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Are you Over 50 and STILL SHREDDING?

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A
Dec 1, 2012
43
26
18
Plain, WA.
I'm 56 I've gone from an edge 800 to a pro 800 163 and now ride a 155 600 Axys in 5 yrs. Sat out last year with a broken femur( fell from a ladder). I ride with a group that ranges from their teens to mid sixties,and the best advice I can give to older riders is ride your ride, don't let the allure of youth cause you to make bad decisions. Sure the sleds of today can do most anything you ask it to but if something goes wrong do you have the reaction time and strength to pull out of it. And if you don't the insurance will make your sled right but let's face it boys we don't bounce like we used to. So use your head out there with age comes wisdom don't waste it, ride your ride not others.
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christopher

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Nov 1, 2008
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Rigby, Idaho
This is for the guys over 50. I an slowing down a little. Been on a Polaris since 93, but I am worried the Axys may be a little aggressive for my deminishing skills. I put a 174 on it and it's a ton better. Thinking about making a change the next time, probably next fall. Still got lots of riding in me. What are you riding and do is it work for you?

54 years old.
Let myself get FAT and LAZY a few years back.
Shot up to 250lbs.
Then got my act together, dropped 65lbs, and got down to 185!

Traded in my Boosted Yamahas for 3 new Doo 850s.

Might as well have been BORN AGAIN!

I spend 90 minutes a day exercising now, and the combined effect of lighter sleds, lighter me, and better overall fitness has made the sport SO MUCH MORE FUN again!!

My advice to you is Don't let yourself SLOW DOWN.

If you are starting to feel your age, then its time to RECOMMIT yourself and begin PUSHING BACK against the age clock.

Ya, the exercise can SUCK sometimes.
Ya, I get sore and feel the pain on some days
And not chowing down on all the junk food like the kids I ride eat with reckless abandon seems totally unfair.

But overall, its a small price to pay to be able to go out and play!

And I can legitimately say at 54 I am in BETTER SHAPE than I was at 44!

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DDECKER

Well-known member
Premium Member
Nov 26, 2013
4,770
1,780
113
CRAIG COLORADO
good reading I am not anywhere near your all ages but will be one day and love hearing all the stories, if any of you are ever in Colorado let me know would like to ride and get some advice and life stories 970-756-0635
face-icon-small-happy.gif
 

2Thetopp

Well-known member
Lifetime Membership
On my 60th trip around the sun!

The last two years I've been in two rear end collisions (uninsured motorist) and went thru a double hernia surgery last fall.:face-icon-small-sho I had to sit on the sidelines last year and heal, not easy to do, looked like a great season that I missed. I'll be rockin' Elka stage 5 shocks, a neck brace, knee brace, carbon fiber helmet to try to get a few more seasons in, then it looks like a snowbike will be in my future. It's been a good run of 22 seasons, their won't be anything left when I'm done with this body.:eyebrows:
 

christopher

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Nov 1, 2008
81,508
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Rigby, Idaho
The last two years I've been in two rear end collisions (uninsured motorist) and went thru a double hernia surgery last fall.:face-icon-small-sho I had to sit on the sidelines last year and heal, not easy to do, looked like a great season that I missed. I'll be rockin' Elka stage 5 shocks, a neck brace, knee brace, carbon fiber helmet to try to get a few more seasons in, then it looks like a snowbike will be in my future. It's been a good run of 22 seasons, their won't be anything left when I'm done with this body.:eyebrows:


b0b88eb62c45c8f7a69a1bc0623d64b3--beer-signs-grave.jpg
 

Sxrlar

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Nov 26, 2007
1,157
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83
56
Wisconsin
I'll be 50 in January, currently on a 16 M8000 limited 153. I have zero plans on slowing down, but, i do realise that im going to have start working out more in the off season, if i want to keep enjoying what i do.
 

Pro-8250

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Mar 4, 2008
4,028
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113
Northern MN.
good reading I am not anywhere near your all ages but will be one day and love hearing all the stories, if any of you are ever in Colorado let me know would like to ride and get some advice and life stories 970-756-0635
face-icon-small-happy.gif
Hey man I was just out in Craig. Tried to get a hold of ya. Are you mad at me?:face-icon-small-con
 

Frostbite

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Dec 15, 2007
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Eastern Washington
I'm 56 and still going strong as well with no intention to stop. I really love riding in the semi-open with some trees and our area doesn't really have as many open areas as I would like.

I was thinking we should get us fossils together and do a Snowest over 50 ride to somewhere cool. I set up a motorcycle ride through British Columbia, the Yukon and Alaska this past summer and knocked that off my bucket list but, I would still like to ride in some awesome new areas I have only read about.

Thoughts?
 

pitchervy

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May 2, 2017
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14
8
Valpo, Indiana
Some good advice and motivation. I'm not sure when I became older than most I associate and work with but it happens. I've lost a few friends along the way to health and accidents, and just glad I'm still here to enjoy the opportunity. I'm also fortunate to have riding friends in their sixties and seventies who are still out there flogging it. :)
I'm 52 and make it a point to always take the stairs, walk faster than most and don't shy away from tiring activities. I find it easier to do it that way instead of going to the gym for exercise. I've often said I'd rather wear out, then rust out, so I tend to end up with the younger guys for motivation while pushing myself. Just upgraded to an 18 Mountain Cat so the sled isn't holding me back, although the earlier post about making good decisions certainly applies. Looking forward to many safe days on the mountain this season and hopefully we'll cross paths with the other 50s+ guys in the process. One last plug for being smart and safe... just because we've made it this far in one piece doesn't mean we won't be put in adverse conditions. Take advantage on the available avalanche awareness and recovery training. It is an evolving subject and recurrent training is worth doing. Ride hard, and ride safe...
Pitch


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christopher

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Nov 1, 2008
81,508
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Rigby, Idaho
I'm 56 and still going strong as well with no intention to stop. I really love riding in the semi-open with some trees and our area doesn't really have as many open areas as I would like.

I was thinking we should get us fossils together and do a Snowest over 50 ride to somewhere cool. I set up a motorcycle ride through British Columbia, the Yukon and Alaska this past summer and knocked that off my bucket list but, I would still like to ride in some awesome new areas I have only read about.

Thoughts?

DO IT!
 

christopher

Well-known member
Staff member
Lifetime Membership
Nov 1, 2008
81,508
27,371
113
Rigby, Idaho
Some good advice and motivation. I'm not sure when I became older than most I associate and work with but it happens. I've lost a few friends along the way to health and accidents, and just glad I'm still here to enjoy the opportunity. I'm also fortunate to have riding friends in their sixties and seventies who are still out there flogging it. :)
I'm 52 and make it a point to always take the stairs, walk faster than most and don't shy away from tiring activities. I find it easier to do it that way instead of going to the gym for exercise. I've often said I'd rather wear out, then rust out, so I tend to end up with the younger guys for motivation while pushing myself.

Simple little things like that make a HUGE DIFFERENCE over time!
 

Pro-8250

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Mar 4, 2008
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113
Northern MN.
wait what when!>?!?! did you call or text me?!
face-icon-small-blush.gif
We arrived Friday,10/20. Stayed at the Super 8. What a dump! Sent you two PM's a week or better before we arrived about our intentions. :face-icon-small-hap
I should see Issac this month at Snowcross. Tried hooking up with him at Hay Days, but did not connect. :face-icon-small-win
 
A
Jun 23, 2004
1,954
545
113
Black Diamond, WA
slyrydr and longtrack156 my hats off to you. I can only pray I'm writing something like you did 30 years from now.....
That lightweight phazer is sweet too!

As far as old guy techniques go, if you are older, can ride a bike and are still ripping back country, try a snowbike. First couple days will wup your @ss then all of a sudden it will be less tiring than on a sled.
 
B

blk9038

Well-known member
Aug 8, 2011
573
259
63
74
puyallup/edgewood
54 years old.
Let myself get FAT and LAZY a few years back.
Shot up to 250lbs.
Then got my act together, dropped 65lbs, and got down to 185!

Traded in my Boosted Yamahas for 3 new Doo 850s.

Might as well have been BORN AGAIN!

I spend 90 minutes a day exercising now, and the combined effect of lighter sleds, lighter me, and better overall fitness has made the sport SO MUCH MORE FUN again!!

My advice to you is Don't let yourself SLOW DOWN.

If you are starting to feel your age, then its time to RECOMMIT yourself and begin PUSHING BACK against the age clock.

Ya, the exercise can SUCK sometimes.
Ya, I get sore and feel the pain on some days
And not chowing down on all the junk food like the kids I ride eat with reckless abandon seems totally unfair.

But overall, its a small price to pay to be able to go out and play!

And I can legitimately say at 54 I am in BETTER SHAPE than I was at 44!

14947943_1172886052764788_8802149325483233510_n.jpg

good advice for staying in the game, I have only been riding 8 yrs now and finally sold 2 of my older sleds last season to buy my 165" 850 and lovin it, I can still get it stuck where I go but is harder to get stuck usually.
my Polaris friends love it too, all my sled riding friends are 8 to 35 yrs younger so the 850 helps even the playing field a bit, still got my 12 163 (loaner sled) that my Polaris friend had to use 1/2 season and my 13 154" x, the 165 is as nimble as it and believe weigh about the same however the 185 drinks more gas so gas can makes it weigh about same, all helps me stay in shape to kick butt, going on 68 pretty soon but just snowed 6 in last nite in hills and next 7 days is all snow for hills also, looks like an early season, keep exercising and keep in the game.
don't have pict's of me but mostly of other friends .

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F

Flying Dutchman

Well-known member
Dec 14, 2007
154
52
28
Red Deer
Cool thread. I'm 55 and rarely sit still, play lots of sports and always tinkering with something. Sleds have been my rec sport for the last 37 years. Bought my first Polaris in 1980, still in the crate. Brought it home to put together and the journey began. Now riding my 15 RMK800.
Have a riding group all around the same age, and have a few young bucks that join in. Do a few mountain trips a year, and ride locally as much as I can. As long as the snow is good, I don't really care where we go. Last year we did a lot of day trips within an hour drive from home. Lot's of hidden areas that have virgin snow. Have no problem keeping up with the younger crowd, I just find myself checking things over, looking for hazards before dropping over the next cliff, or blindly flying across a meadow. Age does come with wisdom, so I've learned from my mistakes.
Of course the machines are so much better these days. Not sure if I could handle this anymore on leaf springs. Anyways, I can see myself doing this for years to come.
 
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