Metamorphosis?

Hmm,
well today I was out in my kayak on a very popular set of three mountain lakes in the Cascades, with the Three Sisters popping up behind about 8 miles off. There were a lot of backpack and car hike in campers and I noticed that half of them were women and about 3/4 of them looked pretty good in hiking boots and shorts. I was amazed by young women waving at me and chatting to me from the shore while I sat in my boat.
Its seems that white bearded old farts in kayaks are not considered threatening. I may have passed from the dirty old man ID" to what - hip old local guy who still gets out and can handle a kayak? I think its important to wear the correct baseball cap...
Jim

It's the kayak. Kayaks are babe magnets, Jim.

Reminds me of the time, in my mid-30's, at the beach when two cute young girls (16 - 20 years old; I was at the age where I was no longer able to precisely distinguish the legalities of such matters) came up to me and said, "Can we tell you something?"

I was with my wife, kids, sister, and her husband, so I figured I was pretty safe if this was some kind of police sting, so I said "Sure."

They said, "You look just like our Dad!"

My brother in law collapsed into the sand laughing, and at that moment I realized I was, as some young thing told John Wayne in some movie or other, "a comfortable old man."

Welcome to "comfortable," Jim.

I'm thinking too, that I have gone to being safe. I always try to strike up a conversation with any young babe out there though. You never know, they might have an older sister or their mom is single.:) Not that I have any luck and the ladies my age mention that I like the younger girls. Well, they are eye candy to me.

Some kinds of over-the-hill happen sooner than others.

This aging thing is sneaking up on me.

A few months before I turned 65 I was in a MacDonald's with my wife. I went to the back and sat down while she went to the front to place an order. I only wanted coffee.

When she returned with the order she said that she got a senior discount on the coffee. I reminded her that I didn't want to ask for senior discounts until I was 65. She said "I didn't ask".

That would hurt! I had to learn to not let my feelings get hurt when I no longer got carded when I bought wine for my wife. Sadly, that happened a long time before I turned 65. Life goes on though: it sure beats the alternative.

Once again I hit the wrong "reply" button; this is for DJ2.

Take the "senior" discount and run! Some of them start as early as age 55, and most others at 62.

The biggest bargain of all is the Golden Age Pass (now renamed the Senior Pass)--$10 for a lifetime pass. That saves me $30 per year for the NW Forest Pass, required out here for nearly all trailhead parking. It gives me free admission to national parks and half price on national park and most national forest campgrounds (a few concessionaires won't accept it). Starts at 62. I figure it's my due after all those years of paying taxes (not that that process stopped at retirement....).

I personally hate the terms "senior" and "golden age." I would prefer something like "fine wine"--aged to perfection! But nobody asked me!

You are "lucky" to have purchased the $10 pass when it was available.

From the Nat'l Park Service website:

Golden Age Passport

This pass has been discontinued and replaced by the America the Beautiful – National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass– Senior Pass.

It's still $10 for a lifetime! The only thing that has changed is the name.
Senior pass information.

I discovered that I also get the 50% discount on Olympic National Park's backcountry camping fee.

There was a move about a year ago to reduce the 50% discount for camping, which is why the weasel-word language in the description of "amenity fees." I understand there was enough comment adverse to the change that this issue is dead for now. I suspect it will pop up again! Personally, I wouldn't mind a reduction to, say, 20%, but I very seldom camp in campgrounds! There are a few concessionaire-run places that won't accept the Senior pass even for parking, such as Lost Lake near Mt. Hood, so I go there only in the off season (it's beautiful, lonesome and free in October!).

Nearly all my use of this pass (about 98%) is as a substitute for the NW Forest Pass.

OM, I envy you and Nancy. I'm just hoping I can bp at 65, let alone into my 70's. I can see I am slowing down already at 56 and the last few years. With my competitive attitude, slowing down is not very motivational/inspirational. I also have to remember that my long bp trips are above 9,000' and that is tougher than weekend trips at under 7,000' or less.

I can only quote Finis Mitchell, a pioneer fishing guide and climber in Wyoming's Wind Rivers, who lived well into his 90's:


I have slowed down a lot, but I don't plan to stop until I can no longer put one foot in front of the other!

Excellent plan, OM.

I met a gentleman two years ago in the Wallowas who was bp'ing at age 78, whose hip was a titanium replacement job. He, too, had diligently reduced his pack weight until it resembled yours, except he used a bivy bag instead of a tarptent. We had a pleasant talk about his ULA pack. He paid me the nicest compliment, saying he could tell I was "a backpacking nut - in the best sense."

All I can say is I want to be in that number when it's time to go marching out!

Oregon Mouse

I have that pass and agree that it is one of the best deals around.

we met some guys on bicycles way the back in the Sierras when we were backpacking, and they were day riding, a kid and a guy who looked like he was 65 -70. My friends were pretty impressed afterwards that the old guy had wridden in on a bicycle.

I asked them if they happened to notice the torn knee on the guys pants? And the steel lower leg? Now thats tough...
Jim

I was getting a little lonely a couple weeks ago in the Winds, remembering I used to have Pooch along who made all the difference in the world. Wondering what I was going to do for a second week of vacation, let alone a third week which I earned as of August 15, five years on the job. I am planning another trip to the southern Sierra in early Oct already. I keep forgetting I am older and have earned a right to slow down. Thing is, I'm the bull with someone waving a red flag in front of me, I gotta chase it down but have a tougher time of it. I'll try to remember your line.

Just apreciate the moments god gave us! age is relative to time ,and time is relavent to apreciation. And nature is relavent to those of us that appreciate it! Excuse my spelling! I am apreciating a beer and my family!

So true. My husband has Parkinson's Disease Dementia [Lewy Body Disease] and for the past two years has required my 24/7 care. While I have four hours 'off' two mornings a week for errands, I seldom get out on the trail and never more than a couple of hours. This is the hand I've been dealt and I am glad I'm able to take care of him but I miss my hiking and kayaking. Every time I think of selling my gear, I look at it with such fondness I know I have to keep it just so I can relive the memories.

I'd sure like to think those of you who are still able are getting out there as much as you can. Who knows what tomorrow may bring? God bless you all and keep you safe on the trail. --Pat

Hey Jim, maybe you need a few (more?) tattoos.

Jimshaw, you are correct, it is important to wear the proper baseball cap. LOL! Right on man.

The old man in the kayak only seems threatening if he speaks threateningly. And may be has a hook for an arm??

Jim, I've noticed the same thing, there are more and more women on the trail. Its a good thing, used to be you'd see someone on the trail and it was some guy you'd not want to ever see again, now its a handsome brunette striking up a conversation, 5ft and 95 pds. Seems as though these younger trail babes like us matured gents. As well they should. They just think we're innocent.

If my husband were still alive, he would be hiking and backpacking with me. I took care of him while he was sick with a rare, terminal illness. Now, when I'm out in the woods alone, I think of him and sometimes talk to him and I know he would love being there with me and would also love it that I am still out there.

Some of us appreciate you thinking we are younger.

Lori
as the joke goes - at my age I can really appreciate a cute young babe - OR her mother... Yes from my viewpoint even you 50 somethings are still "young ladies", but I've extended the definition of "babe" to 32...

Gladys its nice that you could share that time together. I'm glad that you can go OUT and apreciate it for the both of you, maybe happier for you that you learned to love nature as a solo traveler - many of us are more at home out there alone and its a meditation. God bless you Gladys.
Jim

The Interagency Pass is good for NW as well as all national forests, I think. At least according to the website of every forest I have checked. So don't buy multiple passes.