The retirement thread

[SilverBullet]

So retiring with a camper vehicle (with John and shower) pulling a trailer with a couple of bikes does not endanger a 65+ man card?

Depends on the card issuer, I guess.

But I call your strategy sheer genius!
(a self serving proclamation, some would say. 8) )

My plan falls somewhere in between Big Bob's and Snake's
4-5 years more and my last child should be finished with college (currently have 3 attending).

I will buy a brand new truck and a used toy hauler (I could tell you the exact details and features of each already). But instead of parking it on land I will start rolling with it and an adventure bike, dual sport and dirt bike inside. Maybe an ATV in bed of the truck also. The haul rig will be my only home base. My address will be the closest Walmart or National Forest where I'm parked for periods of up to 2 weeks. I have family out west and south of the border for extended parking when I fly away for International travel and riding.

I've already advised my kids not to expect a large inheritance because my plan is to spend. But not wasting it away by any means as I am a very frugal traveler. And when their day comes for marriage and kids and they want Grandpa someday to babysit for an extended period of time, no problem all I need is off street parking.

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[snakebitten]

Brilliant Silverbullet!!!

Ok, we gotta start a new thread for discussing all these various ideas for LIVING ON THE ROAD, but with the ADVriding wrinkle.

I know at first glance some of the hardcore ADV purists will likely throw a few barbs, cuz it'll be irresistible. (I welcome it, by the way. Sounds like a hoot of a brawl)
After all, it IS rubbing shoulders far more with the stereotypical snowbird-RV crowd, than it is with RTWPaul. (whom I admire abundantly, but I'm a sissy relatively speaking)


Start that thread so I can hear ALL the details of your future rig!
(I need to bounce this stuff off somebody. I don't have anyone to tell me when I'm nuts)

 

[SilverBullet]

My plan doesn't take the place of RTW travel it supplements it. It is not reasonable to expect you can travel the world on a motorcycle until the day you croak off. I bet RTWPaul has a residence when he finishes his rides and plans and waits for his next big trip. That residence for me will be on wheels and while waiting I will be traveling and exploring North America. I like off road riding too much and that is in short supply overseas.

The only time I will be in a snowbird-flower sniffer-silver haired RV park is when I need to dump my tanks. Lol

_

 

[snakebitten]

So, I guess you're saying you won't be burdening yourself with say........a Yorkshire Terror that needs to be walked 3 times a day, thus affording you an opportunity to visit your fellow Class A neighbors?

 

[SilverBullet]

So, I guess you're saying you won't be burdening yourself with say........a Yorkshire Terror that needs to be walked 3 times a day, thus affording you an opportunity to visit your fellow Class A neighbors?

Nope although I've been tempted often as I love dogs. My last minute weekend getaways and 1-3 week bike trips would be greatly impacted so I resist. Similarly not wanting additional children late in my life was the start of the end for my last serious relationship. Don't need either for companionship so been happy just renting ever since. Lol

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[rid34fun]

Love this thread, there is nothing more important than using your time the best you can. You cannot save time and use it later, you can't slow time, you can give it away or use someone else's. But, you can invest time, and get the best life return on investment possible. Live well within your means, invest the rest, enjoy everyone around you and retire as soon as you can. My wife got cancer last year, and while she will most likely be OK, it taught me how prescious life really is. My wife is an unbelievable human being that bring joy and laughter to all around her. Almost losing her was enough to teach my the value of time at the deepest level. Enjoy your freedom!

 

[trikepilot]

I've never put much stock into the paradigm of working all the time till I am 65-70 and then retire.

I am much more of the "you can't buy time" and "find something to do that you love, and you'll never work a day in your life" frame of mind.

Spent damn near 20 years making my avocation into my vocation. Then a five year pivot for a mid-life career change, and I find myself in an amazing situation where I rarely work more than half a month, which allows me to indulge myself in the things I want to do rather than what I have to do.

I'll probably hold in this pattern till they make me quit...

 

[Gobear]

I've had some pretty neat vocations throughout many careers ...everything from owning a wood stove store in the eighties selling Vermont Casting stoves, being the sales manager at a BMW motorcycle dealer in Toronto a stint at Bell and Nortel ..and finally the director of sales at a high tech firm.

It's been great!

Now all I want is to ride..

 

[Sierra1]

There is a quote, not sure the origin, but it's something like this; "If you find something you love doing, you'll never work a day in your life".

I'm still looking for that ::010::

That quote is SO true!! And for 22 years I never worked a day....but the last three felt like 22. I'm still new to the retirement thing and my Tenere, but the latter is making the former even better!! ::021::

 

[bob dirt]

I retired at 58 on June 8, 2016 after 40 years in the HVAC field and 32 years being self employed. I wouldn't change a thing. My 2 grown boys now in their 30's and 1 other young man that ran my business for the last 5 years decided they would buy me out. Almost the best thing I ever did. Had enough dough saved up in personal savings and a bunch more in deferred tax accounts to make quitting work possible. 59 1/2 comes next month but won't be needing it yet. The icing on the cake is the check I get every month from the sale of the company and property. My wife will retire at 58 in May. Our insurance comes out of her retirement check with some monies left over. We bought a new motor home last year and plan on trailering bikes around the country for a while. Waiting for a permit to build an apartment attached to my workshop in my back yard and move my son and his family into our main house of 30 years. That's what makes traveling possible...life is good. If you are young, start putting money away now because times flies fast. ::26::

 

[bigbob]

Depends on the card issuer, I guess.

But I call your strategy sheer genius!
(a self serving proclamation, some would say. 8) )

As I recall you did not have the John. Or at least with running water. AND you are not 65+


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[snakebitten]

As I recall you did not have the John. Or at least with running water. AND you are not 65+


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All true and accurate.
I point all those things out when the ADV purists poke fun at me.

In the RV world I'm seen as the complete opposite. A "minimalist" even!

My desires are FIRST to have my bike(s). (Still sorting the plural aspect)
My coffee. (I now have my mobile espresso kitchen finally sorted)
My Air Conditioned (or heated) Bed (Quality sleep and downtime have proven to be most important for anything over 30 days)

Peeing, cooking, and showering require the use of locally available infrastructure.
(or a big tree, Whataburger, and some baby wipes)

And yes, I'm your MUCH younger ADV brother. ;D

 

[Checkswrecks]

Thread resurrection:

Told the bosses that I will be leaving at some point this coming year, and probably at about the early summer timeframe when a big project will finish. What a feeling to come out and say something like this openly after 31+ years.

Currently cleaning up the house and looking for somewhere cheaper to live (really to park my crap) still close to the kids to ultimately come home to. (DC/Baltimore) Do more bike get togethers, and buy a cleaner-upper sailboat to start wandering on next Fall till it gets boring. Looking forward to getting back into Habitat for Humanity too.

Hope to do some contracting since I can do it from most anywhere and I will still need to do something for my own sanity. Been examining a lot of burned up Li-Ion batteries for the last 6 years on top of the normal flow of broken airplanes. It'd be nice to continue teaching the occasional classes in forensic engineering and accident investigation and those bosses are currently favorable to the idea. Unless of course, some other opportunity catches my eye.

The thought of not living to a bunch of calendars is a bit intimidating.

 

[WJBertrand]

Congrats, it's one of those landmark decisions in life isn't it?

Referring back to my post in this thread (#12) above where in January '17 I was not yet retired and planning to do that spring of this year - plans changed. My company came 'round with an irresistible enhanced early retirement package that included +20% pension and +20% contributions to my and my wife's medical savings plan annually. I took the bait and retired at the end of May last year. It all came about much faster than I was planning. After about 9 weeks in retirement and just starting to get off the treadmill, the company gave me another offer I could not refuse. They romanced me back as a consultant with a 2-year contract at a better rate than my prior salary, so now I'm officially a double dipper! The extra $$ is coming in handy to do some needed home repairs/improvements whilst still padding my IRA a bit more. I should be finished by the end of August '19 and they are already talking about extending that. Don't know if I'm going to go for that or not though.

 

[Sierra1]

Congratulations CW. Truly a milestone. But, you sound like you may be busier AFTER retirement. I, like Mr Bertrand, was seduced back into the workforce. I had about 18 months off, before I too became a "double dipper". It's amazing what a difference the "right" group of co-workers makes. Mon-fri, 1p-9p, weekends and holidays off. Almost like not even working.

 

[Super08]

Looks like a thread made for me. I just retired last Monday morning Nov. 26th. Or you can call it that, I am on vacation until Jan 31st and then I will be officially retired. I have to use up some of my vacation first, plus it will put me over 30 years with my current job. I am only 58 so I am hoping on a nice long retirement as long as my health cooperates.

 

[bigbob]

Thread resurrection:

Told the bosses that I will be leaving at some point this coming year, and probably at about the early summer timeframe when a big project will finish. What a feeling to come out and say something like this openly after 31+ years.
.

Not another youngster. Does that boat have a crew cabin? Need a watch stander?

Congratulations. I am getting closer to doing the same thing. Just got a “promotion” no pay just more busywork. So maybe this year for me too.

 

[Checkswrecks]

WJB and Sierra - Sounds like I'm going to be following your path, so your words are encouraging for those times when I wonder "Who the heck will hire me at this age?" The boss is already open to my coming back as a re-employed annuitant BUT the Govt plan is [of course] f-d up. If I double dip for anybody BUT the Govt, then I get the pension plus pay tha tI am working for. If I work for Uncle then they subtract the pension from the paycheck!

Super08 - Congrats on doing it!

BrotherBob - We'll make space.

 

[VRODE]

I made up my mind to retire last Dec. I'm a mechanic/tech and my body was starting to feel beat up. Once I hit 60 my body started feeling the effects of wrenching over a career spanning 32 years. I didn't want tp work till i broke down completely. Waited till spring (after bonuses were announced) and set a date of early June. In corporate speak I told the boss that the company had been selected to participate in my new retirement plan (selected to participate in a workforce reduction plan is their code for laid off). He immediately asked if i'd consider working part-time. I thought he might as we are very shorthanded in my dept. I usually ride with friends on tuesday or wed depending on weather, and fri-sat.-sun were out, so I said I'd work Mondays and Thursdays (10 hr days, as the company requires at least a 20 hr wk/week for you to retain all your bennies).
So I've spent the last six months on this schedule and it's great. I get to rest up (every work day is a Friday!) and still stay active with about 10% of the stress that used to exist. And I retained all my vacation, healthcare, etc. which is important as the wife does not have her own healthcare. I'm going to continue for another six months.....maybe a year before I pull the plug. At any rate, it's worked out well and probably better than I would have thought. The big reduction in stress (physical and mental) feels great.

 

[Sierra1]

[QUOTE="Checkswrecks, post: 353276, member: 551....If I double dip for anybody BUT the Govt, then I get the pension plus pay that I am working for. If I work for Uncle then they subtract the pension from the paycheck!....[/QUOTE]


Mine is/was a similar situation. Different "organization"=two paychecks & more benefits; same=less of everything. You shouldn't have ANY problems. That supply and demand thing.