New Over 50 Thread For Non-Subscribers

[AdrenalineAddict]

I wanted to throw in my 2-cents worth but couldn't get to page 4. I'm 56 and still hanging in there with the young crowd. A couple years ago I cornered some young fun looking fellas in the Lionshead parking lot and asked if I could tag along. One smartass said, "Only if you can hang, don't need any handicapped folks being a problem". We rode for a few hours and I helped most the handicapped fellas in the group get unstuck all morning. When I took my helmet off one kid said, "Man you are really really". I said,"Old, gray, or bald. He said, "I was thinking all the above". I told them I was headed back to the trailer but wanted to do one more cornice drop, the young kid yelled, "Don't break a hip". Most my riding buddies have lost interest or turned into drunks, I actually think it goes together when you're drunk you lose interest. I can still find plenty of folks on the mountain every day that like to have fun, just ride with whoever shows up. I ride about 60 days a season and still enjoy every ride as if it was my first. I just kinda sorta Velcro the dislocating shoulder in place, velcro the dislocating knee in place, wear the best back brace I can buy and Rock and Roll. Every ride I try to improve my skills instead of saying I'm going to take it easy. I've found riding with a young exuberant crowd is way more fun than hanging around a bunch of cranky old ba------ds anyway. Without a little "Powder Therapy" life would be tough.

 

[Pro-8250]

You are defiantly an inspiration to many of us. Very nice post and thank you!
For me personally, I do ride with a much younger crowd. My biggest problem is driving 1000-1200 miles one way in crap weather with limited daylight hours. Every year it gets harder and harder.

 

[Texasron]

I'm 75 and I still ride only 20 days a yr now. Hardest part is the 1000-1200 miles to Steamboat, Snowies, or others. I used to like some of younger guys, but they were so immature , childish, large egos or thieves. I ride alone as little as possible. Older guys are more responsible and get stuck less. I might trade up this year to an 850....don't know. I tried to organize a group by areas. Therefore asking cities or zip codes. Some guy on SW thought I was trying to find out where they live so I could rip them off. Don't know how he arrived at that idea. He made a big deal of it (6) years ago. I would still like to do that and guys in that ares could meet at a trail head and all would be SW members/readers in same area. Still a good idea. Takes organizing. Happy Trails to you as Roy Rogers used to say.

 

[AdrenalineAddict]

After nearly 2 months with temps hovering around 100 degrees this 90 degree cold snap almost feels like fall. I went through the sled the other day, fresh belt, rebuilt the primary, cleaned up the secondary, even picked up some fresh gas so I could wing it up a bit. This old fart is so looking forward to winter, it can't come soon enough. I hope these new 850's will run awesome as a couple of my riding buddies will be on them, but the flipside is I hope my '18 will give'em fits. I might just have to work my old bones a little more than usual in an effort to keep up. Everything in life has become a bore except a crazy steep and deep sled ride. Bring It On !!!

 

[Big10inch]

Well, I turned 50 the day after you made that original post. My body is definitely starting to get a little tired, my knees have been barking at me all summer. Still, I drug the Kitty out of the garage last weekend and fired it up, gave it a little summer exercise. My same age riding buddy is feeling the same, a little worn but still very passionate about the sport. We recently talked about all of the great times we have had over the last 15 years of riding together in these mountains. Neither on of us is ready to hang it up. I can still school the younger crowd in the trees but not all weekend, all day like I used to. The other two in our group, one turning 59 this year and the other passed away last spring at 60 have helped motivate us young 50 somethings to keep going for a while longer. We all live to ride in the winter. We may have to start slowing it down a little but I think we are still far from done...

 

[catnuts]

dont want a pat on back or nothing just want to ride but if i can be a inspiration well i hope i can help, im currently 67 been riding for about 20 yrs and about 2000 mile each yr. and its at the top of my list, i have one arm and other ailments more with each passing yr. but ill will be darn if im gonna just roll over and call it quits. keep riding and have fun

 

[AdrenalineAddict]

I'm going to carry on about the Feds a bit here. It looks as though the only legal riding area we have (that actually gets enough snow to ride) may be shut down by the Forest Service for the winter. It's not a newly designated wilderness, but a lame excuse to keep the public off more forest service ground. A summer time fire in Lamoille Canyon and the subsequent damage to several guardrails has resulted in what will likely be a shutdown until the damage can be repaired next construction season. Big Brother said it's far to dangerous to travel down the road without protective guardrails in place. Let's put this in perspective, I gauge avalanche danger daily, I ride steep narrow do or die chutes, I drop cliff type terrain most everyday. I run long sidehills with no escape if things go bad in order to get from A-B, and simply call it fantastic calculated very dangerous fun. Guess What, mountain snowmobiling is an extremely dangerous frickin sport, been doing it successfully for 46 years, now I may be shut down for the winter and very possibly longer because a federal highway and geotechnical engineer pull a ridiculous opinion out there azz. I guess it's true "You Can't Fix Stupid", they sure like to interfere with others lives, it's got to the point where some of the decisions made are not even comprehensible.