Backpacking After Retirement

[maverick]

To be fair to the original thread, split off the posts about retirement and backpacking, so this subject matter can be continued in its own thread.

[Wandering Daisy]

Beware that once you retire, the rest of your family will think you are doing nothing, therefore, many requests for "granny" duty! I am physically capable of backpacking more than I do, but with eight grandkids I get called to duty a lot. I have had to be very clear that mid July to mid Sept I am NOT available to watch kids. Also, "significant others" are not too keen on you being gone contiually. Even when retired, balancing family and backpacking is tricky. Add in obligations for elderly parents and you still must MAKE time for backpacking; it will not just happen.

The biggest advantage is that I can now do weekday trips avoiding the weekend crowds. And no more midnight drives to get back to work. No more having to be a weekend warrior.

One never knows when some ailment will stop your backpacking, so be gratefull for every trip.

[Hobbes]

You wanna head up to Whitney via the MMWT next week? Just hiking up to Trail camp and hanging out there is bitchin'. It's 6 miles r/t from TC base to peak going up the Chute and then ridge line trail. (Which is covered in snow ledges, so really doesn't count as a trail.)

[Tom_H]

I have to salute you, Mike. I sure wish I could still get out and do those 15 day trips you talk about. I did a lot of packing when young, and did taper into ultralight gear in the last several years. I have sleep apnea now and use a CPAP machine. Without the machine, I can't get any air at all on my back and can barely get enough to sleep some on my side. I tried all kinds of air mattresses and pillows, but sleeping on my side on the ground throws my back out, makes my whole body stiff, and the pain is excruciating. I am grateful for all I got to do and see over the years, and have no regrets. I have had to accept that I can't do it any more and have hung up the boots except for day hiking. I hope you can keep going past 100. My hat's off to you. Enjoy every minute of it!

And my sincere apologies for hijacking the thread.

[maverick]

I have sleep apnea now and use a CPAP machine. Without the machine, I can't get any air at all on my back and can barely get enough to sleep some on my side. I tried all kinds of air mattresses and pillows, but sleeping on my side on the ground throws my back out, makes my whole body stiff, and the pain is excruciating.

Look into this or other cannabis (vapor or oil) to possibly help relieve or cure your symptoms Tom: http://extract.suntimes.com/extract-new ... ronabinol/

[Tom_H]

Thanks Mav, As long as I use the CPAP machine and have a normal mattress, I'm fine. Just can't sleep on the ground and be without the machine any more. I still enjoy some day hiking and am happy I have overall decent health. I've been a lucky man to see all the amazing wild places that I have in my lifetime. If such a place as heaven exists, it will be made of mountains, meadows, and wildflowers. And there won't be any 'skeeters!

[LMBSGV]

Mav, thanks for splitting this off into its own thread. As of July, I am on Social Security and therefore consider myself retired. Since 1984, I’ve been in a home-based business with my wife so been somewhat immune to the Monday-Friday work week. However, I’ve not been immune to tight deadlines and the whims of clients. So I’ve been looking forward to retiring for the last couple of years and devoting my time to hiking, photography, and writing. But then sometimes “s***” happens . . .

Last summer, it was discovered I have an irregular heartbeat (atrial-fibulation). A scan due to the A-fib showed lesions on one of my kidneys, which grew larger in the follow-up scan. The doctors decided I needed to have a nephrectomy (kidney removal), which occurred in April. It turned out to be cancer. The cancer seems to have been confined to the one kidney, though I’ll be going in for scans a couple of times a year to make sure, probably for the rest of my life. It definitely changes one’s perspective and engenders a greater appreciation of the simple joys of being alive.

The doctor says I should be able to backpack in late June. So I’ll be checking off the places on my Sierra “bucket list.” I have 3 backpack trips planned for this summer, one with my wife and two solo, and then, hopefully, another solo trip late September/early October. This year, I’m keeping the trips relatively short (2, 5, and 6 days) with fewer miles of hiking per day to see how I do. Next summer, my wife and I are thinking of a long (40+ days) National Park road trip along with any solo backpack trips I may take. After that . . .

[rlown]

God speed Laurence, God speed. Friend had atrial fib issues, and got ablated. As he's my Abalone diving partner, that was important as he had a problem once in the water. That wasn't fun.

There is nothing wrong with camping. Heading that way myself.

[SSSdave]

Thus far for 2017 have been very active since starting retirement mid February with 20 days over 3 road trips down in Southern California for the wildflower superbloom. See link at bottom. As a photographer, I tend to get out into the local region on any days with relatively calm winds that for the last few weeks have been few. That keeps me at home where I have tons of science and technical reading queued up if I have time haha.

There is also a lot locally here in the urban SF Bay Area to become involved in especially because it is a hot bed of all manner of very active meetup.com groups from a to z including several hiking and outdoor groups. Today with one hiking group of people I just met for first time, group hiked 5.9 miles, went to their lunch downtown a few blocks from my home, then as a group for $5.50 we saw the new raunchy comedy "Snatched". As a senior living in Silicon Valley it is too easy to become over stimulated and over committed to activities including lots of volunteer community things.

Tentative backpacking/long road trips this summer queued up so far carrying my usual disgustingly heavy load.

June
3 day backpack after Memorial Day weekend into Falls Creek TBD small group
.......... viewtopic.php?f=36&t=15796
maybe 5/6 days up the Merced maybe to Echo Valley
5 day backpack up Kibbie Ridge to Lord Meadow zone of Cherry Creek solo
July
3 day backpack to Lake Aloha zone solo
4 day backpack to Gilmore Lake zone solo
5 day backpack to Laurel Creek and Grinnel Lake solo
August
5 days backpack into Duck and Pika Lake group
week or so Oregon road trip into John Day River zone for eclipse solo
10 day backpack over Shepherd Pass into upper Kern solo

A problem every summer is that one cannot be everywhere when peak aesthetics occur. 11pm now and I just went over weather info for the Mather/Hetch Hetchy and Yosemite Valley (May peak waterfall snow melt) areas and just decided to drive out after the commute is over late morning tomorrow for 2 or 3 days. So will pack up at sunrise. Then will go down to Point Lobos again maybe Saturday or Sunday.

David
http://www.davidsenesac.com/2017_Trip_C ... les-0.html

[papasequoia]

Save cruises and golf for the golden years.

Just shoot me if it comes to that.