Peter and I took our first cycling vacation in 1985. We had been looking for a vacation

that would entertain our 13-year-old while his older brother was working in a tiny village in Kenya. That summer, we realized that biking is a wonderful way to see a country. As a result, we biked on vacation in a dozen countries for 19 of the next 21 years.

In 1986, on our second biking vacation, there was a 72-year old named Johnny. He raced up the hills of France like a man half his age. We were amazed that someone so "old" could be so strong. Yet 20 years later in 2006 when we were cycling in the southwest of France, Peter led our foursome up the mountains at age 76.

We knew that one day we would have to give up biking trips, but still it wasn't easy to learn yesterday that Peter's doctor said no more. Time to let it go.

Compared to all the bad news we could get, this was no big deal. And I quickly assured Peter that if I had to choose between giving up him or giving up biking, it was an easy decision

Our usual foursome will continue to talk about our great biking adventures.

But it will be all talk and no action for us.