Pikes Peak Bike Challenge

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May 9th, 2018 at 4:04:43 PM permalink
Fleastiff
Member since: Oct 27, 2012
Threads: 62
Posts: 7831
Quote: Wizard
I think I've vaguely heard of it. After the Appalachian Trail, which is on my bucket list, I'll look into it.
Pacific Crest Trail is there too. If you do the Appalachian Trail be sure to mail yourself supplies to various post office boxes along the route. The boxes are paid for by various hiking clubs. Mailing yourself fresh socks, candy bars and granola will help.
May 9th, 2018 at 4:04:43 PM permalink
Fleastiff
Member since: Oct 27, 2012
Threads: 62
Posts: 7831
Don't forget to add to your bucket list going DOWN pike's peak on a bicycle without brakes. I guess that should be the last item on the bucket list. though.

Have you ever cycled Catalina Island ("Twenty six miles across the sea ...") No cars allowed. Several different trails.
May 9th, 2018 at 4:37:00 PM permalink
kenarman
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 14
Posts: 4470
Quote: Wizard
I hope SOOPOO can chime in, but I'll at least concede the marginal additional benefit, as economists would say, goes down after the first hour per day. Also, I wouldn't say I'm an extreme athlete. Only about on day in seven do I work out more than two hours.


I have a friend my age who is still a very active runner. He qualified for and ran the Boston Marathon about 5 years ago and was in the top 10% in his age class. He is also a world class orienteerer. But he is now going into some extreme races of the 24 hr variety. He is sure that all this activity will ensure that he reaches 100 and in good health. There are no studies that show any such improvements. Continue to do the challenges Mike if you enjoy them and the satisfaction of completing them. I too wouldn't mind the Doc's input but my research has failed to find any studies that support extending your life with such challenges. I have had a lot of friends that went through lots of changes when they reached your age and had to start facing their own mortality. Accept your mortality Mike and relish in the seniors discounts ;-)
"but if you make yourselves sheep, the wolves will eat you." Benjamin Franklin
May 9th, 2018 at 5:04:37 PM permalink
Face
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 61
Posts: 3941
Quote: Fleastiff
Don't forget to add to your bucket list going DOWN pike's peak on a bicycle without brakes. I guess that should be the last item on the bucket list. though.


My first thought upon reading Wiz's post. With brakes, though. That'd be a very good time.

Riding UP it? I'd probably say it wouldn't be desirable, but I would do it for the sake of riding one of the most iconic motorsports landscapes there is. That'd be bonkers to be on. But what I'm really gonna say is, now, I couldn't do it. Never was any good at stamina, and it's certainly plummeted through the years.

Pics and TR, hopefully.
Be bold and risk defeat, or be cautious and encourage it.
May 9th, 2018 at 5:16:46 PM permalink
Evenbob
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 146
Posts: 25010
Quote: Face
Never was any good at stamina, and it's certainly plummeted through the years.


If you take a risk, you may lose. If you never take a risk, you will always lose.
May 9th, 2018 at 6:58:39 PM permalink
SOOPOO
Member since: Feb 19, 2014
Threads: 22
Posts: 4157
Quote: Wizard
I hope SOOPOO can chime in, but I'll at least concede the marginal additional benefit, as economists would say, goes down after the first hour per day. Also, I wouldn't say I'm an extreme athlete. Only about on day in seven do I work out more than two hours.


Not my area of expertise. In general I'd say you are in the top few % for your age group as far as physical condition. That can't be bad. I doubt the extreme training adds anything positive.
May 9th, 2018 at 7:38:52 PM permalink
Wizard
Administrator
Member since: Oct 23, 2012
Threads: 239
Posts: 6095
Quote: Fleastiff
Have you ever cycled Catalina Island ("Twenty six miles across the sea ...") No cars allowed. Several different trails.


Yes! I've hiked the entire Trans Catalina Trail and biked from Avalon to Two Harbors in a day. That bike ride I would highly recommend to anyone in proper shape.
Knowledge is Good -- Emil Faber
May 9th, 2018 at 7:43:54 PM permalink
Pacomartin
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 1068
Posts: 12569
Quote: Fleastiff
You like Colorado? Have you ever heard of The Run for the Clouds? Several hundred miles with lots of elevation gain. On foot!!


I've never heard of that one. The Cactus to Clouds Trail in Palm Springs has over 10,000' of elevation gain in 16 miles. I'm surprised that Mike hasn't tried that one as Palm Springs is only four hours from Las Vegas.

Temperatures in the lower portions of the trail can reach up to 110 °F , while temperatures of −10 °F are not uncommon at the summit of Mount San Jacinto in the winter. For these reasons, the hike usually begins in Palm Springs very early in the morning, as early as midnight. The hike is typically done in Fall or Spring.

You descend the mountain on the tramway, as I don't think it is humanly possible to do it both up and down.
May 9th, 2018 at 7:49:39 PM permalink
Wizard
Administrator
Member since: Oct 23, 2012
Threads: 239
Posts: 6095
Quote: SOOPOO
Not my area of expertise. In general I'd say you are in the top few % for your age group as far as physical condition. That can't be bad. I doubt the extreme training adds anything positive.


Thanks. I don't do this extreme stuff primarily for the health benefit. I do it because I like the challenge. Maybe I'm having a mid-life crisis (2/3 life would be a more accurate term) and doing stuff like this makes me feel young and strong. I don't know. I just see a mountain and feel compelled to climb it. Why else would be it there?

On a related note, when I worked at the Social Security headquarters for eight years I had many slow days with little to do. On some of them I went to the Social Security library (yes, there is one) and read through big orange binders of interviews of people who reached 100. Social Security does these face to face interviews upon anybody's 100th birthday. After reading through hundreds of these interviews about the only commonality was the person kept busy their whole life -- mentally and physically. I don't think they did it to live long, it was just their personality, they liked to be useful and stimulated. There was no strong correlation about diet or alcohol. Some even smoked for a time. None of them professed to be big fitness or health nuts. Keep in mind, these would have been people born between about 1870 to 1890.
Knowledge is Good -- Emil Faber
May 9th, 2018 at 7:53:53 PM permalink
Wizard
Administrator
Member since: Oct 23, 2012
Threads: 239
Posts: 6095
Quote: Pacomartin
I've never heard of that one. The Cactus to Clouds Trail in Palm Springs has over 10,000' of elevation gain in 16 miles. I'm surprised that Mike hasn't tried that one as Palm Springs is only four hours from Las Vegas.


Yes, I've talked about doing that a few times. I've done the summit, Mount San Jacinto, about four times, but did it the easy way, via the tram. Cactus to Clouds is said to be truly brutal. It is on the sunny side of the mountain so extremely hot. There is no source of water. Many who do it cache water in advance. Then you have to worry about getting a very long ride from the tram parking lot back to where you would have parked your car at the trailhead. I know quite a few elite hikers here in Vegas and offhand don't know any of have done it, but many are tempted.
Knowledge is Good -- Emil Faber
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