Fifty Plus (50+) - What Other Activities Do You Do?

So, what other activities are 50+rs into besides bicycling? Check all that apply, and add whatever else I forgot! Also, please expound a bit about your other activities.

This is a public poll. Folks will be able to view your responses.


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Let's make this a success.

Okay, I'll bite:

Indoor activities: Playing music (guitar (mostly electric) and keyboards (mostly badly)), and reading when I have the time, which isn't often.

Outdoor activities (other than cycling): Ice climbing, cross-country skiing, downhill skiing, rock climbing, scuba.

Last night I was laughing at my favorite activities in conversation to my wife... "they all start with S." I said.

"Sailing, swimming, cycling and sex." Well at least cycling sounds like an "S" word.

I'd have to toss golf in there but I am really trying to back off from playing and just ride. It's hard to find the time to do decent at both.

Electric Trains. I have a 16X11 layout in our basement. I've been collecting since before we were married. I used to be a dealer, but eventually I found I just wanted to keep whatever I purchased. On a side note, my mother insisted that I keep the trains from my youth. I still have about 80% of the trains I received when I was 7 years old. Wow, that seems so long ago.

I also enjoy woodworking. You can see one of my projects here: http://legacywoodworking.com/galleryItem.cfm?project=107

I am also a radio amateur (ham): Go here to see my station: http://www.qrz.com/wa9azk

Can't wait to retire so I can have more time to play....

Spending time with my family, hiking in the woods with our dog, investing in the stock market, Bible study, reading many different types of books, gardening (I do the grunt work my wife manages it, although in the hot summer she does the weeding I cut the grass). Photography.

I have almost quit watching TV. It was a complete waste of time for me. Now I waste my time on the internet. :)

Gardening, photography, girl watching, and ever since my back went out, yoga and strength building.

I also like to cook and bake. And spend some time with photography. I'm not much into hunting, but you didn't have shooting listed.

+1 on Shooting and related.

www.uspsa.org

www.icore.org

Other than reading I spend most of my free time with family. Doing things with my children, then just work around the house. There's always something to do!

I also enjoy woodworking. You can see one of my projects here: http://legacywoodworking.com/galleryItem.cfm?project=107



It's interesting how many of us cyclists are also wooddorkers.

Birds (we've got 3 of the little beasts). Now that summer is coming, camping and hiking. Computers (I'm a IS manager, and it's a hobby as well). I used to play guitar, but now only occasionally. Oh, and photography... not that I'm good at it, but I do like it!

Steve

It's interesting how many of us cyclists are also wooddorkers.

Is a wood "dorker" a really square wood worker?

Since starting this 'activity' last july, it has really pushed aside the other things I like. Such as: Re-loading, informal plinking, salmon fishing mostly. I'm even selling the boat and downriggers! What a sorry individual won't do to support a habit, eh?

I'll slit my own throat before I sell my truck and camper, though. Figure I can work them into this...this obsession. :)

Since starting this 'activity' last july, it has really pushed aside the other things I like. Such as: Re-loading, informal plinking, salmon fishing mostly. I'm even selling the boat and downriggers! What a sorry individual won't do to support a habit, eh?

I'll slit my own throat before I sell my truck and camper, though. Figure I can work them into this...this obsession. :)

Since starting this 'activity' last july, it has really pushed aside the other things I like. Such as: Re-loading, informal plinking, salmon fishing mostly. I'm even selling the boat and downriggers! What a sorry individual won't do to support a habit, eh?

)

I only have 3 activities, Gardening- computers and cycling. Computing has almost gone by the board- except as a user- no more programming or file writing so more time for the other 2. Then The Gardening- I used to exhibit Alpine Plants and did pretty well at that, but it did take a lot of time- 3 to 4 hours a day- even in the winter, + the travelling to shows. Then I started to have medical problems that cut enthusiasm for showing so a bit more time for the other 1. Then theres cycling- Thanks to that- I have built a 16'x10' ft shed in the garden as a bike room. Well 4 bikes + the two project road bikes was taking a bit too much room in the Garage. In building the shed- I have wrecked about half the garden so that will have to be redesigned and worked on this year. So the extra time for cycling has gone by the board for a while- Only leaves the computing to fight back and it has. This 50+ forum seems to take a lot of time just reading the post's- let alone digesting them.

So I have 3 activities- Computing-gardening and cycling.

Is a wood "dorker" a really square wood worker?

And I was doing so well holding my comments about Freudian Slips...:p

Never could stand to kill little critters....not a hunter/fisher, but I do like hiking (Yosemite is nearby & many other spots, etc. Also gardening, +1 for cooking/baking, storytelling, warming a seat at Starbucks, being around kids, not a wood-dorker so much as a simple, nonspecialized dork-at-large.

Never could stand to kill little critters....not a hunter/fisher

+1

Not that I want to start a debate on the merits of it all :)

Steve

Flying radio controlled models - competitive aerobatics (F3A) and helicopter(F3C). Also (non-competitive) jets (turbine powered aircraft). Our model club went into "melt-down" - this seems common in clubs. One of our members took the club to the Supreme court 3 times, over "what" it no longer matters. Broke the club. I did the president thing for a year to try to fix it, but it was impossible.

I was swimming regularly and still do. Took up cycling 'cause I found a club with no politics and a friendly bunch of people. Now I'm into it the people are still friendly, but the politics is there - no problem - I'm much more laid back now. I just do the newsletter and the web site and stay away from the arguments.

What do I do. Swim 2 to 3 times per week. Training and club rides 4 times per week. Fly models. Design electronic circuits on computer ("the job"). Read Bikeforums posts ("the time eater").

Tennis is my other passion. My wife is now fostering puppies for the Humane Society, so I'm spending a lot of time getting "nibbled on".

After cycling comes tinkering with & modifieing my bike's till they become nothing like the originals ( they change all the time, mix & match:D ). being a shift worker, sleeping has become a luxury pass time followed by invibing a few quite beverages :beer: also having lunch out with the wife is a treat for us both a couple of times a week & of course teasing my daughter & making her boyfriends life totaly confusing ! These are some of my favorite things .

And I was doing so well holding my comments about Freudian Slips...:p

It's an recurring joke on a Usenet woodworking forum lovingly referred to as rec.Norm

I have a decrepit old cabin I'm trying to restore. While I'm there and not working on the building, I like to swim, fish, paddle my canoe and kayaks. And read: out at the river, it's distraction-free, and about the only place I can actually settle in and read a fat novel. An activity I really like is combining a bike ride and a float trip: Drive downstream with a bike in the truck, leave the vehicle at an access point and bike back to the cabin. Paddle and fish your way back downstream to the truck, toss the boat in the back and drive home. Very nice way to spend a day.

I'm an active jazz guitarist, and I play a couple gigs a month most of the time - usually for a free dinner.
Along with biking, that consumes most of my time.

Lesee here: bicycle collecting and restoration; wooden boat building, sailing, fishing; motorcycle restoration and riding; exploring the left coast. I'm also exploring the possibilities of turning of one or two of these into a small business; I suppose that when I do I can't call it a hobby anymore.

Newly added activity: following the exploits and posts of DeeGee. Unfortunately I can't see the commercial possibilities of this one tho...

John in Oregon

Well I swim 3 times a week, 1500 meters each time. Weight lifting 3 times week. I use the bike for the club rides on Saturday. Commuting during the week, although not every day, and day touring up and down the coast of California anywhere from 30-50 miles at a time. When summer comes around, I add in a little bodyboarding and some surfing, and snorkeling. Oh and I love working on the bike..........

I read lots. Play and watch soccer frequently (how I still have the knees to play is beyond me!). Ride a sportbike motorcycle regularly and commute on it somewhat less frequently. Race duathlons and tri's for fun. Swim 1500 meters at least three times a week. Date my wife sometimes. Watch the 20 year-old daughter's college lacrosse team whenever possible. Teach a Bible study Sunday mornings. Fly an airplane some. Fish some with the son whenever he comes into town.

Haven't owned a TV in 12 years.:) :) :)

Tyson
Cushing, Oklahoma

Racquetball.

Scuba. I play an instrument, but I do that for a living so it's not an "extra" activity.

Here are some things I like to do: basket weaving,sculpting with clay,crocheting,drawing and painting,container gardening,bird watching,reading and riding my trike.