Hi, Mouse: I, too, can’t figure out why time goes faster as we go slower!

I’ve pared down the stuff at home over the last few years, when Karol and I moved to a condo (did I really need 6 chess sets?) We’ve found it very liberating, and are now taking a second, steady sweep through everything to see if we can simplify further.

As far as backpacking, I still go as often, but at 68, I have set some limits for myself:
1. I probably won’t backpack anywhere more rugged than southern Ohio or parts of Kentucky (Red River Gorge, for example.) I figure I could push and do the more rugged terrain along the AT in Virginia, North Carolina, and Tennessee for another 5 years, but my knees would probably be wrecked in the process. I’d rather do gentler terrain for another 15.
2. I won’t go out for more than 3 nights (with maybe one exception: Isle Royale); that not only reflects commitments to my remaining two part-time work years, but also to my mother (now 91) and other family and friends. The consequences are that, with no large loads of food needed, it’s easier to keep my pack weight under 25 pounds - which also means a bit less pressure on the knees.
3. I won’t go out in bad weather (predictions of continuous rain, snow, or temperature forecast for lows below 35-40.) Been there, done that, T-shirts in good shape - nothing left to prove, and I just don’t enjoy being cold like I once did. This also means no heavy, bulky clothes to lug around, helping control pack weight.
4. The daily mileage is trending downward from 12-14 to 8-10. Yes, partly it saves wear and tear on the legs. Partly, it’s to accommodate the shorter trails in Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana. And partly, it’s the realization that it’s experiencing the trail is more important than miles per hour. I’m happy just being in the woods.

Taken together, this means I can afford my one luxury (a full-length Thermarest lounger chair kit for my Neoair - comfortable, warm seating and sleeping) and still hold my pack weight under 25 pounds.

I’m finding that I’d rather do shorter, pleasant walks in the local woods for the next 15 or 20 years than be forced to quit in another 5.

You go, Mouse! (I think the official motto for backpackers over 65 should be “Illegitimi non carborundum.”)