I definitely think my regular cycling has changed my health.
When you realize that you can ride 50 or 100 miles on a bike, some of those other things (like pushups for example) become less lofty and frightening.
I signed up at a gym a few years back with the goal of learning to do pushups. Since i had osteopenia i was counseled to do weight bearing exercise (bicycling doesn't count) and pushups were one of those. So after about 4 months of weight lifting and all sorts of other exercises, I could do one. I've done about 15 in a row (the best I've done) but I could probably do 7 right now if i pushed myself. Cycling to work is my major exercise, but it has certainly changed me from someone who was always sick
to someone who has aches and pains but is mostly healthy.
And my goodness, my legs used to be so scrawny; now they're curvy and muscular. ! Like Orchid's!

Methinks Madeline I believe you are a stronger cyclist than I, based on some of your bike trip stories.

Anne, a low-impact exercise with some sustained and vigorous cardiovascular benefits, plus balance is helpful..well to me. I returned to cycling since I was 32 (I'm 50 now). Before moving to Vancouver 7 yrs. ago, I did not cycle at all in the winter, since I am not a snow cyclist and it was just alot more snow in Ontario.

It's a great sign, Anne that your knee pain went away, when you were cycling on stationary bike! I can't cycle on a stationary bike, because usually the bike geometry is too big/wrong for me. Maybe it might give you some future ideas? Keep us posted here. I'm sure Madeline and I (and if cyclingirl would also return to BMWS too) can give you some pointers here over time. Not sure if chatty has started up cycling with her little group.

The benefit of cycling often of course, is helpful to hiking and in the winter, snowshoeing in the mountains. By the way, I don't hike/snowshoe with much weight in my backpack. It's just me. I don't like carrying much weight on by back. Nor do I cycle with a backpack. All these years I've been using bike panniers clipped on bike rack at back of bike.

For myself Anne, cycling also is a clear lifestyle choice and ...a real transportation necessity since we choose not to have a car. So cycling is like walking alot to do errands, etc., it becomes integrated and seamless into one's daily life.

uhuh,
you ride more than I do!!

I remember telling my Mom that she should be wearing Old Lady clothes when I was in middle school and thought I was witty. She would have been younger than I am now (50).

My kids got me the Wii Fit for Mother's Day and I've had a great time piled up in the recliner watching them work out!

My group started Orchid but when I was ill in April I wasn't able to go along. We decided we'd ride as many miles as possible everyday adding as we went along. We are so fortunate as right next to our resort is the Vegas Valley Nature Preserve full of trails for bikes, trees, birds, all kinds of ponds, waterfalls and even brisk running waters. Much is natural and some man made but a great place to ride everyday seeing different birds, animals and hundreds of flowering plants and bushes. I have gone with the group since the 6th of May. We don't get any snow to speak of but are anxious to see the different in the trails once winter comes around. This morning we had 11 cyclists in the group.

Excellent chatty! Once summer heats up, do you think that people will want to start earlier in morning or later in evening?

Are you the de facto cycling herder or group organizer? Or there's someone else as equally pumped as you to get people together? You are more social than I on the bike group riding. I'm pretty wordless, keep to myself when I lead a group. If I'm with 1 other person, I would be more inclined to talk abit more. Less, people to worry/think about behind me.

Amy: that was funny, watching your kids having a good time with your present.

I'm impressed that you can do pushups, Madelaine. I never could do any, at any age.

Chatty, biking around Vegas sounds like so much fun. I have never thought of Vegas offering so much natural beauty.

Here are some photos of Bodensee bike tour:
http://www.radsport-trainingslager.de/bodensee-radtour.html

When I bike through pretty places, I can go on and on and on. One of my favourite bike trails is along Bodensee, the biggest lake in Europe. They have fantastic trails. Hubby, our son, and I will be doing a bike tour there next week, ( if the weather allows).

I am the organizer and head of the group I guess. When the weather gets really heated up we will ride in the evening around 10:00 p.m., as the roads are all well lit we will be on. The resort we live in has very wide, blacktopped roads and sidewalks so we will probably cycle within the resort itself. The people living there know the speed limit for cars is 10 miles per hour and the security gates are closed and locked after dark. A couple of our male riders started singing as we rode and now everyone is singing. Its a blast!

Chatty and Edelweiss: This is a cycling song, suitable for boomers. But I admit I didn't quite remember of all of the pop group, Queen's songs at that time.

I Want to Ride my Bicycle: http://new.music.yahoo.com/cycle-v/
Enjoy!!

Thanks for the link Orchid! Tapping my wheels, eh, my feet over here.