Whoa, Happy Birthday, (belated), Roland!!! It was nice to see some of the trail system out in Denver. I have ridden a couple of them, but run the Ralston Creek trail when I am out visiting Lisa, my daughter, in Arvada. Us Michigan cousins are hoping to get out for a visit this year....keep you posted. Hope Julianna has made a good recovery. Linda
Linda! How are you? Yes, do keep us posted. We would love to see all of you, or as many as could make it, and we're only a short bike ride from Arvada. And thanks for the birthday wishes!
Happy belated Birthday! What a great ride and such beautiful fall colors to celebrate your 65th. Wishing you and Julianna an enjoyable and healing "off-season"!
Congratulations on completing the ride after such a challenging year. I think it’s time to treat yourself to an e-bike for your birthday. You will ride more, ride more often and enjoy it more. 😊
Thank you! We may be looking at e-bikes for touring, but the logistics of getting them to Europe for tours is a bit of a problem. Truth be told, I still love the analog riding, but I'm open to ebikes as things change.
@@TheBicycleTourists I agree - the logistics can be daunting. We rented e-bikes in France for our EU cycling trips for three years. That option became problematic because of the poor condition of the bikes, so we bit the bullet and, in April 2024, sent our TREK Allant +7 e-bikes to France via Bike Flights without batteries, purchasing batteries in France. We planned to leave the bikes in France as we do at least one 6-8 week trip every year. It was expensive, but I did the math, and after 55 days of using our own bikes, we were starting to save vs. renting. And that would have been a good plan, except that it turns out that my bike was too big for me - despite having ridden it for over 16,000km. I could manage it without any panniers, but once they were loaded on the bike, I couldn't get on or off the bike easily. For our trip in September 2024, we purchased bikes at our local bike shop, taking them with us as oversized baggage, and made arrangements to purchase batteries when we arrived. A good plan until we went to check in at the airport. It turns out that Lufthansa does not accept e-bikes even with the batteries removed. However, as we later discovered, Air France and KLM accept e-bikes as long as the batteries are removed. So it is entirely doable but only with certain airlines and if you purchase batteries in Europe. We will return to France next April, purchase bikes in France, and leave them there. Because we will be cycling in the EU each year, financially, it is better to purchase the bikes in the EU rather than take them back and forth. We are in our 70s, and using e-bikes allows us to comfortably cycle 2000+ km with panniers on each trip. We are glad to know you are back in the saddle. We enjoy your videos-it's just like being there! Perhaps one day, we will drive our bikes down to Denver and experience some of the fabulous trails you took during your birthday ride.
Thanks for the very informative reply. This is exactly how I imagine it to be. Problematic. But where there's a will there's a way. We also have considered buying and keeping a set in Europe. Like you, we want to keep touring well into our seventies, as long as is possible. And if we had to pick a continent to tour in, it would have to be Europe, although I love North America as well! Going back and forth with the ebikes sounds close to impossible, or too much of a hassle to deal with. I hope you don't mind but I have a couple of questions for you. (1) Do you like your TREK Allant +7s? (2) Will you purchase the same brand next year in Europe? (3) Why was it harder to mount the loaded bike, was it the weight that changed? (4) In your research, have you heard anything about renting batteries in Europe? I thought I've heard of something along those lines. (5) Do you store the bikes with friends or do you have to rent storage? (6) Do you find that riding an e-bike opens up new places for you to ride, since it makes it easier to negotiate the climbs? Thanks again for the great information. We're still weighing our options, knowing that we will, at some point, be riding e-bikes. Your letter has clarified more for us than a lot of internet research! If you ever make it to Colorado, let us know! We'll be happy to show you around!
@@TheBicycleTourists Happy to answer any questions you might have. Here are my responses to your questions above: (1) We love our Trek Allant bikes. We purchased our first Allants in March 2020, and the EU Allant will be my 3rd. We purchased Riese & Mullers in May 2023. My husband loves his, but mine sits unused in the bike room of our condo as I replaced it with an Allant. The R&M was simply the wrong geometry for me, primarily because there was too much reach to the handlebars, and the handlebars were too wide. Our bike shop looked into many options to make the R&M work, but ultimately, we all agreed it was the wrong bike for me. Lesson learned! Highly rated doesn't mean it will be a good fit. I'm now riding a step-thru Allant +7. Apparently, Trek has the shortest reach of any of the major bike brands but I still have to have an angled stem to make the bike fit. I bike daily, even though we live in a rainy climate - it's that much fun to ride. So, if you know anyone who's looking for a bargain on an R&M bike, let me know! (2) The bikes we will purchase in France (Bordeaux) will be the Allant step-thru, but the EU name for the 2025 bikes might be the Allant Going or the Allant +7. We are still trying to determine the difference on the Trek French website. (3) Why my OG Allant didn't work for me was a revelation to both of us, as I had ridden it for over 16,000 km in North America. It was a size M, which was on the edge of the correct size for me, but we purchased it as it allowed for 2 batteries, which we thought we would need for touring. We didn't realize that I always tipped the bike over to get on it. I knew I could never put both feet on the ground when I stopped at lights or intersections because of the placement of the crossbar. Instead, I stood on one foot, tilted the bike slightly, or put my foot on the curb. Only when the bike was loaded with two panniers and a crosspack did we realize that I needed to find a very tall curb to lift my leg up and over the crosspack or take the crosspack off the bike. Each of us carries about 25 Kg. We have many funny videos of me attempting to get on and off the bike. Even I found it funny. If we stopped for a picnic lunch, I'd stay on my bike rather than have to take off the cross-pack to dismount. Our next bikes will be step thrus - so much easier. We've found a workaround for the extra battery; we will have 625 Wh as our main battery and a PowerMore battery of 250 Wh, so we won't have any range anxiety. (4) We have heard many rumours about renting batteries, but we have yet to find a bike shop that does. As we will to cycle from point to point, we gave up on our search. (5) We will store the bikes in a storage facility in Dijon (the locker is 5' x 5' by 8') from June 2025 to April 2026. The cost is about $100 Canadian/month. Our friend arranges with local bike shops to store and service their R&M bikes. He has done this for many years in several European countries. We will likely do this in the future. (6) The e-bikes have significantly impacted how and where we ride. Our average daily distance is about 70km and 500 m of elevation, with several days of 80 km and 850 m of elevation on each tour. Wind is no longer a factor, and we cycle daily, usually 35 days on each trip. Before we used e-bikes, after a ride, I'd take a shower and need a nap before I had enough energy to head out for dinner. Now we shower and head out to explore or sit in the square and have a glass of rose. All our routes are planned before we leave home using Komoot, and the road surfaces and routing are checked out with Google Street View to optimize the road conditions. For the most part, we stay 3 nights in each location and do 2 days of loop rides in each town. Our first tour in Provence was only 8 days, and by the end, I was exhausted from the hills and the winds. We've since done 2 longer tours in Provence (31 and 36 days), and I had no problems with the climbs or the wind - and we encountered some vicious Mistrals. I just boosted the power and geared down. I hope this helps you and Julianna. As I mentioned, we are both in our 70s and late to the joys of cycling, so we are doing everything we can to ensure we've got many more years of cycle touring ahead of us.
Thank you so much for the great information. Part of me wanted to ask you about the R&M size so I could head up there and buy it from you (don't know what part of Canada you're in but prob Vancouver based on the fact you ride every day), but Julianna needs something with a shorter reach as well. We will look into the Trek models for sure. Its inspiring to see the benefits of the e-bikes. Something we definitely keep in mind as we ponder the next chapter. Having hte bikes stored in Europe is also something we are considering so this is all great information. Best wishes on your upcoming tour (Bordeaux? Dijon? Somewhere in France?) and happy trails!
Well done Roland. Thank you for the video. I have a big 60 coming up next September. I am inspired by what you did and plan to do 60 miles based on your route :)
Happy belated 65th, Roland! Congrats on the first metric ton for a while. It certainly is difficult getting back into it! Been a couple of years since I've covered that kind of distance in a day - 128 km in March, 2022. Only been a few short 20-40 km since then. Time to get back into it myself! Though the summer heat doesn't make that fun.
thank you! Yeah, for me conditions have to be right to spend so many hours in the saddle. Fall is a great time for that kind of riding. Having those kinds of goals is good for me I think. I need to do it more often. Good luck!
Happy birthday and congratulations, Roland! Such a wonderful homage to Denver. Berta and I wish you and Julianna speedy recoveries and many years of cycling together. We are on a tour now and just rode Tucson’s loop. Your philosophy and narrative skill continue to color how I appreciate each day riding. You and J are a huge inspiration to many of us!! -John
Thank you so much John. Hope you enjoyed the Loop, that's a great trail system there. Julianna just had her first ride in a couple of months yesterday, so we're getting there!
Happy Birthday! I’m not normally a person who makes comments but I have seen and very much appreciate all of your videos. Prayers for your wife as I have had 6 spinal fusions. Formally from Colorado Springs I ride daily including the EuroVelo routes and most recently the Canal Du Midi. Most recently I had a stroke and another spinal surgery. During my recovery I switched to a TerraTrike recumbent during the back healing process. I’m back on my long distance surgery. My best to you and again Happy Birthday. I’m 76.
Thank you Sam! It's Inspiring to hear, back surgery is scary and it's good to hear you can keep at it after so much work. Stay healthy, and keep riding!
Happy Birthday! Very nice scenery thanks for sharing. I always heard Denver has nice trails but never really seen any. I wish you guys well and get better soon. Looking forward to your rides (videos) next year.
Happy Birthday! What a Great video. My Wife and I knew you would make the ride just fine, age is just a number. My Wife and I ride 1 mile for every year we have been married, this Anniversary we celebrated with a 53 mile ride. We are 73, a little slower, but not stopping. Wishing the Best for you two and good health. Ron and Cindra.
Thank you! I love hearing these stories! I got back into cycling in my thirties as a means to have some way to stay in shape well into my later years. While none of us here are in our later years yet, I hear from so many folks who keep it up well into their eighties. Inspiring! Enjoy the ride!
First time as a Yank who has lived in "bike heaven" France for four decades - where I see in my country some great bike paths. No cars! Definitely will consider one of these days to visit Denver.
I'm not sure how long you've lived in France, but the US, especially the cities, has dramatically improved their cycling infrastructure. Overall, France is still a lot better I think, though I've never cycled in Paris.
Lived in Paris 40 years. 60 k of protected bike lanes. Protected by cement curbs. Only in Manhattan have I seen anything close (along the Hudson from Inwood to the battery).
To be fair, there are lots of roads and cars you have to navigate on parts of the Denver area bike paths. We are making progress, but there are spots that are terrible.
Thanks for sharing the ride. I don't consider myself a bicyclist but I have biked many sections of those trails. Don't forget about all the trails that Foothills Park and Rec maintains in SW Littleton. We can get around our area of town well on paved trails here. I used to live three blocks from Sloans Lake so I'm familiar with the development of Highlands. Great fall scenery and nice narration.
Happy belated birthday! Of course, now I think i have to move to Denver. I'm about to retire and want to live somewhere with loads and loads of bike paths. How fortunate you are to have all that right outside your door. I'm also inspired...66 years old coming up in a few months. I've never done that distance (45 tops, and that only a few times), but it might be something to aspire to. Thanks for the video, and happy recuperation to both of you!
Thank you Lisa Marie! Denver is great for the bike paths, although we're looking for somewhere warmer. The indoor trainer doesn't do it for either of us and winters aren't getting any warmer. (Not trying to unsell Denver, it's a great town for cycling, and depending on the winter you will find days in any month that are nice for cycling, as long as the ice isn't too bad). Good luck on finding the perfect spot!
Oh good to see you both! A wonderful way to celebrate your special day! 🥳🚴🏻♂️💪 So enjoyed seeing you in your happy place and the trails of Denver. Well wishes to Julianna for a full recovery…better than ever! 💜
@ so happy to hear! 💕 Step by step, turn by turn…being mindful to how you feel. My ride home is always up…a 13% grade, at times it stopped me from getting in the saddle. Purchased a gravel e-bike a couple of years ago. The hardest thing to overcome was my ego! 😂 Now I’m able to ride more often, longer, and harder. Absolutely a game changer! Our best to you both. 💜
That's a steep grade at the end of a ride! We know that at some point we will probably go e-bike. Especially when we're doing loaded touring. We'll see how Julianna feels. The hassle with e-bikes is that we want to do a lot of riding in Europe and it seems like a real hassle to get them over there. We're looking into it.
@@TheBicycleTourists yes, I don’t think you can fly with an e-bike. I’ve seen it mentioned about renting a compatible battery once there. Not sure how possible that is and who knows how good it is. Renting a bike, which you had issues with, of course is a possibility. However, probably they have good options as they’re popular and ahead of us in technology. I’d love to know what you learn. A friend has done trips abroad with Discovery Bicycle Tours and was happy with their e-bikes. Maybe the tour companies would be willing to share info. For now, may you enjoy your “me-bike”! 🚴🏻♂️☀️
One thought is that Switzerland has an e-bike route, with charging stations, etc. that goes across the country. We would rent, as it wouldn't be for a long period of time. Switzerland is not a country we could explore much on our regular touring bikes so the e-bikes open up that possibility.
Wow, that was great, you had up and downs, too. I haven't been on my bike since last October, I usually do a diabetes ride in October, but they moved it to the bay. Anyhow skin cancer and heart problems, wow, we are all getting older. On Thursday, I go in for my third echo scan and now they added a heart catheter. I inherited aorta stenosis (heart valve) mine doesn't open up all the way. He also saw calcified plaque, which doesn't make things better. Anyhow, after I get these heart issues behind me, back to riding. I just have too. Thanks Roland, hope Julianna heals quickly, looking forward to your next adventure.
Thank you Dennis. As my (older) brother says, getting old isn't for candy-asses. I'm trying to learn to take it all in stride, doing what I can to slow the inevitable, and accepting that which I can't control. I'm finally feeling much better, just in time for winter! Julianna got on the bike for a short ride the other day, so things are improving! Take care, Dennis!
Thanks for posting this great ride around the Denver and the burbs. Your appreciation of the beauty of the area carries thru well in your narrative. I can appreciate what the aches and pains of riding in your 60's and 70's is like and applaud you going for 65 miles.
Happy birthday Roland! Super impressed with the distance on ‘sugar’ powered bike, also very impressed with paved trails. At 70 I’m sticking on my R&M ebike, doing the off-road trails in the Trossachs Scotland, but may have to try Denver sometime 😁. Hope Julianna’s recovery is quick and total, be good to see you both on the road again.
Happy 65!!! You did great. Hope Julianna (and Herman) are back on the bike soon. Sorry about your foot issues. I stopped riding clip ins about 5 years ago and use Shimano M324 pedals (flat on one side, clip on the other) and wear a hard soled bike shoe. The flat allows for dofferent foot positions, taking the pressure off the balls of my feet. Since I don't race😂, I have no need to clip in. Cheers to your next adventure. 🌞🚴♀️🖖
Happy birthday and great riding accomplishment. Your videos have been a joy to watch and an inspiration.i have done a “ birthday ride” every year for the last 10 years. I’m 72 now and zip through it on my recumbent ( no e assist) Catrike. Takes a little longer as I age but I get it done. I ride the Cape cod rail from Dennis to Wellfleet ..52 miles round trip then the 24 mile loop of the old colony trail down to Chatham and back. It’s exhilarating . My goal now that I’m older is to do the ride and shoot my age on the golf course. Must keep striving! Thanks again for the many hours of enjoyment I’ve experienced from your videos. Btw…if Julianna has serious back issues get her a recumbent trike asap.they are incredible…it takes all of the strain off wrists, shoulders, neck, back and crotch. You can crank out the miles with no physical pain. They are also must safer as you won’t ever fall off.
Thank you Mark! It seems that I'm usually somewhere on tour on my birthday (we love riding in October, such a great month), so I don't always have the opportunity for a birthday ride. it felt great. Congrats to you on keeping it up. I would love to do the Cape Cod Trail, Never been there and would love to see it.
@@TheBicycleTourists….I’m fortunate as my birthday is in May with warm weather and plenty of sunlight. Come visit on the Cape. We have a big home with a guest suite. Plenty of bikes whatever your wishes. Happy holidays.
May is another great month to ride. Thanks so much for the offer, Mark. We would love to ride Cape Cod and it would be great to meet you! Enjoy your holidays as well!
@@TheBicycleTourists just touch base anytime when you are making plans. We are retired and have all the free time in the world. Would love to meet up and ride and fill you with lobsters, clams, oysters, etc!
Your halfway comments echo my life exactly. Also 65 moved from Michigan to castle rock in June and have to do activities between body pain issues. Just bought an e-bike …. lookout Colorado trails! Nice video totally enjoyed it! Happy birthday!
Good one. I'm in Fort Collins now but spent most of my life in Denver and miss those trails. I've done enough miles on them to go all the way around the Earth.
I love these trails, but truth is I'm a bit burned out on them and I'm really yearning for new landscapes. I rode much of FoCo when my daughter was up there for school. You have some nice rides as well, Carter Lake, Masonville, Horsetooth, the Poudre. Fort Collins is great.
Great job! Happy Birthday! I enjoy a good challenge myself and just like getting out and riding too. Best wishes for Julianna’s recovery. Thanks for sharing!
Great bday celebration !!! As a resident of Southern CO we head up to Denver once a month. Will definitely add this to our to do list. I've done a lot of them separately, but never pieced it all together. The map you showed at the beginning was fantastic of how it all connects and the layout.
thanks Justin! We really have a lot of trails and good bike routes here in Denver. I was looking it up and Denver is somewhere in the top ten major cities for cycling infrastructure. It's a great way to see a city.
@ privileged to have that amount of trails at your doorstep, we have the Dublin mountains here in Ireland which are a fantastic resource and stunningly beautiful to boot
@ infrastructure improving with greenways and the west is so wild and beautiful. Best to do it off peak like you did in France. Hope to see you here sometime, never too late 👍
Thank you both for the u tube videos you did in France of the Canal di midi and Garonne. My husband and I did it in September 2024. It was so helpful really appreciated the tips. From 2 Irish cyclists in our 50’s Keep the videos coming. You’re both an inspiration and we admire you so much , so sound too. Thank you Thelma.
Wishing you a wonderful Birthday. We were happy to come along for your birthday ride, you live in a beautiful area, the fall colours make for a perfect fall ride. We hope Julianna makes a full recovery and we'll see you two riding together again in the future.
Happy Birthday! from Louisiana. Yall are blessed to have the bike infrastructure that yall have with all the trails there. Here in northwest Louisiana we do not have that.
Thank you! We are blessed. I guess having these trails makes up for having to ride in the city. We haven't ridden in Louisiana but in the midwest we loved riding the farm roads, some of our favorite riding.
Well firstly a belated Happy Birthday hope you and your good lady had a great day. Man you have some beautiful trails to ride . Wish we had those near to me here in the UK,,
I enjoyed watching your ride today, which is my 65th Birthday! Excellent watch, comments and reflections during your ride. Well done you 👏👏👏 Thanks for sharing your enjoyable Birthday!
Happy Birthday to You Roland. Wish you and Julianna a health filled future. Looking forward to more of your together long rides. Atb, That Travelling Guy….
Happy belated birthday! I just celebrated my 66th (11 days after yours) and had hoped to do a birthday ride too. I was only able to squeak in 30 due to available time but there is always next year (God willing!). Best wishes for Julianna on her recovery! Great to see you both again.
Friend, I've been attempting a similar experience. For the last 2 years I've been riding 77 minutes and this year 78 minutes to match my age. I hope you continue these birthday rides😊😅🎉
That is a great afterwork ride. Out and back is 27 miles for us, and is a favorite winter ride. We like riding into Golden, grabbing breakfast and then heading back.
Cafe 13 is great! We stop there, or if we're in a rush just hit Snarfs on the main drag, listen to our street-musician friend play violin for us. Also enjoy the Table Mountain Cantina in the winter when the temps force us to ride later in the day.
Très contente de vous revoir et de me promener avec vous dans votre quartier. J'en profite pour vous souhaiter un très bon anniversaire. Il y a peu de temps, j'ai regardé de nouveau toutes vos vidéos France, je les adore. Bon rétablissement à Juliana que j'aime beaucoup, j'espère la revoir en Europe sur son vélo l'année prochaine. ❤
Julianna and I thank you for the kind words. She just got on her bike yesterday for the first time after surgery. We are starting to plan for Europe, just seeing how the final healing looks like. We appreciate you, Michel!
Congratulations! I'm new to cycling and plan on making a birthday ride on my 63rd birthday. Your video has inspired me to keep going! Looking forward to seeing more videos when everyone is healthy again. Thanks
Congratulations on riding your age! My wife and I recently attended a wedding in Denver and were very impressed and somewhat surprised with the excellent bicycle infrastructure. We were able to ride the Platte, Cherry and Bear Creek Trails while we were there. It was nice seeing you highlight some of the others. Perhaps we need to make another trip out west 😀! I hope Julianna has a speedy recovery and you are both able to continue your cycling adventures together.
Happy Birthday. My 65th birthday I partially tore an Achilles tendon. Just now got clearance to ride. Glad to see you back and good luck to you both in the future. Take care, Al
Thanks Al. That sounds painful. these days it seems I structure all my workouts around not messing anything up. Healing and not being able to ride is the worst.
Happy, very, belated birthday!! Im an October baby too! And I undestand about a hectic year!! But we're all glad to see you back and at it!! One step at a time my friend!! One step at a time! Hope you both get back to full strength soon!
When you've passed the 50 mile mark (on a bike or your age) you may have "smiles to go before you weep" too. This was a great video. Thank you for it. P.S. I didn't start riding a bike until I was 56 and am still going(fairly) strong 18 years later.
Happy birthday to one of my favorite storytellers and cyclist. 65 is a big milestone riding your birthday ride is a great accomplishment. Hope you and Juliana recover over the winter. Looking forward to more of your adventures in 2025, and if we get out stuff together, a coast to coast with my wife (66) and I (72). We only started riding in 2020 and we ride electric bikes but we're out there! One of my fantasies would be to load up the bike and take off from home, then ride till I get back or homesick.
Thank you Terry! I share the same fantasy, just leaving out the back door and go. I wish you the best of luck on reaching your goal. What e-bikes are you planning to ride?
Thanks, congrats on your ride. I split time between coastal Delaware and your vicinity in Denver. Over this summer I ride most all of what you showed., but not all at once! Now I know my birthday route for at least the next few years. I'm 62 and can relate to many of the things you said. Thank you for your channel. I shared this video with some of my Delaware friends, to give them a taste of the awesome trail system in/around Denver. Wow!
Thank you! And thanks for the good word about our fair trail system. You could construct a lot of 60+ mile rides on this system without riding the same stretch twice.
Happy Birthday Roland. Sadly you are not the only one that will be happy to see the end of this year! On the first of Jan my wife went out for a short cycle and for some reason I suddenly got a feeling something was wrong.... my phone rang, it was my wife, but when I answered it, it was a man's voice on the other end, a Swiss police officer! He told me my wife had been in serious RTA and I needed to go to the hospital. When I walked into the ER the first thing my eyes rested on was her helmet, split into multiple pieces, so I knew it was bad. So broken leg, broken elbow and her two shoulders torn to shreds, but at least she was a live. It has been a long hard route to recovery and it is not over yet.... The take away - wear your helmet people, without it I truly believe I'd have been arranging a funeral rather than nursing my wife back to health this year.
I'm so sorry to hear this James. Truly bad news. I'm glad she is at least getting better. I think we all have survival stories with our helmets. Gotta protect that old noggin.
You have both had a very challenging year. I am glad to hear your wife is recovering. We make a point of buying the best helmets on the market and replacing them every 2 years. A good reminder of the importance of wearing helmets.
Your story just gave me chills. I wish only the best healing vibes for her and I am so glad to hear shew survived to ride another day. Hopefully soon. The roads are getting more dangerous and scary to be on. People just dont pay attention.
One of the things about cycling is that you meet people who just keep at it. A few years back, when I did Ride the Rockies, a challenging Colorado multi-day ride (think mountain passes, high elevation, nearly 100-mile days) I met a woman who did it for the first time at 70. And she had done it 13 times since. Amazing!
@@TheBicycleTourists Agree with you. After retiring I bike toured across the Northern and Southern Tier ACA routes, slow and easy. Managed half of the Great Divide at 68. Going to try and finish it off at 72.Training, luck, and a positive attitude helps. ☮
Training, luck, positive attitude. That's what you need. We can't overcome genes, but if we do what we can to stay healthy, don't overdo it, enjoy a degree of good luck, we can ride into the sunset. Good luck on the Great Divide. That's a helluva challenge, and worth the effort I'm sure!
Happy birthday, you're 2 years ahead haha. Yep it's true all those little and not so little pains are frustrating. Hope everything gets better and if you're coming to The Netherlands maybe we can ride a few miles together. Greetz, Marcel
Thanks! We've discussed it for our bike tours, and may try renting next year in Europe. Depends on Julianna's back, and how it responds to pushing a loaded bicycle.
Whoa, Happy Birthday, (belated), Roland!!! It was nice to see some of the trail system out in Denver. I have ridden a couple of them, but run the Ralston Creek trail when I am out visiting Lisa, my daughter, in Arvada. Us Michigan cousins are hoping to get out for a visit this year....keep you posted. Hope Julianna has made a good recovery. Linda
Linda! How are you? Yes, do keep us posted. We would love to see all of you, or as many as could make it, and we're only a short bike ride from Arvada. And thanks for the birthday wishes!
Congrats and Happy Birthday! Thanks for showing us your ride : )
Thank you for the well wishes!
Happy belated Birthday! What a great ride and such beautiful fall colors to celebrate your 65th. Wishing you and Julianna an enjoyable and healing "off-season"!
Thank you Jane. I wish we were both better at riding the indoor trainer but we'll do our best, and get out in the Colorado winter as much as possible!
Congratulations on completing the ride after such a challenging year. I think it’s time to treat yourself to an e-bike for your birthday. You will ride more, ride more often and enjoy it more. 😊
Thank you! We may be looking at e-bikes for touring, but the logistics of getting them to Europe for tours is a bit of a problem. Truth be told, I still love the analog riding, but I'm open to ebikes as things change.
@@TheBicycleTourists I agree - the logistics can be daunting. We rented e-bikes in France for our EU cycling trips for three years. That option became problematic because of the poor condition of the bikes, so we bit the bullet and, in April 2024, sent our TREK Allant +7 e-bikes to France via Bike Flights without batteries, purchasing batteries in France. We planned to leave the bikes in France as we do at least one 6-8 week trip every year. It was expensive, but I did the math, and after 55 days of using our own bikes, we were starting to save vs. renting. And that would have been a good plan, except that it turns out that my bike was too big for me - despite having ridden it for over 16,000km. I could manage it without any panniers, but once they were loaded on the bike, I couldn't get on or off the bike easily. For our trip in September 2024, we purchased bikes at our local bike shop, taking them with us as oversized baggage, and made arrangements to purchase batteries when we arrived. A good plan until we went to check in at the airport. It turns out that Lufthansa does not accept e-bikes even with the batteries removed.
However, as we later discovered, Air France and KLM accept e-bikes as long as the batteries are removed. So it is entirely doable but only with certain airlines and if you purchase batteries in Europe. We will return to France next April, purchase bikes in France, and leave them there. Because we will be cycling in the EU each year, financially, it is better to purchase the bikes in the EU rather than take them back and forth. We are in our 70s, and using e-bikes allows us to comfortably cycle 2000+ km with panniers on each trip.
We are glad to know you are back in the saddle. We enjoy your videos-it's just like being there! Perhaps one day, we will drive our bikes down to Denver and experience some of the fabulous trails you took during your birthday ride.
Thanks for the very informative reply. This is exactly how I imagine it to be. Problematic. But where there's a will there's a way. We also have considered buying and keeping a set in Europe. Like you, we want to keep touring well into our seventies, as long as is possible. And if we had to pick a continent to tour in, it would have to be Europe, although I love North America as well! Going back and forth with the ebikes sounds close to impossible, or too much of a hassle to deal with.
I hope you don't mind but I have a couple of questions for you. (1) Do you like your TREK Allant +7s? (2) Will you purchase the same brand next year in Europe? (3) Why was it harder to mount the loaded bike, was it the weight that changed? (4) In your research, have you heard anything about renting batteries in Europe? I thought I've heard of something along those lines. (5) Do you store the bikes with friends or do you have to rent storage? (6) Do you find that riding an e-bike opens up new places for you to ride, since it makes it easier to negotiate the climbs?
Thanks again for the great information. We're still weighing our options, knowing that we will, at some point, be riding e-bikes. Your letter has clarified more for us than a lot of internet research! If you ever make it to Colorado, let us know! We'll be happy to show you around!
@@TheBicycleTourists Happy to answer any questions you might have. Here are my responses to your questions above:
(1) We love our Trek Allant bikes. We purchased our first Allants in March 2020, and the EU Allant will be my 3rd. We purchased Riese & Mullers in May 2023. My husband loves his, but mine sits unused in the bike room of our condo as I replaced it with an Allant. The R&M was simply the wrong geometry for me, primarily because there was too much reach to the handlebars, and the handlebars were too wide. Our bike shop looked into many options to make the R&M work, but ultimately, we all agreed it was the wrong bike for me. Lesson learned! Highly rated doesn't mean it will be a good fit. I'm now riding a step-thru Allant +7. Apparently, Trek has the shortest reach of any of the major bike brands but I still have to have an angled stem to make the bike fit. I bike daily, even though we live in a rainy climate - it's that much fun to ride. So, if you know anyone who's looking for a bargain on an R&M bike, let me know!
(2) The bikes we will purchase in France (Bordeaux) will be the Allant step-thru, but the EU name for the 2025 bikes might be the Allant Going or the Allant +7. We are still trying to determine the difference on the Trek French website.
(3) Why my OG Allant didn't work for me was a revelation to both of us, as I had ridden it for over 16,000 km in North America. It was a size M, which was on the edge of the correct size for me, but we purchased it as it allowed for 2 batteries, which we thought we would need for touring. We didn't realize that I always tipped the bike over to get on it. I knew I could never put both feet on the ground when I stopped at lights or intersections because of the placement of the crossbar. Instead, I stood on one foot, tilted the bike slightly, or put my foot on the curb. Only when the bike was loaded with two panniers and a crosspack did we realize that I needed to find a very tall curb to lift my leg up and over the crosspack or take the crosspack off the bike. Each of us carries about 25 Kg. We have many funny videos of me attempting to get on and off the bike. Even I found it funny. If we stopped for a picnic lunch, I'd stay on my bike rather than have to take off the cross-pack to dismount. Our next bikes will be step thrus - so much easier. We've found a workaround for the extra battery; we will have 625 Wh as our main battery and a PowerMore battery of 250 Wh, so we won't have any range anxiety.
(4) We have heard many rumours about renting batteries, but we have yet to find a bike shop that does. As we will to cycle from point to point, we gave up on our search.
(5) We will store the bikes in a storage facility in Dijon (the locker is 5' x 5' by 8') from June 2025 to April 2026. The cost is about $100 Canadian/month. Our friend arranges with local bike shops to store and service their R&M bikes. He has done this for many years in several European countries. We will likely do this in the future.
(6) The e-bikes have significantly impacted how and where we ride. Our average daily distance is about 70km and 500 m of elevation, with several days of 80 km and 850 m of elevation on each tour. Wind is no longer a factor, and we cycle daily, usually 35 days on each trip. Before we used e-bikes, after a ride, I'd take a shower and need a nap before I had enough energy to head out for dinner. Now we shower and head out to explore or sit in the square and have a glass of rose. All our routes are planned before we leave home using Komoot, and the road surfaces and routing are checked out with Google Street View to optimize the road conditions. For the most part, we stay 3 nights in each location and do 2 days of loop rides in each town. Our first tour in Provence was only 8 days, and by the end, I was exhausted from the hills and the winds. We've since done 2 longer tours in Provence (31 and 36 days), and I had no problems with the climbs or the wind - and we encountered some vicious Mistrals. I just boosted the power and geared down.
I hope this helps you and Julianna. As I mentioned, we are both in our 70s and late to the joys of cycling, so we are doing everything we can to ensure we've got many more years of cycle touring ahead of us.
Thank you so much for the great information. Part of me wanted to ask you about the R&M size so I could head up there and buy it from you (don't know what part of Canada you're in but prob Vancouver based on the fact you ride every day), but Julianna needs something with a shorter reach as well. We will look into the Trek models for sure. Its inspiring to see the benefits of the e-bikes. Something we definitely keep in mind as we ponder the next chapter. Having hte bikes stored in Europe is also something we are considering so this is all great information. Best wishes on your upcoming tour (Bordeaux? Dijon? Somewhere in France?) and happy trails!
Well done Roland. Thank you for the video. I have a big 60 coming up next September. I am inspired by what you did and plan to do 60 miles based on your route :)
Thank you! It's good to have goals, they push your envelope! good luck on yours.
Happy belated 65th, Roland! Congrats on the first metric ton for a while. It certainly is difficult getting back into it! Been a couple of years since I've covered that kind of distance in a day - 128 km in March, 2022. Only been a few short 20-40 km since then. Time to get back into it myself! Though the summer heat doesn't make that fun.
thank you! Yeah, for me conditions have to be right to spend so many hours in the saddle. Fall is a great time for that kind of riding. Having those kinds of goals is good for me I think. I need to do it more often. Good luck!
Congratulations on a beautiful 65 mile ride!… My 65 mile ride is next month. Ride & Smile!
Thanks! And enjoy your ride - I hope you live somewhere south!
Nice! Well done Roland.
Thank you Steve!
Happy birthday and congratulations, Roland! Such a wonderful homage to Denver.
Berta and I wish you and Julianna speedy recoveries and many years of cycling together.
We are on a tour now and just rode Tucson’s loop. Your philosophy and narrative skill continue to color how I appreciate each day riding. You and J are a huge inspiration to many of us!!
-John
Thank you so much John. Hope you enjoyed the Loop, that's a great trail system there. Julianna just had her first ride in a couple of months yesterday, so we're getting there!
This has to be the best biking infrastructure ive ever seen. 65 miles is a great accomplishment. Thanks for sharing the ride with us.
Thank you! Denver and the metro area has really done a great job.
Just found you on RUclips. Happy belated Birthday! I’m in NW Denver so I might see you out there sometime. Keep it up and maybe I’ll see ya out there!
Thank you! See you on the trails (crazier things have happened)!
I love clear creek!! 🚲 hello from golden!!
Hey Caroline! Hellos from Highlands, we'll see you on the trail!
Happy 65th birthday. Your videos are great to watch…you explain the history of where you’re riding. Hope your wife’s recovery is swift.
Thank you so much Tony! I wouldn't say "swift" but Julianna is feeling better and better.
Next year will be the best.
No aches and pains or ills, only boundless energy and youthful glee.
Thanks for the update. We missed you.
Yup, all our troubles will be washed away!
Happy Birthday! I’m not normally a person who makes comments but I have seen and very much appreciate all of your videos. Prayers for your wife as I have had 6 spinal fusions. Formally from Colorado Springs I ride daily including the EuroVelo routes and most recently the Canal Du Midi. Most recently I had a stroke and another spinal surgery. During my recovery I switched to a TerraTrike recumbent during the back healing process. I’m back on my long distance surgery. My best to you and again Happy Birthday. I’m 76.
Back on my Surly…. Not surgery… I hate autocorrect!
Thank you Sam! It's Inspiring to hear, back surgery is scary and it's good to hear you can keep at it after so much work. Stay healthy, and keep riding!
Happy Birthday! Very nice scenery thanks for sharing. I always heard Denver has nice trails but never really seen any. I wish you guys well and get better soon. Looking forward to your rides (videos) next year.
Thank you! We hope we have a lot of adventures to make up
for this year!
Happy Birthday! What a Great video. My Wife and I knew you would make the ride just fine, age is just a number. My Wife and I ride 1 mile for every year we have been married, this Anniversary we celebrated with a 53 mile ride. We are 73, a little slower, but not stopping. Wishing the Best for you two and good health. Ron and Cindra.
Thank you! I love hearing these stories! I got back into cycling in my thirties as a means to have some way to stay in shape well into my later years. While none of us here are in our later years yet, I hear from so many folks who keep it up well into their eighties. Inspiring! Enjoy the ride!
First time as a Yank who has lived in "bike heaven" France for four decades - where I see in my country some great bike paths. No cars! Definitely will consider one of these days to visit Denver.
I'm not sure how long you've lived in France, but the US, especially the cities, has dramatically improved their cycling infrastructure. Overall, France is still a lot better I think, though I've never cycled in Paris.
Lived in Paris 40 years. 60 k of protected bike lanes. Protected by cement curbs.
Only in Manhattan have I seen anything close (along the Hudson from Inwood to the battery).
Here is one domaine de Saint Cloud accompanied by French 17th century music.
ruclips.net/video/75wwt8hjJ_g/видео.htmlfeature=shared
Nice!
To be fair, there are lots of roads and cars you have to navigate on parts of the Denver area bike paths. We are making progress, but there are spots that are terrible.
Thanks for sharing the ride. I don't consider myself a bicyclist but I have biked many sections of those trails. Don't forget about all the trails that Foothills Park and Rec maintains in SW Littleton. We can get around our area of town well on paved trails here. I used to live three blocks from Sloans Lake so I'm familiar with the development of Highlands. Great fall scenery and nice narration.
Thank you so much! It's a great trail system, I feel fortunate. It kind of sounds like you ARE a bicycist...
Happy belated birthday! Of course, now I think i have to move to Denver. I'm about to retire and want to live somewhere with loads and loads of bike paths. How fortunate you are to have all that right outside your door. I'm also inspired...66 years old coming up in a few months. I've never done that distance (45 tops, and that only a few times), but it might be something to aspire to. Thanks for the video, and happy recuperation to both of you!
Thank you Lisa Marie! Denver is great for the bike paths, although we're looking for somewhere warmer. The indoor trainer doesn't do it for either of us and winters aren't getting any warmer. (Not trying to unsell Denver, it's a great town for cycling, and depending on the winter you will find days in any month that are nice for cycling, as long as the ice isn't too bad). Good luck on finding the perfect spot!
Oh good to see you both! A wonderful way to celebrate your special day! 🥳🚴🏻♂️💪 So enjoyed seeing you in your happy place and the trails of Denver. Well wishes to Julianna for a full recovery…better than ever! 💜
Thanks Linda. Yesterday she rode with me for the first time. Felt great for both of us!
@ so happy to hear! 💕 Step by step, turn by turn…being mindful to how you feel.
My ride home is always up…a 13% grade, at times it stopped me from getting in the saddle. Purchased a gravel e-bike a couple of years ago. The hardest thing to overcome was my ego! 😂 Now I’m able to ride more often, longer, and harder. Absolutely a game changer! Our best to you both. 💜
That's a steep grade at the end of a ride! We know that at some point we will probably go e-bike. Especially when we're doing loaded touring. We'll see how Julianna feels. The hassle with e-bikes is that we want to do a lot of riding in Europe and it seems like a real hassle to get them over there. We're looking into it.
@@TheBicycleTourists yes, I don’t think you can fly with an e-bike. I’ve seen it mentioned about renting a compatible battery once there. Not sure how possible that is and who knows how good it is. Renting a bike, which you had issues with, of course is a possibility. However, probably they have good options as they’re popular and ahead of us in technology. I’d love to know what you learn. A friend has done trips abroad with Discovery Bicycle Tours and was happy with their e-bikes. Maybe the tour companies would be willing to share info. For now, may you enjoy your “me-bike”! 🚴🏻♂️☀️
One thought is that Switzerland has an e-bike route, with charging stations, etc. that goes across the country. We would rent, as it wouldn't be for a long period of time. Switzerland is not a country we could explore much on our regular touring bikes so the e-bikes open up that possibility.
Wow, that was great, you had up and downs, too. I haven't been on my bike since last October, I usually do a diabetes ride in October, but they moved it to the bay. Anyhow skin cancer and heart problems, wow, we are all getting older. On Thursday, I go in for my third echo scan and now they added a heart catheter. I inherited aorta stenosis (heart valve) mine doesn't open up all the way. He also saw calcified plaque, which doesn't make things better. Anyhow, after I get these heart issues behind me, back to riding. I just have too. Thanks Roland, hope Julianna heals quickly, looking forward to your next adventure.
Thank you Dennis. As my (older) brother says, getting old isn't for candy-asses. I'm trying to learn to take it all in stride, doing what I can to slow the inevitable, and accepting that which I can't control. I'm finally feeling much better, just in time for winter! Julianna got on the bike for a short ride the other day, so things are improving! Take care, Dennis!
Thanks for posting this great ride around the Denver and the burbs. Your appreciation of the beauty of the area carries thru well in your narrative. I can appreciate what the aches and pains of riding in your 60's and 70's is like and applaud you going for 65 miles.
Thank you Dave. I do love my city. My plan is to go into old age kicking and screaming!
Happy birthday Roland! Super impressed with the distance on ‘sugar’ powered bike, also very impressed with paved trails. At 70 I’m sticking on my R&M ebike, doing the off-road trails in the Trossachs Scotland, but may have to try Denver sometime 😁. Hope Julianna’s recovery is quick and total, be good to see you both on the road again.
Thank you Ken! Trossachs! I want to be where you are! Julianna got her first post-surgery ride in the other day so things are on the upswing.
Happy 65!!! You did great. Hope Julianna (and Herman) are back on the bike soon.
Sorry about your foot issues. I stopped riding clip ins about 5 years ago and use Shimano M324 pedals (flat on one side, clip on the other) and wear a hard soled bike shoe. The flat allows for dofferent foot positions, taking the pressure off the balls of my feet. Since I don't race😂, I have no need to clip in.
Cheers to your next adventure.
🌞🚴♀️🖖
Thank you! I actually ride the same pedals on my touring bike, and never clip in. I do with my road bike, although I might change that out as well.
🙏🏻
🙂
Happy birthday! Such a nice ride; thanks for sharing!
Thanks so much!
Happy birthday and great riding accomplishment. Your videos have been a joy to watch and an inspiration.i have done a “ birthday ride” every year for the last 10 years. I’m 72 now and zip through it on my recumbent ( no e assist) Catrike. Takes a little longer as I age but I get it done. I ride the Cape cod rail from Dennis to Wellfleet ..52 miles round trip then the 24 mile loop of the old colony trail down to Chatham and back. It’s exhilarating . My goal now that I’m older is to do the ride and shoot my age on the golf course. Must keep striving! Thanks again for the many hours of enjoyment I’ve experienced from your videos. Btw…if Julianna has serious back issues get her a recumbent trike asap.they are incredible…it takes all of the strain off wrists, shoulders, neck, back and crotch. You can crank out the miles with no physical pain. They are also must safer as you won’t ever fall off.
Thank you Mark! It seems that I'm usually somewhere on tour on my birthday (we love riding in October, such a great month), so I don't always have the opportunity for a birthday ride. it felt great. Congrats to you on keeping it up. I would love to do the Cape Cod Trail, Never been there and would love to see it.
@@TheBicycleTourists….I’m fortunate as my birthday is in May with warm weather and plenty of sunlight. Come visit on the Cape. We have a big home with a guest suite. Plenty of bikes whatever your wishes. Happy holidays.
May is another great month to ride. Thanks so much for the offer, Mark. We would love to ride Cape Cod and it would be great to meet you! Enjoy your holidays as well!
@@TheBicycleTourists just touch base anytime when you are making plans. We are retired and have all the free time in the world. Would love to meet up and ride and fill you with lobsters, clams, oysters, etc!
Honestly, that sounds awesome!
Your halfway comments echo my life exactly. Also 65 moved from Michigan to castle rock in June and have to do activities between body pain issues. Just bought an e-bike …. lookout Colorado trails! Nice video totally enjoyed it! Happy birthday!
Both Julianna and I are from Michigan (we met here). I think an e-bike is in nearly every cyclist's future! Enjoy your rides!
Good one. I'm in Fort Collins now but spent most of my life in Denver and miss those trails. I've done enough miles on them to go all the way around the Earth.
I love these trails, but truth is I'm a bit burned out on them and I'm really yearning for new landscapes. I rode much of FoCo when my daughter was up there for school. You have some nice rides as well, Carter Lake, Masonville, Horsetooth, the Poudre. Fort Collins is great.
Great job! Happy Birthday! I enjoy a good challenge myself and just like getting out and riding too. Best wishes for Julianna’s recovery. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you! It felt great to push myself!
Great bday celebration !!! As a resident of Southern CO we head up to Denver once a month. Will definitely add this to our to do list. I've done a lot of them separately, but never pieced it all together. The map you showed at the beginning was fantastic of how it all connects and the layout.
thanks Justin! We really have a lot of trails and good bike routes here in Denver. I was looking it up and Denver is somewhere in the top ten major cities for cycling infrastructure. It's a great way to see a city.
Can’t remember seeing more beautiful colours than your ride. Happy 65th birthday, every year is a gift 👍🇮🇪
Not bad for an urban trail system, right?
@ privileged to have that amount of trails at your doorstep, we have the Dublin mountains here in Ireland which are a fantastic resource and stunningly beautiful to boot
i would love to cycle in Ireland. I was there in the eighties, loved it, travelled by train, didn't see nearly enough of the country.
@ infrastructure improving with greenways and the west is so wild and beautiful. Best to do it off peak like you did in France. Hope to see you here sometime, never too late 👍
It's on the bucket list
Thank you both for the u tube videos you did in France of the Canal di midi and Garonne. My husband and I did it in September 2024.
It was so helpful really appreciated the tips.
From 2 Irish cyclists in our 50’s
Keep the videos coming.
You’re both an inspiration and we admire you so much , so sound too.
Thank you
Thelma.
Thank you so much, Thelma! You're too kind! I'm glad you enjoyed that ride, we loved that part of France.
Wishing you a wonderful Birthday. We were happy to come along for your birthday ride, you live in a beautiful area, the fall colours make for a perfect fall ride. We hope Julianna makes a full recovery and we'll see you two riding together again in the future.
Thank you! Julianna got her first post-surgery ride in yesterday. Lots to be optimistic about!
Happy Birthday! from Louisiana. Yall are blessed to have the bike infrastructure that yall have with all the trails there. Here in northwest Louisiana we do not have that.
Thank you! We are blessed. I guess having these trails makes up for having to ride in the city. We haven't ridden in Louisiana but in the midwest we loved riding the farm roads, some of our favorite riding.
Yay. How I’ve missed seeing your videos!! Thank you for the beautiful ride - happy birthday 🎂
Awww thank you Amy!
Happy birthday
Thank you!
Happy Birthday youngster. Denver looks great for cycling especially in fall, so colourful and what a welcome home from your lovely wife and cats.
Thanks! Yes, nothing like a warm welcome. Julianna's back finally allowed her to ride with me just yesterday. Lots to be happy about!
A nice Saturday surprise. Nice to see you both. Happy Birthday and wishing Julianna a great recovery.
Thank you Don! Julianna had her first post-surgery ride yesterday. All is good!
Well firstly a belated Happy Birthday hope you and your good lady had a great day.
Man you have some beautiful trails to ride . Wish we had those near to me here in the UK,,
Thanks so much! But I always imagined there to be great trails in the UK.
I enjoyed watching your ride today, which is my 65th Birthday! Excellent watch, comments and reflections during your ride. Well done you 👏👏👏 Thanks for sharing your enjoyable Birthday!
Thank you Teryl. And congrats! and great timing!
Happy Birthday to You Roland. Wish you and Julianna a health filled future. Looking forward to more of your together long rides.
Atb,
That Travelling Guy….
Thanks so much! Trust me, we're looking forward as well!
Happy Birthday! An awesome ride on a great Fall day. Denver & the trail system look amazing.
Thanks! Denver and the whole metro area really has done a great job. We feel lucky.
Happy belated birthday! I just celebrated my 66th (11 days after yours) and had hoped to do a birthday ride too. I was only able to squeak in 30 due to available time but there is always next year (God willing!). Best wishes for Julianna on her recovery! Great to see you both again.
Thanks! It felt great to take on a bigger mile day. Sometimes a personal challenge is a great thing.
Excellent ride. Congratulations and happy 65th birthday 🎉😊
Thank you so much!
Friend, I've been attempting a similar experience. For the last 2 years I've been riding 77 minutes and this year 78 minutes to match my age. I hope you continue these birthday rides😊😅🎉
That sounds like a great plan. Goals work!
Great video! I'm lucky enough to be able to jump on the Clear Creek after work. Out to Golden and back gives me approximately 19 miles.
That is a great afterwork ride. Out and back is 27 miles for us, and is a favorite winter ride. We like riding into Golden, grabbing breakfast and then heading back.
@@TheBicycleTourists Where do you like to get breakfast in Golden? I'm kind of partial to Cafe 13. (Westminster rider here.)
Cafe 13 is great! We stop there, or if we're in a rush just hit Snarfs on the main drag, listen to our street-musician friend play violin for us. Also enjoy the Table Mountain Cantina in the winter when the temps force us to ride later in the day.
Très contente de vous revoir et de me promener avec vous dans votre quartier. J'en profite pour vous souhaiter un très bon anniversaire. Il y a peu de temps, j'ai regardé de nouveau toutes vos vidéos France, je les adore. Bon rétablissement à Juliana que j'aime beaucoup, j'espère la revoir en Europe sur son vélo l'année prochaine. ❤
Julianna and I thank you for the kind words. She just got on her bike yesterday for the first time after surgery. We are starting to plan for Europe, just seeing how the final healing looks like. We appreciate you, Michel!
Very well done video, lots of great scenery, thanks for sharing and happy birthday!
Thank you so much! So glad you enjoyed!
Congratulations! I'm new to cycling and plan on making a birthday ride on my 63rd birthday. Your video has inspired me to keep going! Looking forward to seeing more videos when everyone is healthy again. Thanks
Thank you! Yes, keep going, that's the idea!
Congratulations on riding your age! My wife and I recently attended a wedding in Denver and were very impressed and somewhat surprised with the excellent bicycle infrastructure. We were able to ride the Platte, Cherry and Bear Creek Trails while we were there. It was nice seeing you highlight some of the others. Perhaps we need to make another trip out west 😀! I hope Julianna has a speedy recovery and you are both able to continue your cycling adventures together.
Thank you so much! Glad that you got a chance to check out our fair city. Julianna got her first ride in the other day, so things are on the mend.
Happy Birthday. My 65th birthday I partially tore an Achilles tendon. Just now got clearance to ride. Glad to see you back and good luck to you both in the future. Take care, Al
Thanks Al. That sounds painful. these days it seems I structure all my workouts around not messing anything up. Healing and not being able to ride is the worst.
congratulations
thank you!
Happy, very, belated birthday!! Im an October baby too! And I undestand about a hectic year!! But we're all glad to see you back and at it!! One step at a time my friend!! One step at a time!
Hope you both get back to full strength soon!
Thanks! Yesterday Julianna rode with me for the first time in a couple months. We're getting there!
@TheBicycleTourists Im heading out soon. Nice and cool in Pa
Enjoy!
Happy birthday! Denver is spectacular for riding infrastructure. I wish more towns made these investments.
Thanks! We are lucky to have it.
When you've passed the 50 mile mark (on a bike or your age) you may have "smiles to go before you weep" too. This was a great video. Thank you for it. P.S. I didn't start riding a bike until I was 56 and am still going(fairly) strong 18 years later.
I love that! I picked up cycling in my late thirties, I wanted something to keep me active as I got older. It has served me well!
What a ride Roland. You're an inspiration.
Aww thanks!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY! What a gift you gave us by showing us that we can achieve great things. #Inspired
Aww thanks!
Happy birthday! 🎂 I look forward to riding some of those bike pathways you have shared when I retire.
Thanks! riding is a great way to spend your retirement!
@ you have shared some amazing routes. Thanks for making this channel!
Our pleasure!
Happy birthday to one of my favorite storytellers and cyclist. 65 is a big milestone riding your birthday ride is a great accomplishment. Hope you and Juliana recover over the winter. Looking forward to more of your adventures in 2025, and if we get out stuff together, a coast to coast with my wife (66) and I (72). We only started riding in 2020 and we ride electric bikes but we're out there! One of my fantasies would be to load up the bike and take off from home, then ride till I get back or homesick.
Thank you Terry! I share the same fantasy, just leaving out the back door and go. I wish you the best of luck on reaching your goal. What e-bikes are you planning to ride?
A birthday ride is the best. Happy Birthday!
Thanks Thomas!
Happy birthday dude, go enjoy your bike ride.
Will do, and thanks!
Thanks, congrats on your ride. I split time between coastal Delaware and your vicinity in Denver. Over this summer I ride most all of what you showed., but not all at once! Now I know my birthday route for at least the next few years. I'm 62 and can relate to many of the things you said. Thank you for your channel. I shared this video with some of my Delaware friends, to give them a taste of the awesome trail system in/around Denver. Wow!
Thank you! And thanks for the good word about our fair trail system. You could construct a lot of 60+ mile rides on this system without riding the same stretch twice.
Happy Birthday Roland. Sadly you are not the only one that will be happy to see the end of this year!
On the first of Jan my wife went out for a short cycle and for some reason I suddenly got a feeling something was wrong.... my phone rang, it was my wife, but when I answered it, it was a man's voice on the other end, a Swiss police officer! He told me my wife had been in serious RTA and I needed to go to the hospital.
When I walked into the ER the first thing my eyes rested on was her helmet, split into multiple pieces, so I knew it was bad. So broken leg, broken elbow and her two shoulders torn to shreds, but at least she was a live. It has been a long hard route to recovery and it is not over yet....
The take away - wear your helmet people, without it I truly believe I'd have been arranging a funeral rather than nursing my wife back to health this year.
Amen on bicycle helmet! Get recovered bicycling Wife!
I'm so sorry to hear this James. Truly bad news. I'm glad she is at least getting better. I think we all have survival stories with our helmets. Gotta protect that old noggin.
You have both had a very challenging year. I am glad to hear your wife is recovering. We make a point of buying the best helmets on the market and replacing them every 2 years. A good reminder of the importance of wearing helmets.
Your story just gave me chills. I wish only the best healing vibes for her and I am so glad to hear shew survived to ride another day. Hopefully soon. The roads are getting more dangerous and scary to be on. People just dont pay attention.
Great ride on a beautiful day. Happy Birthday!
Thank you!
Hang in there! 71 here and still riding. I came across an 80 year old on his bike training to ride 80 miles on his birthday. ☮
One of the things about cycling is that you meet people who just keep at it. A few years back, when I did Ride the Rockies, a challenging Colorado multi-day ride (think mountain passes, high elevation, nearly 100-mile days) I met a woman who did it for the first time at 70. And she had done it 13 times since. Amazing!
@@TheBicycleTourists Agree with you. After retiring I bike toured across the Northern and Southern Tier ACA routes, slow and easy. Managed half of the Great Divide at 68. Going to try and finish it off at 72.Training, luck, and a positive attitude helps. ☮
Training, luck, positive attitude. That's what you need. We can't overcome genes, but if we do what we can to stay healthy, don't overdo it, enjoy a degree of good luck, we can ride into the sunset. Good luck on the Great Divide. That's a helluva challenge, and worth the effort I'm sure!
Happy birthday, you're 2 years ahead haha. Yep it's true all those little and not so little pains are frustrating. Hope everything gets better and if you're coming to The Netherlands maybe we can ride a few miles together. Greetz, Marcel
Thank you Marcel, that trip is still in the plans so hopefully we will do that!
Happy belated Birthday!!🎂 Nice paved bike trails. Do you think a e-bike is in your near future?
Thanks! We've discussed it for our bike tours, and may try renting next year in Europe. Depends on Julianna's back, and how it responds to pushing a loaded bicycle.
Warning once you try one it will be hard to go back 😂
Thanks for sharing the route! Our bike trail system is so great. You must live near Legacy Pie shop 😀
You're welcome! Yes, the one on Tennyson.
Happy birthday and you are 1 year younger
Thank you! Nice way to think about it!
Hope to see you on the trails around Denver. Amputee riding a blue iCE recumbent with my minder Brad😂🐸
I've probably seen you, I'll keep my eyes open! Getting out in this lovely riding weather, I hope?
I need to learn more of these and go try them all. Maybe We'll see each other on the trails!
Taking a look at your RUclips videos, I'm sure I won't miss you! See you on the trails!