[houndog]

Well, not a single person is going to agree and most will call me names but that is ok. First, 57 and slender. Live on beer and as little food as possible. Fully recovered from injuries in the summer. I can run and go over a chain link fence like it's not there. Can still pull off at least 5 one arm push ups, either arm....used to be 15 in my 40's and early 50 ish. I will not waste energy doing things I do not enjoy nor will I do things thinking "it will help". I will not eat things I do not like thinking it is "good for me". I don't like wearing a helmet or armor for casual riding on the dirt roads. I always wear boots, gloves and safety glasses however every single time. I believe you can suffer a debilitating injury just going about your normal business at 7 or 70, I know because I've seen it happen. I do not think there is an awful lot we can do to insure our longevity or good heath. It's in the genes, is my belief. If I was worried about extending my life and my healthy years I'd not be riding in the first place.

Now, 2 examples of why I feel this way...........my buddy Don, was the absolute strongest person pound for pound of anyone I have ever seen or met. In HS he could clean jerk 160 pounds over his head. He weighed 140. Oh, btw, that was with one arm. He did not get weaker with age. He woke up a few weeks ago with a numb left arm. By the end of the day he could not lift it. Went to ER. 2 days later he was getting operation to relieve a pinched nerve caused by a bone spur in his neck. He's only got 5% of his strength in his left arm now and his right is down about 80%. My skinny daughter can beat him arm wrestling. Nothing he could have done would have saved him from this.

Second example, my Dad recently discovered he has an abdominal aneurysm on his aorta. Had this not been discovered because he had an operation for a problem on his intestines he would probably just drop dead at some point. Just like his twin sister last year. They will operate on him very soon.

My point is that nothing those two could have done would have affected their ability to go on as usual. I simply refuse to live my life like what I do now will save me later when there simply is no guarantee. I won't spend a second worrying about the things I can't change.

I do not wear seat belts. I know, I know. Here is the problem, I have been in a car that flipped and crushed the roof, had I been strapped in I would have died for sure. I was hit in the side by an Impala at 45 mph (what he told cops) in my VW Rabbit. I ended up on top of Helen and the front of the Impala was resting in my seat. I would have been killed for sure had I been wearing a seat belt.

So, there you go, you all will think me irresponsible and that is OK. I am living, not just existing and I know I only have so long. I'll ride until I can't and in the meant time I'll live without worrying about the future.....it could be over before I even hit "submit re