capejohn

I have been retired for over three years and the best part of it is the added time I get to ride. I have had a bike blog for many years that documents my local rides, tours and travel that adds to my joy of riding. I like to share my rides and routes with friends and family and have a long list of like minded bloggers as well as local friends who often use my rides to plan theirs.

I did a ride today that I found quite spectacular because of the fall colors. I live in New England and there is, like many places, lots of charm that complimented the burst of colors and the friendly people I met on this ride.

It's all HERE and I post this hoping some of you may enjoy coming along on this colorful bike ride.

jppe

good stuff

UtahRider

Cool. I just retired in Jun and I love it.

rydabent

Especially if you are in good health being retired is like the freedom of a teenager on summer school break.

overthehillmedi

As a friend said the other day, retirement is a great gig but the pay could be better. I had to agree with him but I'll still do it even if the pay is bad.

rdtompki

I just retired a few days ago and am looking forward to the next phase of my life including a dramatic increase in cycling; just have to be careful not to overdo! I do feel a bit like I'm taking my first parachute jump; I could have packed the chute a bit better, but that's life. Have a P/T job just to keep slightly busy.

Now if I could only break the habit of getting up really early.

Artmo 

I've been retired for 16 years and haven't missed work for one second, even though I really enjoyed my job.

Garfield Cat

That is to me the most important thing you are doing with your retirement as far as biking is concerned. You are sharing your experiences and allowing others to benefit from them.

newbert

OMG -- That's the FIRST habit that I broke. It was easy! (I'm retired almost 6 years....)

donheff

+1. I am going on 9 years and never looked back. My career was fine but retirement is excellent. As the bridge jumper said halfway down, "so far, so good."

stapfam

I never realised how busy retirement was. All those chores I had put off before I retired-All the things I wanted to do once I retired and the list my wife comes up with as jobs I haven't done yet. Then the neighbours and family wanting me to do things as I have time on my hands. Finally the Campervan that is requiring "Renovation".

And those early mornings are still there 18 months after I stopped work. Have too much to do so have to get up early so I can finish some of them. If I knew how busy retirement was going to be--I would have found something else to do

rydabent

One suggestion to the new retirees is to pace your self. Do not try to do everything at once. I know that most everyone has a honey do list and a self do list that they are champing at the bit to get done. It better to maybe do one thing a day, and that way there is alway something to get up and do the next day. As a cyclist I put about half a day aside to do those things. In the spring and fall I ride in the afternoons, and do my honey dos in the morning. In the heat of the summer I ride early and do the chores later.

BUT----------------ALWAYS do something. If you set you will rust. At 75 again tomorrow I am going to the funeral of a friend that retired and just rusted. Never give up if you dont have to. Of course physically all of us have limitations on what we can do, but keep doing what you can for as long as you can. I am one of the lucky ones that old age has not affected much yet. I ride over 2000 miles a year in the 8 months I can ride here in the snow belt. Part of that is genes, and I think part of it is the fact that I cycle.

Yankeetowner

Good for you!!! Those are some serious miles for an 8 month season!

zonatandem

Retried for 18 years. Gonna be 81 years old next month.
Still riding 100 - 125 miles a week year 'round.
W=o=r=k is a 4-letter word!

capejohn

Nice. Work is near the top of the list during the spring summer and fall. During the winter months I do some volunteer work that is within bike commuting distance.

a77impala

I retired 11 years ago and never looked back. I ride a lot, 44,000+ miles in last seven years. Find something you love to do and you will never be bored. I do some volunteer work to feel useful!
I see you have a Randonee, I recently got one from my local Yellow Bike and really enjoy it. Mine is a '93.

nuke_diver

This tread is making me insanely jealous....

Since I was 30 I have had a 5 yr plan (Like any good communist ) to retire. And like the old Soviet Union I just redo the plan at the end of 5 yrs for the next 5...
This time I might just make it then I can finally do a decently long ride before my knees fall apart

Dave Cutter

After I retired I realized that I actually had life figured out at age 7.

I now get up in the morning and check the Internet and watch the news... instead of watching cartoons. I eat my cereal with coffee... instead of juice. Then I do my chores and play outside on my bicycle.

volosong

Yeah, I hear ya. Reading all the "haven't regretted it at all, why didn't I do it sooner?" was starting to make me insanely jealous also. I'm only 62, so have a few years yet to go. I love my "job" too, but if it wasn't for medical coverage, I'd be tempted to bail now. The only reality-check I have is the house. I'll be leaving my state and need to sell the house before I go. It doesn't make much sense to sell until the values come back. I'm not upside-down, but don't have hardly any equity - barely enough to pay a realtor.

I have a four-year plan. In four years, I'll have my thirty-five year anniversary here working in the national space program.

HAMMER MAN

i retired May 2013. It is kind of a new lease on life. I was in a corporate position and the last 2 yeard did a lot of traveling through out the U.S. I do not miss the stress and high pressure of the job. Now i average about 100-150 miles a week on my bike depending on how i feel and what ever else is going on. my wife still works so I do the cooking, cleaning the house, yard work, etc. the majority of the honedews around the house have been done before i retired. my next thing to do on my list is to lay a wooden floor in our computer room.

i take 2 of our grandchildren to school everyday which i enjoy and on the week ends we watch their sport activities and my wife and i do things together. i had orginally planned on retiring @ 65 however i decided i had enough of politics @ work and the B.S. that went with it..."Life is Great"

nuke_diver

Well you have that over me since I don't really...I'm a fair bit younger but I have been looking for an early exit for years. I have been debt free (except the house) most of my life since I don't buy what I cannot afford so I'm in decent shape and won't go crazy once retired. The health care thing is a concern but it can be budgeted (and I have in my plans) so I think I will be ok. If the market collapses I'll have a problem but then give my frugality so will an awful lot of other folks