As they approach retirement, some people figure out that a big adventure, at least initially, is what they want and need. Penny and Eric at (cycle4retirement.com) decided to bicycle into their retirement (see New Retirees Head Around the World by Bike (WSJ Reports). The Home Free Adventure folks (homefreeadventures.com) sold their home and most of its contents, stored what was left, then took off on international traveling adventures, renting apartments for a month or two at a time. They were on the road for four years. The Senior Nomads in Europe (seniornomads.com) rented out their Seattle home and set off for Europe (their home is now listed for sale) where they are enjoying year two of travel. While love of travel and a desire to see the world certainly bind these retirees, I think their stories reveal something more. These are adventure seeking risk-takers who so fully embrace the "Go-Go Years" that they, well really go! In many ways they are my heroes for they believe the phase that follows a life time of adult (and for some of us beginning in adolescence) working can be anything you want it to be. It is yours. It can be an adventure.
In 2012 after R retired and the possibility for longer travel (3 weeks! Who knew the wonders) opened up, my inner Adventure Girl was unleashed with her mission of seeing and experiencing as much of the world as she could afford. Out she sprang or leapt or flew and I've certainly been uninterested in reining her in.
While tracking how others model this phase is helpful, ultimately we must create our own model -- which is a process. R's and my entry into this phase included almost six months of travel on three cruises, two group bike trips, and visits to Portugal, Amsterdam, Brussels, Ireland, Faroe Islands, Shetland Island, Glasgow, Scotland, Copenhagen, Denmark, Oslo, parts of Norway, Iceland, Hawaiian Islands, French Polynesia (Bora Bora!), Australia, and the North and South Islands of New Zealand, not to mention a visit to NYC and other U.S. stops including a few national parks. Our model was to engage in some big adventures and then settle into a home.
Has this worked?
What has worked?
Let's find out.
WHAT HAS WORKED --
Housing -- We bought the right size house. I could have gone smaller while R finds this the perfect size. In hindsight, I could have and really wanted to live home free one more year -- that's how Adventure Girl thinks. The house works for us. Recently, we entertained 19 folks in our little cottage. We were a snug but comfortable group and told people to spread out wherever they could find space. It worked out. Want to know my two most favorite places in the house?
1. The utility/mud/laundry room that connects to the garage. Who knew a sink in a laundry
room could solve so many of life's issues? It can't but it sure helps with laundry and other
cleaning problems.
2. The garage. I know this space is usually loved and claimed by men but I love it. Perhaps it is because we were city dwellers for 10 years and therefore garage-less that I have such a love for our concrete space. We try to keep it neat and organized (thank you Gregg Morris for all your help and ideas).
Our town -- Bend -- We are more than pleased that we selected Bend as our home base. Many a morning, I step out into the cool desert air, look up at the beautiful desert sky and think how lucky I am. And how much I love low humidity. It is a pleasure to observe and participate in the grandniece's growth and to spend time with her wonderful, talented parents. And despite what I thought, people (including the niece and nephew) were right about GEAR. When we were in the midst of the house building process, locals would tell us we needed room for our GEAR. Since we were fairly GEARLESS at that point, except for our two well-worn Cannondale hybrid bikes that we'd schlepped from Chicago, I'm not sure we understood the concept of GEAR. Now we own new snowshoes, fancy, warm ski gloves, ski masks, hiking poles, hiking socks, new Trek hybrid bikes (which hang on the garage walls), an upscale bike rack for the car and kayaks (and all the necessary kayak
stuff) which we tote with our sophisticated kayak rack. We own GEAR! As a minimalist
wanna be, I'm certain this is not a good trend.
Pretty kayaks hanging on their very cool racks. We own GEAR.
Next up -- Part III
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