Like the OP, I too am knocking on the door of 60. And I feel like I've had an analogous thought process and experience with another life-passion: skiing.
I'm a lifelong skier, and have skied all over the US, Canada and Europe. Raced way back in high school. Continued (until recently) racing NASTAR for shits and giggles...and always hit times in the top of my age group handicap. Also done my share of top-climbs/hikes out West.
My kids all ski, and up until 5-6 years ago I could still out ski them. Then one year, my knees just crumpled while trying to keep up with my twenty-something son, who's become a beast on skis. That's when I started to slow down and prefer groomers. And in the last couple of years, I find I'm good for a morning, or afternoon, but not both.
Point is, I'm still going to do it. I love it (and thank goodness for the Icon/Epic passes because without them it would be impossibly, absurdly expensive). And the same I find is happening to my riding. I've done a few BDRs. Baja in Mexico. I've always been a cautious rider, but now I'm even cautious-er because I don't want to get hurt, and don't want to ruin months or years recuperating from an idiotic, avoidable mistake.
Obviously, just choosing to continue to ride puts you at the mercy of the luck Gods. I'm just trying to do everything sensible I can do to appease them (ATGATT, never alcohol, daylight only, aggressively defensive riding, and on roads as far from traffic as possible) so I can keep on enjoying the sport. Which I may even love more than skiiing because there's no lift tickets.
