, real men dont need no steekin motor. I have a V-twin----------my left leg and my right leg!!!!

Retro Grouch 

I once stopped at a roadside bar with another guy, who was also wearing lycra shorts, when a group of guys riding Harleys pulled up. As they looked over I said "I guess it's all right, if you're not man enough to make it go by yourself." One of the biggest men that I've ever seen in my life looked me right in the eye and grinned. I'm sure glad that he had a good sense of humor.