How Old is Too Old?

Do you ever wonder how old is too old for a certain activity? Riding your mountain bike, flying an airplane, skydiving, hiking to a mountain peak or driving a go-cart on a track? I think about this often. At 76, I recognize that I have some physical limitations. Multiple injuries to both shoulders combined with arthritis has limited my range of motion in my shoulders and has made overhead weight lifting a no-no. Do I often wish I could reverse the clock and regain full mobility and function? Of course I do. But I also have accepted these limitations and have modified my behaviors to accommodate them. For example, I have a long-handled shower brush in the showers at home and in Mesa that allow me to scrub my back without trying to reach it with a washcloth which I can no longer do. When I work out, I find alternatives to lifting weights over my head in a standing position.

I also look for people who exceed my expectations about what is possible at a certain age. I found two people this morning at The Sentinel (a great place for coffee and breakfast in Marfa, Texas) this morning. I was seated at a large communal table accross from a couple garbed in full-leather motorcycling gear. We left at the same time and I asked permission to take their photo with the BMW motorcycle they were getting ready to ride off on. They are a married couple who rode from their home in Alpine, Texas to have breakfast in Marfa. He is 81 and she is 76. They still enjoy riding and exploring on their BMW. This reminded me of an experience an off-road motorcycling friend told me about riding in California with a former motorcycle racer who was in his 80's. My friend Chip told me that no one his group could keep up with this guy!