Traveling for People Over 50
The truth we might need to accept about adventure as we age.
A couple of weeks ago, I celebrated my 55th birthday on this planet, which feels so crazy because my mind still thinks I’m in my early 20s. The years seem to pass much more quickly these days!
Regardless, every day is a gift, and I’m incredibly grateful for each moment I’ve been given, even as days grow shorter and the aging process sets in. And although I move more slowly and have more pain, life is good.
Yet things are changing, especially when it comes to travel.
I have always been drawn to the philosophy of taking the road less traveled and pursuing the dream of romantic adventure travel. Like many other brave adventurers, I yearn for the opportunity to explore the wilderness with reckless abandon and wonder, testing my abilities to overcome arduous challenges in the quest for self-sustaining and self-reliance.
So when we first began our adventure five years ago, I envisioned spending most of our time on remote wilderness roads, utilizing my survival skills, and boondocking in isolated spots, all while taking epic 15-mile hikes to explore the beautiful summits of mountains throughout the country.
Of course, the mass commercialization of the overlanding industry only helped fuel this dream. Watching the high-definition YouTube videos of off-road gurus, along with the brilliant advertising of outdoor brands, cemented the belief that I, too, could embark on an adventure of a lifetime.
I bought into it fully—hook, line, and sinker!
The billions of dollars spent on gear and vehicles confirm that we, as humans, are eager to discover a thrill that we will likely never experience again. The thirst for adventure speaks volumes to our souls, convincing us to be entirely in, no matter what the cost, because it is our destiny.
The story is so beautiful, so mesmerizing.
Only the stories told by marketing departments and brand influencers don’t tell you the whole truth: the epic journey can be challenging, especially for those of us over 50.
It’s been said that age is just a number, and for the most part, I would agree. With proper nutrition, strength training, and the benefits of modern science, we can prolong the effects of aging and enjoy more opportunities to pursue our desires. We’re not done until we are done.
But that only goes so far.
There are moments when our bodies can no longer withstand the physical demands of driving through rugged terrain, hiking steep grades, carrying heavy equipment, or sleeping on inadequate camping mats. There comes a time when the exchange between pain and adventure is no longer worth it.
Over the last several months, this has been my reality as I battle severe arthritis and nerve pain in my hips and legs, likely brought on by years of abuse in sports and the military. And while my youthful mind tells me I can still endure the extreme adventures, the truth is my body cannot.
It’s why we’re adapting our travel lifestyle and buying a camper van.
Accepting this fact has been difficult because I’m not ready to give up on the dream that those marketing campaigns sell me. I’m the Generation X guy who didn’t wear a helmet or seatbelt, who lived and breathed Red Dawn, and the self-trained ninja who jumped off roofs and out of trees. I did the crazy shit and lived to tell about it.
Unfortunately, those days are gone.
Yet all is not lost!
The truth is that I, and people like me, can still discover the thrill of adventure travel, even if it requires giving up living in a rooftop tent for more appropriate comfort, or not taking that 8-hour climb to the summit of Twin Sisters Peak and riding a bike around the lake instead.
When I consider our plans for the future, they're not focused on significant accomplishments like summiting Mount Hood or hiking the entire Appalachian Trail. Instead, I think about enjoying the activities I can do, like watching elk in Estes Park, taking an easy hike in Sedona, snorkeling in Aruba, or sharing beers with friends around a campfire at an RV park. That’s good enough for me.
So, the journey is what we make it.
My encouragement to those of us over 50 is to embrace our age and any limitations we may face, without feeling guilty or less than for not being the poster child for the extreme adventurer sold to the youth. It’s normal and acceptable to set aside those crazy dreams for simpler ones.
Perhaps there are still opportunities to push the limits, but it’s OK if there aren’t.
What do you think?