A question for the "old guys"

W

wade

Joined
Sep 22, 2005
Messages
493
Very seriously, what would you want to do if you were young again, like early 20's young. I was talking to someone the other day and he said that if he were young again he would go on a 'walkabout' around the US. I have been seriously considering this for when I graduate college, but I keep thinking of the book Into the wild. For those of you who dont know it, this college graduate decides to wonder the country and experience life first hand. He ends up in Alaska where he dies from eating some poisnous plant. Good book though. Anyone else ever want to do something similar to a 'walkabout' or Into the Wild type thing?
Wade
 
into the wild was an over glorified story of a reall dummy lol! he had a nice idea, but was too stoned on the beauty of nature that he completely disregarded the fact that it can and will kill you when you're stupid. if i recall, he got stranded on the wrong side of a river due to rains, and in his briliance he burned all his cash instead saving a few dollars to buy a map...that would have showed him that there was a brige 2mi north.....dummy

anyway, back on subject, sounds like a good idea to see the sights a little bit, couldnt possibly regret it...unless u burn your cash and try to live off a bag of rice :D
 
Well, I'm 43. Not sure if that makes me an "old guy" or not.

That said, even at this "middle" point in my life I recognize that there were two (well, three in a way) forks in the road where I made decisions that I wish I hadn't made. These have left me living in a place I intensely dislike, and in an industry I could really do without.

The first and most critical such fork occurred 2 years after I graduated from college. My parents let me stay at home as long as I wanted rent-free. In that time, I took a job in the software industry that I didn't much like, but which paid pretty good and wasn't very hard for me to do. Upshot was, after two years of that I was bored but I had enough money saved up so that I could either:

  1. Pay off all my student loans, and then be free to go see the world or go back to school or do whatever I wanted to do.
  2. Buy a house, buy a car, be in debt up to my ears but pursue a "normal" life (as defined by my family).

Long story short, I picked door number two, which meant that I had to continue doing the job that I didn't much like, which meant being stuck behind a desk bored out of my mind most hours out of the day. I'm still stuck in that same basic job.

If I had it to do again, I would have rejected all the materialism and run off to see what the world really had to offer.

The good news is, it's never too late to correct these kinds of mistakes. You just have to try a whole lot harder to get there at 43 than you do to get there at 23.

And the most important point of this post is that, of course, it's nearly impossible to know what you really want to do with your life when you're 23 years old ....

I hope this helps.

(BTW, they aren't worth elaborating, but the other two "forks" where moments in my life when I had the resources and the opportunity to ditch the "normal" lifestyle, but I didn't do it for various reasons. Once I was scared and another time I was lied to. I should note that both opportunities involved women, which just goes to show how much they can mess you up.)

Cheers.
 
I'm 64 now, in good shape compared many my age but, not close to what I was at 40. And at forty, I was not anywhere near as robust as at twenty three, when I was in the Army. I loved the high tech "toys" I got to play with and I liked the training and field duty. But my dislike of regimentation was enough to tip the scales in favor of discharge when my tour was up.

After discharge, I got a good job which I was not willing to abandon for prolongued adventure. I have been fortunate enough to enjoy many hunting trips and wilderness hikes on weekends and vacations. But, in my twenties, I thought alot about moving to Alaska, becoming a bush pilot and jack of all trades I was reading so much about. Of course no one knows for sure how things will turn out, but living on 'the last frontier' and dealing, first hand with the Alaskan wilderness seemed like it would have been a great adventure and a way to make a living at the same time.

A walking tour of the U.S. would be a glorious thing to experience and plenty of people who have done it without serious mishap. IMHO, the time to do it is when one is young and resilient. Right after college would probably be perfect because you could sandwich the adventure between education and career.
 
I sorta did have a plan not totally unlike that when I was in university, but then something happened... the career I figured would take me a few more years to get while I was doing my "nature boy" adventures landed in front of me. For me, there was no longer a decision, and I took the job. I have never looked back, but I do still look forward to knocking off all of those goals set in my school days. If you can do it, go for it and take it all in. If not, take it all in(just in smaller chunks).
 
wade said:
Very seriously, what would you want to do if you were young again, like early 20's young. I was talking to someone the other day and he said that if he were young again he would go on a 'walkabout' around the US. I have been seriously considering this for when I graduate college, but I keep thinking of the book Into the wild. For those of you who dont know it, this college graduate decides to wonder the country and experience life first hand. He ends up in Alaska where he dies from eating some poisnous plant. Good book though. Anyone else ever want to do something similar to a 'walkabout' or Into the Wild type thing?
Wade
Click to expand...

Just do-it Wade! When I was 22 I got out of the Army and traveled across Mexico and into Central America. I traveled for just over a year. Some of it in citys and some living rough. Look at Jack Kerouac and "Che" Guevara and what the road taught them. Yes the Army was great and I even rejoined after I came back. The Army made me a man, but travel taught me about life. I'm only 32 now but with family and work I only make it out once in a while. But yes I would do it again in a heartbeat!

I'm sure alot of guys on this forum are going to say "oh its dangerous" and blah,blah,blah, of couse it is. Your not stupid. But if you want a life less ordinary, go. If you want to stay where it safe and nothing happens, stay holding on to your mama's apron strings.


Don't tell me what you know, tell me how well you've traveled.
-the Prophet Mohammad-
 
Agreed, you can't really know what you want when you're 20. But there are 4 questions you should answer before picking a job:
1. Do i enjoy doing it? (you might as well, it's 8+ hours of your day)
2. Am i reasonably good at it? (there's no point if you suck at it, see 1)
3. Can i make money at it? (being a ski bum, surfer is great but you need $)
4. When i'm old and retired, will i think it was worth doing? (or what is your answer when someone 20 asks you for advice)

You should spend some time fooling around and having fun. You're not going to be able to do crazy things like hiking across the country when you are older. You only get weaker and slower after your 20s. But you have to balance this: How much of your future are you willing to give up for your present fun, and how much of your present fun are you willing to give up for your future? Try not to make permanent mistakes (get herpes, rip your leg off at the knee, etc.)

Also, you are allowed to make one big mistake in your life. What this means is, say you go down the wrong career path and spend 10 years doing something you hate and then change careers. You basically get to do that once, after that you're going to be too old to pull it off again.
 
If I were 23 or so in 2006, I'd move to another country and get fluent in their language and culture... Japan or maybe Costa Rica come to mind.

That experience will give you great oportunities in business and getting to understand " the rest of the world" which is nothing like the USA.. in 2006 you may find that to be a very good thang...

If I were 23, like I was 30 years ago tomorrow ;) , I'd run the States again or hike the Appalachian trail...but that was then and this is now... different country..

Should you decide to walk the USA make sure and carry plenty of ID and be careful.. You might get targeted as ona them thar terra~ristez..
 
Get out and see some of the world. I got married at 23, a year later my wife and I took a teaching positions at a school in Brazil and stayed for two years. That was a great experience, so great in fact that we moved back full time in '99. I'm 40 now and I've been all over North and South America. No regrets.

Travel when you're young and it can impact your life not when you're old and run around seeing what you missed out on. I remember being at the Grand Canyon. There was a young guy basically hitch-hiking across America there at the rail. On the other side of me was an old woman. She was saying that she had wanted to see the Grand Canyon all her life, like now she was ready to die.

Both of them said it made them feel small. Personally I'd rather learn I'm small at 23 than 73, why only gain that kind of perspective when you're on the way out?

Also, learn another language or two, and I mean good enough to really communicate. It is one of the richest expereinces you will have. It will be something that keeps on giving to you through life. Mac
 
I have been very lucky to have landed a career in teaching that allowed me to start an outdoor education program, teach courses in literature of wilderness and history of the American frontier. I have been at it for 33 years and turn sixty this summer. The school has helped me get to Alaska twice, attend several Outward Bound courses, a BOSS course and two courses with Mors Kochanski. Through the school I have run canoe trips in Canada as well. I have two grown sons who have shared much of this with me. It has been the best of all worlds.
 
right on ! while dogsledding, I slept in the bus where he died. "stampede" road. people still pay homeage to the guy, the alaskans do as well but there tone is a bit different. ie: the guy was stupid ect.
 
I would take better care of my body, especially my feet. you gotta stay in shape if you want to continue to enjoy an active life when get into your 40's, 50's, and 60's. I know you young guys don't like to think about that. I sure didn't. Before you know it, you'll be getting a little gray around the sideburns like me. So keep active, and take care of your feet. You'll be standing on them for the rest of your life.
 
I'm 50. If i was young again, i would study botanic to avoid poisnous plants and then i would go in Alaska or in an other cold climate country.

dantzk.
 
Neal Peart, of the great band Rush, just did a motorcycle ride across America and wrote about it.
Google him up
 
I'm 37. Pot Belly, Content, Married, kids, career, etc. I didn't settle down or get serious about things until I was about 30. I started college at 26, took 9 years (part time) to get my degree. But now I have the job I love, so it was well worth it. And if I was 23 again.....LOL!!!!!! IF I could go back to 23, I would go to California, do more sit ups (I have always lifted weights, I just hated ab work) study Buddism, learn to surf, get tan, get cozy with a hardbodied little surfer chick (who works as a stripper and would support me:D ) and enjoy myself for a decade or so. Then I would want what I have right now at 37. Family, security, an old farm, etc. Yeah, I think back often to my early 20's and what I would do different. The ONE thing I wish I could do different; I wish I had been more open minded, less judgemental, less aggressive, and had pursued my education at 18, instead of 26. I thought I was smart at 23. But now I look back and understand what a cocky dumb ass I was. But, in the big picture; everything happened as it should (positive AND negative), otherwise I wouldn't be where I am today.
 
I'm 47 and currently nearly 100% focused on raising fantastic children (including a few other people's kids in Boy Scouts and to a more limited extent in Girl Scouts), and I've done tons of stuff in my life ... but ...

I've always wanted to canoe the lengths of the Misssissippi and Missouri Rivers (not at the same time and both downstream). I'll most likely never do it, but it would be very very cool!!
 
Me, I'm hitting the big 5-0 this year! If I could do it over, I'd have stayed in the army, or gone into police work! Like a dummy I didn't listen to my heart and follow my dreams. I only wanted to make good money. I'd like to go back and kick that twenty somethings a - -!!!!! The one bit of advise I can give to the younger guys is to find a career doing what you really love and you will never work a day in your life! Oh, get an education first!
 
Go out and enjoy. When I graduated college in 1974 I took a NOLS Wind River Mountaineering course in Wyoming (with Scott Fischer and his future wife, Jeannie Price). After that, when I was 23 I moved to San Francisco from NY so I could backpack and climb out in the Yosemite area etc.

I later pursued a career in federal law enforcement while still taking climbing, backpacking, canoeing and mountaineering trips throughout Alaska, Canada and the lower 48.

Now I've taken early retirement from my law enforcement career and enjoy playing in the forests and mountains surrounding my new home in the mountains of western NC.

It's never too late to enjoy your dreams but there's no real reason to put them on hold too long either.

Go out and enjoy.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top