Sad to get old...

Even more sad…
Not to get old!



Quote attributed to George Burns among others:



Interviewer: You’re getting pretty old.

Burns: Yeah, and I hope to get a lot older.

Yeah yeah yeah - -
You can get away with that when you live in a place where asphalt has a liquid state.



When you have to go home at 3:00 in the morning down snow covered unplowed, unsalted, drifting roads that are only 11 feet wide in the summertime, you soon learn to appreciate a little ground clearance. Getting out and walking home is not an option. Parking along the side usually means being in the ditch or someones field.



Just like my wife would say - - 6 inches just isn’t enough

Here is how the real old people do it.
with a F-150 4x4.

I (age 70) get under the bow, and she (almost the same age) holds the stern.

I set it up on the rear saddles, and then doing pushups move it forward until it reaches it’s fulcrum point, at which time I tell her to let go of the stern, and the bow then settles down on the front saddles.

I then use the ladder from the side of the truck, and do some more sideways pushups to get it forward into travel position, and then using the ladder tie it down.

When we head south, I take the saddles off and use Thule J cradles which allows us to carry the canoe between the yaks.

I load with them the same way.



Where there is a will there is a way !



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cheers,

JackL

Not bad, Jack…
However, my F150 is about a foot taller than yours…and I usually paddle/drive alone so there is nobody to help out. I noticed that the last two times I paddled with a group, other paddlers made efforts to look busy with their own boats once they saw how tall my rig was!!!



And I don’t blame 'em!!!



I actually like the independence of loading my boat myself as it means i don’t HAVE TO paddle with anyone so lets me go when I can get away.



As to the paddler with the E150 - a rack near the back edge of a pickup is not a reality unless you have the goal post setups, which I don’t. When I had a SUV, I used (and still have) one of those little roller things that you slide in between your rear door and roof to help you out. They are pretty nice but useless on a truck.



Thanks everyone!!! And if you get anywhere from New Haven to Westerly RI and want to paddle, drop me a line!



Best



Scott

Soon to be 55
That’s why I’m thinking about a trailer!


Something to look forward to?
My hero is the grandlady of sea kayaking, Audrey Sutherland. In an interview last year at the age of 83 (in Sea Kayaker magazine), she talked about the expeditions she was still planning along the coast of Alaska [solo!] and said that “when (she) gets old” she’ll start doing her trips from a base camp. She does paddle an inflatable boat, so maybe she doesn’t have the same problem with loading it on her vehicle as the rest of us!

Yep, I have

– Last Updated: Oct-04-06 1:27 AM EST –

"Have any of you other "not quite senior citizens" been swallowing your pride as of late? I would like to know I am not the only one!"

Used to pride myself on hefting the old Alumacraft up on the racks.

Last year I gave in and bought a Ranger Otter - should've done it years ago...

Little Rollie Thing
Hey Scott,



On an aside, how does that little rollie thing work? Thinking of picking up one of those to assist with my own age issues. My CR-V is not incredibly tall, but the heavier the boat…putting the tandem up there solo is like an Olympic lift-you get one shot.



Okay, two shoulder spurs, two heel spurs, some lower back issue, and flirting with sciatica-still, there’s life in this old(er) pickup yet. What I love about paddling is that I can easily mix it up with the young kids-don’t think I’d try that on the wrestling mat anymore. The worst part is reminiscing about the condition I used to be in (pan to slow piano music, dreamy, far off horizon shot…). What is it they say?

‘The older I get, the faster I was.’ There’s a veritable buffet of ibuprofen out there…today feels like a Tylenol morning…



Mark

Pride and …logic
There’s a line from a clint eastwood movie that goes: “‘Man needs to know his limitations’”

So; to answer your question, yes.

Couple of years back, I set out on the Erie Canal in an eastword direction. I went way too far and found myself not only battling an ever stiffening wind but the current as it seemed that was the day for everyone to lock thru down in Lockport NY.

I had the stable but slow perception america and by the time I got back to the takeout I had NO arm left.

I dragged the america up onto the wooden walk by the launch and simply sat down.

Two guys in their 20s asked: Do you need a hand Mr.?

It took 5 seconds for logic to overcome pride and I graciously accepted their offer to lift the 56lb america up onto the J racks on the Ranger.

That event gave birth to the 40lb Artic tern.


Tired arms and shoulders?

– Last Updated: Oct-04-06 8:20 AM EST –

> at the end of a long paddle I just lack the ability to lift my boat up that high

Ummm... that means you are not doing a proper forward stroke. After a long paddle, if you were rotating from the hips and spine as you should, your arms and shoulders would not be particularly tired.

Also, on a long paddle you should be using a slower cadence, pausing before each stroke. That reduces the demand on your body by a ton with little loss of speed, at least in a hull suited to distance paddling.

And that brings up another question... what boat are you paddling? Almost any good kayak in the 16+ foot range will do... but you still gotta use a good forward stroke, tuned to distance.

All this is even more important as you get older... I speak from experience ;-)))

--David.

Yep
"Have any of you other “not quite senior citizens” been swallowing your pride as of late?



Yep. I’m 49, in average shape. I played competetive soccer in my teen years and early 20s and sporadically since, both as a field player and a pretty good goalkeeper.



Last month I joined an over 30 team as a GK. I noticed that a lot of balls were getting by me that never would have before. My reaction time just was not what it was. The darn ball is in the net before I even move sometimes.



I decided to swallow my pride, gave up my goalie gloves and became a field player.



Maybe if I join an over 50 league next year I can handle that.




Simple
Mark



Just slide it in between the rear liftgate and the roof line and there it is ready for use. Contact me on email and send my your address…you can have mine.



Scott

Yeah its not that great to get old.
However, you got to stay active or your done. I’m 65 and stay pretty active. I load my yak which is 65lbs on the roof of my low Prius. The Prius is a perfect car for a senior citizen, 50mpg plus it’s a low car. The extra money saved on gas is great when your on a fixed income.

FishHawk

Michigan is north of Ohio
Ohio winters are just practice for us :slight_smile:



I live in a township w. dirt roads and drive to construction sites, plus I haul 90 miles minimum each workday on our wonderfully antiqued assortment of freeways.



Never owned an SUV larger than a Toyota RAV4 and never owned a vehicle with 4WD. Manage just fine 99% of the time, shovel out if I screwup. Never been towed out of snow in 29 years out here.



In winters I ride with a shovel, mats, an extra heavy down jacket, large LED lantern, water, snacks and a sleeping bag. Human kindness and consideration for other drivers is also handy.



Sometimes SUV drivers get into winter driving situations just because they are overconfident in their vehicles and their driving abilities. We might need a “Deep Trouble” written just for them.



If you want a behemoth SUV and the triple chined heavy rotomolded 70lb kayak and you’ve weighed the pros and cons, fine. Don’t mock the dude who assessed his needs differently and decided to work smarter, not harder. I like loading my 41 lb kayak onto a 66" vehicle roof and still manage to get 32-36 mpg and not be found intact and frozen in the odd late spring drift.



As for the six inches: ummmmm, I think some men are awfully poor estimators of that particular length. Wives either buy into it or pretend to, which is the loving thing to do.



That 67 year young man rocks, btw. Dreams and goals keep you young.



And might even add inches :wink:














No matter what age…

– Last Updated: Oct-04-06 11:14 PM EST –

No matter what your age; it is a wise person who makes good decisions, and it adaptable to change.

Those who make good decisions, and are adaptable, suffer fewer "natural consequences".

A good example of making a good decision is to ask for help if/when you need it. Adapt to the fact that you "are" getting older, and understand that you will need help more often as you age.

The positive natural consequences of this good decision making & adaptability is that things that are difficult will be easier with a little help, and you will be less likely to injure yourself.

Some people actually like helping others. You can return the favor by volunteering to help others. You might grow to like it yourself.

I don't worry about lifting my 17 foot Grumman onto my truck rack; I sold it. When I can't lift some of the Royalex solos I own, I'll sell them too.

I don't worry about being 63.
When I'm doing whitewater, I don't see crowds of people my age. I must be doing something right?

Getting old is not a bad thing when you consider the alternative.

You aren't old yet?
You will be, or you'll be dead.

Deal with it!

Pass the Ibuprofen..........

BOB

Message Thread Update
Gosh - this is a bit embarrassing after all these great messages, but…ahem…



I had to cancel my order for the Hull-a-vator after all as I found out it wouldn’t fit the bars on my Yakima rack. They extend the minimum 2 inches past the goal posts when the hull-a-vator requires a minimum of 4 inches outside clearance. When I spoke to the sales rep today I was asked if I wanted to add new crossbars to the order and I suddenly hit the point of putting too much into this system. I told them no-I don’t think so - and cancelled the order.



So - sorry if I disappoint anyone but will look for another alternative whilst I heft my boat with the use of a small stool and more effort. Time to increase my weight workouts and maybe include some yoga for balance and flexibility!



Scott

It would have been a rude awakening
to rotate the arms down, only to have them smash into the door panels! Se la vie. Did I spell that right?



Jim

2 years of spanish

NOT, CONSIDERING THE ALTERNATIVE!
Like Grayhawk, we went lower & lighter. Seems that at 58 & 56, every year the Jeep got an inch taller, the boats got an inch heavier, and WE got an inch OLDER…!



So last year we went with a nice Mazda6S SportWagon. And while Sally’s Hurricane Tracer is a nice 48# that even I can as yet STILL easily handle solo, I’m still looking for a day boat to allow me to keep the 72# roto, ruddered Perception Eclipse for fall & winter camping expeditions, so it’s easier for me on casual day trips to



PADDLE ON!



-Frank in Miami.

But Bob …
Will they still love you when your 64?



I can hear the rendezvous coming. I’m counting the days on my short timer’s calendar :slight_smile:

Will they still love me?
Well if they don’t; they won’t be welcome at the cottage we rent every Summer…



Good one Vic!



BOB