Day whatever: 50 miles and counting

Just passed the 50-mile mark on my 500-mile exercise-bicycle "trip." Look out, Oneonta, here I come!

Make that 24 miles

Slowly but surely pedaling my way to Maine without leaving the front porch. But blogging, well, I seem to have less time for this than I do for taking care of myself. Will post now and again as my 60th birthday approaches. Too busy to think about it much these days.

Day 185: Nine miles and counting

For most of my nearly 60 years, I've had difficulty finishing what I started. So I suppose it was a bit impulsive of me to decide to clock 500 miles on my stationary bike. Still, I think I might actually keep this promise to myself.

After three sessions on the bike, I'm closing in on 10 miles. That might not sound like much, but after a sedentary winter it's real progress. I still have 490 miles to go, but no one's keeping score except me. All in good time.

Lately, as I find myself slipping into old bad habits, I think of my upcoming 60th birthday and wonder: Geez, Mar, how much longer are you going to do THAT?

My 60th birthday is a good opportunity to rethink my bad habits and make another promise to myself: Not much longer.

Day 181: 3 miles and counting

Managed to start my 500-mile exercise bike-athon today. Lasted 3 miles.
Three down, 497 to go.
I need a nap.

Day 180: On the road, on the porch

I came up with an idea that I plan to act on -- any minute now. I'm going to bicycle to Maine. And I'm going to do it without leaving my front porch.

That's where I put the stationary bicycle awhile back because it's too noisy and the den too crowded.

I figure if I can ride it a mile a day, I can reach my goal sometime in September -- of 2011. It's 500 miles from my house to my sister-in-law's near the Maine coast, and while the scenery won't change as I peddle, I'm hoping my health will -- for the better.

The "boys" just came in for lunch. I'll write more once I've ridden the first mile or two.

Day 170: Age, shmage

I spent some time a few weeks ago in the company of relatives, the vast majority of whom are older than I am. I had a blast -- lots of laughter, good food and a few good games of Scrabble.

Looking around me, realizing I was the "baby" in the group, left me wondering why I'm so hung up on the thought of turning 60. OK, the wrinkles and the spare tire are still a bummer, but it's not as if turning 60 means life will suddenly become, well, limited.

I think I'm finally beginning to believe that. I even find myself glancing at course descriptions for online classes.

Day 131: Atta girl, Bonnie

I heard a brief preview of an NPR program featuring singer Bonnie Raitt, in which the announcer mentioned that she is turning 60. Then it cut to a sound bite from Raitt herself.

In it, she said that one of the great things about this "mountain-top" experience is that there's a good chance you know yourself pretty well by this age -- so well, in fact, that what other people think of you shouldn't matter much anymore.

Amen.