DJ, find yourself a good bike shop and you can buy yourself a sheep skin covered bicycle seat. They come extra wide and extra soft. Two of the ladies in my group of bike riders went together and bought me one for my birthday, its fantastic!

My butt hurts after horseback riding an hour or two. WB and I
stopped biking in '95, after we moved out in the hills.

Maybe I'll do that Chatty. I have the extra wide cushy seat. Went biking today and just dealt with it because it was so gorgeous out!

Jabber, I'm suffering in about 10 minutes. I'd be happy if it took an hour or two. Guess I have a bony butt, or else my natural padding gets displaced.

orchid, we lost faith in the bike shop and have yet to find another one.

Groovy bikes 15 to 20 miles in a ride. Don't know how she does
it, but that gal has more get up and go than Princess Warrior.

WB and I were in the car the other day going up a hill near our
home, on the way to Letchworth State Park to geocache. When
we got to the top, I told hubby Groovy rode her bike up that hill. He said, "It's hard enough gettin' up there in a car."
That made me laugh!

I went bike riding several years ago along the C&O Canal here in Maryland and oh those bikes and seats were so hard on me . I think I hurt for a week and could hardly sit at my desk at work .I guess they make more softer seats now , at least I hope so .

This thread from an Internet place that is dedicated to women's cycling gives one an idea of how many women close to 50 and over are taking up cycling regularily.

http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showthread.php?t=7782

Many of these women are not racers, several are trying to lose weight while they rediscover fun on bike. Many have returned to cycling after several decades.

If a bike shop does not fit you properly on the bike, try another one. It does mean trying out different bikes, having them properly adjusted for you, going for several rides. Not all bike shop employees treat women customers to meet their needs. It's like buying a car by yourself.

My first 2 bike rides less than 10 miles each after not cycling for 12 years, were painful in butt on my new bike. And the bike did fit me fine. After a few more rides, I got used to it.

Orchid, looks like a nice group of people in your cyling forum.

A new highway is being built, (called the romantic highway), about 15 miles from us. We've been going cycling there alot. It's so much fun...a whole 6 lane highway to yourself!!! It's been catching on among the cylists, and on weekends it actually gets crowded! It will be finished in September. But our view of this magnificent highway will always be a little more personal, because of out bike tours on it.

Orchid,
I didn't know bikes had to be fitted to individual riders.
It makes sense. I just never thought about it. Stirrups need to be fitted, so why not bikes. WB got his bike out recently so
he could use it geocaching along the bike path in the city.
Perhaps we'll start biking again, who knows. Bikes come in handy when camped after RV'ing daylong.

Getting back t how old people looked. I have pictures of an aunt from the 60s. At that time she was in her 50s. She actually looked older then, than she did prior to her death. I think it could be the black and white photos and the house dresses and shoes she wore. Oh, and the hairstyle. I can't believe I am the age she was in those old photos. No wonder my kids think I'm old.