Wood
New Member
I've never been lost, a might bit confused at times, but never lost.
Posts: 1
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Post by Wood on Apr 5, 2017 6:47:24 GMT -8
Hi All, first post....
I just turned 55. I had promised myself that when I hit that marker in life I would pull back from work (I'm a commercial artist) and spend more time doing what I really love. I should have done it years ago, but work, life yada,yada, you know the story...I've spent the last year or so hitting the end of season sales and cottage industry shops accumulating a new rig. It's surprising how light the equipment is compared to the stuff I hauled around the AT in the 70's and 80's.
I try to day hike pretty often here in North GA. Lots of great trails although I tend to hit the same one a lot because of the moderate to steep terrain gives me a good workout and is about 8-9 miles long. Plus, it's only about 45 minutes from my home. It kicks my butt and reminds me how slack I have been in keeping my butt in shape.
I do have some trips planned for later this summer in the Yellowstone Back country, the Idaho Sawtooth range and Escalante, UT. I'm not going for miles, just the chance to finally be able to get away from the studio for a few weeks at a time and ramble around on the trails at a comfortable pace. I can imagine there will be quite a few more breaks than when I was 25.
Glad I found this forum. Lots of great info.
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Post by trinity on Apr 5, 2017 7:01:27 GMT -8
Glad I found this forum. Lots of great info. Glad you found us too. Welcome.
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Hungry Jack
Trail Wise!
Living and dying in 3/4 time...
Posts: 3,809
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Post by Hungry Jack on Apr 5, 2017 7:40:22 GMT -8
One great thing about getting older is that I feeling much more comfortable with being quirky. I have started collecting bizarre t-shirts and wearing them with pride, such as that three-wolf t-shirt from Amazon review fame. I also found this crazy funny fanart of Teddy Roosevelt shooting a bigfoot, so I made a t-shirt: I have more. My wife thinks I am crazy, but it is great to see people's reactions to these nonsensical things.
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Post by autumnmist on Apr 5, 2017 15:12:29 GMT -8
Hungry Jack, I think as we age some things are more important (like being quirky if it comes naturally) and others less important (such as feeling obligated to spend time with people with whom we don't have much in common (such as at work), or socially. It's kind of a nice sense of freedom to be natural in our actions.
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Deborah
Trail Wise!
Yes, that's me.
Posts: 1,115
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Post by Deborah on Apr 6, 2017 9:36:07 GMT -8
and others less important (such as feeling obligated to spend time with people with whom we don't have much in common (such as at work) I have lost any fragment of tolerance I had for spending time with co-workers outside of work!!
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desert dweller
Trail Wise!
Power to the Peaceful...Hate does not create.
Posts: 6,291
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Post by desert dweller on Apr 6, 2017 9:46:15 GMT -8
Glad I found this forum. Lots of great info. Welcome, Wood. Be sure to take a minute to introduce yourself on the main Trailhead Register page. You'll asked some questions for us to get an idea about your likes and such.
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Post by hikerjer on Apr 6, 2017 9:57:01 GMT -8
I have lost any fragment of tolerance I had for spending time with co-workers outside of work!! Depends on the individual. Some of my best friends and outdoor buddies are folks I worked with. Others, not so much.
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Post by BorderCollieMike on Apr 6, 2017 10:16:04 GMT -8
Hikerjer, I really hope you can keep a positive attitude and stay active. Lots of great advice in this thread. I'm about four years your junior - got a birthday next week & I'll be on the trail. Since I've been reading this forum I've managed to halve my pack weight and I'm anticipating extending my trail time as I try and age gracefully. I can't offer any advice as far as avoiding grizzlies. Take all the appropriate precautions and hope for the best. [warning - yoga soapbox follows] When I turned 50ish, I started noticing I was having trouble turning my head to scan for merging traffic. I was making "old man" noises getting up or sitting down. Like most of us, I had been in pretty good shape all my life. But I was slowly, almost imperceptibly declining, getting weaker and less flexible as I watched 50 recede in the mirror. So I started attending beginner yoga classes. Okay, actually, my wife coerced me into it. And I was surprised to see how my yoga class challenged me, how tight my joints were, how poor my balance was, and how good I felt after every class. I started practicing at home as well as advancing through the class levels. After three years of classes and workshops, my teacher told me I was spending too much time at the studio and should probably just start teaching. I was planning to retire anyway, so I studied, retired, and became a yoga teacher as well as continuing to study as a student. Now I'm retired and I teach yoga. Bonus: all the cash I earn gets turned into backpacking gear. I'm still not as strong as I was in my forties (or fifties). Those days are gone. But I am stronger than I was. And I am demonstrably more flexible and have way better balance than at any time in my life. Noticably improved concentration. I'm not talking about hot yoga, or any of the wierd new agey yoga classes, no music, no incense. Just a basic hatha yoga class that you can attend in sweatpants and a tee shirt and almost certainly can find in your home town. Start slow,without any expectations, and see if you get anything out of it. What have you got to lose? And you really do need a class and a good teacher (ask around). I tried to do it myself at home using the Internet, which was fine. But nothing like the benefit of having hands on gentle adjustment and correction. It's really changed my life for the better. I gotta get off this soapbox, my legs are tired. </soapbox> -Bill
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Hungry Jack
Trail Wise!
Living and dying in 3/4 time...
Posts: 3,809
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Post by Hungry Jack on Apr 6, 2017 10:51:11 GMT -8
I was on a beach vacation and swam in the ocean every day. It was great. I get home, go the gym, and notice significant soreness in my rhomboids and upper lats. WTH? I get an injury that did not manifest itself at the time in was incurred? That is a clear sign of an aging body! Ugh.
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Post by autumnmist on Apr 6, 2017 13:16:02 GMT -8
BorderCollieMike's post reminded me of what appears to be a growing popularity of Tai Chi in my area, as I see more and more Tai Chi classes taught in adult ed as well as some hospital programs. Anyone do Tai Chi? If so, and if you've done Yoga, how would you compare the two in terms of increasing stamina and flexibility? I did Yoga decades ago but the Full Lotus posture was too hard on my ankles, so I eliminated that.
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Deborah
Trail Wise!
Yes, that's me.
Posts: 1,115
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Post by Deborah on Apr 6, 2017 19:25:47 GMT -8
Depends on the individual. Some of my best friends and outdoor buddies are folks I worked with. Others, not so much. Of curse that is true. I'm glad you had co-workers that could be friends too. I am not that fortunate in the job. :(
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Deborah
Trail Wise!
Yes, that's me.
Posts: 1,115
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Post by Deborah on Apr 6, 2017 19:34:29 GMT -8
I immediately thought of this thread when I saw greywolf's post, about his broken leg, on Facebook. A serious break is one thing that concerns me more each year. Too many times we hear of people doing great into their 80s or 90s, then there was a fall and a broken bone and they were never the same again. Staying active, mentally and physically is the key. And yes, BorderCollieMike, flexibility and balance are very important. I often slightly lift one foot and balance on the other while waiting in line, always put my socks on while standing and other little things like that. Give in to the years and they will consume you. Getting old is what we make of it.
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geosp
Trail Wise!
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Post by geosp on Apr 6, 2017 20:55:11 GMT -8
I'm still reasonably fit and flexible but do note some deterioration in balance. (ricochetting around the room while trying to get my pants on seems to be more common nowadays - it's almost a 'house tour' job some days) Apparently research shows that the number of nerve cells in the vestibular system (inner ear balance centre) drops after the age of 55 years. This decline gets worse the older we get. So I guess some things are unavoidable. The trick with ageing I think, is to keep on keeping on and ignore negative comments from those of your peers who have not led a particularly active life themselves - and try to keep a sense of humour. Here's a couple of relevant Satchel Paige quotes that I like... 'How old would you be if you didn't know how old you are?' and 'Age is a case of mind over matter. If you don't mind, it don't matter'.
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Post by stealthytomato on Apr 7, 2017 6:38:18 GMT -8
And I was surprised to see how my yoga class challenged me, how tight my joints were, how poor my balance was, and how good I felt after every class. It's amazing to me how transformative yoga is to me now than 20 years ago. I'm finally realizing that all my miscellaneous pains are from increasing inflexibility. Tight hips telescope issues all the way down to the fascia in my feet! For me yoga is the best medicine.
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Post by autumnmist on Apr 7, 2017 15:30:31 GMT -8
A serious break is one thing that concerns me more each year. Too many times we hear of people doing great into their 80s or 90s, then there was a fall and a broken bone and they were never the same again. I've heard the same comments, including when my father fell and fractured a femur at age 93 and then the other femur at age 94. Predictions were dire, given his age and other health issues, but he's a strong willed person. I did some quick research and interviews to find what I thought was the best rehab facility around (50 miles from me), got him in there, visited often, got his church friends to visit and send cards and provide a lot of support. He had home PT and OT and was walking well again about 2 months after each of his fractures. At 98 now, he walks w/o a walker (although he should use one), still reads Wood magazine and plans woodworking projects, and will probably never give up until the day he dies. I think his attitude and determination carried him through these and other trials. And support was an important factor. I noticed people in the rehab facility who had little support were depressed, not very enthusiastic about even trying to take advantage of rehab. That's just an anecdotal observation from limited experience, but I think determination crosses age barriers and provides incentive to battle challenges.
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