Pondering my 50th that's looming in the not too distant future and wondering should i 'do' something.
Something a bit special as a bit of a landmark celebration thing ?
Just wondering if others did/didn't and how momentous it was...
It was my 50th yesterday and no, nothing momentous, just a really nice day with my wife.
Join Saga? You can have a little gathering and perhaps some youung people can show you how to sign up online?
🙂 I was 38 this year, started planning my 40th (bike holiday) so yes i reckon you should do something!
Bucket list type thing?
My Mrs and I flew to Barra for a weekend for my 60th. That's the island where the plane lands on the beach. I've been wanting to do that for years. Fantastic experience.
It also had the advantage that she couldn't spring a surprise party on me.
I tried to do 40 mile triathlon for my 40th. The idea was to go mountain biking, have coast walk and do some kayaking. Total 40 miles, with friends, who could do some or all of it with me. It was more of a fun weekend, with friends, with activities. In the end we were beaten by the weather but the weekend was still good. We rented a big camping barn in Devon. Might try something similar for 50
My misses surprised me with a tour of Mercedes F1 factory, a lunch at Willimas F1 with a chat with Bottas prior to the race. Then a trip to Ferrari museum and Lamborgini factory topped off with lunch at a resturant that was awarded the status of best resturant in the world.
It was great, but now I have to do a better job when her 50th comes up.
Im not into family celebrations, so for me that was perfect. Pick something you will remember for years to come.
I raced the UCI masters world championships in Albi. I was 49 for the TT and 50 for the road race 🙂
Then when I returned we had a party for 50 friends and family on a steam boat along the Thames at Windsor. We’d had a pretty rubbish year as a family, and it was a lovely way of bringing people together. Was not cheap, but I don’t regret a penny of it. My nephews and nieces still remember it fondly two years later.
MrsJ took me to Venice(*) for the weekend to celebrate my half century not out.
(*) sounds like a euphemism for something, but alas it isn't
For my 40th we went away for the weekend with family and on the day went to the Ghent 6, that evening one of the riders crashed and died directly in front of us, my 50th was a bit more low key.
Ploughing into the back of a stationary bin lorry due to bike brake failure, just after a momentus birthday is overhyped. There are probably better ways of celebrating becoming 40. 😉
It's four years until my 50th, but if I'm still into cycling, I quite fancy the idea of tackling a big climb. The one that springs to mind, given the earliest annual leave I could get after Xmas and weather conditions, would be Mount Teide.
I'll be my birthday in March. I've not got anything planned for the actual day (Friday 13th), although I'm kind of thinking of a city break somewhere, maybe Barcelona as I've always fancied going there. However, my aim is to do a lot of stuff in my 50th year. So far, I'm looking to get away with mates for a ski trip in Feb and I've got my first ever mountain bike trip to the Alps planned in June. We're also looking to holiday in Corfu (we have friends over there) in the late summer as then it'll be Mrs Beagleboy's turn! Pretty much just planning to get out and about lots and use 'my big birthday year' as a general excuse to party the whole year!
Yes, i went to canada for a week for my 50th last year.
It was October, but still really hot for a couple of days (like 26c) not hot for them, but roasting for a jock.
It was superb, the first time we’d seen canada in summer weather, we had a great time and I’m glad i did it.
40/50/60 are the big ones i suppose, you should do something you enjoy, but don’t break your budget to do it, otherwise you don’t enjoy it so much.
I'd planned a few things for my 40th and so had my ex wife. Events got in the way, so they all got canned. Probably for the best.
Hired an RV and visited Sedona, Moab and Fruita for just under three weeks. Wish I could do it every year
Personally hate the idea.
Had one sprung on me for my 40th - with all the "expectations" of how it was going to be, time away with friends, etc. It was utter shit and spoiled what would've been a nice holiday if done as that.
Besides - unless its YOU who decides then all those sorts of things are for those planning it - not you.
I had a small BBQ in our garden done by a friend of the family but is internationally renowned (he has cooked for the Queen and Chris Evans in the past) then my wife took me away with our two little girls for a weekend in a lovely independent hotel right in the middle of Rome
8 hours sleep and someone else taking the dog for her morning walk?
unless its YOU who decides
Anything that will be arranged will be 100% done by me, from the choice of event, to the flights, hire cars and who does or doesn't attend etc.
Current thought is a 3 days European motorbike trackday in Cartagena/Portimao. Partly because both me and Mrs Weeksy will enjoy it, but it's also the best chance of getting more than 1-2 mates involved too.
If i pick say Morzine, i'll get 1 group of mates (2-3 of them) if i pick Andalucia i'll get 1-2 mates, but with say Portimao i'll get 8-10 of them involved.
The only minor downside is that picking the Euro trackday means my boy doesn't get the full experience of the week as he won't be riding, if we went to Morzine, then he gets to ride his bike too... but then Mrs Weeksy misses out as she doesn't cycle.
I get that it's supposed to be about me, but part of me is having my boy and wife involved too.
My 50th was in May this year. Spent the day walking and canoeing at Symonds Yat with wife and daughter then evening meal with them and a few close friends at a local Italian.
Low key but happy enough with it.
A friend and I are both 50 next year. Plans only really relate to cycling; everest attempt, Highland Trail 550 (probably some variation) and a double century at some point.
No plans for a big party or anything. I'd hate that. As a family we may have a nice holiday to Norway as last years was cancelled due to a knee replacement.
No plans for a big party or anything. I’d hate that
That's very much not happening. My wife knows i'd likely turn round and walk out.
Oh yes, it's my 40th next year and I have told my wife that if there is any kind of party organised I will firstly leave the party and secondly leave her. In fairness, she feels the same about things too so I think I'm safe.
My vague plan is to have a good pub night with my closest of friends and then perhaps a weekend away somewhere like The Lakes with Mrs Lunge. A posh meal in my favourite restaurant will also take place.
I was 38 this year, started planning my 40th (bike holiday) so yes i reckon you should do something!
This for me ^
Unless we have a second sprog running about by then, I'm still clinging to the dream of a week's cycle touring around Norway. However my wife wants us to do a joint 40th thing, so my cycle trip could get punted to the next year, so it's not really a 40th thing after all, just a jolly!
Fancy getting my extended family together for some food and drink, I'd end up catering most of it but I kind of enjoy that, and by that stage our 2 year old will be 5, so old enough to grasp the true horror of who he is descended from! 😆
My 50th in a few months, planning on a new shiney (fairly expensive) new road bike. Want disk brakes and Di2 shifting, old road bike was second hand 7 years ago (and the only roadie I've ever owned). Also will be camping with family in a national park near the beach (it'll be summer here). Probably do a relaxed pub night with a few good mates when we get back. Not really into big parties.
Went to the Isle of Harris for my 40th, just me and the wife.
Got a cottage with a hot tub, sat in it reading and drinking whisky.
Went for a walk and saw my first golden eagles.
Might go back for my 50th.
40 I had a kick ass party at my flat. Great fun. 50 tried the same but with friends moving away and getting older and boring it was OK but not great.
for 60 its already planned. Both t'missus and I will be 60 withing 6 weeks of each other, we will be retiring and we will be spending a lot of time away from Edinburgh so it will be " the end of an era" party.
40th beers and bikes with some friends, I don’t see much point in doing anything special it’s another birthday.
50th was spent with about 25 or so friends and families at a bunkhouse in the Dales, three of us walked a winter three peaks, people brought food, whisky, guitars etc and it was great. Look back on it with fondness. Didn't do owt for 40th, 4 years to 60, no plans, but a trip of some sort will be in order....
Lolz@ Hols
BPW for my 40th, using it as an excuse helped more people come than can usually come away on such weekends.
I went on a supposedly mountain biking trip to Peru and Bolivia when I was 40 six years ago.
The country was amazing, the cycling however, was largely shit. Basically road biking, endless, endless miles of road, road, road. Horrendously boring, except of course for the epic scenery.
It's nice to do something you'll always remember for big birthdays. Unfortunately for me, my billed as 'mountain biking' trip, with Red Spokes for the record, was 97% road biking and I'll be forever a bit mardy about that.
Still, the seemingly endless tedium interspersed with complete psychotic drivers helps me remember it. 😂
For my 50th I bought a new bike (cliche) and went to New York with my wife. Lovely weekend.
I hate a fuss and attention. Was my 40th last year, right in the depths of January. Me and the missus went to Tenerife for the week. Absolutely not the type of holiday I would normally do but a week of winter sunshine was amazing and we had a fantastic hotel.
On my actual birthday we went to the huge waterpark, Siam Park. The place was virtually deserted so we basically had a private waterpark to ourselves. It was absolutely brilliant fun.
I've thought of the epic purchase. Something i'd never even consider in another way, shape or form. Something like a fantastic Santa Cruz Bronson CC or 5010. But not sure i can honestly justify being quite that selfish even though it wouldn't directly affect my wife/boy in any real context...
I was thinking something 'life changing' or similar, but that may be too big of an ask.... but is a Bronson CC life changing.... Ooooh heck, i dunno.
Spent my 40th up Bowfell with the wife and kids. Deliberately picking a place away from everywhere.
Our daughter is 21 the day before my 50th. She's expecting something big. I'm assuming I'll be lucky to get an invite.
daughter made 50 cupcakes .... I Scoffed the lot 🙂
Nothing, my friends don't know when my birthday is and my family generally forget. If my wife remembers I ask for something she is highly unlikely to do (but you never know, one day), my way of saying I'd rather it was just a regular day.
I had a week off for my 40th. Nothing big, just a ride a day with a nice full day out on the last.
2 days in I crashed and snapped my Achilles.
50th in two years. Might just stay in the house.
For my 50th I booked an entire campsite and invited friends and family to come camping for the weekend. It was ace. About 60 people turned up, all with booze and food, kids ran riot in the woods, adults chilled, chatted and dicked about and we had a massive hog roast on the Saturday evening.
^^^ I like! 🙂
Mrs Pondo bought me a flying lesson for my 40th, which was fantastic - always wanted to be a pilot. 🙂 For my brother's 50th, three of us (including him 🙂 ) flew to the south of France to spend a long weekend cycling up Ventoux. 🙂 Easyjet neglected to send the bikes, so we spent the weekend drinking beer and never turned a pedal.
Was supposed to be riding the length of Wales - Llandudno-Cardiff - with a mate, but got injured in a crash and had to let him down.
Still waiting for MrsMC to come up with a present for my 50th - I'd suggested a contribution towards a new bike, she told me to just take what I wanted out the joint account, but I'm not falling for that trick again and bought one out my own money!
MrsJ took me to Venice(*) for the weekend to celebrate my half century not out.
(*) sounds like a euphemism for something, but alas it isn’t
Taken up the all the canals were we.
For my 50th I went to my brother in laws inquest!
I had to to pick up the widow and older offspring as they don't drive, take them up to the inquest, buy the pub lunch, sit in the inquest hearing, drive them back, then drive home. 300 miles all in.
And I didn't even mention that it was my birthday (wasn't the right thing to do, really).
I will remember it though 🙂
my 40th next month.
nothing planned.
I did basically nothing for my 40th but I guess it was kind of the thing that planted the idea of doing the Mega.
Just had my 40th party on Sat. Rented a brewery taproom and got about 50 family and friends together to drink ale and have a literal pissup in a brewery. It was pretty chilled really.
But then I did nothing for my 30th or 18th, and forgot my 21st altogether. So I suppose I was due a party.
Got my 40th coming up at the end of the year. Small party to sort out but other than that nothing planned. Having a 3 year old and a new baby means I've got other things going on.
The missus has asked what I'd like as it's a big birthday, no idea! Really not a clue.
My birthday is right in between Christmas and New Year so I've never done anything for it on the day, or even close, as it's too much of a ballache to arrange anything. 18th: nothing, 21st: nothing, 30th: nothing! 40 is approaching soon, can't be bothered to try and arrange anything for that either! Most of my friends don't know when my birthday is anyway (gets lost in the christmas crap) so I;ll most likely do what I usually do, put in to do a day's overtime at work and put the cash towards bike stuff.
Split from the wife on my 50th count?
Split from the wife on my 50th count?
Wasn't on my list of options
Good call Weeksy. Not one of my best decisions I have to say.
Had a bit of a party and invited all my friends, cake, pop, musical chairs etc pretty epic iirc I was 10 though.
Always Almeria - cheaper than Portimao, same journey time, great hotel, etc.
Although what you REALLY want to do is Motorland Aragon.
Nothing more to be said.
Doesn't matter who your friends are - if any of them can't end up grinning then from what I know of you - they shouldn't be your friends...
I did nothing for my 20th, nothing for my 30th, went to Perth surfing for my 40th, wife bought me a guitar for my 50th...
Thats says I do nothing in particular. My outlook is if you can do "something" and can afford it then don't let an "event" restrict you into doing it just because it's an "event" (hope that makes sense..
But you wrote:
Current thought is a 3 days European motorbike trackday in Cartagena/Portimao. Partly because both me and Mrs Weeksy will enjoy it, but it’s also the best chance of getting more than 1-2 mates involved too.
And I think thats a brilliant idea personally, for many reasons. You like bikes and you like track days, this is something out of the ordinary Mallory Park stuff and the sun will be shining all the time you are there. You'll get to share it with close mates, more importantly you'll get to share it with your wife who (just by reading your posts) is as bonkers about bikes as you are. Also, the next time you think about doing it there it may be booked up or closed or whatever.
Go for it. Really live it up.
Best memories are made with close friends.
Post pics.
Although what you REALLY want to do is Motorland Aragon.
Nothing more to be said.
Doesn’t matter who your friends are – if any of them can’t end up grinning then from what I know of you – they shouldn’t be your friends…
If we take that option it will depend on which track is on the right dates
I had been dreaming of riding in the desert for years, so for my 40th present to myself I went on a week long road trip through Arizona riding bikes. I doubled it up with a week long first date for good measure. Then when it came to being my actual birthday a few months later I had a whole pile of friends over for curry, and then shortly after I went on a second date to Moab. Not quite sure what to do when I’m 50 but turning 40 was pretty fun 🙂
You can book directly with Aragon - don't let the UK trackday operators tell you otherwise.
Its a full blown motorsports park - not a race circuit that needs to top up non=race days.
Did BC Bike Race followed by a few days in Whistler for my 40th.
It was pretty good 👍
You can book directly with Aragon – don’t let the UK trackday operators tell you otherwise.
Doing it like that starts getting messy with logistics then for hotels, bike transport etc.
I wouldn't fancy trying to arrange transport for 10+ bikes.
We'll likely do whatever no limits have on the October half term, this year for example is Cartagena and Valencia. But ideally I'd like Portimao as it's got the pool etc along with kart circuit.
It's not impossible we could integrate a few days MTB riding in Andalusia but that's getting complex too with bikes etc. But maybe.
It's got legs anyways as an overall plan. Just need a short track without a 200mph straight, well that or I'm buying a 1290 superduke before I go!!!
Had a bit of a party and invited all my friends, cake, pop, musical chairs etc pretty epic iirc I was 10 though.
Probably the last time I had a party as well 😁. 60 nxt year and I'll be doing something epic, but it won't be a party 👌
Theres FE too who do winter sun weeksy.
Almeria end of this month for example.
They are the only ones who do the mix and match too - ALmeria, Andalucia and then they join the two.
Off road added on electric or KLX450's
In fact FE do Aragon 😉
Theres FE too who do winter sun weeksy.
Indeed matey, done many many days with them both in UK and in the sunshine. It's not for a while yet so still just random ponderings at this stage. Was just interested in whether i was making too much of the whole thing and 'just another birthday' is more along the lines of normal for people. It seems a bit of a split in that context.
It's just a number related to number of times I've witnessed the earth going around the sun. I barely acknowledge them most years and don't see why a round decimal number makes a difference. Each one just reminds me of the onward march towards death.
Chuck in something about existential pointlessness, and there's my happy thoughts for the day. 😄
But I'll go on a bike ride, so that keeps me happy.
Aragon looks awesome. Every time I see it I wonder why we end up with such crap new F1 tracks in comparison.
Thats the whole point of Aragon - it was purpose built as a Motor Park not modified from an old airfield, extended or otherwise messed with.
Track designed with the best parts from others around the world, proper facilities, off-road, karting, 4x4, supermoto, etc.
mainly drinking for mine. for a mates last year about 15 of us went to Bedoin for a long weekend and rode the Cingles du Ventoux. that was pretty epic
I'm 50 next year so I've booked a month off work, gonna travel through Europe camping and motorcycling down to split in Croatia to meet my Mrs for a 10 day holiday. She's flying back and I'll ride back for another week or so 😁👌
Should be good weather the back end of July 😀
I went to see the specialist about my hip being resurfaced, yep operation on the day of my 50th birthday.
I celebrated with morphine 👍
Decided for my 50th that I wanted to go to a proper bike park and ride a proper mountain bike. Spent a day at Bike Park Wales and hired bikes there. And that's how obsessions get started.