[pct-l] Retired Backpackers & THE COMING REVOLUTION

[losthiker at sisqtel.net (Deems)]

I hope to retire in six years, with my health, and to begin a life of 
serious backpacking. For 40 years, I've been practicing my wilderness 
skills, and only consider myself an experienced trainee. Your sharing this 
view of your personal life has given me and many more a definite moment to 
take a reflecting step back, think of ourselves and you,  and then to 
continue our hike through life and on the trail that fires our spirit. .  I 
extend a wish to you that you may bask in the glow of many more spectacular 
sunsets and campfires, walk many more dusty trail miles, and greet those 
that you meet with the continued spirit and grace for which you are known. A 
simple lifestyle is it's own reward.  I too, don't like sleeping with live 
chickens. Their clocks clash with mine.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
I deliberately made some huge life decisions about 13 years ago when I was
diagnosed with a liver problem that was going to result in eventual
transplant, that being the best case scenario. I was given a timeline of
about 5 years, 10 at the outside.

So, I quit working and started making money by writing and any other thing
that actually put money in my pocket. Reorganized my life to have good
weather seasons off to play and bad weather to work. I decided my 750 sq ft
house was plenty big, especially since it has land around it so no more
money spent on bigger, better anything, including cars.

I figure the sicker I am the harder I need to play to keep ahead of it. I'm
now 13 years into it and am just now going on the transplant list and got
told it would be another 5 years before I really needed one. So obviously
my strategy is working, That or they have a math problem.
:-)

I owe most of this to thinking about money outside the box, and my boyfriend
who foots the bills and stays home with the goats to I can do 'therapy" by
hiking.

One of the things my dad said when he retired was that if he had to do it
over, he would have played more and worked less. Fortunately at the age of 
79
he is still hiking every day. I most likely won't be around that long but
every time I think about my decision I am sure I made the right one for me.

Oh, and if I have to sleep with chickens, I'd rather die.

Carolyn Eddy
"Sweet Goat Mama"