Thanks covid, getting a bit old how many more Alpine trips?

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jawaka
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Joined: 6 Dec 2007, 2:46pm

Thanks covid, getting a bit old how many more Alpine trips?

Post by jawaka »

i've turned 66 and have been to the Alps and Pyrenees for the last 12 years, but unlike being young when there's always next year, well I think my age means limited years to do it and covid has robbed me of a year which i can't get back.

I really only ride for touring and this annual trip, and I can't really stimulate myself to just go out on the old familiar roads: touring is discovering always something new around the corner.

So mostly I train on a smart trainer as easy to nip on the bike for a half hour hard push.

I have good reason to be determined as I had a serious illness and nerusurgery and complications 20 years ago and took 5 years to fully recover and my first Alps trip was to prove to that I was back. I am probably the slowest ever, but the challenge is getting there. I think the difference over the years is a longer recovery time.

Some years I seem to have trained better than others, so having read about watts/kilo, I have been using the smart trainer to have some objective measure although I don't know what is a good figure for the mountains. I think I might be at my limit. not sure how accurate is the tacx vortex but I've got to 3 w/k , 210/68.4, but at hr ave 140 and max 160, which if it's good enough for mountains without too much agony that's fine by me.

I think rather than go electric I'd rather tour in uk under my own power. It's funny but my contemporaries feel the same: that you really are as young as you feel age shouldn't be a barrier and I see fellow oldies on here feel much the same.
roubaixtuesday
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Re: Thanks covid, getting a bit old how many more Alpine trips?

Post by roubaixtuesday »

French campsites are open; not sure if all are, and not sure if there are restrictions on eg single night stays.

But we're off to the Alps July 22nd.
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Audax67
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Re: Thanks covid, getting a bit old how many more Alpine trips?

Post by Audax67 »

jawaka wrote:I think rather than go electric I'd rather tour in uk under my own power. It's funny but my contemporaries feel the same: that you really are as young as you feel age shouldn't be a barrier and I see fellow oldies on here feel much the same.


My sentiments too. I have chums who go tooling around on electrickery bikes then talk about how many cols they did (cols around here are modest things, 400+ metres max), but the same fellows start whining "need to recharge soon" when we get to 70 km. And when we're on the flat I delight in taking the speed up over 25 kph, because then their motors cut out and they have 25 kilos to push. Image

Since you're still young (in comparison to yrs trly) why not do a few 200k Audaxes? Plotting the route for a DIY is fun, and having a goal to meet adds a bit of spice. Why not aim for PBP 2023? I have a chum who wants to have a go at it, and he's 70.
Have we got time for another cuppa?
Oldjohnw
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Re: Thanks covid, getting a bit old how many more Alpine trips?

Post by Oldjohnw »

Why do people feel he need to have to speak perjoritively about those who for their own personal reasons use an electric assist bike?
John
jawaka
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Re: Thanks covid, getting a bit old how many more Alpine trips?

Post by jawaka »

I'm not sure it's so much pejorative about electric bikes as I know people who have started cycling and appreciate getting out and about without getting hard into biking. It's more than when you've been up to doing tough things, dropping down to a leccy bike feels like the beginning of a downward slope that you'd prefer not to recognise.
Rage against the dying of the light
Oldjohnw
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Re: Thanks covid, getting a bit old how many more Alpine trips?

Post by Oldjohnw »

jawaka wrote:I'm not sure it's so much pejorative about electric bikes as I know people who have started cycling and appreciate getting out and about without getting hard into biking. It's more than when you've been up to doing tough things, dropping down to a leccy bike feels like the beginning of a downward slope that you'd prefer not to recognise.
Rage against the dying of the light


I see it the other way round. Some modest assistance has enabled me to have a whole new lease of life.
John
bazzo
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Re: Thanks covid, getting a bit old how many more Alpine trips?

Post by bazzo »

Oldjohnw wrote:Why do people feel he need to have to speak perjoritively about those who for their own personal reasons use an electric assist bike?

Completely agree, I don’t have one, but will buy one as soon as I feel it’s necessary. I spoke to a person who was an ex pro rider who had one, because it enabled him to keep up with his friends on club rides. My club has a ban on them, based on safety, which I think is very short sighted. It may come from the club insurance company, not sure. They also have a compulsory helmet policy which I oppose.
Antbrewer
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Re: Thanks covid, getting a bit old how many more Alpine trips?

Post by Antbrewer »

Completely agree with Oldjohnw.. Ebikes.... Why the worry or shame. Seems so prevalent on the forum .

Here's a thought Why not just let osteoarthritis of the hip continue deteriorating one's life without having a hip replacement? Is a replacement the beginning of the downward slope???? Not at all as it gives a new lease of life with improved quality.
Whatever keeps us going ....go for it.
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simonineaston
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Re: Thanks covid, getting a bit old how many more Alpine trips?

Post by simonineaston »

I see it the other way round. Some modest assistance has enabled me to have a whole new lease of life.
There's many ways to view the notion of assist. Back a couple of years ago, I needed a helping hand to get back into cycling. Mr Volt was kind enough to do the job, and now I'm slowly getting back into cycling a non-assisted bike, too!
I figure Wot the Heck - so long as whatever type of assist we choose gets us all out on the road, each to their own!! :-)
S
(on the look out for Armageddon, on board a Brompton nano & ever-changing Moultons)
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velorog
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Re: Thanks covid, getting a bit old how many more Alpine trips?

Post by velorog »

jawaka, do not despair. Planning and undertaking tours as you get older is a matter changing your expectations. Reduce the distance and the amount of climbing. Last year at the age of 75 I made a solo trip to the alps, but whereas 10 years ago I would have undertaken a long A to B tour taking in as many high passes as possible, last year I spent 2 days cycling from the airport to a base in the alps. From there I went out for day rides before cycling back. You do not need to be super fit for this type of holiday.
Although I suffer from hip and knee problems I am loath to go down the e-assist route. I have nothing against ebikes and those who ride them, but as there are problems with traveling to the alps with an ebike I will continue to ride unassisted for as long as possible.
whoof
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Re: Thanks covid, getting a bit old how many more Alpine trips?

Post by whoof »

You could look at this from a glass half full point of view. 50,000 + people won't be going on holiday or doing anything else for that matter due to Covid-19 at least you're not on that list, yet.
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