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Old age and riding

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Texas T

Texas T

LD Rider
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Sun Lakes & Show Low, Arizona
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Brian
It appears that there are both mental and physical benefits to riding. I stole this from a friend who was posting on another board.

Last summer on a beautiful Sunday I had ridden my Motorcycle to Two Wheels of Suches for breakfast. Sitting with 4 friends that get together every Sunday, we were talking about riding at our age and that was one of the secrets of staying in such good shape. We were all in our mid 70's and one of us was 81. A fellow old fart in full Adventure Klim gear came up to get a coffee refill. He stood tall and slim, walked with vigor, and was definitely all there. He joined in briefly and said that he was having a blast on his new BMW R1200GS and wanted to get back on the bike. He then he told us that his new Beemer was a birthday for his just passed 94th birthday.......Walked out to watch him mount up and ride off.........Looked great......
 
Being able to ride at 94 is awesome. However, at that age, physically things can go from good to bad suddenly: heart attack, stroke, aneurysm, etc,... Not to mention if you do have a minor get off, recovery can be a real problem. I guess at 94 though, who cares!? :-P
 
Good stuff.

When it’s your time to go, it’s your time to go.

I enjoy God and His creation so much while I’m riding cuz I need to be totally engaged and He’s in control of my surroundings-every buzzard or deer that flies out from a ditch, every smell of green grass, dead carcass or cow manure, every cloud and sunbeam and raindrop, every driver that drives rightly or drives wrongly-and how many beats are left in my heart.

Ride often while you’re able and enjoy.
 
I’ve been riding road bikes since a kid for the economy. Started dual sports about 15 years ago and enjoy that a bunch. 52/3 yrs old with a weak heart and just took up semi real dirt bikes. All @aspr ’s fault but I love it. Even built my own home track. I ride it at least 3 days a week if I’m not on another bike. On the weekend when the skirt is home I’ll walk in dripping sweat and panting and she asks if I’m ok? I smile and say I got my workout.
 
Tourmeister said:
Being able to ride at 94 is awesome. However, at that age, physically things can go from good to bad suddenly: heart attack, stroke, aneurysm, etc,... Not to mention if you do have a minor get off, recovery can be a real problem. I guess at 94 though, who cares!? :-P
Click to expand...
At that age you are certainly more likely to have one of those afflictions, but let's not forget that none of us are immune.

www.wthr.com

Former Colts cheerleader makes comeback year after stroke

At only 28 years old, the Bloomington native Tessa David suffered a stroke.
www.wthr.com www.wthr.com
 
Tourmeister said:
Being able to ride at 94 is awesome. However, at that age, physically things can go from good to bad suddenly: heart attack, stroke, aneurysm, etc,... Not to mention if you do have a minor get off, recovery can be a real problem. I guess at 94 though, who cares!? :-P
Click to expand...
Suggesting he not ride??:eek2:
 
Texas T said:
He then he told us that his new Beemer was a birthday for his just passed 94th birthday.......Walked out to watch him mount up and ride off.........Looked great......
Click to expand...

That’s impressive. Although, I sure wish they would have asked him what oil he uses...
 
Life is like a box of chocolates. Especially if you look at the diagram on the inside of the assortment. I Am the alpha and omega, the beginning of all good things and the end of all bad things. Romans 8:28. All things are not always what we consider good things but can work for our good. Yeah, 94 is old, enjoy, cow-boy. :thumb:
 
Rsquared said:
That’s impressive. Although, I sure wish they would have asked him what oil he uses...
Click to expand...
SON004.jpg


:duck:
 
Riding motivates me to keep in shape. Mentally and emotionally the activity is a huge plus for me. Enormous stress buster.
Right brain activity also, that fits my genetics.
 
Being retired for three years now and having young lives in my life, riding is not something I can share with them. I build the my happiness on of these young humans for me being there to aid in whatever puts a smile on their precious little faces. Went through this when my children came along, now being blessed with their offspring, probably time to sell some bikes...
 
Tourmeister said:
Being able to ride at 94 is awesome. However, at that age, physically things can go from good to bad suddenly: heart attack, stroke, aneurysm, etc,... Not to mention if you do have a minor get off, recovery can be a real problem. I guess at 94 though, who cares!? :-P
Click to expand...
Back when I was 21(?), I was hit head on by a gentleman that was over 85yrs old. Forgot exactly how old he was, but he walked laborly when he got out of the car and definitely needed the cane he had. It wasn't hard to see that he was about as blind as a bat and made me wonder how he passed the vision test at the DMV. I had just bought a brand new VW Golf with money I had saved up working part-time while going to college. I was in bad shape for weeks, but if that were me right now, I would've been hurt a lot worse. Still, that accident was a major disrupter for me for that entire semester and a downer in many ways longer than that.

Only fortunate thing was that the old dude didn't take out a pregnant mom with a car full of little ones.

As much as I enjoy my freedom to pursue whatever happiness I fancy, not a day goes by I don't think about the potential consequences said pursuit might have on others around me.
 
68 and stubbornly holding onto what I've got.

Well, age IS more than a just state of mind. As Andy Rooney once famously said, "That stuff about how you're only as old as you feel is a bunch of bunk. The truth is you're as old as you are."

That said, part of the secret is to never give up. I've been running 4 miles 3 times a week for decades. I've had to make a few concessions - I run slower, usually only twice a week now, and I run shorter distances in the summer. But I keep it up because it keeps my cardio vascular system young. Last year, I realized I was losing upper body strength (could be a problem if I drop the VStrom) so I've started a regimen of working out with 10 lb weights to keep my strength up. There are loads of mental exercises to keep your brain strong (try doing long division in your head) and there are balance classes for those who are tending toward that problem.

There are a lot of ways for us oldsters to keep ourselves healthy and enjoying our hobbies and sports; we don't have to accept the norms of our age. And hey, if I realize one day that I just can't safely do motorcycling anymore, there'll be a used Porsche 911 somewhere....... :pirate:
 
I'm pretty sure that my injuries will stop me riding at some point, but not yet!
I refuse to give up just because it hurts, if I'm going to be in pain then I am going to earn it! :doh:
The truth is, I was probably going to be in pain anyway so why not have a little fun first.
When the day does come, at least I will have the memories of what I have seen, been and enjoyed.
 
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