Pete and I were taking Anderson's shuttle across Lac La Croix. I, a 75 year old, asked the 30 year old boat driver if any old people used their service. He replied yes, that a lot of their clientele were 45 to 50 years old.

I think I will keep paddling the BW anyway.

Don't let Bob fool you, once he stands up and gets moving, he moves like a 50 year old.

I think I would have hit him with my paddle! ;-)

It is all perspective, isn't it?
A few years ago I was with the three guys I trip with once a year. They are 15, 15 and 23 years younger than I am.
We ran into a couple of "old guys" on a portage. The four of us agreed it was nice to see "old guys" in the middle of Quetico.
That night, in casual conversation around the fire, they estimated the two "old guys" that we saw were------------yep, about my age.
Perspective indeed.

Yep... someone called me 'spry' the other day.... that's about as good as it gets, I guess. I'm not climbing trees anymore, unless a bear is after me, and even then I might just stop and try to argue. But appreciation grows even while horsepower slides.

Yep... someone called me 'spry' the other day.... that's about as good as it gets, I guess. I'm not climbing trees anymore, unless a bear is after me, and even then I might just stop and try to argue. But appreciation grows even while horsepower slides.

Ever notice how us older guys double post a lot. Hahahaha!
I'm very envious of older guys that can paddle so well. My body is fast letting me know those days for me are for the most part done... Unless I get a message from an inreach that I might think I can help... Haha. But I enjoy so much hearing of adventure and seeing people do things like the challenges and such. I thought I'd take in harder. But I've become more accepting of circumstances. One of the best parts of this website is how we encourage each other. I'm still not done... I'm looking forward to the day I can get back out there. But the road is not always easy... So my thinking is embrace every trip as if it were your last... Take it all in... Enjoy every moment... And when you can no longer go... You can still share with those that can. I get a lot of enjoyment in that.

WE don't all have to be lean mean paddling machines that smoke the portage in one trip. At 68 and now dealing with chemo I will be very happy to put the paddle in the water anywhere next summer. Living in NE Wi we are about 4 hours away from the Turtle Flambeau flowage. My wife and decided to go there Thursday-Saturday in mid July last summer. Weather looked iffy but we went anyway. Thursday was fine...Friday rain all day. We have a good tent. The Lean Three shelter was set up as tarp. We brought our good chairs along and plenty of reading material. We had a great site overlooking the water. It was a great day just sitting, reading, talking, simple tasty meals.... We never put the canoe in the water. Saturday the weather cleared up and we were back to Murray's landing in short order. A canoe trip doesn't always have to be a death march....

dr bob

Old??? Who's old? I prefer the term marinated well!

butthead

There's a quote from the book "The Veleteen Rabbit" that inspires me. If memory serves, the story is about a little girl in the 1800's who had come down with scarlet fever and her toys were to be destroyed, One of the toys, the skin horse was talking to another one of her toys, the velveteen rabbit about becoming "real" or alive. It goes something like this......

"Generally by the time you are real, most of your hair has been loved off and you become loose in the joints and very shabby. But these things don't matter at all because once you are real you can never be ugly except to those who don't understand".

As most of my hair has been loved off and I've become loose in the joints and very, very shabby perhaps, just perhaps, at 68 I've become real.

Safe travels.......

i like that :) well said!

Thanks for the quote mpeebles. Perhaps the realization that life, like a portage, is not a challenge and that taking the time to enjoy the trip is more important than getting there is what loosening of the joints means. My joints sure aren't very loose. The hair is thinning but what is important now is that I have some, not that every hair is in place. What ever it is, I do feel more loved now than since my mother who loved me most of all. And being loved I am taking better care of myself and it all just gets better.

As you get older I being 69 years old.I am happy the days I feel like a young 60 year old. As you get -will just say wiser we appreciate the little things and I see the world around me-meaning nature and appreciate it much more,instead of speeding by it.
We all are having setbacks as we get older,just hope most get back in the canoe seat again and I also like people whom are might wiser than me with canoe experience contribute to this site.
Young and old use this wisdom in their canoe plans and dreams.

Yes this is the first time in 60 years I didn't make it to the BWCA because of little problems. Yes I will be back hope at full throttle next year. I do plan yet maybe a grouse hunt and maybe a day trip on the Island river this year-maybe.

GraniteCliffs: "It is all perspective, isn't it?
A few years ago I was with the three guys I trip with once a year. They are 15, 15 and 23 years younger than I am. We ran into a couple of "old guys" on a portage. The four of us agreed it was nice to see "old guys" in the middle of Quetico. That night, in casual conversation around the fire, they estimated the two "old guys" that we saw were------------yep, about my age. Perspective indeed."

This reminded me of my first solo trip this past summer. A group of 9 Boy Scouts caught up to me at the portage from Hatchet into Ima, just as I was picking up my second load. We had a brief conversation; they were a very polite bunch of guys. They were from Texas. They were impressed that I was traveling alone and had been out 8 days so far. One of the adult leaders asked me how old I was, guessing in the mid-50s. When I told them I was 67, they were even more impressed. Maybe the tone was more one of hope. The leader encouraged his boys that they could keep doing adventurous things like going to the BWCA all their lives. That was encouraging to me, too.

Ausable: "

GraniteCliffs: "It is all perspective, isn't it?
A few years ago I was with the three guys I trip with once a year. They are 15, 15 and 23 years younger than I am. We ran into a couple of "old guys" on a portage. The four of us agreed it was nice to see "old guys" in the middle of Quetico. That night, in casual conversation around the fire, they estimated the two "old guys" that we saw were------------yep, about my age. Perspective indeed."

This reminded me of my first solo trip this past summer. A group of 9 Boy Scouts caught up to me at the portage from Hatchet into Ima, just as I was picking up my second load. We had a brief conversation; they were a very polite bunch of guys. They were from Texas. They were impressed that I was traveling alone and had been out 8 days so far. One of the adult leaders asked me how old I was, guessing in the mid-50s. When I told them I was 67, they were even more impressed. Maybe the tone was more one of hope. The leader encouraged his boys that they could keep doing adventurous things like going to the BWCA all their lives. That was encouraging to me, too."

Being age 69 now I remember when I was much younger I though age 65 was very ancient.

bhouse46......I agree with you about slowing down, enjoying and appreciating things more. Even if you win the rat race you're still a rat :))
I take the "real" as being true to one's self, being accepting of others, not to fear, and not to hate. That seems to have come with age, at least for me.
This is a good phase of my life. I don't think I've ever been happier and am thankful that I can still do the things I love doing.
Safe travels........

rtallent: "Yep... someone called me 'spry' the other day.... that's about as good as it gets, I guess. I'm not climbing trees anymore, unless a bear is after me, and even then I might just stop and try to argue. But appreciation grows even while horsepower slides."

Whenever we talk about you around the campfire, Ray, we always say, "Why, isn't he just a spry, little lad!".

Age really doesn't bother me, because I am just damn glad to be here. And, amazed I made it this far. ; )

A friend and I once bushwacked into a lake in the hinterlands of Quetico. We set up camp and caught a few fish, feeling pretty proud of ourselves to get to a place where no one goes. Two guys who had to be 70 then paddled around a point in the lake, in an aluminum canoe, and were only slightly less surprised to see us than we were to see them.

Old guys can still get it done. :)

Works both ways to some extent. Met a guy at the Sawbill landing a couple of years back. After some cursory introductions and small talk, he said he couldn't believe I was 70. I didn't want to say I couldn't believe he was only 55. I think he was rode hard and put away wet more than a few times.

I'm not 64 years old - I'm at "Level 64".
My Mother is at "Level 86"!