The Most Active Retiree I Know - My Dad

I've stumbled across a few blogs lately, that have left me feeling a bit depressed. There seems to be sentiment among a large group of older retirees that their world is shrinking and their best years are behind them. Not only does it make me sad on their behalf, I believe it to be primarily a case of letting your thoughts create your reality. Yes, certainly, if you believe your best years are behind you then they probably are.

I subscribe to the camp of thinking that my best years are still to come. Every year I've lived so far has delivered more than the year preceding, and I see no reason why this should change going forward. Certainly the things I occupy my time with have changed as I've gotten older, but for every activity I've laid aside, another just as satisfying has come along to take it's place. For example, I used to love downhill skiing, now I prefer cross country skiing. I used to enter numerous running events each year, now I prefer to run recreationally, focusing my competitive juices instead on improving my bicycling mileage and speed. I used to enjoy shaking up the dance floor with wild and crazy moves, now I prefer the challenge and romance of ballroom dancing. Which, by the way, includes several heart pumping, not-for-sissy dances like Salsa, Quickstep, Jitterbug and E. Coast Swing.

So I guess I just don't get it. And apparently, neither does my 76 year old father. In the last five years he has bicycled from Canada to Mexico, spent six weeks traveling through Alaska by motorcycle and tent, spent several weeks dirt biking in Death Valley, ridden across the USA countless times in his RV or on his motorcycle, taken an ATV and jeep over the world famous and immensely challenging Rubicon Trail, enrolled in numerous gun and rifle seminars to improve his shooting, taken a racing course at a race track, and most recently, enjoyed a six week tour of northeast Canada by sidecar motorcycle and tent.

My active father at 76, with no signs yet of slowing down.

His primary mode of transportation and lodging in Canada this summer - a sidecar motorcycle and a tent trailer.

All set up and ready to enjoy the evening . . . and the beautiful view! 

One of many hot breakfasts he cooked during the 6-week trip.

During a multi day ATV ride in Colorado earlier this summer

Dad with his classic Russian Ural sidecar motorcycle in Death Valley in 2010.
His companion,Tripper, rides in the sidecar.

I prefer the way my dad is tackling this phase of his life and I plan to do exactly the same. My activities may be different than his, but I expect the enjoyment I get from continuing to live big in my more senior years to be exactly the same. 

How about you? How do you intend to live out your senior years?