[Closed] 40th Birthday - What to do?

I came under a lot of pressure to do 'something'.

I went to the pub with some friends.

I jumped on the train, met up with some good friends and rode up and down Ventoux three times.

i don't think i did anything special on the day but filled the whole 40th year as an excuse for doing fun stuff with friends, i can't remember now

I rode bikes with friends.

Seems to be theme here.

Megavalanche?

1. Coke
2. Hookers

Caanstat wasen

I went to Peru.

I'd do a weekend away great riding somewhere though such as peebles.

I was all set for buying a dream bike for my 40th( a Potts 29er as it happens) went to Italy for a week instead and in retrospect that was the correct choice.

It was Molini and it was biking btw. Something I'll remember for a long time.

A chap I know organised a party for 100 odd of his mates in a stately home, jem organised a flash mob to propose to his girlfriend in front of all of them.

give that a whirl?

*then organised...

Frankly I wanted to book a cheap and nasty hotel for the night before my birthday, check in, drink special brew and Gratrunka until the sun came up - returning home tired, sore and hungover, but most importantly leave 39, return 40 and not have anyone mention it in between.

My Wife said that was weird and depressing so I went to the pub with some friends, 8 of us I think, which is about the max number of people I can handle at once, as long as I know them very well. Had a great night, got up feeling surprising bright - jumped on my bike on a blazing hot, sunny day and rode across town to pick up my car, Hangover hit half-way, but it was still a great ride whilst I accepted that I'd reached the 'hump' in life and was now mortal.

My best mate rented a place with a big garden from the council, got loads of stuff in for the kids and a big BBQ and it was a lovely family day out, but he's, well sane and likes people so it was better suited to him.

Mine in 2 days. Have nothing planned for it, I know no one else will have bothered with anything, let alone a surprise/something special. I’m too skint to go away, it’ll be a year to the day since I got engaged (which then went to pot) so really it’s not going to be very special 🎻

Two chicks at the same time.

MTBVerbier with a bunch of mates and culminating in a night on the town at Cheese fest.

Funnily enough it's mine on Friday; I procrastinated too much on what to do so am going to work instead and then down the allotment.

The patheticness of that even astounds me 🙂

I went to see the Tinkerbell movie at the cinema with my 2 daughters who were 5 & 2 at the time.
I've had worse birthdays.

My wife bought me a Cotic frame. We went to Coniston for a cheeky night away. I tried to ride over Walna Scar but the weather turned me back.
It's my wife's 40th later this year I'm taking her to Amsterdam. .

two girls, twins probably, you're just watching.

However I'm off the Japan for mine.

I had D&V for mine so did nothing but lie in bed and sit on the loo!

My 40th is also pretty soon. Really don't want to do anything, which is annoying the family. I suppose its a good excuse to buy a new bike. Quite fancy a Mason Revolution. My 40th also coincides with leaving the forces after 24 years, so I'm going to take a couple of months off.

I climbed Bowfell with the wife and kids.

It was ace. People I wanted to be with, and no pressure.

If you want to have a party, have a party. But don't feel you have to.

My Wife organised a big party with a disco and invited a load of friends. I was always a bit reluctant but it was great, one of the best days / nights in ages, especially as we went clubbing afterwards.

Mrs.P organised a surprise rail-sail trip to Dublin so I spent mine in the Guinness & Jamesons Museums, finishing off in the Irish Writers Museum.

I might have visited a couple of other drinking establishments too. 🙂

I did quite a few things.  Saw it as a landmark celebration.  Went to New York, got married to the woman of my dream after 13yrs together (eloped), came back had a small get together, spent time with my Mum - who died in the summer.

Do whatever you want but dont have any regrets.  And if you see it as a landmark age, do something positive with it.

Oh and I got a FS bike - of course.

Mine's at the end of the year (Christmas eve). I'll probably just ignore it like every other year. Too preoccupied with Christmas to bother usually! I also definitely don't need the excuse to buy a new bike! Bought 2 nice ones this year!

Had a bbq, invited lots of friends and family. Got drunk with them. Pretty good.

For the day itself just went out for beers and whiskies, but did karaoke for my 39th which was more fun than anyone expected. Orange camo t-shirt worn inside out for maximum Bill Murray points.

got a new bike, first one in about 12 years. think i went to the pub with the missus and some mates on the weekend.

@gecko76 looks nice.....when you taking the cardboard packing off??? 😉

Mine this year . Was going to splurge and fly a spitfire but need a new bathroom first . Bikes mates and beer somewhere I expect & maybe a festival . If you don’t mark the dates your just passing the time right

if you *have* to mark the dates you're passing the time wrong

I climbed Bowfel

You might actually have an idea there, thanks 🙂

Had mine two weeks ago today, took the day off work, went for a lovely walk with the dog in the Pentlands, went out for tea with the wife and kids. Barely spoke to a soul. Was a bit meh about it as it's cack having your birthday in January but I had a great day!

It was my Mum's 70th two days before my 40th and I wanted to do something with the folks so we're taking the bairns and them up to Fort Bill and doing the Jacobite Steam train to Mallaig in the spring. Always wanted to go on a steam train and persuaded the parents to join us. I think this is really the 40th present I wanted - some nice memories! 🙂

My advice - do whatever makes you happy. People are amazed I wasn't excited about it but I really wasn't. Happy to just brae on.

<span style="color: #444444; font-size: 12px; background-color: #eeeeee;">if you *have* to mark the dates you’re passing the time wrong</span>

I prefer my way

I bought a paul hewitt tourer and did lejog for mine. I'm 50 this year and when asked I told my daughters (21 +24) that i want to sleep on a mountain in the lake district. Theyre both up for it and a birthday in august helps.

I came under a lot of pressure to do ‘something’.

I went to the pub with some friends.

This, except replace 'to the pub' with 'for a curry' and 'with some friends' with 'with my other half'. It was smashing. I also did my first DH race that year, which was pretty cool, but incidental.

edited to add- it's just another year. Spend as much time doing as much stuff you enjoy as possible, not just 'special' dates! 😀 Fancy a day off to ride your bike? Off you pop...

add again- I got my other half a speedway experience day which he enjoyed/feared in equal measure 😆

And the difference between 39 to 40 and 40 to 41 will feel ................exactly the same, one gets bored with it all really, currently @ 53 .

I did nothing.

I tend to ignore my birthday every year and make every possible effort to ensure that as many other people forget/don't know as is humanly possible.  I think I got bored of it being a let down years ago to be honest!  (Plus since I haven't attempted to celebrate a birthday since 29 I am never ageing... it's like an alternative Dorian Grey experiment...)

So... do something if it's what you want, hide in a cave and throw stones at anyone coming near if you would rather - it's all good!

Mrs Ws organised a gathering of about 15/20 people the night before whisking me and the kids off on a canal boat. Sounds boring but it was such a laugh and a total suprise. Waaaay too much beer was consumed. Kids had a blast. It was great to be with the people who I love very dearly.

Spent 3 days paddling down the Royal Dee and camping out with friends. Then went to Crieff Hydro with family for the weekend and went wakeboarding. No regrets. Kind of echo's the much share thought of "Do stuff you enjoy".

@gecko76 you threw yourself of a flyover leaving only your half finished bike as some kind of shrine?

Went to the Ghent6, one of the racers got killed in front of us, up, until then a good night out.

It was mine a couple of weeks ago so I did the Strathpuffer with some good mates to celebrate. It was a weekend spent with friends, with hundreds of like-minded people and some peaceful pedalling moments on my own at times in the best winter weather I've ever experienced in Scotland. Riding bikes, having fires and loving being outside. The birthday and particularly the age aspect was incidental really, it was just an excuse to bring people together. Making time for that sort of thing seems to be more and more difficult when juggling family responsibilities and dealing with other aspects of life that many of us face around that sort of age. If a seemingly significant birthday can act as a catalyst for the coming together of friends and/or family or to do motivate you to do things that you love then to me that is time well spent

It's mine in june but we've just had our first child. It's like I've got my present early! I think based on my current state I'll be too tired to do anything. Sleep would be really nice right now! 🙂

But I'm hoping it will involve the bike, a tent and riding with my mates.

Mine is in September. I was vaguely intending to take a trip to Talent, Oregon and buy a Jones Plus, then ride around in Oregon for a bit. But I've bought YoGrant's Jones  off of here now, so I'll probably not go to Oregon.

🙂

i fancy summiting Mont Blanc, or maybe that tour du Mont Blanc backcountry riding week Whiteroom run... or even do both in one hit!?

Seems to be lots of folk buy a new bike, maybe it's a good excuse to the missus 😀

I'm off to Iceland next week with the Mrs, (kids staying at home with Grandparents)

Various family members are clubbing together to buy me a canoe for paddling trips with the kids (for present)

Off to Center Parcs next month (for Mumsnet connection)

It's my 40th on Monday. Me and the wife are going to New York next thursday for a few days without the kids. Got nothing planned for the actual day (at work) but I'll hopefully get out for a ride this weekend with my mtb mates and maybe organise a night out for a curry/beers as well 🙂

Just came to this thread to make sure someone said C&H...

Well done binners

As you were