Retirement, What's Next? Part 1
Preparing For Retirement
As I approached retirement age the idea of retiring was a far-flung fantasy or so I thought. Living from paycheck to paycheck I wasn’t getting ahead but I was enjoying life when I could. I didn’t want to wait until retirement to live and it was a balancing act. Like many people, I thought about the day I could retire and did invest in a 401K although it didn’t amount to much.
When I turned 62 it was time to get the things I wanted for retirement. A van I could camp in, a street motorcycle, a better tent, and small things that needed replacing. All or at least many of the things that would make my retirement life easier and more fun. I knew once I retired my finances would be minimal and I wouldn’t be able to buy some of the bigger more expensive things. They needed to be purchased before I retired.
Creating My Adventure Van
A van was the first purchase. The goal was to be able to use it for camping and hauling motorcycles in it on occasion. When I first started seeing the mini cargo vans around town I liked the looks of them and thought that would work. A Nissan NV200 would do everything I wanted and my Toyota Tacoma was traded in for one.
A good friend helped me with insulating the walls and ceiling plus installed a trailer hitch. I wanted a bed platform that folds up against the wall, Murphy bed style and a little later he built that for me too. Now I can tow a trailer with 1-3 motorcycles on it or I can fold up the bed and haul 1 – 2 small motorcycles inside the van.
There are a few things I still want to do to make it more attractive but it works the way it is. It would also be nice to have a roof vent, mosquito nets on the doors, and a canopy.
The van is small, it isn’t anything like a real RV, and far from luxurious but it’s comfortable, affordable and it works for me.
My Perfect Touring Motorcycle
My garage was already stocked with motorcycles but there was room for one more. I had dirt, dual-sport, adventure, and vintage motorcycles and all I needed was a touring bike. Once I retired there would be time for touring and I wanted a dedicated motorcycle for that purpose.
There were specific things I wanted in a touring motorcycle and they weren’t easy to find all in one motorcycle. My checklist included:
- Upright seating position
- Belt or shaft drive
- Low seat height
- 650cc to 900cc size range, preferably on the lower end of that range.
At 5’0” it’s difficult for me to find motorcycles that fit me and I was looking for one. One afternoon on the spur of the moment I went to the Harley-Davidson dealership with a friend. Harley’s are big and heavy so I had no expectations in finding a motorcycle for myself.
My friend was looking at motorcycles and test sitting a few. Meanwhile I was standing around looking at the pretty motorcycles from a distance. To my surprise, I saw a Harley that looked like a mini bike lined up with all the other motorcycles.
Getting a closer look I found it checked all the boxes for what I wanted in a tour motorcycle. It fit me perfectly and I could touch flat footed, which is something new and different for me. Before I left the shop it was mine.
The bullet fairing looked nice but it didn’t provide wind protection for highway riding. Before I left the dealership with my new motorcycle I ordered what I wanted to set it up for touring. I order a windshield, engine guards, side racks, saddle bags, and a back rack. It wasn’t long until it was ready for some serious miles and it was dubbed Daisy.
A Dream Come True
Early in 2018, I received an incredible surprise one that I didn’t think was going to ever happen. I hadn’t seen my half-siblings since the 1960s I didn’t know where they were all those years. My Aunt and Cousin were able to find them and reunited me with the two oldest sisters. It was a dream come true.
Meanwhile, the younger brother and youngest sister didn’t want to meet. They didn’t know anything about our older brother and me so we are strangers. I can understand them not wanting to meet us but I do hope one day that will change.
My second sister came out to Idaho to meet us plus attend a family reunion that summer. It’s amazing how much she and I are alike even though we weren’t raised together.
That September I drove my van to WI to meet the oldest sister. The younger two still didn’t change their minds about meeting but I didn’t expect it. I had a great time with the 2 older sisters and I am thrilled to have them in my life.
While I was in WI my oldest younger sister, had mentioned she would like to try living in the Pacific Northwest. I invited her to come and stay with me for a while so she could experience this part of the country. She accepted the invitation and we worked out a plan for her move.
Being able to retire became more important than it already was. I wanted to be able to travel to WI more often and spend time with my sisters. I’m still hoping the other two will decide to meet at some point too.
Turning 65 years old and eligible for Medicare in 2019 meant I could retire. Having medical coverage was an important consideration in my retirement plan. Even though I’m healthy going without medical coverage isn’t an option.
The Last Day of Work, Forever
Even though my retirement budget wasn’t in good shape things changed at work and it was time to retire. With the retirement notice submitted for August 30, 2019, in writing and said out loud, I was terrified! Working had been a large part of my life since I was 16 and it was soon to be over.
My last day at work was on a Friday and it was bittersweet. I had been dedicated to the company for 20 years and it seemed odd that I would no longer be there. I joined the company early in its start-up days and I was able to watch the company grow and I grew with it.
On the morning of my last day, I finished a few things and spent most of the morning saying goodbye to everyone. After being at the company for so long I had made many friends and this took more time than I expected.
Leaving the building one last time, a glance back at the building had thoughts rushing to my mind. There were thoughts of all the good times, the changes, the growth, and so much more. Missing my work friends was heavy on my mind but I was moving on.
Driving home was odd knowing that was the last time I would see the majority of the people I had spent so much time with. Even though people intend to stay in touch and get together every so often, it usually doesn’t happen. At least with today’s technology and social media, I’m able to keep up with some of my work friends.
It was time to head for the next steps of riding through retirement.
The Plan
Retirement and going to get my sister would coincide with the start of The 2019 Motorcycle Cross Country Chase. This would give me an excuse to ride the scenic route.
The Chase is a cross-county challenge for motorcycles manufactured between 1930-1960. It tests the rider’s Endurance, Speed, Navigation, and Knowledge. I love seeing the vintage motorcycles and the people that ride them the distance. The 2019 chase was starting in Sault Ste Marie, MI in September and I wanted to see it.
The Plan
Make arrangements to rent a truck in WI
Retire Friday, August 30, 2019.
Leave Spokane on September 1, 2019
Ride my Harley-Davidson XG750 to the start of the Chase.
Continue to the Harley-Davidson Museum in Milwaukee, WI.
Be where my sisters live in WI in time to celebrate my second sister’s birthday.
Load my sister’s things in the rental truck.
Load my motorcycle in the truck.
Drive the truck home with my sister.
Starting a New Life
While riding I don’t listen to music or podcasts like many riders do, instead, I let my mind float where it wants to go. My mind is clear of the everyday worries and I come up with my best ideas while I’m riding.
As I crossed the Long Bridge going into Sandpoint, ID I was thinking about its history. The bridge crosses the mouth of the Pend Oreille River. The Long Bridge’s name comes from the fact that it is two miles long. I was riding on the fourth bridge built to cross this section of The Pend Oreille since the early 1900s.
The view from the bridge is incredible. but what is more incredible is the first bridge built was wooden. There was a drawbridge in the wooden bridge to allow Steamships to pass underneath. The second bridge was also wooden and both were said to be the longest wooden bridges in the world. The second didn’t need the drawbridge though since the Steamboat trade had dwindled.
I heard at one time the wooden bridges were floating, or at least parts were but I’m not positive about that part. A two-mile wooden bridge must have been something to travel over.
Lake Pend Oreille is 43 miles long and has depths of 1150 feet. Heck, there is even a small Naval station on the lake in Bayview, ID. They do acoustic research with submarines there. It’s a little odd to be riding along the water and see a submarine. You rarely see them but they are out there and I have seen them a couple of times. Until I saw one I thought they were tiny subs but the ones I have seen were large.
Yaak Falls, Montana & Geocaching
The first day of the ride was leaving Washington, crossing Idaho, into Montana, across the mountains, and into British Columbia, Canada.
For this ride, I had some Geocaches downloaded into my small handheld GPS and into my main GPS. I would be looking for them, which is part of the fun while riding. It’s a good reason to stop and walk around. For me riding my motorcycle, geocaching, and camping go together well.
If you are unfamiliar with geocaching I explain it here: Geocaching, What the Heck is it?
A few years back I hid a geocache at Yaak Falls, MT and I stopped to replace it since it was missing. Having a geocache hidden there encourages people to stop and see the beautiful falls.
An eastward shift of the Pacific plate created the falls. As a result of the shift, some of the oldest rocks in the world exposed themselves. The rocks date between 800 million and one and a half billion years old.
I didn’t stay long because I had miles to make and it was time to move on. I always enjoy a stop at the falls.
It wasn’t long until I was crossing another large lake. After crossing the Lake Koocanusa Bridge I stopped to look for a geocache. I didn’t find it but I enjoyed taking a few minutes to enjoy looking at the water and the sunshine.
In 1972 building Libby Dam on the Kootenai River created the 90-mile Lake Koocanusa. 48 miles of the lake are in the United States and the remaining 42 miles are in Canada. The Koocanusa name is from the first three letters of KOOtenai River, the first three letters of CANada, and USA.
Riding Canada's Bliss
Crossing into Canada at the Roseville border is rarely busy but this day was different. Even though the line looked busy it was moving right along and that was a pleasant surprise. Once in British Columbia, it was time to ride east. This isn’t the shortest or quickest route, to get where I was going, but it was going to be fun.
I have been to Canada many times but have ridden Canada Hwy 3/Crowsnest Highway, only a couple of times. When I did ride it, many years ago, I was making miles to get somewhere in the shortest amount of time. On this ride, I planned to enjoy all the sites along the way, within reason.
The Canadian Rockies towered over me like a big brother keeping me safe. For a few hours, things were bigger than life, like I had ridden into a giant world.
A geocache had me pulling into a parking lot to see a HUGE truck built for open-pit mining. The Terex 33-19 “Titan” is so large that even standing next to it looking up it was difficult to comprehend how big it is. I can’t imagine what it would look like coming at me on a mining road. YIKES!
Learning to be flexible is a goal now that I’m retired. Being on a schedule and visiting places on a timeline, no matter what was important to me before retiring. I wanted to see it all in the short time I had available when I traveled and I made every minute count. Now I want to take the time to enjoy things to their fullest, even if it means waiting to do something later. It isn’t coming naturally though, I have to remind myself I don’t need to return to work.
About 35 years ago I rode through Frank, Alberta and I wanted to see it again and learn a little more. I intended to stop at the Interpretive Center in Frank but I changed my mind. the cost was $11.00 for seniors and I didn’t have a lot of time to spend there. If I had arrived in Frank earlier I would have stopped but after getting a late start I decided to pass on it this time. It’s not that far from where I live and I can return at another time to spend more time.
What’s the interest in Frank, you ask? Canada’s Deadliest Rockslide is the answer.
Early in the morning of 1903, the face of Turtle Mountain broke loose and buried much of the town. The massive rockslide killed up to 90 people and devastated the community. It’s difficult to imagine a mountain falling on a town but it happened.
120 million short tons of limestone rock slid down within 100 seconds. The slide obliterated the eastern edge of Frank. It was one of the largest landslides in Canadian history. It remains the deadliest, as between 70 and 90 of the town’s residents died, most of whom remain buried in the rubble.
The road travels through the slide remnants and pictures don’t capture the feel of this area. The feeling of devastation stayed with me from all those years ago when I discovered this town by chance.
Even though I knew I would see the devastation again it still weighed on my mind for some time as a continued east. It felt sad knowing of the people that are still under the rubble and the families that lost their loved ones.
The Weather Changed
The first day of the ride was lovely but the next four not so much. The weather was cold, cloudy, rainy, windy, and at times it all at once. I was pretty miserable but that’s part of motorcycle riding and it makes me feel alive.
My motorcycle wasn’t set up with heated grips or the connection for my heated jacket liner and I missed it. The chilly weather was taking a toll on me. Not having my heated gear isn’t something I’m used to and I’m not wild about going without my luxuries. I pretended to be riding in the ‘70s before I knew about such goodies. With fond memories of those days, it warmed my heart and help me not be so miserable.
With it raining on and off I was wearing my rain gear. The nice thing about that is it helps keep me warm but it feels bulky with all the layers of clothes. At least I was dry and sort of warm. Even with the weather I was enjoying my first ride of retirement and seeing parts of Canada I hadn’t seen before.
While traveling it’s fun to stop and look for a geocache, every so often. The routing in the GPS had geocaches marked to look for during this ride. Ghost Towns, old barns, roadside attractions, historic sites, and other oddities are fun places to look for geocaches. I enjoy getting a closer look at these types of places and it’s a nice short break from the road.
When I spotted some blue sky with geocaches on the route I stopped to look for them. It was chilly but not wet.
A big thumbs up from a Sasquatch, a rock cairn pointing the way, and a mosquito with its dinner.
Being chilly does zap my energy quicker than normal and it affects my riding. Riding safely is more important than getting to a destination at an allotted time. Now mind you, this wasn’t always the case, I used to push it to make those deadlines no matter what. Does this mean I’m finally growing up?
Riding within my limits has become very important to me. It used to be more important to make deadlines and keep up with other riders. So much has changed over the years and I’m looking forward to more changes as I ride through retirement. To be able to do that I need to stay safe and not get injured.
Fifteen Seconds of Fame
My days were ending earlier than planned and making some adjustments in my plans were in order. I wasn’t going to be able to make it to Sault Ste Marie, MI in time to watch the start of the Chase. I Re-routed to ride southwest from Thunderbay, ON.
As I was riding through Thunder Bay I spotted the Google car. I wondered if they had gotten me on camera. I had never seen a Google car before so I thought it was cool. Some days I’m so weird.
I snapped shots of the signs at the next intersection so I could look it up later. I was riding W. on Williams St. and the sign I took a picture of was Golf Links Rd. and Edwards St N and I saw the Google car east of there. Yep, the Google Car caught me on film.
Google Streets shows the image on the map Sept. 2019. It’s at Williams St at Nipigon Rd, in Thunder Bay, Ontario a few hundred yards from the sign I snapped a picture of. There I am in all my glory on Google Maps.
Riding along Lake Superior and back into the United States was an unexpected treat. The day was turning out a lot better than I expected.
The Chase riders would be crossing Lake Michigan on the S.S. Badger car ferry, which docks at Manitowoc, WI. The rerouting gave me a little more time. It was going to be an easy ride to Manitowoc to watch the riders debark the ferry.
The new plan worked terrific, I was there when the ferry arrived. I was able to see each of the riders on their motorcycles as they came off the ferry. It was like watching a very cool parade.
The Harley dealership was hosting lunch for the riders and they would head there. After lunch, they would ride to Milwaukee and the Harley Davidson Museum. I took the opportunity to go have lunch and then ride to Milwaukee. I found an inexpensive room on the North side of Milwaukee and headed to the Museum.
The energy and camaraderie at things like this warms my soul. I found a friend of mine from Alabama, who was working the ride, said hi, and got a hug. He’s pretty popular so within seconds people surrounded him wanting to visit. I wandered off thinking I would catch up with him later, but I didn’t.
Vintage motorcycles were all over the place and I spent hours gawking at everything. I decided since things were so busy it wouldn’t be a good time to visit the museum. There was plenty to see outside and I would return the next morning to go into the museum.
Early in the evening, the motorcycles started to leave and I realized it was time for me to get back to my motel. I wanted to be off the streets before dark as I was a little concerned about crime. Cities aren’t my comfortable place especially when I don’t know which areas are good or not. It’s too easy to make a wrong turn into a “bad area”. My goal is to always be in a safe spot well before dark.
