Midlife adventuring

[prairiewindmomma]

Is anyone else adventuring more now that your kids are getting older? Tell me about the fun things you are doing!!

——

Also, bonus points if you know anything about 3mm full body wetsuits and boots as I think surfing may be my next thing. I need to start pricing stuff out.

[lewelma]

We have found a 150 year old hotel that still has open fireplaces in the bedrooms that you can use! (and we do because it is so fun!) It is right next to a very empty wild beach and has a fabulous restaurant attached. We have been going for reading and walking once a month. Only 8 rooms. Very quiet. Very romantic. And very cheap!  $90/night for both of us. 🙂

Here are some photos of the area! So beautiful and so empty, and only 1.5 hours from our city.

https://www.google.com/search?q=south+wairarapa+beach&rlz=1CAEVJI_enNZ953NZ953&tbm=isch&sxsrf=ALeKk01Ev5hncU7liyGzQmb9vgvQL5pdOA:1627425632934&source=lnms&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiD-P71qITyAhVq63MBHTDTBu4Q_AUIaigB&biw=1242&bih=547

Edited July 27, 2021 by lewelma

[Alicia64]

The title of this thread sounds like a great book title.

Well, we did a cruise before Covid. And we've been to Savannah twice to see family, but stayed in fun hotels.

My sister, though, is flying from Tucson to NJ and then leaving out of NJ for a cruise around Iceland. She goes w/ her mother-in-law!!

 

[Jean in Newcastle]

I am learning dog agility with my “replacement child “ (aka Juliet the dog). I am enjoying the camaraderie of dog people.  

[Ottakee]

I am.  I took up hiking and backpacking along with cross country skiing and snowshoeing.   

I went solo camping, camping with a friend and then twice with my kids.

I want to adventure even more but I want an adventure buddy.....that will come along and be great company, but let me set the agenda and meals and .....everything.

[regentrude]

We have always been active, hiking every weekend and backpacking during summer, with the kids, but we upped it level once the kids were at college.
We found an awesome rock climbing area four hours away and have been going a lot before the pandemic.
We hike every weekend, did three shorter backpacking trips to in a neighboring state in the winter, and a week long backpack in the Grand Canyon over Spring Break.
This year, we bought kayaks and have already paddled 250 miles since Memorial day.
 

[Pen]

32 minutes ago, prairiewindmomma said:

Is anyone else adventuring more now that your kids are getting older? Tell me about the fun things you are doing!!

——

Also, bonus points if you know anything about 3mm full body wetsuits and boots as I think surfing may be my next thing. I need to start pricing stuff out.

Consider wet suit that is easy to get in and out of without help.  Like front zips.

Also consider a bib overall  style with separate over jacket to give more flexibility if situation gets warmer than is comfortable with full coverage 

[Acadie]

First I have to say I love the title of this thread, especially amidst the pandemic threads! 

I've been exploring bike paths in my area for the last year and a half, often combined with stops to swim, rent a kayak, go to a winery, pick up Amish pastries, etc. It's exhilarating to see and feel the world as I'm spinning by, stop and immerse myself in intriguing places and connect various points on my mental maps. I like to nerd out and post route maps on the wall, highlighting the portions that I've ridden.

Last week I stumbled on a campground on a lake that has lean-to campsites with hearths and chimneys, so we're planning a late fall camping trip as a family. There's a lot to explore in my state because we have rails-to-trails and canal towpath trail systems, and I've biked on Cape Cod and plan to bike in PA. And in this strange time it's a solace that other cyclists strike me as friendly and decent folks, at least as we pass each other on a bike path. 

Cross country skiing is my next big thing. I couldn't find skis this past winter so as soon as I see some, hopefully by Sept, I'll be getting myself an early Christmas present and plotting ski adventures for the winter. There's an xc ski lodge nearby that has groomed trails and a fun Nordic vibe, with lights strung along the trails at night and an outdoor gas fire pit. I'd like to find some destination skiing, either trails within a day's drive or something a little more elaborate with a lodge or accommodations with an outdoor hot tub. I might pick up some used snowshoes, too, but suspect I'll get more use out of xc skis.

After so many years of homeschooling and caring for my kids it's a joy to feel like I'm returning to my own body and my own freedom. My sister was visiting last week and she's in a very similar place. We had such a blast biking just the two of us! When I go with my own family, someone always wants to turn around way before I do, but my sister and I rode to another city before realizing it, because neither of us wanted to stop. The return trip was a bit of a grind but I love the deep muscle exhaustion and calm that comes from exercising for hours in the sun and wind. 

I know zilch about surfing and wetsuits but I hope you have a blast! 

[Pen]

Also on wet suits , if this is for Oregon coast you may well need 4mm for torso area  / some suits are thicker in torso for warmth and thinner on sleeves/legs  for mobility 

[prairiewindmomma]

24 minutes ago, Pen said:

Also on wet suits , if this is for Oregon coast you may well need 4mm for torso area  / some suits are thicker in torso for warmth and thinner on sleeves/legs  for mobility 

Yeah, I am discovering this. 
 

I took up biking a couple of years ago. We’ve been hiking every weekend this summer. I’d love to ski but I am the only one interested in the family and with kids still at home don’t want to plan too many solo adventures on weekends. Surfing looks really intriguing.

Youngest will be homeschooled this next year, so I am hoping to find something she will tag along for so I can get out during the week.

[Murphy101]

Well I decided I’m not waiting until kids are all older and gone. That will take f o r e v e r. LOL

scuba.com for wetsuits and boots!  I decided scuba diving and snorkeling the oceans would be fun.  Also I don’t know about surfing but sivers will where a 3mm shorty and the 3mm long over the shorty to keep more core warmth. It allows you to do more of what you love in a wider temp range before freezing nibbly bits off.

I also decided to get into knitting and crocheting and hiking and … oh all sorta of stuff.

I wanna travel. 😩dadblum employment and pandemic and airlines!!!

[livetoread]

I've been camping by myself for two days every week since May. Next week I will be gone three days. I go to a different place each night, and hitting all these new parks is great fun to me. 

[Ottakee]

5 hours ago, livetoread said:

I've been camping by myself for two days every week since May. Next week I will be gone three days. I go to a different place each night, and hitting all these new parks is great fun to me. 

That is awesome.  I went once solo and once with a friend.   Need to get out more but right now it is upper 80s and super humid here and the mosquitoes will carry you away.

[HomeAgain]

We are getting more solidly into biking.  Dh and I want to plan for the Grand Tetons in the next two years: biking about 100 miles on their bike roads, kayaking, and about 50 total miles of hikes over the course of 10 days.  Ultimately I want to hike part of the Appalachian Trail, but since dh won't do that, I need to convince the children to do it with me (at least one of them!).  Next week we're doing the Acadian park trails.

I'm going to say this.  Adventuring in midlife is easier now because when we were in our twenties, we had the stamina but didn't have the money for the proper clothes or equipment.  The bike I rode for some time cost me $50 and had 3 working gears.  As we've gotten older, we've been able to set aside the money and purchase better equipment, and slowly build up a closet of weather/sport appropriate clothing.  We're in that sweet spot for adventuring: enough free time, cash, and working body parts to really enjoy our 40s (and hopefully 50s!).

[regentrude]

15 minutes ago, HomeAgain said:

I'm going to say this.  Adventuring in midlife is easier now because when we were in our twenties, we had the stamina but didn't have the money for the proper clothes or equipment.  The bike I rode for some time cost me $50 and had 3 working gears.  As we've gotten older, we've been able to set aside the money and purchase better equipment, and slowly build up a closet of weather/sport appropriate clothing.  We're in that sweet spot for adventuring: enough free time, cash, and working body parts to really enjoy our 40s (and hopefully 50s!).

Yes! We have upgraded our backpacking equipment with lightweight gear. I am no longer willing to carry the massive backpacks of my youth (in an Eastern block country with very limited gear availability).
I don't notice my age so much during the activity, perhaps a tiny bit slower, but can still do the same things I could in my 20s. However, I do notice that recovery time after strenuous exertion is longer; I am not bouncing back to normal the next morning anymore. 

Edited July 28, 2021 by regentrude

[wintermom]

I haven't waited around for midlife to participate in 'adventuring,' rather I've just kind of kept on doing fun/exciting things all through adulthood. I'd bring the dc along as much as possible, and stay flexible as money was tight. My latest 'adventures' include:

- returning to grad school then landing a full-time job in the field of study - super cool, but cuts into my recreational time 😄

- buying a canoe and kayak and exploring all the rivers in the area

- buying hybrid bikes and exploring many local biking trails

- moving to Colorado and who knows where after that (delayed due to Covid, but still happening)

Edited July 28, 2021 by wintermom

[livetoread]

3 hours ago, Ottakee said:

That is awesome.  I went once solo and once with a friend.   Need to get out more but right now it is upper 80s and super humid here and the mosquitoes will carry you away.

Lol. Yeah I draw the line at upper 80s, but I've been real lucky so far in that this is the first week I haven't found two days where the temp is below that without major threat of rain. I draw the line at major rain and upper 80s. Hate mosquitoes, too, but they love me. 

[Ottakee]

5 hours ago, HomeAgain said:

Ultimately I want to hike part of the Appalachian Trail, but since dh won't do that, I need to convince the children to do it with me (at least one of them!).  Next week we're doing the Acadian park trails.

 

We could get a WTM group to hike part of the AT with you....if you are good with 8-10 mile days.  

[HomeAgain]

2 minutes ago, Ottakee said:

We could get a WTM group to hike part of the AT with you....if you are good with 8-10 mile days.  

Totally. I have done up to 20 miles in a stretch with the oldest, but that's a hard pace to keep over more than 2 days.

[Granny_Weatherwax]

I anticipate adventuring more after two things happen:

1 - my 14y 5m old dog passes away. He needs daily meds, cannot be boarded, and is attached to me. I don't feel like I can leave him for more than a few hours. I can't afford to adventure and pay for a dog sitter so, for now, I stay close to home. 

2- I need to get a different vehicle for my kayak, bike, and camping gear. My VW Beetle convertible just won't cut it.

Addendum: I did get a puppy to help keep me active while remaining at home. I am one step closer to becoming that crazy old dog lady. I would love to begin AKC classes with him but it requires a bit of travel; nothing nearby for agility or scent work.

[TABmom]

You guys are very inspiring people. 
 

We just went white water rafting as a family. I feel like more adventure opportunities are opening up now that the youngest is not little. (Well, he’s 7, but the age for rafting was 6!) Not carting around baby stuff and kids all being able to handle themselves is great.

[Ottakee]

3 hours ago, HomeAgain said:

Totally. I have done up to 20 miles in a stretch with the oldest, but that's a hard pace to keep over more than 2 days.

That is a LOT of miles in the mountains carrying a full pack.  I couldn't do it.

[regentrude]

22 minutes ago, Ottakee said:

That is a LOT of miles in the mountains carrying a full pack.  I couldn't do it.

Me neither. And definitely not with any significant elevation difference.

Maybe I am noticing my age.

[Ottakee]

7 minutes ago, regentrude said:

Me neither. And definitely not with any significant elevation difference.

Maybe I am noticing my age.

I can do about 10 miles but depends on how much water I have to carry.

[HomeAgain]

1 hour ago, Ottakee said:

That is a LOT of miles in the mountains carrying a full pack.  I couldn't do it.

Once upon a time I did survival training in the mountains.  Imagine a 50lbs pack on my 90lb body, with snowshoes, for a 5 day trek in the mountains.  I did enough scout hiking with my oldest that when he got his merit badge, he turned around and presented it to me. 😄  I think I did everything except his first 5 milers (we did consecutive 10s, 15, and 20 together)

Dh has back issues and it would cause him a tremendous amount of pain to go with me on a multi day trip, but he's also not comfortable with me going solo off into the woods with no cell reception.  I've since gotten smarter since my earliest treks.  My body weight is slightly higher and my pack weight is definitely lower. I carry only a few liters of water, but take a Lifestraw and iodine tablets along with high calorie foods to keep the weight down.  If I was doing the same scout series with the youngest kid, I'd put caches along the route ahead of time just to make it easier on myself.

[regentrude]

17 minutes ago, HomeAgain said:

but he's also not comfortable with me going solo off into the woods with no cell reception.

Have you thought of getting an inReach?

[HomeAgain]

7 minutes ago, regentrude said:

Have you thought of getting an inReach?

I had to google this.  I'd never heard of one.  It looks like an ideal solution for us.  Dh and I track each other on our separate trips (he does a lot of road biking).  Being able to track each other out of cell range?  That's what we need.  I'm going to talk to him about it and see if we can swing it for next summer.

[regentrude]

4 minutes ago, HomeAgain said:

I had to google this.  I'd never heard of one.  It looks like an ideal solution for us.  Dh and I track each other on our separate trips (he does a lot of road biking).  Being able to track each other out of cell range?  That's what we need.  I'm going to talk to him about it and see if we can swing it for next summer.

You can do a yearly subscription, or you can activate the subscription as needed. We find it well worth for peace of mind for remote trips.
ETA: There are other satellite beacon options that basically have emergency call only. But I wanted one where I can use text input to detail the specific nature of the emergency, because it makes a difference whether one needs a tow in a remote dirt road or a medical helicopter because of a broken leg in a canyon.

Edited July 28, 2021 by regentrude