Fifty Plus (50+) - Retirement Ready (A Bit too excited!)

Wow. Don't you love it when the stars align and things progress smoothly and unexpectedly. Retirement is rapidly approaching (June) and I have been planning my first big unsupported to the Baja. I was planning on using my MTB until I attended the Toronto Bike Show on Friday. We had just experienced a nasty winter storm; snow, ice, freezing rain and rain and I was ready to take the train to the show. I decided to drive instead and boy.....am I glad I did. I had the opportunity to pick up a Devinci Destination for $1000.00 Canadian. I thought this was a good deal. I waited and walked around a bit more and came upon a smaller booth that also had a Destination. Perfect size, great parts and the price new.... $750 Canadian taxes in. I bought it, took it home and placed it in the kitchen with a sign saying Happy Birthday (from my wife). When I came home from Hockey the wife was in tears. Tears of joy and tears of wondering if I would be touring the world for the rest of my life.
Retirement, here I come. Time to actually ride, ride, ride.
Hockey:) :) :)

Ooooooh boy..... I'm salivating right along with you. I'm about 10 months behind you in the retirement line and am just itching to jump on that bike and go, go, go! Best of luck and enjoy that Destination!

Devinci makes very nice bikes and I have been tempted to get a road bike. What is the Destination?

Been retired for two months now, and loving it. Not much cycling in February, though.

The Devinci Destination has been renamed Caribou 1 for 2007. It is an aluminum touring bike. Check out their site. http://www.devinci.com/en/archives.html
Hockey

I purchased a new road bike with my first Social Security Check. Now when we pass the SS office on some rides, I remind my younger riders to leave a deposit for me!!!! Oh it pi*ses them off!! HEEEEEEEE!

I'm ready for retirement too. Or at least a nice 2-3 month vacation.

Only 10 more years to go.

I'm ready for retirement too. Or at least a nice 2-3 month vacation.

Only 10 more years to go.

I'm right there with you, Tom. Or maybe it's 20 or 30 years to go.:eek:

My husband will retire mid-July and I will be right behind him the end of July. I have to wait for his City health care to kick in for me on July 31, otherwise I would be gone the same exact day as him. I can't wait until I can just look out the door and say "yes, I think I will go for a ride right now". I plan on doing a whole lot more riding and once we move up to Rocklin, it will open up a whole new world of riding for us. Can't wait to get on that river trail and start exploring. We may never get off our bikes except to go home and feed the animals. We plan on doing a lot of things that we have never been able to do, once in a life time things, like go to Hawaii for a couple of weeks. I hate leaving my animals behind but I'm sure if we find someone trust worthy to look after them I won't have to worry as much. I am counting down the days on my calendar!:roflmao:

I once took a 4-week leave. It was incredible. I wish it were easier to do these things. I've always been of a mind that if one took a 4-8 week break every 5 years or so, that they would be a more productive person over the long haul. I've been thinking of asking to go on a 50% appointment for two months, taking 4 weeks of my accumulated vacation to turn it into a 2 month break at half pay, then going back to 100% when I got back.

You don't really lose that much money when you give up a month's pay, once you take into consideration that you be paying less taxes and social security. And at my place of employment, you retain your insurance benefits when on a 50% appointment.

Tempting, very tempting.

Enjoy the retirement and the new bike!

I only have 690 days till retirement but who's counting:rolleyes:

I retired at 62 and I wish I could of done it at 52. About the only thing that gets me ticked off is I wish I started riding sooner.

I'm doing the countdown thing as I write ONE month today colour me gone at this time next month I'll be into at least my second scotch. My work partner will be sitting beside me doing the same thing for the same reason as we decided to both retire on the same day indepedent of each other.She mention one day in passing last fall that she would be retiring in the beginning of April and I started to laugh and said I was thinking of going on the third and she said that was the day she was thinking of too!So we have both been counting down since and been wishing it would come faster.

I'll be retiring in 2 or 3 years, but....I'm not quite so unwaveringly eager to go. I teach and no matter what pleasures may await me after retirement, I'll very much miss an active and serious engagement with young people. No doubt I'll volunteer, and will enjoy that, but not quite like being a front-line troop. Change comes of course, but after 30 some years-- I find mixed feelings about the whole thing.

CrossChain, I am a teacher too! 31+ years and it is time to go. You can always pick up a supply day or short term contract. Life is short. Call up a few colleagues, graduate students and head out on the open road. Don't miss this window of opportunity!
Hockey:eek:

I love reading retirement threads. Call me "Done in December!"

As a teacher, I've always told my whiny colleagues "don't count the days, make the days count". But that has been harder for me to do, lately. I guess that makes me a hypocrite, lol.

I once took a 4-week leave. It was incredible. I wish it were easier to do these things. I've always been of a mind that if one took a 4-8 week break every 5 years or so, that they would be a more productive person over the long haul. I've been thinking of asking to go on a 50% appointment for two months, taking 4 weeks of my accumulated vacation to turn it into a 2 month break at half pay, then going back to 100% when I got back.


I agree...I started taking a 4 week leave at 18 and from then till now I have always had at least 4 weeks and often a 7-8 week leave every year. (thats over 30 years ago) Its as hard as you make it. In the long run I am not sure it actually costs you much money if you take into account taxes.

About 10 years or so for me. We have a neat perk in that we get 4 weeks off every 7 years with pay, not vacation, and we pretty much take it. Mine is this Sep. Really looking forward to it. The way the weather has been so weird though, it wouldn't surprise me if it snowed or something. I won't have any trouble at all retiring. While I love my job, and wouldn't want any other one, I have so many things I enjoy doing, staying busy won't be a problem. The only downside will be my wife is quite a bit younger, and she'll continue working.

Make sure you get that tour started! You never know what might happen to effect it before you can get started.

The stars aligned perfectly and I retired at age 45. That was seven years ago. I had planned a TransAm trip to celebrate. I had the bike, trailer, maps, funds and of course the time. Then my better-half said she wanted to go too, but she needed an extra year to prepare. I was ecstatic that she wanted to share this experience and we happily planned extensively for the trip and would ride it on our tandem.

Life has a way of catching us with our pants down and giving us a good wallop at times. Within that year her father passed away leaving us with her mother who has Alzheimer’s and cannot be left alone. Within a month of her father passing, my mother died and left me to raise my 5 year old niece. Well we're still planning, but the plan has been changed to add a niece (and a triplet bike), and delayed until mother-in-law is no longer with us.

Point is, I missed a great window. There is no remorse because life deals out all kinds of different hands to play. We have to play what’s dealt.

Get on the ride.

The only downside will be my wife is quite a bit younger, and she'll continue working.
Your wife's younger...that is a bummer!:eek: The next tale of tragedy you'll tell us is that she's working as a super model!!!:D

I retired at 62 and I wish I could of done it at 52. About the only thing that gets me ticked off is I wish I started riding sooner.
I started when I was 43, and really get mad when I think of all the years when I could've been riding. But then I realize that I wouldn't have appreciated it as much, or in the same way. At the expense of sounding overly philosophical, cycling finds us when the time is right.

Your wife's younger...that is a bummer! The next tale of tragedy you'll tell us is that she's working as a super model!!!

15 years difference, and in my mind she COULD be! Downside is she doesn't bike, so that's something I do on my own.

As eager as I sound in my previous post I realized this morning as I prepared for work that I am facing the prospect of retiring with some trepedation along with anticipation.Our jobs are a great part of our identity in that they help us define who we are,as a poster stated he is a teacher now and wondered what he would be after he retired.When I walk out the door at the end of my last shift I change from someone who belongs in my workplace because I work there to just another visitor when I go back through the door even if I do an immediate u-turn.That is scary to say the least.After being a paramedic for thirty-one years,I'll always be a paramedic but just not praticing it as a career.I know I won't miss the politics of the job but will miss all the people both patients and colleagues. As to the bike part hopefully in about six weeks post retirement I'll be off on my around North America tour,just got to do a little more bike riding prior to starting and get my stuff together.Gad after reading this post over that's a lot of heavy thoughts for this early in the morning. Eleven work days and counting.

When I walk out the door at the end of my last shift I change from someone who belongs in my workplace because I work there to just another visitor when I go back through the door even if I do an immediate u-turn..

Precisely. We become a "visitor" in what we've known as a very significant, real world for so long...a world where we had an impact, a valued role, were part of something. Retirees have that smack of transigence...which, in fact, often given their age, they are. Volunteering and such is nice, but don't they give you a daily badge, in a sense, to identify you as-- what else...a "visitor".

And that's the pity of retirement for so many people. A sort of "redeploying" from meaningful adult life. I see those commercials for some retirement community in Florida where the happy, carefree oldsters are shepherded from one recreational distraction to another... like so many pre-schoolers at daycare. Doing anything but something serious and productive. Thankfully, so many people here have retired or plan to in a style that sounds more appealing.

Anyway, bravo to all those who continue to assert themselves with hard miles on the bike or volunteering or minding the grandkids or brewing beer in the bathtub. Damned if all those road miles over the years won't come back to keep us going ever onward.

I am dealing with this issue also. CC is expressing many of my feelings.
I have not wanted to retire until 70, but the industry I serve is contracting big time and this winter up north here has been tough.
My wife and I are thinking to Snowbird next winter. That means retiring. But I am concerned about all of the above. Let us hope it will become clear soon.

Since I won't "retire" for a long time, I don't spend much time thinking about it (except to worry that I'll never have enough resources to truly retire). I do remember being struck hard by the movie with Jack Nickleson in which he plays a retiring insurance executive who completely loses his sense of self when he leaves the world of work. I can't remember the name of the movie but boy, it hit me hard.

I think what will work for me is to create some kind of busines I can conduct until the day they pry my handlebars from my cold, dead fingers. Not my present business (consulting) but something perhaps I can do over the internet, or locally, or something.

There was a fantastic article in the March issue of Southwest Airline's travel magazine about a guy who started a business four years ago for $60. Seems he emailed friends and neighbors and said, "If you will leave $10 on your porch this Sunday, I'll bring you a big container of fresh, hot, homemade soup. And I'll deliver it on a bicycle." No kidding!

Well, he got enough orders to get started, and now it's been four years, and he has (if I remember right) ten people working with him, and there are about 100 orders PER DAY for his soups. The business is called "The Soup Peddler" of course.

Quite inspiring!

I am dealing with this issue also. CC is expressing many of my feelings.
I have not wanted to retire until 70, but the industry I serve is contracting big time and this winter up north here has been tough.
My wife and I are thinking to Snowbird next winter. That means retiring. But I am concerned about all of the above. Let us hope it will become clear soon.

I've always felt I wanted to ease into retirement. In less than two years I'll be eligible for full social security without any penalty for working. At that time I plan on changing to a 3 day work week with my present employer. I currently work 4x10 and still have plenty of time for volunteer work, cycling and family. Many of my retired friends have a part-time job and I figure I might as well choose one I like and pays a decent salary:) I've also considered just doing some contract work. Guess I'll wait and see what's available and appealing to me in a couple years.

Congratulations Hockey..:D .. I too am retiring in May, from the auto industry in Windsor, at the old age of 52. I am in the process of planning an unsupported trip also... Nothing as exotic as yours though... I'm staying in Ontario... Been contemplating a July solo trip from Windsor to Tobermory and return.... I plan on riding my 2000 RANS Rocket recumbent.. Still not sure whether to go with panniers or a B.O.B. trailer... In any case, good luck with your trip and enjoy your "new life".... I know that I will.... Rick, Windsor

I'll be retiring in 2 or 3 years, but....I'm not quite so unwaveringly eager to go. I teach and no matter what pleasures may await me after retirement, I'll very much miss an active and serious engagement with young people. No doubt I'll volunteer, and will enjoy that, but not quite like being a front-line troop. -- I find mixed feelings about the whole thing.

I'm with you cross chain - about 2-3 years to go. I'm lucky as being Very healthy, wish to stay that way.
I'm seriously thinking of a major career move. An international assignment. Both a career and personal opportuntuty. A Real adventure. I am at the point were I fully understand that the end of my career is much, much closer than the beginning, and I have a few things I wish to finish yet (in my career & personal life). When i retire, I want to look back at my life and have no regrets. Wife is excited, ready for this adventure. Its a 1.5 - 2 yr period, but time quickly passes. I Keep my home, financially its a very good deal, the challenge is there but I'm clearly have the talent and skill to do a good job and help a good group of people (Philippines), but too apprehension kicks in often late at night. Still have a month or so to decide, but as of now I'm ready and I'm following my heart. BTW- I turn 60 in june.

Much like Tayman, I should be seperating from my job after 35 years April 1, I would have liked to of worked 2 more years in the auto plant I work in but I'm going to take a package and do all the things I have not done for many years. First will be to buy a new bike, then remodel the Kitchen and bath in a 100 year old farm house and go chase sprint car races. Wow just think I can go for a ride and not have to worry about going to work, I think I can get use to retirement. One down side is the long honey do list!!

I spoke of looking forward to retirement. My job is a wonderful job, good balance of change vs static. Lots of challenge. Get to work with people of all ages. And the end product, when all works right, is to improve some facet of providing support to faculty, researchers and students. I've been able to make many significant contributions over the years.

However my job does not define me. There are many things I could be doing that would bring me great satisfaction. If this were my last week, I could look back on a productive & progressive 30 year career. And I would look forward to next week to begin to do new things with my life.

Everyone's different with respect to retiring. Me, I would have retired at 17 if I could have. My dear old Dad drug me kicking and screaming into the world of work way back then, undoubtedly worried about my career ambitions (beachcomber). He loved his job (sales) and wouldn't retire until they forced him out at 72. He was very social and really enjoyed the contact with people. But he quickly adjusted to retirement and I think he came to truly enjoy his post-work years.

I eventually came to enjoy my work (computer support), but I can't say I ever truly enjoyed "jobs." The politics, rigid schedule, etc. never sat well with me. Returning back to work after each vacation always left me with a feeling of, gee, there's a great big beautiful world out there, when am I going to be able to truly explore it without that dread at the end of a couple of weeks off?

So, next year I'll head in that direction, at last. I'll be 54 when I leave, and it won't be a moment too soon.

I purchased a new road bike with my first Social Security Check. Now when we pass the SS office on some rides, I remind my younger riders to leave a deposit for me!!!! Oh it pi*ses them off!! HEEEEEEEE!

When SS is broke enough that your grandkids get nothing(the way it is heading), now that pi**es me off.

I never felt defined by my career. In fact, I never made a "career choice", I took the path of least resistance and wound up at a job that paid well enough, had benifits and a retirement plan. By then I was 21 and too far along with responsibilities to quit, and had no idea what I really wanted to do...so I stayed. For nearly 31 freakin' years, I stayed. Every day of those years I felt frustration.

When I retired at age 52 I never looked back. Never visited. Never went back for my last check (I had them mail it). Although many people I worked with were good people, in my bitterness I cut all connections.

When I was 54 I took all the aptitude tests I should have taken at age 18 and found out I had been, as I suspected, in the wrong occupation.

I now live comfortably on a tidy little pension plus a SS check each month. Life is good. I paid my dues.

You folks who truly love your work are the lucky ones.

Thanks for letting me ramble on.:)

I once took a 4-week leave. It was incredible. I wish it were easier to do these things. I've always been of a mind that if one took a 4-8 week break every 5 years or so, that they would be a more productive person over the long haul.
My wife and I took off 8 weeks in 1988 and went to the South Pacific. Wonderful experience, and I really did come back refreshed. When you are away that long you really do leave your regular life behind. It was a bit tough on the kids, though, even though my mother-in-law did an excellent job of looking after them (in our home).
We just spent January in Miami Beach, my first month of retirement. Never spent a month in the same place before, but the Miami area has a lot to do. I'm not sure I would want to spend a month in some small place. While it works for a lot of people, and we enjoyed our daily walks on the beach (and I did plenty of cycling), my wife and I need lots of additional things to do.

I firmly believe you have to keep looking to the future (exploring). Doing so has kept me fresh (and valuable) in a job I still love, ..and I'm planning little details even now (daily scehdule ideas, meal ideas, hobby projects, possible part-time work, etc) for my retirement even though it is 9+ years away (with 4 kids to get through college).

<< I once took a 4-week leave. It was incredible.>>

Tom - a major problem, IMHO, in the US is the miserly vacation entitlement that employers give. Typically you have to work a year before you get a week and this may build to 3 weeks after 100 years' (just kidding) service. I was entitled to 6 weeks after ca. 30 yr service and always took 3-4 weeks at a time. My colleagues thought I was nuts; it was as if they thought I wasn't dedicated to the job, but I had moved over from the UK where 3 weeks are the minimum by law from day one of employment. What I found in the US was that even if people are entitled to take longer vacations they mostly only take long weekends. I used to encourage my guys to take longer breaks but with limited success. You are right in that taking a longer break is refreshing and makes you more productive. That Puritan work ethic is not all good for your health:).
Now I'm in my 10th year of retirement and have never looked back. After 30 very challenging and enjoyable years with one major company which allowed us to live in and see a lot of the world, I retired and it was as though I had walked from one room, turned out the light, walked into another and turned on a different light - retirement. It was wonderful and I haven't looked back for one moment.

When SS is broke enough that your grandkids get nothing(the way it is heading), now that pi**es me off.

The whole "SOCIAL" program pi**es me off. I wrote a speech in 1970 in college speech class on how "SOCIAL Security" should be voluntary, and I meant it. I will never get back what I put into it compared to saving it myself with interest. And I would have, I do that kind of money management. That is how I retired very young. I am not a Socialist, and hate social programs. All they have done is screw up this country.

I semi-retired 2 years ago. I went on what we call "availability". This meant that when they were busy they would call and ask if I could work. Of course it didn"t take long before they forgot about the call and ask 1st. part. My name started appearing on the schedule on a regular basis. So we formalized things so that I work 3 days weekly, tues., wed., and fri. At the moment this works out quite nicely. I got rid of the parts of my job that I enjoyed the least and get paid enough to cover the bills and have a bit left over. The advantage to this of course is being able to do something that I am comfortable with and reasonably competent at. and, I find that it is a lot easier going into work armed with the knowledge that if I really get irritated or tired of the bs, I can walk away. Kind of the best of both worlds.