Retirement??

[BoeingDiesel]

Question for those of you that are semi-retired / retired; what do you do with your time? If I include my time in the USN I worked for 45 years, and now, it is as though I have no purpose in life. I miss the days of moving 900K from point A to B. I have fished, hunted, flown my Decathlon, played tennis, explored the back trails of Yosemite, transported my wife (multiple times) from Lakeway to O. C. and I’m still bored. I was looking at motorcycles a while back and I’ve got to say, it looked the thing to do. I can see myself exploring the back-roads of Texas, Louisiana, etc. There’s got to be more to this new style of life than what I’m seeing. Any thoughts or recommendations?

Thanks

gregg

 

[HBarlow]

Gregg,

I wandered the US for several years pulling my trailer then went to work transporting for three years. After I "retired" from transporting I found a farmhouse on five acres in a rural area and spent a couple of years cleaning and improving the place. Now, with diesel prices out of sight the fifthwheel and truck stay parked in a barn.

As you've read in my posts, I bought a Goldwing a year and a half ago and started wandering again. The TX Hill Country with the rolling hills and interesting old small towns is a fun area for motorcycle riding.

Check the Texas Highway Department website for travel information. There are several pamphlets available as well as on-line info about scenic areas of interest. Among others there are the Hill Country Tour, Texas Forts Trail, Texas Plains Trail, and several others. Luchenbach is always a fun place to stop in on the weekends for impromptu live music. My wife and I are driving to Llano tomorrow for a country music concert with Johnny Lee. Sixth Avenue (Street?) in Austin is a big live music center with all types of music. There are forts, museums, lakes for fishing and boating, football games, and more. Fredericksburg is a beautiful old town of German heritage with great old original limestone buildings from the 1880s, antique shops, great German food, and the Admiral Nimitz WW II Museum.

The places to see and things to do are endless. You need to discover the information sources and begin exploring. If you want to talk motorcycles pm me and I'll give you a phone number or, better yet, come see me.

 

[Bill Stockard]

After retiring, my wife and I traveled in 5th wheels and slide in truck campers for 12 years seeing the lower 48 and parts of Canada. We tired of the RV lifestyle, sold our place in the DFW area, and purchased a 35 acre run down old cow pasture in northeast TX. I've never run out of things to do on this place for the past 7 years. The big advantage of being retired, is I don't have to work on this place unless I want to, but I'm always wanting to work on fixing stuff and improving it every day. I've never been bored since retiring in 1993.

Bill

 

[BoeingDiesel]

Harvey, i'll take you up on that offer as soon as I can get my wife accustomed to not traveling back and forth to Ca. It's a pain in the, you know what. My wife tolerated me being gone for most of my working years so I guess it's time for me to cater to her needs. I casually mentioned the possibility of getting an MC yesterday evening and that went over like gas in church. I suppose she had visions of me putting her on the back of the MC and blazing down the road. Thirty plus years ago we (my buddies and I) road the Barstow Vegas race for several years, so I'm no stranger to a two wheeler but never have done any highway motoring. Basically had to quit the off-roading because of high risk for injury and end up being furloughed.

thanks

gregg

 

[BoeingDiesel]

After retiring, my wife and I traveled in 5th wheels and slide in truck campers for 12 years seeing the lower 48 and parts of Canada. We tired of the RV lifestyle, sold our place in the DFW area, and purchased a 35 acre run down old cow pasture in northeast TX. I've never run out of things to do on this place for the past 7 years. The big advantage of being retired, is I don't have to work on this place unless I want to, but I'm always wanting to work on fixing stuff and improving it every day. I've never been bored since retiring in 1993.



Bill

Bill, I can see myself doing something similar to that. A man has to have a purpose in life.

thanks

gregg

 

[Jim W]

I retired in Jan of 09 after forty years of working at Caterpillar. I worked a minimum of 10 hours a day for the last 20 years at Caterpillar in design of tractors there. After retirement I am even busier than when I worked, I have my grand children whom we baby sit between two and four days during the school year. We camp in a 5er at least once a week taking trips around the mid-west in the camping season and at least one two or three week trip a year in the fall. I have a wood shop where I build furniture that I design there, these products only goes to the wife or my children. I am extremely busy just at a different pace I also try to read at least one book a week such as a Tom Clancy or WEB Griffin novel or books on history of WWII, Viet Nam and the Civil War.
Jim W.

 

[DDevers]

After retiring, my wife and I built our house, put in a yard and pond and worked on our 27 acres making it safer from fire (limbed the trees up off the ground). Then I spent a year of boredom on the computer until I found out about volunteering at the local grade school. Last year was part time but this year will be busier than ever hrlping with 5th grade math and science. For me it is very fulfilling.

 

[Bill Stockard]

Bill, I can see myself doing something similar to that. A man has to have a purpose in life.
thanks
gregg

Yep, you are correct and I have found it helps to spend a little time away from my wife so she can do what she wants. I have an office in my shop with a full bath and it is heated and air conditioned and I have my computer on a big wooden desk that my late father in law had used for years. It real nice "dog house" if things get a little "close" in the house. I also like to read and I had planned to read many of the books my wife had accumulated before our retirement. I have read all those books and now I utilize the local library for books to read in the winter when it's too cold and wet to work outside. I especially enjoy books on Texas history. I don't waste my time watching TV.

Bill

 

[BIGNASTY]

Just find something you like ALOT or you'll go nuts. I have found my photo thing , my farm and mules and wife does her thing in the garden. We meet in the middle and head to the mountains often. Our TT just sat when we moved to MT I have no problem with horse camping but wife wants something to go for weekends. I spend time with the Vets at the Vet Hospital and have them out to the house so they can get away from that place. I needed that and swore that I would do it if I could so its payback for me. I enjoy it more than they do I think, and their families are the wifes priority she likes to make sure that the wives or husbands and kids get a break its not just the Vets problem its a family problem.



Our family is our LIFE and couldn't do without them



BIG