Fifty Plus (50+) - So what hobbies/passions have you given up?

Since we are here we are obviously into bikes. What have you been into in the past that have went by the wayside. I have several. Running, at one point I ran 366 straight days. Took a day off and that was a slippery slope. Bowling, 2 leagues, 13 yrs, went cold turkey 16 yrs ago. Cars, restoration, hot rodding, especially 50's customs and Camaros. Too big a money pit. Camping, was fun till the kids were teens. They didn't want to go and we were scared to leave them home. Fishing, just lost interest. Working overtime, I was obsessed with making money. I would work 50-60 hrs a week or more. Then It dawned on me that if I had to work that much to live I could never retire. I stopped about 8 yrs ago and retired 4/05. Now I think I'm losing interest in woodworking, I've built hundreds of pieces of furnature and cabinets etc, and now I can't think of anything I want to build. I'm sick of the mess and all those tools staring at me every time I got in the garage. I really enjoy riding, but have to wonder if this to will pass. It's so frustrating to live in snow country. We are having a January thaw and I went out for 14 miles yesterday and the bike got filthy.

I used to run for exercise and competition. I also autocrossed my car for about ten years. More recently, I was a competition aerobatic pilot. I have to say that a bicycle gives more of a sensation of speed than any of these activities.

Paul

Haven't given up much of anything. I don't run nearly as much as I used to, but I do try to walk at least five miles every day. I've also added playing the piano, which I really enjoy.

I always hated running! I made a few abortive attempts to take up jogging but I just couldn't do it.

In me younger days, I was into springoard diving. I coached at a local high school, partly because I liked coaching and partly because it gave me an opportunity to do it myself. Had to give that up at about age 40 because my reflexes were slowing down to the point that anything happening in mid-air was MAGIC - it all happened so fast I could only tell by the landing if I'd done it right. Biking seasons and swimming seasons are on opposite sides of the calendar, so it's only coincidence that about that time is when I started getting more serious about biking?

Mostly due to a degenerative back condition, I've given up:
- Offroad motorcycling
- Tennis
- Softball

Cycling is the one activity that seems to actually help my back. Just about every other cardio exercise makes it worse. I still mountain bike occasionally, but nothing extreme. I'd actually characterize it more like hiking on wheels.

Motorcycling - after many years and lots of miles - I just have no desire to ride anymore. I think the bicycle has replaced it for my outdoor fix.

Playing on a racetrack in a car. BMW Drivers Schools - I've driven at speed on 22 different racetracks around the country. Made a 1-2 week vacation out of every trip - visited all the tracks I was interested in except for Lime Rock (it's a looong way from Albuquerque). Still drive BMWs - just not on the track.

I've given up hunting, fishing, camping/backpacking, tennis, competitive martial arts, and home brewing. In all cases, it was primarily an issue of not being as interested as I was before, and/or the activity losing some of it's excitement or appeal. Hunting stopped being a challenge. Fishing started to bore me. Camping/back backing is still OK, but I'd rather cycle with a credit card. Tennis, fun but need to find a partner and some of my favorite partners stopped playing or are not longer around. Competitive martial arts, I got tired of being hurt and the high level of aggressiveness required to be successful. Home brewing was at a time when really good beers and diversity were not terribly prevalent.

Softball in the early 70s, tennis in the late 70s, running and sailing in San Diego in the early 80s, in line skating last year, sort of set golf aside for now while focusing on cycling.

For more than a decade I worked as a professional soccer referee, at one point doing more than 200 games a year. When I retired from that I took a huge hit on calories in/calories out.....enter bicycling stage left.

My old district supervisor says I got out just in time.......assaults on referee's are way up. Not at all unbelievable to me. At one point my wife and I had about 60 youth referee's working for our soccer federation and on at least 2 occasions my wife had to prevent a parent from assaulting a 15 year old referee who was working an under 8 year old game in which scores were not kept She quit after that and I only lingered on for a couple more years. I wonder if this has anything to do with my dim view of SUV drivers on saturday mornings?

I have not given up anything yet, but then there are lots of hobbies/passions I have never started.

I just wish I had more time for my myriad interests, but my career is going far too well at the moment to let me bow out gracefully.

... My old district supervisor says I got out just in time.......assaults on referee's are way up. ... Scary stuff!

Bowling, fishing, camping, backpacking, listening to shortwave radio, running. Of these, only running was replaced by cycling. I just lost interest in everything else.

However, I'm still sticking with golf.

Gave up Motorcycles after riding them for almost 30 years. Almost lost my left leg in 94. Over a year of recovery. Still rode, but not the same. Soo, Gave them up in 97. Scuba diving was such a passion, I made it my living for 13 years. End of hobby for that one. Beware of turning your hobby into a living!
Shooting sports and target shooting. Used to love it. Hand loading, the whole 9 yards. No time or place to go where I live. I play and teach music for a living, so thats got to stay. Not really a hobby anyway. The only real hobby left is cycling.

Richard

Running - knees. Restoring BMW's - money & time. But there are always new hobbies calling.

I've been a longtime hobby woodworker also. There is/was a thread on the Fine Woodworking site about burnout recently. Many of them were commenting on the burnout relating to having built much stuff in one design style more than just wood burnout. So many of the recommendations were about new styles to build skills in.

I still have a too long list of pieces I want to build - mostly functional like bookcases - but also wood turning (bowls, plates). The big problem for me is the 'garage' - moving all the bikes out, re-arrange the tools to work, clean up afterwards,.... So not much gets built.

When I moved from Unalaska, Alaska, about 8 years ago, I lost some amazing hiking, x/c skiing, archery, and money (making a decent living was a great hobby!).

Haven't had sex in 2 years. Does that count? Or is that too much information? LOL

Geez how did I forget motorcycles! 7 of em over 35yrs. Sold my last one in 06. In 2005, my first year retired I only rode my goldwing 1500 miles. I ride the bicycles more than that. When you crash and you and your wife are sliding down the asphault skinning all your protruberances, it tends to cool your fervor for motorcycles.

Things I have given up, pretty much totally:

Softball
Upland Game Hunting
Waterfowl Hunting (this one might come back some day when I have more time - I still have all the gear and a huge soft spot in my heart for this tremendous sport)
Night Hunting with Hounds - may go once in a blue moon with others, but I do not keep hounds and won't ever again.
Canoe Camping
The Bar

Things I have given up, more or less:

Fishing
Deer Hunting - may go once in a while with daughter, son in law and grandsons.
Watching or listening to sports on TV and Radio - they mostly bore me now, except the NFL a little bit at playoffs time - don't follow any teams or identify myself as a fan of any teams - Pro or College
Collecting Music
Church - I'm a believer, but don't attend regularly anymore, and likely won't ever again.

Things that drive my life, still:

My wife. Lovey is the real deal.
My Terriers, hunting, trialing, and just being around them. Fascinating animals.
Cycling, so I can stay around as long as possible for the two items immediately above.

Surfing left Calif. for Texas
Running/Triathlons got tired of foot injuries and constant time spent on swimming,running and biking
cut out everything but biking and weight lifting.
Auto/restoration became to expensive/time consuming.
shooting just kind of let it go gave me some bad memories

I've given up running, rock climbing and mountain climbing due to knee problems and other joint issues. The real killer on the mountain climbing was when a buddy and I did Dream Weaver on Mt Meeker. It just about did us in with a 2am start and a return to the car at about 5pm. We could take that, but when a young guy passed us on the way down and said "Excuse me sir":mad:, we knew our best days were behind us.

I still enjoy flyfishing and woodworking. I use only hand-powered woodworking tools, so it gives me a workout as well.

Ted

I set aside golf. To an extent hiking as well, but, still do some hiking with my wife from time to time.

I used to race my slalom C1 and train twice a day in it. I think I paddled the river about 6 times this past year. I actually take my daughter in the tandem canoe more than I paddle my race boat. I used to fish a lot more. Haven't been in a couple of years. We would hike more too. Much of that has to do with other factors besides cycling. My lower back started taking issue with the slalom boat and having a child these past 7 years has changed priorities quite a bit.

I still enjoy those other activities, but I feel rusty at them when I do. My fly rod needs more attention and my upper body strength isn't what it should be for aggressive boating. Oh well.

Participated in, but eventually gave up:

Baseball (as a teenager)
Music (as a teenager...garage bands)
Filmmaking (amatuer and professional)
Free flight model glider flying (loved it, but too much traveling to distant flying fields)
Radio control model glider flying (didn't like it that much)
Kart racing (after you learn how to drive...no fun, just expensive. Stapfam would have kicked my ass)
Softball as an adult (wife's company related, not fun)
Hardball (again) as an adult (loved it, but my knees finally gave out)

Never got into skiing or golf or full size glider flying, because I know I'd love them, and don't have the time or money.

Working late at my place of business, brain surgeries, watching television all evening, sumo-wrestling, and sky-diving.

Okay ... working late at my place of business and watching television all evening.

I don't think I gave up anything for cycling. I still do alot of hobbies (photography, card making, home crafts etc) and other physical activities like hiking and walking.

Over the years by interests have changed. I use to run but can't anymore as I ruined my knees. I moved into volleyball and skiing and ruined my knees more and also both shoulders. Cycling just seems to be the easiest sport on this old body so that's where I've stayed now for the last 5 - 6 years and can see myself doing so for the rest of my life.

I don't Jazzercise much since I retired from teaching it for 15 years. It cuts into my cycling time. :D

Haven't had sex in 2 years. Does that count? Or is that too much information? LOL

I still have sex, but had to give up my porn star career. :D

Was into Karting in a big way in the 70's. When I retired from this- I rekindled my love of gardening that still remains. Then the family came along and Running had to go- the knees gave up completely- Then I was into radio Controlled Gliders- Kept and showed Foreign Finches (Birds) and then the family grew up a bit and that stopped everything- except gardening. The gardening got to the extreme and I started showing Alpine Plants with the Alpine Garden society and became a champion exhibitor.

In 1990- I took up cycling as a way of retaining the fitness I used to have and found I didn't have it any longer. Still haven't got it but not dropping any lower in the fitness stakes- but am beginning to take it a bit gentler in defference to my aging body. This road riding is easier- till I get the funny ideas about Mountains.

I gave up softball in my early 30's due to injuries. I started coaching my kid's softball teams.

In the mid 80's I quit riding motorcycles.....lost mine in a divorce settlement:(

I have put my sewing and quiliting on hold. I still own all the equipment and supplies and might take it up again after I retire.

I didn't give up anything to take up cycling - just added cycling. I have, on the other hand, lost interest in former passions or seen my interests fade and then resume:

Scuba - used to dive regularly in the 70s, including ice diving, wreck diving. Pretty much dropped it until the late 90s. Now occasionally dive on a trip. Warm water only.

Photography - lots of interest, darkroom, etc in the 70s. Largely dropped from late 70's to mid 90s. Now getting back in due to interest in digital imaging.

Windsurfing - regular participant from 1986 - ~2002. After that interest waned - only went out if windy and warm. Last year - zip

Roller Hockey - Every Sunday from about 1992-2000. Lower back issues caused me to stop.

Ski/snowboard - still at it but scaled back.

Cycling - strongly on the ascendant.

Photography - too much watching; not enough doing.
Basketball - bad knees; gave up very reluctantly.
Float plane flying - too costly and I shared it with dad who is now gone.
Motorcycling - after 33 years stopped temporarily; when I'm too old to care about being hurt; I'll be back.
Young women - well I didn't give them up; they sorta gave me up.

Gave up Bull and Bareback Bronc riding in the mid 70s. I rode all through high school and then on my college Rodeo team. Other than the broken bones and judges that didn't like my long hair it was fun. Taught sea kayaking for a few years but got tired of dealing with the other instructors who were young, foolish and unsafe. I may paddle again but no more teaching. Used to roller blade a lot but sort of got bored with it. Still have the skates but haven't put them on in a couple of years. Downhill skiing petered out because I could never get RR interested and it just wasn't fun without her. Was fairly serious into photography for awhile. Now I use a digital point and shoot and gave all my good 35mm stuff to my son who has an interest. Didn't want the stuff to go to waste and didn't really want to sell it.

Played a lot of baseball through my teen years. Afterward more basketball and volleyball. All of those are long gone now.

A time-consuming hobby/activity I gave up was fantasy/Rotisserie baseball. I was extremely good at this. Participated in this for 11 years, winning 8 championships and a few thousand dollars along the way. Was in a league that had 3 members who were on the staff of MLB teams, in their GM offices and a sports bookie from Vegas. I won that league 6 times in 8 years. But it was so, so time consuming. I not only knew every player on every MLB team roster in detail, but I could name the top 20-25 prospects in every team's farm system. Walked away cold-turkey after winning a title. Have never even been tempted to get involved again.

Helping to run the local Soap Box Derby. When I moved to Arkansas, I decided it was time to focus on animation more.

Dog Sledding, because the dogs died.

Filmmaking. I helped out with some documentaries that were shown on TV, and then got hired to do a small documentary about teenage immigrant girls. That project sucked every bit of fun out of it for me, and the joy never returned. But I was paid, so it paid for the hobby.

I always try to make my hobbies pay for themselves if possible, so they've all turned into careers. Then they stop being fun. On the other hand, I've never (besides the film stuff) ever stopped enjoying the hobby/job, so I've had a very pleasant working life. And very low stress, since I never felt trapped by what I was doing. It was always what I "was into" at the time.

I did some test that Tom Bombadil mentioned months back, and it recommended about 10 careers that I would be temperamentally suited to do... lo and behold, I had actually done almost all of them!

I haven't given up anything to go cycling. However, I did give up running and soccer (playing and being a referee) because of knee problems.

Participated in, but eventually gave up:
Filmmaking (amatuer and professional)

Y'know, I suspected this of you, Big Paulie!

Flew gliders long long ago. Wish I could do it again, but I doubt I will.

Ditto motorcycles.

Loved to ski, but can't go out west due to $ and miserable altitude sickness. Don't go to W. Va because of time and $. Don't go to Paoli because it's too icey. And I think I'd blow a knee.

Play the cello. I really ought to take it up again. I played it two or three years ago so I could play duets with my harpest daughter.

Play the piano. I'm a chopstick artist but I used to really enjoy it. It gives my wife migraines.

And jogging. Saw some young women marathon training yesterday. They easlily went 12 miles or more. It's great exercise, but when I finished my bike ride I had a smile on my face. These ladies looked like they were hurting.

Play the piano. I'm a chopstick artist but I used to really enjoy it. It gives my wife migraines.

You might consider a digital piano or keyboard. Most have a headphone jack, so you can wail away while your wife watches TV in the same room. You can get good ones pretty cheap. (Digital pianos. Not wives.).

Gave up Downhill Skiing back in '78. The wife tried skiing with me
for a couple years but just couldn't get to enjoying it. I miss it
a lot, though I'll never tell her that. We joined mixed bowling leagues
instead and bowled until we succeeded at procreation. Bowling was
good in that we could do it together, I could drink and bowl simultaneously
which was great fun. Sex, Beer and Rock & Roll...I had it all....oh, I still do. :o

The cycling has always been there to some degree and I've never had to
sacrifice anything for cycling. Other than a few low points, it's been a great
life so far....

Happy Trails :)

edit: oops, forgot about the used bike business. I used to sell used bicycles at
a local Flea Market for a few years. I started out with a truck full of curb
freebies. Rebuilt and repaired them over the winter and sold out the first
day. From there on out I bought garage sale bikes on Sunday afternoons
about the time the homeowner though they would never sell the things. The big
box stores made the used bike market go away in the late 80's. It was mainly a
hobby but for tax reasons I had to have the business license.

I swear this is the most interesting and revealing thread EVER.

Bull Riding?
Dog Sledding?
Rotisserie Baseball Champion vs. the PROS?

Lotsa motorcycles and surprised at how much flying/gliders.

Cool thread. Way cool. I wish I hada knowed all yall back then. An interesting group. But I suspected all that.

I have given up my passion for chasing coeds. I have not given up glancing at them, however.

I have given up my passion for discussing how to save the world until the wee hours of the morning. I still care about it, however.

I have given up my passion for becoming the play by play announcer for the Cleveland Indians, after giving up my passion for becoming their star center fielder. I still follow them, however.

I have given up making music. I used to spend hours on my piano and keyboards, writing tunes and making "albums." No more. Keyboard is still there, but it gathers dust.

I gave up racquetball years ago. Kinda sorry that happened.

I gave up an interest in model railroading, woodworking, and architecture. I gave up an interest in becoming a journalist, a professor, and a novelist.

Too many things to name them all
But can we blame Bike Rideing?
Yeah I guess I'd have to say the last few years it's taken up most of my free time
Given up
My team {Oxen**
The farm
Carving wood
Water painting
Brewing
Bottleing
Wine making
Toy making
Rock work
Too name but a few

Still manage to go surfing
and get the kyack out now an then

Motorcycles. I was totally obsessed with road and offroad motorcycles from high school until my first son was born. I looked out one day and realized my bike hadn't been ridden for a few months since he was born and I knew I wouldn't be riding it anytime soon.

Water skiing. Sold my boat and my house near the lake about the time ski-doos ruined the lake. I couldn't really afford it anymore anyway after the divorce.

Tennis. The back can't take the sudden changes in direction.

Playing in bands. I play harmonicas and sing - mostly blues and bluesy rock, but some old time country and folk music too, even a little bluegrass. Have played in or lead a few bands over the years and a lot of jams and open mikes. Forming bands takes whole lot of time. I could keep on reasonably good terms with the family while practicing and playing in a band and riding bikes, but when I started the bicycle club, something had to go. I miss some of it and am glad to see some of it gone. I still play at parties and such when I can, but not as often as I'd like. :(

Chasing women. I married the first time at 27, divorced at 35, remarried at 42. I spent a lot of time as a single guy. Had a lot of fun. But I'm not a cheater. When I caught the right one and got married, the chasing ended. :)

Fishing - bass, crappie, catfish, bream. Probably the only hobby that really was pushed aside by riding bicycles. I still wet a hook or toss a lure now and then, but the best days to fish are also the best days to ride.

GIVEN UP ................REASON (in chronological order)
Drugs......................got a job
Racketball...............lower back problems
Water skiing.............divorce
Softball...................team/league disbanded
Golf.......................married w/ children
Snow Skiing............married w/ children
Marathons..............lower back problems again
Cookies.................stay healthy

PLAN TO EXPAND FURTHER:
Biking and bike mechanics
Hiking
Cooking
Re-establish Golf
Learn Piano
Learn Spanish
Re-learn French
Welding (just because)
Paying for college (4 kids)
Wine
Coffee
Technology (I love it)

Gave up guitar playing decades ago, but still have a Yamaha acoustic around in case I decide I feel like playing again. Gave up motorcycles around 30 yrs ago. Almost bought another this past season, but didn't. Don't know if I will ride one again or not. Although it's lots safer and less traffic here than from where I moved. Got into photography for a while-bought a decent Nikon SLR, with all the close up, and distance lenses, filters, and stuff-still have it, though most pics these days are from a compact digital camera. Still have some fishing gear, but doesn't get used much these days, though my neighbor across the street has some BIG catfish in his pond, and I have an open invitation should I feel like getting my old gear out. Used to water ski, haven't done that in ages. Also used to roller skate, and ice skate, when Md. winters were cold enough to freeze over ponds. Don't think I could count skateboarding-haven't done that since I was a kid (when only the hard "clay" wheels were available!) Think that does it.

Mountain Biking - sold the thing after a crash. Wish I had it back!!!

Rock Climbing
Alpine Climbing
Classical Guitar

Haven't been backpacking in almost two years. Time to get back out there, but think I would rather tour.

Gave up motorcycles because being self-propelled is so much more fun.
Gave up overeating to have less self to propel.
Gave up working long hours because life is too short.
Gave up water sports because their season conflicts with riding.

Body building, when I accepted that I was too old to keep stressing my joints so much, and switched back to cycling.