# How did you or others, celebrate their lst yr. of retirement



## jlunfirst (1 mo ago)

Methinks I will take a trip. Probably within Canada. It won't be that long of a trip since I don't have the money nor do I drive. I haven't figured out retirement yr.

My partner gifted himself after last wk. of work @58, by solo cycling and camping for 6 months in north and south parts of New Zealand. Then I met up with him in Hawai'i where we biked and b 'n b'd on Big Hawai'i and Kauai.

He did train up prior year by cycling solo across Canada from VAncouver to Toronto in 45 days...with part of trip during aftermath of Sept.11, 2001.

A good friend, a 84-yr. old grandmother and former nurse, also after she retired @65, she too cycling solo 50%, remaining was with another woman, from VAncouver to Nfld.


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## Ponderling (Mar 1, 2013)

Retirement is the last phase of life after working.

And it takes some more than 3 years to get into the new groove. 

So why get wound up after 1 year with a need to commemorate?


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## AltaRed (Jun 8, 2009)

Travel was certainly on my list as well as a few recreational activities. However, as post #2 said, I found it was a 2-3 year progression to get to one's sweet spot.


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## ian (Jun 18, 2016)

Sold our house. Downsized into a storage container. Travelled for seven months. Europe, Africa, Central America, and USA. Then rented a furnished apartment in town for three months.


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## Dilbert (Nov 20, 2016)

Getting on a plane and travelling were the last things on my mind after a travel heavy career, but I did order a Mustang GT PP2 for the summers and taking to the track…


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## AltaRed (Jun 8, 2009)

Dilbert said:


> Getting on a plane and travelling were the last things on my mind after a travel heavy career, but I did order a Mustang GT PP2 for the summers and taking to the track…


I bought myself an Infiniti M35X in 2006 when I retired. Just replaced it this past summer with a 2022 Mustang GT Premium convertible (no PP).  I am too old to have reaction times and reflexes for a track equipped version.


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## Dilbert (Nov 20, 2016)

^ Suweet, I hope you got the active exhaust! It’s a riot.


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## jlunfirst (1 mo ago)

I'm lazyily looking into maybe planning a trip to Haida Gwai'i, off the northern B.C. coast....as maybe the lst post-retirement trip. The other person would be a now early retiree from Toronto. It's matter dealing with pricing when best time with least probability of heavy rain, would be in summer or maybe into early fall.

I've only travelled up to Prince Rupert by BC Ferry. After I spent time in Campbell River area and took a zodiac wilderness group trip which included a surprise visit of over 20 wild dolphins. That made up for not seeing a whale. We did see sea lions, eagle, bear..etc.

I have been to some of the Gulf islands several times and Tofino when lived in VAncouver. One could spend alot of time in CAnada just travelling.


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## jlunfirst (1 mo ago)

Now, it looks like I'll have to postpone Haida Gwai'i trip since friend's vacation condo in Calgary has to be fixed due to water damage for several condo units in her bldg. She has to fly in from Toronto to look after stuff. Anyway, she and I will talk about maybe going on a charter fishing boat with a local company. Neither of us have fished. 

We are outdoors folks. She has done several cycle touring trips overseas, on her own, and bikes around in Toronto. She is car-free but has a license and uses car-share.

Yesterday another good friend of mine told me of a friend she knows who has gone on several charter fishing trips on west coast. Sounds like a big fish haul which I understand a crew member cleans and pkgs. fish to ship homeward. Latter sounds incedibly expensive.
Too bad I haven't learned out to gut any fish. I just have removed fish scales, rinse fish lightly and cut up whole dressed fish for freezer.

I have never learned how to gut a chicken, etc. either.


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## Eager Beaver (11 mo ago)

I’m reading these replies with interest. It will be interesting to see what I come up with once I have no work schedule to deal with. A long road trip with no schedule is on my list. Van camping maybe. We’ve had a motorhome land truck and trailer during our working years. A little too big in my opinion. Thinking about a class B van. But expensive! Holy.


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## Mukhang pera (Feb 26, 2016)

jlunfirst said:


> Now, it looks like I'll have to postpone Haida Gwai'i trip since friend's vacation condo in Calgary has to be fixed due to water damage for several condo units in her bldg. She has to fly in from Toronto to look after stuff. Anyway, she and I will talk about maybe going on a charter fishing boat with a local company. Neither of us have fished.
> 
> We are outdoors folks. She has done several cycle touring trips overseas, on her own, and bikes around in Toronto. She is car-free but has a license and uses car-share.
> 
> ...


Be sure to make the trip to the QCI when you can. Those islands are beautiful. Also, probably the best fishing on the BC coast. I have fished at Langara Lodge a few times. It was never cheap, but now it looks like a 5-day trip for 2 runs about $14,000. I would not pay that. Especially because it's not the wilderness fishing it once was. Langara takes 65 guests and they are no longer the sole operator there. 

My first trip Langara trip was within a year or so of first opening. They took 18 guests, 2 to a room, 2 to a boat. The lodge was a converted MacMillan Bloedel work boat, the M.V. Samson. No guides. But, they did a good job. Each pair of guests would have a boat assigned at start of the trip. When you went to your boat, it was always ready, gassed up, tackle all set, a cooler full of herring bait ready, etc. When you returned to the dock, they did everything. Collected and cleaned your catch, put on ice, etc. So, there were only 18 people fishing the entire area. Rarely would you be close to another boat. Sometimes, no other in sight. I would guess by now it's like having the Spanish Armada out there with you. Lots of fish. 50-pound chinooks were normal. 150-lb. halibut.

But there's good fishing much less far afield. I used to fish there a lot and I would think Port Hardy is still very good. Never fished on west coast of Vancouver Island, but I think there are some good bets around Bamfield, Port Alberni, Tofino, etc.

Now, I live not far from Campbell River, which still calls itself the "Salmon Capital of the World". Sadly, no longer the case. Salmon are there, for sure, but not like the old days. Find out where the friend of the friend has chartered. Might be a good lead. If you end up around C. River, and looking for ideas, send me a pm if you like and we can compare notes. I know one fellow who grew up around here, has a nice boat and, for friends of friends, will take people out fishing. He's not officially in the business and does not want to be. But he's happy taking the odd "charter" and does not charge typical charter/guided rates. Most years he only spends a few days like that. He's not out there looking for business.

I have lived in the area for years and I can always catch a fish, but I don't see fishing around here worth paying a lot of money for. Sure, I can catch a rockfish from my dock any time I want one. They are actually very good eating. Lingcod and cabezon and a few other such fish are usually plentiful. I have to get in my boat and go half a mile for those. As for salmon, I can usually catch one if I want, but not always assured. I have got a know a few spots close to home (well, last summer, a friend caught a 28-lb. chinook off my dock, which I have never managed to do). I take to the boat to chase salmon, but I am lazy about it. Almost all salmon fishing around here is now done by trolling with downriggers. They are a hassle. By the time I spent about $1,000 to buy 2 fancy, electric downriggers, I learned where and how to catch salmon in about 80 feet of water with no more than a lure and, depending on tide, maybe a 4-ounce banana weight. Just drift fishing. Burning no gas. If I don't catch a salmon within 30 minutes, I quit and go catch something else for dinner. And prawns and crab are easy to get, especially prawns. Ditto for clams and oysters. So yes, you can still charter out of Campbell River, probably with some of the long-established places, like Painter's Lodge and a number of others. But I doubt the quality of fishing is there these days.


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## jlunfirst (1 mo ago)

Mukhang pera said:


> Be sure to make the trip to the QCI when you can. Those islands are beautiful. Also, probably the best fishing on the BC coast. I have fished at Langara Lodge a few times. It was never cheap, but now it looks like a 5-day trip for 2 runs about $14,000. I would not pay that. Especially because it's not the wilderness fishing it once was. Langara takes 65 guests and they are no longer the sole operator there.
> 
> My first trip Langara trip was within a year or so of first opening. They took 18 guests, 2 to a room, 2 to a boat. The lodge was a converted MacMillan Bloedel work boat, the M.V. Samson. No guides. But, they did a good job. Each pair of guests would have a boat assigned at start of the trip. When you went to your boat, it was always ready, gassed up, tackle all set, a cooler full of herring bait ready, etc. When you returned to the dock, they did everything. Collected and cleaned your catch, put on ice, etc. So, there were only 18 people fishing the entire area. Rarely would you be close to another boat. Sometimes, no other in sight. I would guess by now it's like having the Spanish Armada out there with you. Lots of fish. 50-pound chinooks were normal. 150-lb. halibut.
> 
> ...


thx for this advice so far, Mukhang. I will let you know, but might be awhile. It does sound like the fish volumes have been peetering out for past few decades. My visit to Campbell River was my first visit to B.C. (before living in VAncouver).

While in Campbell River, I stumbled into this local Japanese restaurant, Koto. Japanese restaurant in Campbell River, B.C., closing after 39 years | CBC News I was so impressed, that there appeared to be enough locals/non-Japanese enjoying the sushi and sashimi. This is before sushi and sashimi hit Toronto in a big way. I enjoyed my meal and now realized this film about the restaurant 2 decades later, was that same wonderful local gem. CBC Gem - Koto: The Last Service - Koto: The Last Service


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## Mukhang pera (Feb 26, 2016)

jlunfirst said:


> ...
> While in Campbell River, I stumbled into this local Japanese restaurant, Koto. Japanese restaurant in Campbell River, B.C., closing after 39 years | CBC News I was so impressed, that there appeared to be enough locals/non-Japanese enjoying the sushi and sashimi. This is before sushi and sashimi hit Toronto in a big way. I enjoyed my meal and now realized this film about the restaurant 2 decades later, was that same wonderful local gem. CBC Gem - Koto: The Last Service - Koto: The Last Service


Yes, Koto was a gem. Went there many times.


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