Cycle Touring for Aging Baby Boomer

I am sixty-six years old and ride my avenue motorcycle a hundred twenty-five miles a week on average. In the beyond eight years, I have ridden my motorbike about forty,000 miles, almost as many miles as I even have driven my automobile. In the equal duration, I began and bought a motorcycle shop and have become a certified bike fitter. I even have done bicycle excursions in Europe, ridden the California coast, scaled an 8200′ mountain, and carried out numerous fundraising rides. I do not say this to boast; however, biking has given this getting older boomer a whole new lifestyle. If you had requested me ten years ago that I would grow to be a passionate bicycle owner, I might have laughed at you. At the time, I turned into a complete-time pastor of a Methodist church. I turned into usually energetic in sports activities and cherished playing basketball. Unfortunately, because of rheumatoid arthritis, I ought to now not raise my arm sufficient to shoot a free throw. Like many boomers, I took up golf. That became even worse. I took lessons, went to golfing college, but in no way progressed. I was depressed. I couldn’t run, and I hated going to a gymnasium sitting on a spin bike.

About this time, my denomination changed into planning a fundraising bicycle excursion for Habitat for Humanity from Fullerton, California, to San Diego, a hundred-mile experience. I concept perhaps I may want to try and train for this trip. I dusted off my cheap mountain motorcycle and started to journey the sixteen miles round trip to my church, and boy did it hurt. I changed into additionally approximately 30 lbs—overweight which failed to assist. I determined to put on a few lighter tires, which helped a touch; however, natural relief got here from every parishioner. He said I should borrow his carbon avenue motorcycle, which was striking in his garage.

Slowly but honestly, I picked up speed, gained patience, and lost weight. I was still intimidated through hills, so I joined the Habitat experience at mile 30. It wasn’t clean. However, I completed the trip, and I became hooked. My subsequent undertaking turned into education for a bicycle excursion sponsored through the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, the MS 150. It is a hundred and fifty-mile journey over two days. Having a captive audience as a pastor, I was capable of enhancing over $3500. I have determined to participate in fund elevating bicycle excursions to be fulfilling. The experience is super, the human beings you meet are first-rate, and the most fantastic feeling comes from doing something for a superb motive.

This past summer, I participated in the California Coast Classic for the Arthritis Foundation. The tour included 520 miles over eight days from San Francisco to Santa Monica. It became a revel in of a lifetime, using the direction at 15 miles an hour and stopping to appreciate the view instead of whizzing by way of at 70 miles an hour. Camping alongside the way and making some remarkable friendships. Raising cash for arthritis studies changed into a no-brainer for me. If you are a growing old boomer like me, signing up for one of the many fundraising bicycle excursions is excellent to get began.

If you love to travel as my wife and I do, do it on two wheels. There is not anything quite like exploring the European u. S. Side and ancient villages on a bicycle. One of our great motorbike excursions changed into every week in Riccione, Italy. Riccione is placed on the Adriatic Sea, approximately eighty miles south of Venice. Riccione has over a dozen lodges that cater to cyclists imparting exquisite everyday manual tours within the gorgeous surrounding hills. When you end your trip, you’re treating like royalty with high-quality foods and drinks. Cycle traveling in Europe can be remarkably low-priced, specifically if arranged via nearby excursion operators. Most of Europe is hugely bike pleasant. Drivers are courteous, and a maximum of the roads are well paved. This 12 months, we are organizing a motorcycle and barge ride along the Danube River in Austria. The Danube Cycle Path is one of the most famous points of interest in Europe.