Jack Hall

As has been said over and over here- Every person has to find their own path. That said- here is my story- I am a retired Optometrist. I LOVED doing what I did, mainly because of the many interesting people I met. I once told my wife "I know a lot of stuff that is really true, because I have been taught by experts- my patients". I was self employed, and because we have simple needs and a paid off mortgage, it was not necessary for me to work full time. I recruited other O.D.'s (optometrists) to work for me, and reduced my work week to 4 days a week at 62 or so. At about age 58, we started taking diving trips to foreign locations- Grand Cayman, Galapagos, Indonesia, Australia, etc. etc., and I simply got other O.D's to cover for me while we were gone. At age 67, I reduced my week to 3 days per week. Between 67 and 70, I tended to work around 150 days per year. I did not take Social Security until age 70-1/2 because I did not need the money- I was still working. In 2012 (I was 64) we bought a used travel trailer and started doing weekend and 4 day trips. We also took multiple 2 week and 3 week trips. We sold the trailer for salvage in 2018 because water damage made it unusable. I also sold my office (for very little) effective Jan 1 2018. In 2019, we bought our current Holiday Rambler trailer and have been running the tires off it. We probably have over 6 months of nights in it this year, mostly as 5 to 10 night trips, but one as a 30 day trip. I do NOT regret waiting to retire, but I loved my work and I also semi-retired to a 4 day work week at 62, and we took probably 5 to 6 weeks vacation (one to two weeks at a time) beginning when I was 60. By continuing to work (and continuing to fund my SEP at the max), I was able to increase my retirement fund and my SSA benefits grew at 8% per year for the years between age 65 (when I was first eligible) and age 70. This was at a time when a GOOD investment was returning 4% to 5%. Now, I am fully retired and able to live on my SSA benefits alone, with my retirement income being extra money to spend on trips and the kids. I am VERY lucky, and my wife and I both recognize it. But again- we do not live an expensive life, except for our expensive trips. And I have a life expectancy to something in the mid-90's if the insurance quizes are right, Dad finally quit driving at 92, so there is a good chance that I wil get there. I go into such detail, because others younger than me may read my story and find it informative and useful.

We just returned from the Albequerque Balloon Fiesta. We went with the FMCA, and paid $500 for five nights camping with no hookups, just a piece of (mostly) level asphalt. The price included a breakfast, a dinner, daily happy hour with hors douevres supplied by members, and a season pass to the Fiesta grounds. The balloons were fantastic, and we will probably do it again next year. Some things are just worth the high price.

I can vouch for that. In Modesto, CA, there are two lakes (Modesto Reservoir and Woodward Reservoir) that have full hookups for $20 per night if you are 65+. Up near Mt. Ranier, there is a campground on Alpine Lake that is $25 per night if you are over 65. I am sure that there are MANY like this if one only knew where to look. Does anyone know of a web site or list of where these power company campgrounds are? Thanks for your help!

Something I have always wondered is: If you have a Port-a-Potty, what do you do with the bag? I suspect that it is illegal to put it in a trash bin, but maybe it is not, and that is the answer.. Emptying it in a regular toilet seems like a messy job. and you still have the plastic bag to deal with, and I simply cannot imagine reusing it. I suppose you could bury it, but you are now burying plastic which takes hundreds of years to degrade. I have never used one, but I have wondered.