I think about that often - exercise and stay active. I’m my early 60’s. I have a couple of friends that I paddle with regularly that are in their mid 70’s, and they manage fine. We do tend to baby them a little. They are not doing the bigger stuff (not that I am doing the real big stuff either), they are the first ones to jump into someone’s tandem boat (good with me - I like paddling tandem, and both are great tandem paddlers), and we usually help them lug the heavey stuff around. Hopefully there will be some young’uns around when I get old to help keep me on the water.
One thing about paddling with a bunch of old guys - none of us can hear. When paddling tandem, there is no yelling instructions, so you really need to have faith that your partner knows what they are doing, and go with it. It is pretty cool actually.
I’m typically gregarious, but i prefer paddling alone. Its the isolation in the big expanse. Like waking first in the morning on a camping trip. The freshness, the solitude, even when with a group. It seems unspoiled.
The same is true of being last to go to sleep when camping. I’d doze off by the campfire, and someone would ask why I don’t go to bed?
Why?
Because you keep falling asleep!
If I’m falling asleep, why do I have to go to bed?
Consequently, I’m always the last one, with the fire to myself. Sometimes tranquity is hard to find in a turbulent world. It feels good to reassure yourself that it exists
I guess I’m also like you at night - falling asleep at the fire. Once that happens, though, I usually turn in. I try (and usually fail) to last until 10:00.
Paddling alone, not so much. I prefer to have people around for that.
