I'm 54 years old, and I'm tired. I'm tired of working for the same old company, and just bored in general. I have done many things in my life and did well at it, but I think I'm reaching the age to where I need to fulfill my life's dream before I get too old.

I think I have a lot of common sense, and what I'm thinking of makes no sense at all.

I'm thinking of quitting my job, selling everything I own, pulling all of my money out of my 401ks and yea, take the tax hit, buying a motorcycle and just ride. I'm thinking heading through Baja and eventually end up in Argentina during the winter next year, and then head north to Alaska during the summer.

I have enough saved to live for 4-5 years and I keep reading these riding reports on this forum that just makes me feel like a caged animal.

http://www.advrider.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=2

I think there comes a point in life, where you have to make a hard choice based on the time you have left. Some call it a "Bucket List" and some question the intelligence of doing something so radical while they sit on the couch watching American Idol.

If I don't do this by the end of the year, it's my goal to start in 2014.

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Gary

Dude, you need to live your dream before it's too late. My great grandpa has a vintage Harley that he can't even ride because of his bad back. Get out there and live it.

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1984 Squier Contemporary Stratocaster
1986 Peavey Envoy 110
1967 Kingston Acoustic

I think if you think hard enough, you'll find a way to accomplish you dream without such a drastic risk to your future wellbeing. Riding a motorcyle around, doesn't take much money. You mostly need a way to find the time.
I don't know how old you are, but I'm 61. If I wanted to, I could retire next year, and I see no reason that I couldn't handle an adventure like you describe.
So, what I'm saying is, see if you can take a leave of absense, extended vacation, or sabbatical from work to take a few scaled down versions of your dream and see if it's what you expected it to be. If it is, work towards an early retirement that you can live with into your old age. Once you stop earning, it's hard to change your destiny.
I'm in pretty good shape physically. So, I see my 60's as the time to find some of my dreams that I passed over years ago. Your 60's is not too late as far as I'm concerned.
Good luck.

Edit: Sorry, I missed you were 54. My dad retired at 60 to do other things. Six years is not that long if you have a goal to work towards.

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'10 American Deluxe HSS Sunset Metallic
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'07 Les Paul Standard Faded LCPG #82
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'66 Guild Starfire IV w/Bigsby
'14 Warmouth Partscaster Daphne Blue

I'd say you're too young to retire. Be realistic.

Just buy the bike and ride on your weekends and holidays Hou Tex....It's still a blast!!!

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Gary, A Bro of mine just rode his new Gold Wing over to show me. He rides with a group of Bros from work. Doing things that you want to do is good for ones psyche some times. You can fly to Argentina and Alaska then rent a bike while you're there. That will keep riding in traffic down to only when necessary. If you're going to retire early I want you to stay healthy

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you can save the world with your guitar one love song at a time it's just better, more fun, easier with a fender solid body electric guitar or electric bass guitar.

I think everyone gets a form of cabin fever with regard to their life at some point. Particularly at this age. Actually there is a term for it. It's called mid-life-crisis. I suggest before making any life changing decisions you read up on it and see what your possible options might be for dealing with it without harming your future. I would bet there's likely some way to alleviate your pangs without completely abandoning your previous plans, which in all likelyhood you spent considerable time putting into place.

My 2¢.

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Just think of how awesome a guitar player you could have been by now if you had only spent the last 10 years practicing instead of obsessing over pickups and roasted maple necks.

Why wait? You're not going crazy, in fact, you're becoming normal. What most people consider normal, is insane and hypnotized. Working for most of your life, doing the same thing every single bloody day, following ridiculous rules and letting ad's have a great influence on your thinking. Yeah, that's living, for sure

Go out there and do it, screw what society and 'people' say.

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former user radio_friendly_unit_shifter

Hi Hou-Tex: I don't know what the point is of being alive if you don't follow instincts like this to see, do and feel as much of what the world has to offer as you can fit in. If the universe was put there for anything it's gotta be for being experienced, right?

So go. Do.

...Though I also think what other guys are saying is right. No sense blowing the rest of your life out the water if you can help it. I'm only a little younger than you: we know we've passed the halfway point in life, but we may well have decades still ahead of us, and we don't want to jeopardise them if we can help it. So think ahead. Have some reaslistic idea of what you'll do when you get back.

I know a guy who did just about exactly what you're talking about, taking a couple of years to bike down through South America. Absolutely brilliant, by all accounts. Still, he's a successful chef, and that's a job you can walk back into later without much difficulty, which is what he did. He was responding to the call of the wild but he wasn't acting crazy.

Also. If you want to travel in the hope that some unforeseeable and fabulous thing comes along to take your life in a whole new direction - well that is a bad reason to set out, because it is extremely likely not to happen. Travel is fabulous but it's not about finding answers and fixing problems or holes in your life. You do that by addressing problems face on, not by hoping a journey is somehow going to do it for you.

I've travelled a heck of a lot. I've visited over 40 countries, most of them several times, a majority for months at a time. It's great: you learn so much about other places, other people, and about yourself and where you come from. And sunrise through the mist on mountain tops - yadda yadda, all that stuff. But what you don't do is have some huge spiritual awakening, and if that is what you're looking for - it probably ain't going to work out.

I've encountered numerous people wandering the world looking for... something - and I've noticed they almost never find it. It's the wrong reason to travel.

So while you're thinking about what happens after the journey, just check up on your motivations too. It's quite important.

Best wishes - C

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Live your dreams but think further than just 4 - 5 years!
You need some financial security for your older ages!

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Kindest regards from Germany, Dee
My recordings --> http://www.soundclick.com/bands/page_mu ... dID=564337
STRATS ROCK!!! but Teles and Firebirds, too!

Im all for it.

Gary, I'm a year older than you are, I've been in IT since there "was" IT.

My only thought was you should read Ghost Rider by Neil Pert. sounds like exactly what you are looking at, but he did it for way different reasons. You don't need to be a Rush fan either to enjoy this book.

I must be crazier. I've had similar thoughts, and I'm only 40. I've had the dream of being a full time musician since age 16. Watched ex-bandmates keep playing through the years, do small tours, but I chose to get married and have a kid late in life. My boy is only 13. I can't just quit all that now.

I've had the same thoughts as you also. I ride my bike everyday to work. Been riding for years, and have only been on 1 leisure ride. Just don't have the time. Got a buddy that just rode to Sturgis. Keeps posting pics on Facebook. Doesn't help.

Make sure that's what you want to do, and just do it.

It's a long ride to Alaska from Houston. Hell, it's a long ride to Centerville from Houston, really only about 2 hours. I moved there a few years ago and thought I would just ride my bike there, because the truck and trailer were always loaded down. I almost couldn't walk when I got there, but I don't have a touring bike either. Just a little Suzuki Intruder 800.

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2000 American Deluxe Stratocaster
2011 Gibson Les Paul Trad Pro 50's
2007 Epi Les Paul Custom
90's ESP Eclipse
JH-1B Jimi Hendrix Crybaby
Analogman KOT
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Boss NS-2 PH-2
Blues Deluxe Reissue
1999 & 2007 Marshall TSL 100 w/1960BV cab

@Hou-Tex:



Watch the movies "The bucket list" and "the World's fastest Indian". Start from there, the sky is the limit!

Cheers

David


// http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0825232/
// http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0412080/

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"Humans think they are smarter than dolphins because we build cars and buildings and start wars etc...and all that dolphins do is swim in the water, eat fish and play around. Dolphins believe that they are smarter for exactly the same reasons."

I say go for it and do it if you really want it, but try to make sure that you have some fall back options financially so you don't leave yourself in trouble down the road then you can go for it full bore.

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Luck won't do it and ignorance can't

George Van Eps.