5 ms·

When I retire I'm just going to do this all the time.

by jpm_sd 2y ago

Fricken 2y ago
For the 2024 tour divide race 21% of the entrants were in the 60-69 age bracket. This means I don't need to be in too big a hurry to get all my bucket list bike tours done.
- dowager_dan99 2y ago
  The BC Epic was created for a similar style ride but much shorter. 1000km makes it great for racers (2-3 days) to casual (week-plus). Simpler logistics, better weather, if you're coming up from the US, a very cheap dollar. https://www.bcepic1000.com/ https://www.bcepic1000.com/
  - Fricken 2y ago
    Hey! I rode from Vancouver to Edmonton in August, and from Princeton to Kimberly we were pretty much on the BC epic route. Our ride was 1000 miles, 10 days, 10 miles of elevation gained (I'm Candaian but's nice round numbers when I use imperial). On day 9, beginning on the Icefields parkway we pushed ourselves and rode 290 km, which was my biggest day of riding in my life. I could have gone further that day, I was still feeling pretty good when we got to our hotel after 14 hours in the saddle. Certainly it put the idea of racing on my mind. I attempted Edmonton to Vancouver in August 2023. I made it to Nelson and scratched due to excessive wildfire smoke. That was my first attempt at any kind of a bicycle tour or any kind of activity that one might classify as an ultra. I went into that ride quite naive but I've learned enough since then that I'm ready to get myself into some real trouble. Have you done the BC Epic?
    - skeeter2020 2y ago
      Edmonton - Vancouver via Nelson sounds like a heck of a route, and 290km is 100kms more than I've ever done in day! I haven't "officially" done the BC Epic (a bit of an oxymoron given it's lack of official-ness, by which I mean I have not left with the grand depart or the entire route in a single ride) but this might be the year. I have family in Kamloops and live in Calgary, so trying to put a plan together to start the day before in Kamloops, bike to Merritt, watch the backs of the amazing racers for an hour before they disappear, meander into Fernie a week later, then keep going to CGY. I am definitely not (and have no interest in) racing but love the speed and... immersion? of bike touring - it's just about perfect.
0_____0 2y ago
Take the time and do it now as well. Having gotten into it, I wish I'd spent every gap in school and employment out in the world, on a bike. It's too precious an experience to leave for later.
- jpm_sd 2y ago
  I ride, but I don't have time for serious bikepacking right now. Three kids, two dogs, full time job, etc.
  - hondo77 2y ago
    Understandable. I would suggest that when the kids are old enough, consider doing smaller tours (a weekend, a week, etc.) when you can and not waiting until retirement to do any touring. The latter was my plan. Until I got colon cancer. I still ride but I can't do more than a couple of days in a row before I get digestive problems that put a halt to touring. With hindsight, I wish I would have done some one- to two-week tours while I was still able to.
Lio 2y ago
Obligatory plug for the great Heinz Stücke. He decided at the age of 22 to quit his job and ride his bike around the world. ...and then basically never really stopped (I think he may have been forced to retire recently but the chap's 84 now so we can cut him some slack). There's a good documentary about him called "The Man Who Wanted to See It All". https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heinz_St%C3%BCcke https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heinz_St%C3%BCcke
avgDev 2y ago
There is no guarantees as to how much time you will get in this life. Please do this now. Don't quit your job but take some time off or use the weekends and plan adventures. I've just had a wake up call, my dog was diagnosed with cancer. Clock is always ticking.

When I retire I'm just going to do this all the time.

by jpm_sd 2y ago

When I retire I'm just going to do this all the time.

For the 2024 tour divide race 21% of the entrants were in the 60-69 age bracket. This means I don't need to be in too big a hurry to get all my bucket list bike tours done.

dowager_dan99 2y ago
The BC Epic was created for a similar style ride but much shorter. 1000km makes it great for racers (2-3 days) to casual (week-plus). Simpler logistics, better weather, if you're coming up from the US, a very cheap dollar. https://www.bcepic1000.com/ https://www.bcepic1000.com/
- Fricken 2y ago
  Hey! I rode from Vancouver to Edmonton in August, and from Princeton to Kimberly we were pretty much on the BC epic route. Our ride was 1000 miles, 10 days, 10 miles of elevation gained (I'm Candaian but's nice round numbers when I use imperial). On day 9, beginning on the Icefields parkway we pushed ourselves and rode 290 km, which was my biggest day of riding in my life. I could have gone further that day, I was still feeling pretty good when we got to our hotel after 14 hours in the saddle. Certainly it put the idea of racing on my mind. I attempted Edmonton to Vancouver in August 2023. I made it to Nelson and scratched due to excessive wildfire smoke. That was my first attempt at any kind of a bicycle tour or any kind of activity that one might classify as an ultra. I went into that ride quite naive but I've learned enough since then that I'm ready to get myself into some real trouble. Have you done the BC Epic?
  - skeeter2020 2y ago
    Edmonton - Vancouver via Nelson sounds like a heck of a route, and 290km is 100kms more than I've ever done in day! I haven't "officially" done the BC Epic (a bit of an oxymoron given it's lack of official-ness, by which I mean I have not left with the grand depart or the entire route in a single ride) but this might be the year. I have family in Kamloops and live in Calgary, so trying to put a plan together to start the day before in Kamloops, bike to Merritt, watch the backs of the amazing racers for an hour before they disappear, meander into Fernie a week later, then keep going to CGY. I am definitely not (and have no interest in) racing but love the speed and... immersion? of bike touring - it's just about perfect.

0_____0 2y ago

Take the time and do it now as well. Having gotten into it, I wish I'd spent every gap in school and employment out in the world, on a bike. It's too precious an experience to leave for later.

jpm_sd 2y ago
I ride, but I don't have time for serious bikepacking right now. Three kids, two dogs, full time job, etc.
- hondo77 2y ago
  Understandable. I would suggest that when the kids are old enough, consider doing smaller tours (a weekend, a week, etc.) when you can and not waiting until retirement to do any touring. The latter was my plan. Until I got colon cancer. I still ride but I can't do more than a couple of days in a row before I get digestive problems that put a halt to touring. With hindsight, I wish I would have done some one- to two-week tours while I was still able to.

Lio 2y ago

Obligatory plug for the great Heinz Stücke. He decided at the age of 22 to quit his job and ride his bike around the world. ...and then basically never really stopped (I think he may have been forced to retire recently but the chap's 84 now so we can cut him some slack). There's a good documentary about him called "The Man Who Wanted to See It All". https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heinz_St%C3%BCcke https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heinz_St%C3%BCcke

avgDev 2y ago

There is no guarantees as to how much time you will get in this life. Please do this now. Don't quit your job but take some time off or use the weekends and plan adventures. I've just had a wake up call, my dog was diagnosed with cancer. Clock is always ticking.