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SilverBullet

never slow down...you never grow old
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Not talking about the Beatle's song, this thread is my musing on that elusive 8th day of every week many call "Someday".

Someday never comes. Many make a bucket list but that is usually the same thing. Proscrastinator's version of a documented "Someday" that still never comes.

Get out and ride now while you still can. If you don't ride substitute your favorite passion. There is always a way to make it happen. If you don't plan it won't happen. Once you plan, schedule, execute and enjoy. Time, money, family, work, etc. Do the juggling, make the trade offs, scale it to a manageable event within your constraints, make it happen. NO excuses.

Rant over.

http://www.idiotsavant.com/ftp/sounds/life.wav

"...you never slow down..you never grow old..."

_
 
Not talking about the Beatle's song,
_

Maybe not, but I'll be hearing it in my head the rest of the morning.

Lots of mistakes in my past, but only one regret. I've taken two one year sabbaticals and my regret is that I didn't take more. As a younger man I would quit a job on a whim just to go rock climbing for a week or a month. Selling myself as a wage slave seemed too easy in those days. It's too easy to hand 30 years of labor to some bank for the same custom house that everybody else owns. Everybody needs a year off once a decade.

SB, your ability to cobble together a two week Asia trip on a moment's notice has always impressed me. Guess that's why I like riding with you, we actually go places. Not everybody is cut out for it, though. But then nothing is worse than a clean, low mileage GS. Guess that's why I buy used.

By the cheapest bike that will get the job done and save the money for gas. Joe sure knows how to live.

m
 
:tab This is the thought that gnaws as me constantly, especially now that I see my kids growing up SO FAST!! I want them to see and experience things beyond our little corner of the world. However, we are not independently wealthy so I do have to work. Unfortunately, my line of work is not really the kind that I can just drop and then pick up later. Clients would move on and not come back. Then there is that whole issue of how to pay the bills while not working... I know it probably CAN be done, the question really is how much inconvenience are we willing to endure to make it happen?

:tab Before we had kids, we had been trying for five years. According to the Docs, everything was working, but still no joy after a few miscarriages. I was tired of living with our lives on hold. My plan was to run a motorcycle touring company. We'd live out of one of those nice RVs, have satellite internet, and just move to different areas of the country to match the seasons so we could ride year round. I already had the tour company set up, a website, some tours under my belt, TWT was really taking off, and I thought it could work. When I pitched all this to my wife, she looked at me like I had completely lost my mind... :lol2: She's a bit more of a nester than me. Shortly after that is when she got pregnant with Sarah.
 
Scott, I remember you telling the Wednesday meeting a part of that story and maybe it all comes down to that "Curly moment" when you find your one thing. I moved to Houston with full intent to trash my stuff, get a boat and cut the dock lines. Well I did the the first two and then fell in love with someone more important than the sea. Raising kids is an adventure worth the trade.

To SB's point, it's all about making it happen manageable within constraints. A sabbatical every other year would be great, but like you, my clients would go away and never come back. That's the nice thing about a trade over a profession, stepping into a job is easier than building a client base.

Anyway what's better, too many motorcycles or too much house?

m
 
:tab My biggest problem is a complete lack of control over my time. It is the nature of my job that I have to be on 24 hr call and ready to work at a moment's notice. This REALLY makes it hard to schedule time off for anything or to make any commitments. Very few people really understand this and sometimes it frustrates friends and other folks I deal with. Like many people, I would like to make a jump to something else, but this is what I have been doing for 20+ years. It is hard to see how I can shift to something else because I simply can't afford to let go of this without already having something else lined up for sure. Bridging that gap is the killer. I've talked with quite a few other people that in the 45-55 age range and the issue is quite common.

:tab Then there is the issue raised in the first post of this thread... There are only so many tomorrows assuming nothing happens that snatches them away prematurely. We don't get a do over and time is rapidly ticking away. It literally keeps me awake nights and distracts me during the days... My slightly older brother is having similar issues and we talk about it a lot, racking our brains trying to find a way to make a change without it being too traumatic for the families to endure. If it were just me... But, it's not.
 
Not talking about the Beatle's song, this thread is my musing on that elusive 8th day of every week many call "Someday".

Someday never comes. Many make a bucket list but that is usually the same thing. Proscrastinator's version of a documented "Someday" that still never comes.

Get out and ride now while you still can. If you don't ride substitute your favorite passion. There is always a way to make it happen. If you don't plan it won't happen. Once you plan, schedule, execute and enjoy. Time, money, family, work, etc. Do the juggling, make the trade offs, scale it to a manageable event within your constraints, make it happen. NO excuses.

Rant over.

http://www.idiotsavant.com/ftp/sounds/life.wav

"...you never slow down..you never grow old..."

_



Maybe not, but I'll be hearing it in my head the rest of the morning.



Lots of mistakes in my past, but only one regret. I've taken two one year sabbaticals and my regret is that I didn't take more. As a younger man I would quit a job on a whim just to go rock climbing for a week or a month. Selling myself as a wage slave seemed too easy in those days. It's too easy to hand 30 years of labor to some bank for the same custom house that everybody else owns. Everybody needs a year off once a decade.



SB, your ability to cobble together a two week Asia trip on a moment's notice has always impressed me. Guess that's why I like riding with you, we actually go places. Not everybody is cut out for it, though. But then nothing is worse than a clean, low mileage GS. Guess that's why I buy used.



By the cheapest bike that will get the job done and save the money for gas. Joe sure knows how to live.



m


The world needs people like you guys, and I wish I could be one of them. It's just not in me, though. I'm Mr. Practicality. Probably the most spontaneous thing I've ever done was go with a group of guys to last year's Cowboy playoff game in Green Bay with just a week's notice...and even that took some serious convincing from the wife.

Quit a job without another (better paying) one lined up??? Preposterous! Luckily I like where I work, but since I've been there a decade I'd probably suffer through all manner of misery for the next 20 years just because I wouldn't want to give up my seniority and retirement to start over somewhere else.

I love the idea of riding the TAT I'm too lazy to do all the planning for a trip of that magnitude, though, and too worried to undertake it without every stop being accounted for. Not to mention it would require buying a bike capable of doing it that I'd likely lose money on when it was over.

You say there's nothing worse than a clean, low mileage GS, and I say a GS is too expensive to get dirty, beat up, and worn out.

Don't get me wrong...I go places and do fun things, but I sure wish I could unclench my backside a little bit and pursue some of the adventures that are out there.
 
The world needs people like you guys, and I wish I could be one of them. It's just not in me, though. I'm Mr. Practicality. Probably the most spontaneous thing I've ever done was go with a group of guys to last year's Cowboy playoff game in Green Bay with just a week's notice...and even that took some serious convincing from the wife.

Quit a job without another (better paying) one lined up??? Preposterous! Luckily I like where I work, but since I've been there a decade I'd probably suffer through all manner of misery for the next 20 years just because I wouldn't want to give up my seniority and retirement to start over somewhere else.

I love the idea of riding the TAT I'm too lazy to do all the planning for a trip of that magnitude, though, and too worried to undertake it without every stop being accounted for. Not to mention it would require buying a bike capable of doing it that I'd likely lose money on when it was over.

You say there's nothing worse than a clean, low mileage GS, and I say a GS is too expensive to get dirty, beat up, and worn out.

Don't get me wrong...I go places and do fun things, but I sure wish I could unclench my backside a little bit and pursue some of the adventures that are out there.

I can relate to all this although now it's behind me. I stayed in same place for 38 years for the same reasons. Hard to start over. I'm a home boy at heart, love long day trips but like my bed at night. Trying to make myself take an out of town multi day bike trip is hard, still working on that one. My wife doesn't like being home alone but she would gladly let me go, I'm the problem! When younger I would make the run to Ark for the w/e. That's the first step and will be doing a couple day trips soon! Got to get out of my comfort zone!
 
Interesting thread. I was once tied down. That resulted from doing the best for kids in spite of crappy parents. I'll probably never be free again (if I ever was) due to the cost of doing what is "right". Single parenting sucks. Had I known what was in store I'd of had a vasectomy while a high school student.
 
I can relate to all this although now it's behind me. I stayed in same place for 38 years for the same reasons. Hard to start over. I'm a home boy at heart, love long day trips but like my bed at night. Trying to make myself take an out of town multi day bike trip is hard, still working on that one. My wife doesn't like being home alone but she would gladly let me go, I'm the problem! When younger I would make the run to Ark for the w/e. That's the first step and will be doing a couple day trips soon! Got to get out of my comfort zone!


I actually like to be away from home. The first thing I think about when presented with or considering an opportunity, though, are the negatives and possible negatives. Only if I can convince myself they aren't that bad do I even think about the benefits.

If you've seen the movie Yes Man with Jim Carrey, I'm definitely a "no man". It's just in my nature to say no to everything.
 
Life is a balancing act, for some on this forum may be riding as much as possible, but certainly that is not for all.
 
Life is a balancing act, for some on this forum may be riding as much as possible, but certainly that is not for all.

That is true Camillo, but this is more than just about riding. I gave it a bike riding focus as this is TWT but "substitute your favorite passion" applies to life in general.

_
 
Like the thread topic.
I guess I'm a Jeckle and Hyde. I loved doing a 9 day solo camping MC tour through NM/CO, but that bed at home sure felt good at the end. The longest was month long bicycle tour across the western US during college. That one almost ruined a good friendship, could hardly talk to each other for a year afterwards :lol2: but we worked through it and we're still good friends today.

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I've enjoyed just about every backpacking, bicycle camping touring, motorcycle camping trip I've ever taken, even the ones that were, let's say "challenging".

At the same time, I love my 3 acres, chickens, garden and soon to be pig farming operation (ok, 3 piglets - Ham, Bacon and Tenderloin).

My wife will adventure with me some, but she's become more and more of a nester, and any adventure requires multi-week planning and such for her.

I like the planning, too, but I'll throw it together in a day and "let's roll".

Some things I'd like to do if I can sort them out - hike most, if not all, of the Appalachian Trail and do a 2-3 kayaking camping trip on one of the rivers in NC, and/or maybe a coastal trip.

I'd also like to run a BBQ/Coffee Shop/Growler Refill Emporium.

So... Jeckle and Hyde. Lots of dreams, but the body is starting to show the 100K plus mileage. :shrug:
 
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i-VqWSnfZ-M.jpg


This is the late, great Major General Al Stewart. Died of a brain tumor.

After he was initially diagnosed an operated upon, things were looking up for a bit. He was in Iowa with us as a team mate on RAGBRAI and gave an informal but very poignant talk to the Air Force Cycling Team at a team dinner.

"One Day" and "Some Day" are not coming, he said. "If you have plans and dreams, do it now". He talked about how unmet dreams and thoughts flee with the wind, and are gone. He had big plans for retirement, but cancer threw him a curve. His days after being diagnosed narrowed, and he couldn't be sure what to choose to fit in and leave out, or what could be even be accomplished. His tumor would take him later that year.

""One Day" and "Some Day" are not coming" - those words keep playing in my head, in the exact way he said it, and in his voice. And I remember the way he looked when he said it. I play it over and over. The way he said it was in the voice of a prophet.
 
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I guess I struggle some with the need to balance planning for a long term life. There's definitely no guarantees, but it is conceivable that I could live another 30-35 years based on familial history, but ability to work might only be another 5-10 years. I don't want to be eating dog food that last five years, but... there's lots of life to enjoy now. So, I am trying to enjoy as much as I can now, yet still put in the 8-5. Trying to hit the financial targets that I "think" I need to hit in the next 5-10 years of work life has been a challenge.

I appreciate the discussion. It' one that cycles through my brain on a regular basis.
 
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Hey Dave you didn't have to call me out in front of the whole class! Geez
 
Hey Dave you didn't have to call me out in front of the whole class! Geez

JD thanks for clearing that up, I thought he was calling me out. LOL

My problem is I have many passions. They all requie time and money. We do travel with our kids and they have seen a lot of places. We as afamily enjoy hunting and that takes time. We also like to ride together and that divides what riding time I have as there is no good local riding for the kids. We are going to ride at Spring break. I have a thread in the dirt section. http://www.twtex.com/forums/showthread.php?t=107095

I'm like others try to balance my time and money. JMZ reminds me to enjoy my kids while they are here. I know he is right and I stay involved with them. I often dream of what it might be like to just take off, but that is not what I chose in life. I have no regrets about how I spend my time, but as life changes phases my passions will shift

Thanks for the reminder to live life everyday.
 
JD thanks for clearing that up, I thought he was calling me out. LOL...
Thanks for the reminder to live life everyday.

Nothing to call either of you out on. Gary what you state above is exactly some of the "living/experiencing life" activities I'm talking about. You have it already figured out and are passing that on to your children as well. I know JD does the same.

That was the way I was brought up as well. The things Tracker mentions below, I had done them all by the time I was 16 with my Dad. Except we used canoes instead of kayaks.

...Some things I'd like to do if I can sort them out - hike most, if not all, of the Appalachian Trail and do a 2-3 kayaking camping trip on one of the rivers in NC, and/or maybe a coastal trip...

_
 
This came to mind for me..... relevant to TM's post

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NwNuQulK6N0"]Creedence Clearwater Revival: Someday Never Comes - YouTube[/ame]
 
I pulled the trigger on my retirement because of thoughts similar to the OP. I was terribly afraid that I was too young (60) but did it anyway.

Seems like most people quit riding or tone it down a lot when they get to their 70's, and that's only 10 years away. Think back of how fast the last 10 years went by. Whew!

My employer made me an offer for early retirement that was the proverbial "Offer I couldn't refuse". So... BAM!

So far - so good. Right now, every day is Saturday! I hope, in the end, I made the right choice.
 
I seriously envy you guys that are able to retire at 50-60 years old. Unless something drastic changes for me, I'll likely be working till I just flat out can't...
 
At 17, you wait for Someday.
Then someday is today.
Then someday is yesterday.
Then, it's your life.
In 2011, I had finished a big project and was loading up for a wedding in Nebraska, riding my bike up there. I mentioned to my wife that it had been years since my last long ride, and she said "FedEx the suit home and keep going." And I did- 7,000 miles and 14 states. I could never have PLANNED IT; I would have talked myself out of it. But a good mate who lives in the moment knew me better than myself.
All we have is 'this moment'. Tomorrow is never here.
And then I got Cancer. At 65. This next Tuesday, I take my final dose of poison and come the end of Feb, we see if it worked.
Both my wife and I have seen our health up for grabs this last year, to the point that she would not consider a replacement for our old dog because she would not want to leave a pet behind should we not outlive it. (Think about that.)
I have my old Viragosaurus- BamBam, and it's always ready for a run to some far coast.
I have a 25-foot sailboat that I pulled out of the water to rebuild...17 years ago. It's a dream that I refuse to release. And that's just one of the many 'projects' I have. And that's not bad.
As some wise man said: "When your memories outweigh your DREAMS, you're old."
PS- Tourmeiser- I'll work til I die, but I love my work and my customers love me. When I found I had to go through the chemo and couldn't work, they GoFunded me enough to chill for 4 months. And they are ready to put my *** to work whenever I've ready. If you take a break, yours may well shout 'hurray' when you return.
 
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Well said Mike and best wishes for a full recovery.

I'm in my late 50s have no plans to retire. Meaningful work is one of the things I enjoy, which is why I've tried to space out retirement in increments during my working life. There may come a day when I won't be able to work, but when those days come I won't be able to ride either.

My major client just changed leadership, so I took a trip to Chicago last week to discuss their new direction. Part of that discussion was a chance for me to point out that my compensation included a very flexible schedule. They understand and are willing to work with that for the services I perform.

One lesson came early - debt is bad. The outgoing executive director of the company mentioned above is well over 70 and still making house payments on his golf course home. I can't fathom that. Maybe living on a golf course is that valuable to him. I want to ride Europe and Canada. Maybe dirt bike the Australian outback. I can't do that with a bank owning my labor.
 
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