Man, I'm getting Old...

Chris09

Chris09

Joined
May 27, 2021
Messages
1,032
Age
63
Location
Coquitlam British Columbia Canada
Bike
2009 ST1300
As I ponder the possible opportunities to carry on in my wayward fashion to which I have become accustomed to, I have to notice that the basic equipment doesn't work quite the way it used to.
It's not an recognition, at least at this point, nor an admission of declining mental acumen, or physical strength, but I was just wondering...
Did that ever happen to you?
 
I'm about the same age as you Chris, whilst at times I feel like a spring chicken, at others I'm starting to feel it.
I dont think it probably helps being a motorcyclist either, all those big/little knocks come back to haunt you.
But until health means I can't do stuff I intend to get on with it, just at a slower pace. Retirement helps with that.
You could of course find a younger partner, I considered having a fling with a young floozy but I don't think I could run fast enough to catch one, and if I did she would probably kill me.
It's a dilemma.
Upt.
 
Chris09 said:
As I ponder the possible opportunities to carry on in my wayward fashion to which I have become accustomed to, I have to notice that the basic equipment doesn't work quite the way it used to.
It's not an recognition, at least at this point, nor an admission of declining mental acumen, or physical strength, but I was just wondering...
Did that ever happen to you?
Click to expand...
At 63? Baby, you ain't see nothing yet .... :old1:
Wait til you start having to have replacement parts installed! ;)
 
Maybe. At my old age of 66.5 I have built 48' of 6' tall chain link fence all by myself since Monday. I bought the fence materials Monday and unloaded them and moved all that to my shed in the back yard. I bought 9 each 80# bags of Quikrete Tuesday. I had to move those off the skid at the store onto the cart to purchase, into the the truck to haul them, unload at home. That was moving a mere 2880 pounds....

Well let's say quickly I dug fence post holes, mixed Quikrete in buckets, set 5 poles, placed the top rails, stretched the bottom tension wire, installed fence, wire it down, changed mind cut off 2" off the pole tops, buried the fence 2" down into the ground and cleaned up tools times 3 days...

I sat on my blue jeans most of yesterday wondering why my feet are wobbly when I try to walk and my back hurts but I'm OK, I'm Ok, I'm OK....

Life is pretty good though and I hope the rides are looooooong this year!!!!
 
Riding more now -- but enjoying it less? Have a real motorcycle - when you change to BMW you get more to enjoy!

Camel Man

53520588043_2ac0384737_z.jpg
 
You know you are approaching middle age when You begin replacing body parts.o_O You know you are getting old when all your new parts start wearing out! :eek::rofl1:
Welcome to the club!
 
I started riding on the street at 15. Family genealogy says I would live to 78 naturally (older brother, father, both grandfathers made it to 78). My goal was to ride until I was 70. Some things start declining at 40, more at 50. more goes wrong at 60 and even more at 70. I made my goal of riding till I was 70, but was having some more serious issues (heart, prostate etc) to go along with the general muscle aches/weakness, eyesight, hearing, memory, reflexes slowing down etc. Doctors and drugs have kept me going and riding. In 3 months I turn 74 and I'm still riding 300 days+ and 20,000 miles+ a year.

Some people are blessed, few ailments, brain sharp as a tack, eyes like a hawk, can work hard all day into their 80's, but the reality is for most of us it's not like that ..and it's natural. Our bodies are designed to eventually fail.

I rode to a Doctors appt the other day, and they were asking me general old people questions they ask these days, do you fall a lot, are you depressed etc, and I told them no I was good and wondered why they were asking.. and they said "we ask everybody your age.. some 73 year olds still ride motorcycles (while pointing to my jacket and helmet), while other 73 year olds are riding walkers".

Enjoy every day you have, ride as much as you can if that's what you like, and realize that it's natural to slowly lose abilities as you age.
 
I'm 2 months I'll be 60, when I was a few months from 50 I decided to get into better shape and lost 40 lbs.

A few months ago I decided as I approach 60 I'd try to be in the best shape of my life. Lost 8 lbs and about 8 more to go. I'm hitting the Stationary Bike for 60 to 90 mins a day 6 days a week. I don't smoke and rarely drink and my food intake is healthy and i try to burn more than i eat most of the time. My knees and feet have stopped hurting and I feel really good.

Moral, you are in control with most things in your life.
 
W0QNX said:
Maybe. At my old age of 66.5 I have built 48' of 6' tall chain link fence all by myself since Monday. I bought the fence materials Monday and unloaded them and moved all that to my shed in the back yard. I bought 9 each 80# bags of Quikrete Tuesday. I had to move those off the skid at the store onto the cart to purchase, into the the truck to haul them, unload at home. That was moving a mere 2880 pounds....

Well let's say quickly I dug fence post holes, mixed Quikrete in buckets, set 5 poles, placed the top rails, stretched the bottom tension wire, installed fence, wire it down, changed mind cut off 2" off the pole tops, buried the fence 2" down into the ground and cleaned up tools times 3 days...

I sat on my blue jeans most of yesterday wondering why my feet are wobbly when I try to walk and my back hurts but I'm OK, I'm Ok, I'm OK....

Life is pretty good though and I hope the rides are looooooong this year!!!!
Click to expand...
When you're right, you're right. Just get on with it. Whatever it, is.
During the first year of lock down (remember that) our fence got flattened by a Storm, I actually doubted myself, haven't got a clue why? But 45 x 9' posts were ordered and fencing repaired over a few months. I figure that equates to digging about 130 ft of holes and fixing 250 ft of 6 ft fencing. Plus about 50 large bags of postfix.
Sometimes we surprise ourselves, hell sometimes we even enjoy it.
Upt.
 
Here's last years birthday card from my wife says so muchIMG_4877.jpgInside of the card said " You will do the same stupid $#!ff but slower. My appoligees for the bad word in the inside of the card which you deleted.
 

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I will be 67 in a month. My mind is as good as ever and I don't have any major physical issues. I have diabetes that cam on suddenly about 4-5 years ago. It is well controlled as long as I am in control. Most noticeable to me is lower energy and upper body strength is less. I've always been a lower energy person even when I was young but it is more noticeable now. I have found that getting an extra hour of sleep each night keeps me more active during the day. I still work a 50-60 hour week and at the end of the week I am tired but I guess that's normal. I've done a lot in the last couple of years to get the younger guys in the Engineering Dept. that I am in charge of ready to take the reins and am starting to hand off some of my responsibilities. I have to say though that when I go for a ride especially with my son, when I return home I feel I can still handle my bike well. I am more careful when I go off pavement to not get myself in a situation where I would get stuck being that I'm not as strong as I used to be.
 
I'm 71 and feel like I did in my 50s. Woke up this morning and rode to church for a Men's Breakfast. Temp was 35F. The only hard part was getting out of bed. The breakfast gathering was earlier than I'd like now that I'm retired. :D

Like @the Ferret said, one time several years ago my doc asked me all those old people questions. Now we just talk about Montana, guns and fishing. Much more fun.

Chris
 
I'll be 69 in May, have two after-market hips, deal with some aches and pains, but wouldn't give up riding for anything. I set up my '01 for less knee and hip bending with a tall RDL and an extra-high handlebar.

ST1100a.jpg

My '96 has a lower RDL but OEM handlebars. Since my second hip has healed, I can ride it without too much complaints from my body now. In fact, I can mount either bike from either side.
 
I’m 60. On Thursday I rode about 600 miles over 12 hours. I take one 500 mg Tylenol morning and night. I use caffeine pills, only took two on that trip. I have a terminal illness.
I am on a keto diet, it works very well for me, it gives me a lot of energy, stamina. So perhaps the feeling of getting old is to some extent diet related and more important with age. But also it’s a state of mind. Don’t let the old man in.
 
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