Simply Cycle: A friend has died!

I can't help but say something about the death of Jack Lalanne. A few days ago he died from "complications related to pneumonia." We are all going to die some day, but I really was disappointed that he did not make it past 100 years. At 97 he outlived the average in his generation by 20-25 years, but the most remarkable thing about his life was the activity level he maintained. Everybody has seen the over confident, lovable old guy pitching his juice makers on the shopping networks and infomercials. I can still remember his original workout shows from the 50's

where I learned that white sugar and flour were bad. Sometimes I think I was the only one listening. He and Steve Reeves inspired me to lift weights despite the warnings of basketball coaches who warned I would lose flexibility. Back in the sixties athletes didn't look anything like this

and people like Jack were thought to be clumsy freaks.
The important example he set was the idea that one could lead a full and active life to the end. And he did, he was vigorous and and active, both physically and sexually until he died. He laughed in a recent interview and said that "no Viagra is needed in my house." I compare that to my father who, 15 years younger, is hanging on by a thread. My dad openly complains that he doesn't mind getting old but he has nothing to do and couldn't do it if he did. My dad is probably the norm for people in this country who succumb to the false comfort of a sedentary job and life style. I grew up with two cousins, one a year older the other a year younger; we looked enough alike that people thought we were triplets even into our teens. It was sad recently at a family get together, I'm sorry to say they have become skinny legged, pot bellied, grey haired old men while I

have not. There is not a difference in our lifestyles or occupation, if anything my job is even more sedentary than theirs. But I chose not to spend time on the couch. I don't go "busting the iron" in the gym. Life can be simple, I eat carefully, bike wherever I go and spend about 15 minutes a day with dumbbells while I watch the news. One of the reasons I started biking 40 years ago was the simple fact that it was a way to work a physical challenge into a busy daily routine, I am just now beginning to realize what that has meant.
I think Jack Lalanne had more of an impact on my life than I realized. He impacted a lot of people like Clint Eastwood

who once told Arnold "don't let them know I workout, they all think it's natural." Such was the world back in the day, I remember some of the girls in high school who were disappointed to find out that Robert Redford worked out. Somehow that made him a fake in their eyes.
So it goes,I hope to be as "fake" as Jack