How to Turn 50

Last Friday, I turned 50.  Now, for a lot of people that’s a bit of a scary prospect but not so much for me.  Why not?   You see I don’t think I look 50 and I definitely don’t feel it.  In my mind, I’m still this youngish dude in my early 40’s.  Anyway, that’s how old I feel so I’m sticking with it.

Still, turning 50 is a considered a milestone so I took the day off to play.  The next question was what should I do?  As usual, I got up early, made a cappuccino and starting goofing off on the computer.  As dawn broke it was decision time.  Should I ride?  Should I go for a run?  I know, I’ll get another cup of coffee and think about it some more.  An hour and a half later, I was still sitting in my chair and drinking coffee when it hit me. I always ride or run on my days off, so doing neither would be the real birthday treat. 

After deciding what not to do, Sherry (who also had the day off) and I went down to The Flying Goat, our favorite indie coffee house.  There, we sipped our cappuccinos, ate pastries and simply enjoyed the morning and each other’s company.  After a little stroll through Old Railroad Square it was time to head to my birthday lunch. 

Sherry made reservations at Auberge du Soleil.  After being seated on the terrace, we started with glasses of Champagne, which were followed by very delicious salads, soups, lobster risotto and pork dishes.  Of course, all of this needed to be paired with wine so we selected a German Riesling that was extraordinary.  All of this was thoroughly enjoyed while checking out the stunning views of the Napa Valley. 

After our late lunch we drove to the historic town of Sonoma for another relaxing stroll.  From there, it was on to dinner with friends where we once again dined on great food and wine.  The dinner was also accompanied by lots and lots of laughter as well as the occasional old man joke.

The next day I chose to sleep in, which is very unusual for me.  When I finally got up, I managed to kick out a 7.5 mile run (my longest in a very long time) in Annadel State Park. 

The time spent with Sherry, lunches in Napa, dinner with friends, and long runs or rides all work harmoniously to ensure I continue to feel young.  And with all that working in my favor, I would can’t wait to see what the next 50 years brings my way.

Au revoir!