So my mom wants to do something batshitinsane for her birthday...

March 18, 2007 1:06 PM

What should my mom do to celebrate her 50th birthday? (Please read the more inside.)

My mom's 50th birthday is coming up and she wants to celebrate it defiantly, so to speak. She's had rheumatoid athritis for a decade but has pretty much kept it in remission and wants to celebrate her continuing fitness and health, despite the years and her disease.

To give you some context, for my dad's 50th birthday (seven years ago) we all hiked to the river and back at the Grand Canyon. So seventeen mile hikes in a day isn't a big deal.

She has done ten marathons, bikes over 50 miles a week, and could probably take me in a fight. She wants to do something challenging or at least thrilling. She thought about skydiving but didn't want to risk my losing her (I told her statistics were against that). Right now she is thinking about biking between Indianapolis (where she is) and Bloomington (where I am), but I want her to do something more exciting than that. Her birthday is April 4th and she wants to do it right around then.

She doesn't drink, gamble, or the like. Because of her RA things like mountain biking are out, as they rattle the hell out of joints.

--Warmer places / activities are better than cold
--Cheaper is better than expensive, but not necessarily the most relevant criteria
--Probably needs to be in the midwest

posted by ztdavis to sports, hobbies, & recreation (10 comments total)

Maybe she should fight Mike Tyson in Vegas!

Anecdotally (if that's a word)- my mom did the skydiving thing for her 50th. Her and my dad got all the way as far as taking off in the plane when they had to turn back. The guy that was in the plane ahead of them didn't, ummm.... live. Chute didn't open.

They never considered it again.
posted by Thrillhouse at 2:41 PM on March 18, 2007

This totally does not fufill the near her birthday criteria because it's in the summer, but if she loves cycling, what about RAGBRAI? It would definitely be a celebratory atmosphere.To work it in with her birthday, maybe she could start training for longer rides on her birthday.
posted by Airhen at 3:43 PM on March 18, 2007

Though timing is not perfect for this one -- a Vision Quest might be something of interest and empowerment.
posted by peace_love_hope at 3:47 PM on March 18, 2007

peace_love_hope: I should have specified, but she is looking for something she can do with my father and I. I only glanced at your link, but that doesn't look like something that would work.

Although thanks for the link!

Airhen: I don't think that would work because of the date, but biking across Indiana (where we are) would definitely be a good idea, and more exciting than biking from Indianapolis to Bloomington.
posted by ztdavis at 3:53 PM on March 18, 2007

Hmm. I think I'm going to mark this thread and visit it in a few years for myself.

Some ideas:

Hike the Pacific Crest Trail, or part of it.
Drive a race car.
Go on one of these.
Learn to fly a plane.
posted by frykitty at 4:07 PM on March 18, 2007

Go rock-climbing at Devil's Lake, Wisconsin. You can also rent the Seth Peterson Cottage at Mirror Lake nearby, which is one of the only Frank Lloyd Wright-designed houses that you can actually sleep in.
posted by Ringtail at 5:47 PM on March 18, 2007

As a family, take a major role in buildling a house for Habitat for Humanity -- providing shelter for another familywill be rewarding for both your mom -- and the family who benefits.

As a family, take part in the Arthritis Fondation's Joints in Motion program -- your Mom will be an inspiration to others -- and you all will be helping something near and dear to your Mom.

The point is make it more than just a stunt -- let it bring meaning an dinspiration to others.
posted by peace_love_hope at 6:55 PM on March 18, 2007

We gave my Mom a hot air balloon ride for one of her birthdays. She loved it -
posted by ranchgirl7 at 10:36 PM on March 18, 2007 [1 favorite has favorites]

or get her a wetsuit & give her windsurfing lessons or take her kayaking!!
posted by ranchgirl7 at 10:38 PM on March 18, 2007

When my mom turned 50, she got a tattoo. After that she was hooked, and now has at least 6 (that I know of anyway).
posted by ducktape at 8:36 AM on March 19, 2007