The Old Guy Bicycle Blog

Last summer I tried to ride from San Diego to Las Cruces, New Mexico. I wrecked on day one. It was random. A freak accident. The kind of thing you can’t plan for and can’t really explain. But it stopped the tour before it even began. For the first time in my life, I didn’t finish a cycling tour. And that sticks with you. Why I’m Not Riding RAGBRAI For a while, I thought I’d pivot. Maybe I’d ride RAGBRAI. Maybe Oklahoma Freewheel. Maybe something organized. Structured. Safer. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized something simple: I’m not a group rider. I don’t thrive in crowds, chaos, and “event energy.” I’m a plodder. I ride steady. I ride alone. I like long stretches of quiet road and the rhythm of my own cadence. That’s not rebellion — it’s temperament. Why the Mississippi River I live in th...

Last Updated: November 30, 2025 Quick Answer: Fifty years on a bicycle teaches you far more than fitness. You learn patience, resilience, freedom, gratitude, and the joy of riding at any age. The road changes you—but always gives more back than it takes. 50 Years of Cycling: The Lessons That Actually Matter For more than five decades, I’ve lived a big chunk of my life on two wheels. Roads changed. Bikes changed. I changed. But that feeling of freedom I get every time I pedal? That’s the one thing that never has. I started riding in my teens chasing speed, independence, and adventure. Now, at 70, the rides mean something deeper—clarity, health, peace, and a connection to the world I don’t get anywhere else. Lesson 1: Patience Is Earned One Climb at a Time Long climbs taught me pacing, breathing, and calm. You can’t rush a hill, and you can’t rush life. The bike taught me that decades before I learned it anywhere else. Lesson 2: Your Body Changes — Your Spirit D...