She was. But her sisters were quite angry that she attempted to.
That was the last long drive she did.
My mom and my mil are very invested in being independent. While I understand the reasons, it’s become apparent that they can’t do everything on their own.
Many activities are more interesting outdoors than in a gym. Also, the great outdoors is safer from stuff like COVID-19, RSV, flu, etc. So no surprise that he prefers outdoor over gym bicycling.
How much and what kind of concern about bicycle crashes can depend on the nature of the crashes. Faltering balance may eventually prevent outdoor bicycling. But if the issue is traffic awareness, then that can also affect driving cars.
My mom shattered her pelvis falling over on her bike as she stood in a friend’s driveway having a chat. That was the end of her bike riding - she had enjoyed tooling around her neighborhood, but she switched to walking. As we find that one thing doesn’t work anymore, it’s important to find something different that brings us happiness. My MIL lost her search for happiness 3 years ago, and the decline in her mental health has been swift. I see firsthand how important it is to have something to look forward to, something to spark joy on a daily basis. We used to joke about H’s aunt “doing crossword puzzles like it’s her job,” but it is what made her happy when she was too tired to do much else.
100% agree that being outdoors is preferable for me too but he could still be walking regularly which would be a lot less risky than on the bike. It’s balance issues and slower reflexes when something crosses his path. (We’re worried about him driving too).
I went to lunch with a friend at Waikiki Elks Club and decided to join so just submitted my application yesterday. It’s lovely and on the beach of quiet portion of Waikiki, adjoining Kapiolani Park. It also has a gym and access to the beach and decent food and drinks. It will allow me to meet some nice folks. I’m excited and will have guaranteed parking in Waikiki. They also do charitable good works—like providing free speech therapy for qualified kids.
They also have live music several nights/week. I’m really looking forward to it!
I am out to re-brand the word “old” as many people have rebranded the world “fat.” I am old and fat. I am also in pretty good shape except for some wonky leg issues. Cardiovascularly doing fine (no hbp, diabestes, or cholesteral issues). Eat well. Exercise regularly. Read extensively and write and draw for fun (writing sometimes for money but not getting rich on it, lol.) Babysit grandkids. Like to do things with family. Kayak and bike. Love to cook. Keep up with current events at a pretty deep level.
But, 65 is old. My weight is in the realm of fat. Those are two things that are true. They’re not judgments and they’re not definitions of anything else about me. They are just numbers, and I’m okay with owning them.
Well, I agree if life expectancy is even 90 or 100, by the time we reach 65, we are old, as we have already lived 2/3 or more of our lives. If that’s not old chronologically, what the heck is?
Good points. Methinks I need to get ready for a run instead of looking at the ipad. Temps will hit 60 today - yay!
It’s not always this nice of course in Colorado in the winter. I’ve been considering water aerobics, especially now that a friend at church mentioned the idea. Last year I got some snowshoes, but there has not been a much snow this year. So it’s a good time to find another new pursuit.
@garland, we’re all young, slim, and beautiful on CC.
Definitely beautiful.
Don’t you think that some of the reasons people back off from things, physically and mentally, isn’t because they feel too old but because they feel a bit compromised doing them?
To an outsider, it’s impossible to know whether someone is exercising good judgment and discretion or whether they are just being “old and wimpy”. (This can also be memory related, not just physical. )
As many people age, they realize that the consequences of a fall, for example, may be more dire than they would be for a young person. Bones may break, take longer to heal, may compromise the ability to live independently.
So the person who is “doing” into old age may not be living longer because they’re doing – they may be the lucky ones who have not lost certain faculties associated with age, and that longevity boost is what allows them to do.
While I am very active, I know I am lucky for that. I’d be a fool to think I’ve made that luck.
I’m older than most people who posted here (70-something). Life is short and I just try to do what I’ve always done to the best of my ability. There are times when I look around in yoga or pilates classes and realize that I’m old enough to be the grandmother of most of those folks in the class. Nothing I can do about it. I just try to keep on exercising because I want to be independent as long as I can.
My D has stated on more than one occasion that she hopes she will be like the “old ladies” in her Pilates class when she gets old. Not sure what old is to her, but apparently it must be older than me. 
Regarding sports, in some sports, you can look forward to getting into the higher age divisions.
However, it looks like that event had age divisions that only went up to 70+ at the time.
I see this in other ways too. I am a big music fan in my mid-50 and often find myself in shows with younger crowds. This week, I went to a classic 3-band punk show that started at 9:30PM. I ended up on the fringes of a mosh pit full of 20 somethings.
I feel this particularly when snow skiing. I’ve gotten much more uncomfortable with going too fast, not because the speed itself scares me, but the knowledge that a fall would put me in a much worse position than it would have 30 years ago. In fact, the last time I skied, I only put in a fraction of the time on the slopes because I just didn’t feel up to the task.
There is a man at my Dad’s retirement village who still skis, all over the world, in his 80s.
I have 7 spinal fractures after cancer treatment. Bikes and skiing are not in the realm of possibility. But I would say that COVID has done more to my life than age or even health at this point. I am in my 70’s and just spent the better part of 4 years alone. Many have had the same experience. I agree that there are many ways to keep living in an engaged manner besides physical activity but the impact of COVID has impacted many of them, at least in person.
I think many of us would agree with you and probably have followed the same track. I’m going to take the risk of tripping or falling during the miles of walking or running I might do during the week - but ice? No thanks - I don’t want anything to do with taking that risk!
I think pivoting is important. Making adjustments for your abilities but not shutting down (if possible) your interests and activities.
Wonder if he could pivot to a different type of bike like a recumbent or even an adult trike?
@garland I support “rebranding”!!! I think that is part of the mental issue for me - the stigma.
I want to say this to you. As most of us have, we post here on CC about your daily lives and activities. My deduction is that YOU are a cool person. You have lots of interests, a quick mind. For you or anyone else what I would see if I was viewing you in life is that you love to kayak, bike, cook and stay up to date. I don’t know what you look like or what your # on a scale is and that would never be what I would “see” looking at you. It may be a part of you, but it doesn’t seem to be a big obstacle because you are still LIVING pretty big - even if adjusted from 30 years ago.
Age is a funny thing through life. Some of us get really stuck on it. Some embrace it. Yes, in the circle of life 65 is not exactly “mid-life”. But I prefer to think of it as STILL “mid-living” - I still have lots I want to see, learn, do!