Encouragement to Ride

Since I started posting on this newsgroup I have taken my bike out
everyday. That is a major miracle. Usually I am a slug. My hobbies are
getting my nails done, finding my 125th great purse, going to the spa
for a facial and dining out. (Get the picture?) Everyone is so
passionate about riding and it is contagious. I am beginning to think
I can even give up my car and bike to work. I am not that far away
from the office, but it would be a major step for me. I want to thank
you all for all the support you give NEWBIES when they post. It really
is wonderful. I needed something to take my mind off the fact that I
am a "50 YEAR OLD"....and this is making me feel like a kid again. :-)
My kids think I am never going to keep up with this riding, but I am
determined to show them I can do something well aside from shop. Once
long ago and far away I was a hippie girl....maybe a little of her
will return in my older years. I would like to think part of her is
still alive in me. Thank you.
Peace and Stuff.

On 1 Nov 2004 03:24:05 -0800, (Maggie)
wrote:

Since I started posting on this newsgroup I have taken my bike out
everyday. That is a major miracle. Usually I am a slug. My hobbies are
getting my nails done, finding my 125th great purse, going to the spa
for a facial and dining out. (Get the picture?) Everyone is so
passionate about riding and it is contagious. I am beginning to think
I can even give up my car and bike to work. I am not that far away
from the office, but it would be a major step for me. I want to thank
you all for all the support you give NEWBIES when they post. It really
is wonderful. I needed something to take my mind off the fact that I
am a "50 YEAR OLD"....and this is making me feel like a kid again. :-)
My kids think I am never going to keep up with this riding, but I am
determined to show them I can do something well aside from shop. Once
long ago and far away I was a hippie girl....maybe a little of her
will return in my older years. I would like to think part of her is
still alive in me. Thank you.
Peace and Stuff.

I'm 51. I stated biking about five years ago for the first time since
I bought a car thirty years ago. This is the first year where I am
commuting by bike and I'm planning on doing it as far into the winter
as I can. Not in deep snow but I'm in a big city so the streets get
plowed pretty quickly.

It's fun. It takes about the same amount of time (an hour) as taking
the bus and train. Plus, when I get home, I don't have to go to the
gym! The only down side is I don't get to read quite as much. I do
listen to the radio while biking (Air America or Pacifica for the most
part being an obligate lefty).

I think you had another thread about it being expensive. Nah, not
really. I spent $300 for the bike I use for commuting. I don't use
pretty bike clothes, although I have been investing in pretty cheap
polyester stuff from Target since I hear that cotton is OUT for winter
biking. I did buy a nice BRIGHT yellow jacket from Cannondale for $90
or so with lots of zippers, to use as an outer layer. Plus some
Cannondale booties ($40) that fit over my sneakers for the cold and
wet days. I haven't had a chance to try them out, but they seem to be
just the thing I was looking for. Better actually, I was looking for
Totes.

I bought several cheap lights for the handlebars with rechargeable
batteries, and a nice red Planet Bike blinky that goes on the back of
the helmet. I think I'll get one more blinky for the seat stay. Those
should provide enough light so that I can be seen. I don't think I'm
going to need much light to actually see where I'm going. Streetlights
and cars will pretty much provide that.

Oh, I got those cool looking lights that screw into the valve stems
and glow while whirling around. That should keep me from being hit
from the side!

What else really costs money? $60 or so for a decent chain and lock. A
helmet. A rack for the back. A $20 computer. Then maintenance costs
for the bike. That's pretty much it I think.

Have fun.

"Maggie" wrote in message
om...
Since I started posting on this newsgroup I have taken my bike out
everyday. That is a major miracle. Usually I am a slug. My hobbies are
getting my nails done, finding my 125th great purse, going to the spa
for a facial and dining out. (Get the picture?) Everyone is so
passionate about riding and it is contagious. I am beginning to think
I can even give up my car and bike to work. I am not that far away
from the office, but it would be a major step for me. I want to thank
you all for all the support you give NEWBIES when they post. It really
is wonderful. I needed something to take my mind off the fact that I
am a "50 YEAR OLD"....and this is making me feel like a kid again. :-)
My kids think I am never going to keep up with this riding, but I am
determined to show them I can do something well aside from shop. Once
long ago and far away I was a hippie girl....maybe a little of her
will return in my older years. I would like to think part of her is
still alive in me. Thank you.
Peace and Stuff.

You're never too old to bikeg I've owned some type of bike since I was
age five and I'm soon to be 62. Only in the past few years have I become a
regular rider instead of the occasional weekend rider and I'm lovin' every
minute of it. I always rode hybrid bikes until this year when I bought my
first road bike. Wow - what a difference. I also took a bike training
course and became a bike patrolmen for the local park system. I've learned
a lot from the other patrolmen who have years of experience.

Enjoy the riding. I know I felt like a kid with my new bike this summerG

Beverly

Maggie wrote:
Since I started posting on this newsgroup I have taken my bike out
everyday. That is a major miracle. Usually I am a slug. My hobbies are
getting my nails done, finding my 125th great purse, going to the spa
for a facial and dining out. (Get the picture?) Everyone is so
passionate about riding and it is contagious. I am beginning to think
I can even give up my car and bike to work. I am not that far away
from the office, but it would be a major step for me. I want to thank
you all for all the support you give NEWBIES when they post. It really
is wonderful. I needed something to take my mind off the fact that I
am a "50 YEAR OLD"....and this is making me feel like a kid again. :-)
My kids think I am never going to keep up with this riding, but I am
determined to show them I can do something well aside from shop. Once
long ago and far away I was a hippie girl....maybe a little of her
will return in my older years. I would like to think part of her is
still alive in me. Thank you.
Peace and Stuff.

hippie chicks don't grow old, maggie.
--
david reuteler

Maggie wrote:
Since I started posting on this newsgroup I have taken my bike out
everyday. That is a major miracle. Usually I am a slug. My hobbies are
getting my nails done, finding my 125th great purse, going to the spa
for a facial and dining out. (Get the picture?) Everyone is so
passionate about riding and it is contagious. I am beginning to think
I can even give up my car and bike to work. I am not that far away
from the office, but it would be a major step for me. I want to thank
you all for all the support you give NEWBIES when they post. It really
is wonderful. I needed something to take my mind off the fact that I
am a "50 YEAR OLD"....and this is making me feel like a kid again. :-)
My kids think I am never going to keep up with this riding, but I am
determined to show them I can do something well aside from shop. Once
long ago and far away I was a hippie girl....maybe a little of her
will return in my older years. I would like to think part of her is
still alive in me. Thank you.
Peace and Stuff.

I'm 49 and got back into biking in June. I was diagnosed with diabetes
a year ago and started controlling my blood sugar tightly and building
up my exercise (I can eat carbohydrates when I take a long ride!). I
had ridden in college, but did touring (self-supported), never trained.
I did a 62 mile organized ride a few weeks ago and am hoping to do a
century the first weekend in December. I'm having fun and I feel great.
I have a friend who says it doesn't work for her, but for me if
exercise were a drug it would be illegal.

In college I drove a Ford Pinto stationwagon. We were a 2 minivan
family for a while but now I have a Ford Escort stationwagon, and it
makes me feel young. It's got 112,000 miles and I'm hoping to keep it a
while (unlike the minivans which had unreliable transmissions). I had a
"service engine soon" light come on yesterday--luckily it turned out
just a spark plug wire that had come unplugged. I got the service
person to show me what happened--the first time I thought about
understanding something under the hood since I was in college. (I asked
"is that the distributor?" and he said cars don't have distributors any
more.) I'm very amused by the ways I am going back to my younger days.

Pam

Maggie,

Congratulations on all the riding! Remember to take a rest day now and
then so your muscles can recover, and you can refresh your manicure
I went from riding a couple days a week to be able to do short
triathlons, to doing centuries, to now biking 6 days a week and
commuting 4 days a week. It is great, and this is my second year over
6000 miles. I almost can't believe it. Though, I have always been
active as an adult...

Anyway, I just got my mother into cycling a couple years ago, and she
is 55! She loves it, and has a whole new outlook. She is much stronger
and more fit than a couple years back.

I know it's all a bit much to take in at first (saw your post about
the expense). But, I would encourage you to take baby steps, have fun,
and just ride! Don't worry about having the right outfit/fancy bike,
or being slow, or obnoxious drivers or anything else. Plus, having a
hobby will give your kids and spouse lots of gift ideas. Maybe by next
year you will have a whole wardrobe of spandex suits in colors that
coordinate with your handbags! Or better yet, fine merino wool
jerseys.

Best,
Sarah

Maggie wrote:

Since I started posting on this newsgroup I have taken my bike out
everyday. That is a major miracle. Usually I am a slug. My hobbies are
getting my nails done, finding my 125th great purse, going to the spa
for a facial and dining out. (Get the picture?) Everyone is so
passionate about riding and it is contagious. I am beginning to think
I can even give up my car and bike to work. I am not that far away
from the office, but it would be a major step for me. I want to thank
you all for all the support you give NEWBIES when they post. It really
is wonderful. I needed something to take my mind off the fact that I
am a "50 YEAR OLD"....and this is making me feel like a kid again. :-)
My kids think I am never going to keep up with this riding, but I am
determined to show them I can do something well aside from shop. Once
long ago and far away I was a hippie girl....maybe a little of her
will return in my older years. I would like to think part of her is
still alive in me. Thank you.

Maggie, I'm a 51-year-old commuter and I can't encourage you enough to try
biking to work. I know some people find other ways to ride every day, but in
the long run there's just no way I could do that if I didn't fit it into my
work routine. Commuting by bicycle means that the little errands that would
delay your return home and prevent you from riding become detours on the
ride home and add to your cycling mileage. With a rack and panniers, you may
not be able to do the grocery shopping for a family of four, but you can
certainly get your nails done and buy a purse, or handle a lot of the other
routine tasks most people do by automobile. I will be biking to the polls
tomorrow morning on the way to work.

Long ago and far away we seemed indestructible. I know better now. I'm not
very concerned with how fast or far I ride; I just want to make sure I stick
with riding every day, and commuting is a great way to do it.

--
Paul Turner

David Reuteler wrote:
Maggie wrote:

Once
long ago and far away I was a hippie girl....maybe a little of her
will return in my older years. I would like to think part of her is
still alive in me. Thank you.
Peace and Stuff.


hippie chicks don't grow old, maggie.

I certainly haven't.

*grin*

Seriously, I don't look, act, or feel my age since I got
back on the bike. A bit of arthritis in my feet is my only
age-related ailment, and these days I embarrass the heck out
of my sons (two grown, two mostly-grown). The DH reports
that they secretly admire me.

You sound a bit like my father-in-law, who's been claiming
to be old since he was about 45. It's amusing around here,
since we have so many regular posters who are in their 40's
and 50's. But relax. You're not old. With modern
lifespans, especially if you exercise and take vitamin E,
you could live to be 90 or 100. By that yardstick, you
ain't old, hippie-chick. :-D

-km

--
Only cowards fight kids -- unidentified Moscow protester

http://community.webshots.com/user/blackrosequilts
proud to be owned by a yorkie

"Paul Turner" wrote in message
...

Maggie, I'm a 51-year-old commuter and I can't encourage you enough to try
biking to work.

Yes, yes yes! Second what Paul said! Is there a bike buddy program where you
live, like we have here?
(http://www.bicyclealliance.org/bikebuddyinfo.htm)


--
Warm Regards,

Claire Petersky
please substitute yahoo for mousepotato to reply
Home of the meditative cyclist:
http://home.earthlink.net/~cpetersky/Welcome.htm
Personal page: http://www.geocities.com/cpetersky/
See the books I've set free at: http://bookcrossing.com/referral/Cpetersky

(Maggie) wrote in message . com...
Since I started posting on this newsgroup I have taken my bike out
everyday. That is a major miracle. Usually I am a slug. My hobbies are
getting my nails done, finding my 125th great purse, going to the spa
for a facial and dining out. (Get the picture?) Everyone is so
passionate about riding and it is contagious. I am beginning to think
I can even give up my car and bike to work. I am not that far away
from the office, but it would be a major step for me.

It really isn't that hard after you do it a few times. I've commuted
on and off for about 20 years (school and work). It is the first few
days until you get a new commuting routine down pat that is the most
problem. It probably is a good idea to have a set of panniers or at
least a backpack when you're commuting since you're likely to want to
carry a few things or maybe stop to pick up a litre of milk etc on the
way home.

And if you're lucky it also helps if you have some storage room at
work for spare (dress) shoes, maybe a sweater etc. At the most
luxerious, I worked for about 10 years for a corporation that had
change rooms with showers and lockers. I kept half my work wardrobe at
the office. I suspect that my tweed jacket didn't make it home in 5
years. The dry cleaners was on the way home so I'd just drop off
things and pick them on on the way to work.

I want to thank
you all for all the support you give NEWBIES when they post. It really
is wonderful. I needed something to take my mind off the fact that I
am a "50 YEAR OLD"....and this is making me feel like a kid again. :-)
My kids think I am never going to keep up with this riding, but I am
determined to show them I can do something well aside from shop.

Of course, with a bike it is much easier to find parking close to the
stores, no more hiking across vast parking lots. .

Once
long ago and far away I was a hippie girl....maybe a little of her
will return in my older years. I would like to think part of her is
still alive in me. Thank you.
Peace and Stuff.

Happy riding
John Kane
Perth ON