Celebrating Positives (offset of the Gripes Thread)

[onetrack]

Those concrete raised lips are deadly when you approach them on an angle. SWMBO came a gutser on her bike in exactly the same fashion, about 10 years ago.

We were crossing a local major arterial road, and when it was safe to ride across, we both pedalled across to the wheelchair access driveway on the other side of the road.

I rode up the driveway square on, but she took it an angle, and her front wheel went flying on the concrete lip, and dumped her quite unceremoniously.

Luckily she was only going slow, and didn't hurt herself (and she's got more padding than I have!)

 

We haven't ridden our bikes much for a while now, the old legs are starting to protest if I do a lot of walking, let alone riding! Must be time to get an electric bike! I'm 75 in 4 mths time!

We used to like going for a ride down alongside the Swan River, the bike paths were quite good even 10 years ago, but they've expanded substantially since that time.

 

I actually won a new bike in a local street festival raffle about 2009, I think it was. It's one of the few times I've actually won anything worthwhile. But I hadn't long bought a new bike, so I gave the win to SWMBO, who did need a new bike. The prize was a basic bike cost, about $280 from memory, but when we went to the cycle shop we asked if we could upgrade, if we added a few dollars.

The bike shop was only too pleased to give us an upgrade, as long as we made up the difference between the $280 and the full cost of any "superior" bike we chose.

 

SWMBO ended up picking a much nicer superior model, and I think it came to about $470, so she paid the extra $190 difference.

We learnt quite a bit from the bike shop owner, including the fact that you need to size the bike frame to your body size - and there's quite a range of bike frame sizes available.

[Jerry_Atrick]

4 hours ago, nomadpete said:

I'm old enough to know I'd rather not meet anything head on.

I think he was talking about in terms of leading and active and fulfilling life.. but somehow I think you knew that 😉

 

I dunno.. meeting Tiffany head one could be a case of - what a way to go!

 

[edit] Those who watch John Cadogan's vids on YouTube will know who Tiffany is

Edited January 19 by Jerry_Atrick

[nomadpete]

Actually I am pleased to hear that in spite of our advancing collecting of birthdays, so many of us are keeping active. And Octave, I hope your recent prang doesn't put you off riding. It is a good low impact exercise.

[Jerry_Atrick]

43 minutes ago, nomadpete said:

It is a good low impact exercise.

Not in this case! 😉

 

[nomadpete]

17 minutes ago, Jerry_Atrick said:

Not in this case! 😉

 

Unintended pun. Honest!

 

Technically, cycling IS low impact.  I do not condone nor recommend falling off.

[onetrack]

And that IS a problem with anything with two wheels - the propensity to fall off. And when you're older, a fall can do a lot of damage to you. Octave got lucky, you generally don't bounce as well when you hit the ground, as you get older.

[octave]

5 minutes ago, onetrack said:

And that IS a problem with anything with two wheels - the propensity to fall off.

 

I think once in 9000KM is probably pretty good and like with aviation the analysis provides another level of safety for my future rides.

 

6 minutes ago, onetrack said:

And when you're older, a fall can do a lot of damage to you. Octave got lucky, you generally don't bounce as well when you hit the ground, as you get older.

True. I think the bigger risk for me would be inactivity.   My wife and I sometimes ride one of the rail trails and as I like to do a longer ride she will sometimes drive to the other end of the trail and ride.  We eventually meet up.    We track each other on our phones so we know where the other is.  I like to joke that she tracks me so she will know where to go to recover the body.

[nomadpete]

11 minutes ago, octave said:

True. I think the bigger risk for me would be inactivity. 

Good risk management is

Balancing a slightly higher risk of a cycling injury against the longer term health risk of inactivity. Inactivity is probably the most serious risk to an ageing body.

 

And 9000k is a fantastic achievement.

 

I used to ride daily but our locale is too risky. And I don't  like having to drive to find a safe cycling location. I still manage to take a brief ride around a paddock but it just isn't the same as a nice long ride on a smooth surface.

[facthunter]

You can't let your strength get too low or you will easily injure yourself by straining something when you do something "different". I've damaged my right side hamstring about 5 times now. That's a muscle tear and hard to get back.as good as it was. Sometimes a bad fall can be the end of certain activities. Your muscles have several rates of response and one can work AGAINST another where you are balancing. You don't need a big external load. When you get older it's a matter of not overdoing things as well. A fit person when immobilised loses muscle mass very quickly even when young...   Nev

[octave]

My wife and I do a short muscle-building routine almost every day.  Although I ought to lose a little weight, my arms and legs are impressively muscular.  My father died in 2020 at the age of 92 but although fitter in earlier years he really let it go in his early 80s  I am not too concerned about the length of life but I do not want to be immobile.  Losing muscle mass is very bad for many reasons.

[octave]

OK folks, I am getting back on the horse (bike) for a gentle ride to the local supermarket to pick up a few things. if I am not back in an hour you can assume to worst😁

[facthunter]

WRONG thread for THAT type of  advice. Easy to  regress isn't it?  Nev.

   Hell I've got to wait for over an hour to know how he's going.. It could be worse. He may have needed 2 hours, .  Nev again.

[Bruce Tuncks]

At last I ( sort of) understand the soldier who wrapped his falcon round a power pole 20 feet up, and it was a flat suburb just like yours!

[facthunter]

Hey, it's about Positives. Nev

[spacesailor]

Positive ! .

I'm still unsure as to ' Ride a bike ' 

Or 

Dump that same bike .

For my ' health ' .

And I raise octave another ten years  .

82 this year but towards the ' year-end ' .

spacesailor

[facthunter]

Use an exercise bike, and watch something at the same time.  Nev

[old man emu]

1 hour ago, octave said:

if I am not back in an hour you can assume to worst

Is that bratwurst or liverwurst we are to assume, or consume?

[nomadpete]

1 hour ago, octave said:

OK folks, I am getting back on the horse (bike) for a gentle ride to the local supermarket to pick up a few things. if I am not back in an hour you can assume to worst😁

I'm on it!

I'll  go over to the Gripes thread and wait.

[facthunter]

If you raise some one an amount,  aren't you playing Poker?   Nev

[octave]

 

Proof of life video.  About 9 times real speed so a bit vertigo-inducing and not particularly interesting. Best with sound

 

Edited January 20 by octave

[pmccarthy]

Cancel Sarwatch!

[Jerry_Atrick]

Well, today was not a bad day in the end.. A little bit of pep on the forums, bumoed into two people I hadn't seen for a while, which was nice; doggo and I had a great walk, got a litle frustrated with the wheelbarrow as it has a puncture and it uses a split pin rather than bolts to hold the wheels on - and they are a bugger to get off; then I realised (as I am not the most dextrous by hand), that the tyres and tubes can be removed without removing the wheels. I could not find the tyre levers for love nor money, so I treated myself to a trip to the bike store to get some, and picked up a nice new jacket at the same time. "Honey.. but it is cold at the moment.."

 

Got the tyres off and patched the tubes; couldn't feel any spikey killy leaf pricks so, on with the tyres..

 

Now am cooking pasta alla Norma (Norma being my late Grandmother's name, although the recipe has nothing to do with her). So, some fond childhood memories; and am helping keep the Aussie wine industry afloat - not with my mate Wolfie, tonight. Mr. Penfolds is tonight's visitor.

 

All in all, not a bad day at the office.

Edited January 20 by Jerry_Atrick

[facthunter]

 Penfolds has a better name in the game.   Nev

[Litespeed]

12 hours ago, facthunter said:

 Penfolds has a better name in the game.   Nev

And the best. 

 

Penfolds 707,  yes named after the aircraft is the best I have ever tasted.

Probably the best my lips will taste in a lifetime.

 

Unless I get filthy rich 🤑 then $800 is a trifle expense.

[Jerry_Atrick]

12 hours ago, facthunter said:

 Penfolds has a better name in the game.   Nev

Yes.. which is why I adress him as Mr. Pendfold