I am now at the point where things should be exciting, and they are getting there. It’s just under 1.25 years until I am eligible to start my pension. I’ve moved already to what I expect will be my retirement home. I am ready to start testing my plan – More on that in a minute. BUT, a complication has presented itself.
I knew from the moment I left Atlanta as a remote employee that the possibility existed I might be called back to the office. I took the risk anyways, though, hoping it would never happen. Well, it has happened. And I am currently waiting for an appeal submitted by my boss on my behalf to be either approved or denied. I should know sometime this week. But either way, now is the time to start preparing – Just having to commute weekly to Atlanta will cause some complications.
First on the list is to start getting in shape – Remember, I have the post-retirement goal of hiking one or more (hopefully all three) of the major long trails. In recent years I have let my cardio health slip a little. I get a bit winded just hiking up a hill. So step one will be taking part in the cardio classes offered at my gym. Once I am comfortable with those, I will step up to maybe joining a boot camp or Orange Theory. The final step will be multiple visits to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. It’s about a 3 hour drive from me, but there are around 800 miles (1288 km) of trails in the park varying from easy to having steep inclines. My thought is to take my backpack to see how well I navigate the climbs. That will also allow me to test my gear as well – Will my backpack be comfortable, is everything too heavy, etc. Finally, I am working in a daily yoga routine to stretch out muscles and joints – As you get older, the aches and pains need more attention. Hopefully this will nip a lot of those aches and pains before the become problems.
In terms of gear, I’ve started compiling a list of items I would like:
| Tent | Zpacks Pivot Solo Tent | |
| Emergency | Garmin GPSMAP 67i | |
| Stove | MSR WhisperLite Universal Stove | |
| Orthodics | For size 13.5 shoes | |
I am aware this is not a very extensive list, but these are items I have settled on based on previous back woods experiences. For my tent, I currently have an REI quarter dome, and it is ok. It has served me very well, and I may still use it in the future. But two things. One, it is heavy – About 3.5 pounds (1.6 kg) when dry. Second, I absolutely hate having to attach the rainfly as a second step to setting it up – I have been in the rain before, and the inside of the tent just got wet while I tried to get the fly on. Yes, I know there is a very clever way to set up the fly first, but I will never be that coordinated at the end of a days hike. Also, I may need more than one – Watching Dixie in Homemade Wanderlust I know her tents only lasted one thru hike. For communication I am curious about a satellite phone option I now have with T-moble. I will look into that before I buy a Gamin. Finally, the stove I am settling on is one that takes many types of fuel. My cousin and her husband used the same stove on their 2011 AT thru hike. I like the idea of not having to track down cans of specific fuel before heading out in the Wyoming basin, or something similar. I will absolutely add more gear as I think through, and work through, my plans. But that is my starting point. I posted a GoFundMe in my last, lame, post but should anyone contribute then know the funds are going towards gear.
And lastly, I have some safety / survival classes that I am planning to take. The Nantahala Outdoor Center offers all sorts of classes year round. They are only 2.5 hours away – Plus they also have satellite locations, so I may be able to find one nearby. And then I have been kicking around a winter survival course offered up in New Hampshire, probably this coming winter. Part of my plan may involve me doing an over-winter AT SOBO. Seems like having some winter survival skills might be a smart thing to get.
So, testing my plan…. My pension will represent a pay cut. A significant pay cut. That is one of the main reasons I left Atlanta – It would have been far too expensive. But I need to test if I can survive on what I will be getting paid from my pension. Let me see what news I get from work this week. If I am given a reprieve, then I will start that test this month. I’ll let you all know how it goes.
So that is where I am today. I am optimistic, but cautiously so. I am catching glimpses of a light at the end of the tunnel, a light of my new phase in life about to begin.
#GenX #Retirement #RetirementPlanning #Adventure #GenerationX #Backpacking #SmallTown #SpartanburgSC #Spartanburg #RemoteWork #ReturnToOffice #ThruHike #ThruHikePlanning
Will's GenX Adventure 