Thru Hike When I Retire

[chknfngrs]

I should be end to end thru hiking the AT in 2032. I’ll be newly retired and 57 years old. Anyone else planning to thru in 2032?

Between now and then I have 14 years to hike the short trails, the close trails, and lock down a system that won’t let me down. I just did the math and while a lot can happen between now and then, I’m stoked!

I can’t afford the long stuff right now but easy to enjoy much shorter hikes with my kids until I can seems like a good alternative.

[perrymk]

My plan is to retire at 55 or 56 in 2020 or 2021. I hope to thru hike then but have one or two personal matters that might get in the way. But it's mostly a go.

In the meantime I've probably read half the memoirs out there, plus a few how-to-hike-the-AT books. Plus some hiking of course .

[martinb]

I met a retired guy this winter, while camping in Ocala National forest, who has thru hiked the AT three times since his retirement. He loves it. He is getting ready to start thru-hike #4 as I post.

[Mikerfixit]

I will have to work until I am 70 before I can retire. I hope to do a through hike as well but worry that I may have too many health issues by that time. Still, 20 years is a long time and its hard to know what the trail might be like by that time. Like you I plan on hiking shorter sections and get my gear dialed in. I just have to stay healthy.

[Slo-go'en]

I guess it good to have goals. Good luck in 20 years

[BowGal]

Saw an interview with a Lithuanian man who is hiking the AT again...at age 87. He is a triple crowner.

Think the interview was with two women who go by “Wheezie and Duck”

[Greenlight]

Dale Sanders "White Beard" is the oldest man to thru-hike the AT at age 82. He was in the AT class of 2017 and I met him at The Place during Trail Days. What is the Lithuanian man's name, and does he have proof of his thru-hike? If so, he needs to be recognized for the accomplishment. Until that happens the official record remains in White Beard's hands.

[imscotty]

I'm just trying to figure out how people retire at 57 years old. Clearly I'm doing it wrong

[Sarcasm the elf]

I'm just trying to figure out how people retire at 57 years old. Clearly I'm doing it wrong

1) The problem I’ve realized is that retiring at 50 is extremely simple to do, unfortunately the most reliable way to do so is to start preparing for it in your early twenties.”

2) Of course you’re doing it wrong, you’re hanging out with us

[Lnj]

I'm just trying to figure out how people retire at 57 years old. Clearly I'm doing it wrong

+1, Amen and amen...

[Hikingjim]

Sorry, the trail is full for 2032. Maybe you can try for 2033

[jefals]

2032 - that's a long way off. When I was late 20s, early 30s, living in Atlanta, I dreamed about hiking the AT when I retired...
over the years, a lot of things changed. we moved out west , and, while at first that didn't change the dream, but as I became aware of the PCT, that eventually became my new long-trail priority. over time, I began to notice some physical things... little injuries or muscle aches and pains don't heal up as quickly as they used to. Balance isn't quite as easy as it once was. Nothing serious, but now, instead of, say, scurrying quickly across a stream on a log, I have to take my time and be prepared that I might fall in anyway... Gotta pay more attention to the knees, too...
But the biggest thing I didn't think about, all those years while I was working and dreaming about hiking that long trail when I retired -- the grandkids came along! That's was a whole new experience. I'm a fortunate man, in that most folks I know have kids and grandkids that live somewhere else. Mine are just a few miles down the road, so I see em all the time. Yeah, it never occurred to me, all those years dreaming about the long hike that I'd have these little youngsters I couldn't stand to be away from anywhere near long enough for a long hike.
And, I'm good with that. Life has a way of changing your priorities. Anyway, I figure, for now I'll enjoy time with the family, and once the kids turn into teenagers -- that might be the time for me to start on my triple! Or double triple! ?

[rhjanes]

Well, I'm 59.5.....and am sort of being forced to retire. I have worked in IT for 38 years. My current "companies".....well, I've worked there 15 years...and FOUR different names on the paycheck. I was informed a few weeks ago, I am being "benched"...(replaced by young, offshore people). SO.....I HOPE to hike in 2019. I'm caring for two parents right now, taking 3 days a week. Which is where I am needed now. When I called my wife with "the news we've been expecting for 4 years", she replied "it's a blessing".

How are we? Our financial plan has me fully retired/never work again at 62. So we are "almost" there. In the last few years, we put 6 figures into savings. We've saved the max in our 401K's for 35 years or more. NEVER took any of that out, not even those "loans". We lived well under our means. In retirement, with 5 401K's, two small retirements, two social securities.....have had no debt for 5 years now......we "could" actually get a RAISE when we retire. It takes long term planning and commitment. Start when you are in your early 20's. Keep the long term goal in your mind. Live under your income. Pay off the house early, drive cars for 10 years (my truck is 20 years old...my daily driver is 10....).

So....here's hoping for 2019 (depends on family).

[Longboysfan]

Well, I'm 59.5.....and am sort of being forced to retire. I have worked in IT for 38 years. My current "companies".....well, I've worked there 15 years...and FOUR different names on the paycheck. I was informed a few weeks ago, I am being "benched"...(replaced by young, offshore people). SO.....I HOPE to hike in 2019. I'm caring for two parents right now, taking 3 days a week. Which is where I am needed now. When I called my wife with "the news we've been expecting for 4 years", she replied "it's a blessing".

How are we? Our financial plan has me fully retired/never work again at 62. So we are "almost" there. In the last few years, we put 6 figures into savings. We've saved the max in our 401K's for 35 years or more. NEVER took any of that out, not even those "loans". We lived well under our means. In retirement, with 5 401K's, two small retirements, two social securities.....have had no debt for 5 years now......we "could" actually get a RAISE when we retire. It takes long term planning and commitment. Start when you are in your early 20's. Keep the long term goal in your mind. Live under your income. Pay off the house early, drive cars for 10 years (my truck is 20 years old...my daily driver is 10....).

So....here's hoping for 2019 (depends on family).

Nice.

I'm up in Plano. Going to try to get in another section hike next spring.
I'll retire in March 2020.

I practice with my pack and weight it with water bottles over on Grapevine Lake walking the north side on the off road bike trail.

[rhjanes]

Nice.

I'm up in Plano. Going to try to get in another section hike next spring.
I'll retire in March 2020.

I practice with my pack and weight it with water bottles over on Grapevine Lake walking the north side on the off road bike trail.

I don't practice with the pack near enough. Been WAY to hot! I didn't make 2019 either. Another family issue. I became the executor and heir. It helps cement in the "no worries" retirement. Perhaps 2020 now.......

[Kittyslayer]

I don't practice with the pack near enough. Been WAY to hot!

Isn't that kind of like practicing using your tent in the backyard only when rain is not in the forecast?

Aiming for 2024 and need to get lots of practice in myself.

[rhjanes]

Isn't that kind of like practicing using your tent in the backyard only when rain is not in the forecast?

Aiming for 2024 and need to get lots of practice in myself.

I'm in Texas. Last Sunday when I finished a 2 hour, 6 mile hike, the air temp was 95. The THI was around 104. I went to high school in northern VA. That type of conditions, folks usually hike from dawn until lunch, then knock off until late in the day. A few hours of that and people start getting heat-silly. But I try and get in an 8 mile hike every week. Plus at least 4 days in the gym.

[Odd Man Out]

I've thought about a thru when I retire. A guy I know is doing that just now. But recently I've thought maybe I would rather do a long section. For me, it's not doing the whole trail that is the appeal, but rather the experience of being out long enough to get my body into trail shape. They say the first few weeks of a thru are the worst, physically. As a section hike, every hike is like that. I don't think I need to do the whole trail to get that experience. If I'm taking 6 months to hike, I would rather do half the AT, and then move on to other trails. Places like JMT, Grand Canyon, Kungsleden (Sweden), Everest area trekking, and Kilimanjaro top my list now.

[colorado_rob]

I've thought about a thru when I retire. A guy I know is doing that just now. But recently I've thought maybe I would rather do a long section. For me, it's not doing the whole trail that is the appeal, but rather the experience of being out long enough to get my body into trail shape. They say the first few weeks of a thru are the worst, physically. As a section hike, every hike is like that. I don't think I need to do the whole trail to get that experience. If I'm taking 6 months to hike, I would rather do half the AT, and then move on to other trails. Places like JMT, Grand Canyon, Kungsleden (Sweden), Everest area trekking, and Kilimanjaro top my list now.

Yeah, most of this. I planned on a half an AT when I retired, which I almost did (950 miles, springer to front royal, April-May) and found that those 2-ish-months was my absolute limit for one trail, especially a monochromatic trail like the AT. After that, is was all hiking out west the rest of the year, including a JMT variant, a bunch of Colorado hiking and in the winter, yeah, Grand Canyon. Winter in the Grand Canyon cannot be beat.

I do understand the thru-hiking mindset, two months was long enough on the AT to get that, but I did learn that such mindset was not for me. I like variety too much.

[Ethesis]

Nice.

I'm up in Plano. Going to try to get in another section hike next spring.
I'll retire in March 2020.

I practice with my pack and weight it with water bottles over on Grapevine Lake walking the north side on the off road bike trail.

I used to live in Plano (8504 High Meadows Drive, Plano, TX 75025) until we sold our place in September and moved to a condo in Dallas (well, sold at the end of August, moved in in October after tearing out some studs and replacing the wiring, insulation, etc.). I retired March 15, and we started hiking March 17. Took a couple months off for family matters and fly back out in a couple days to start up again SOBO back to where we got off.

Yes, it has been too hot in Dallas to practice with packs.