Airstreaming at 80+ alone

[kevin242]

My favorite story is when T.V. host Johnny Carson had a 104 year old man on his "Late Night" show who had just bought a motorhome and was planning on touring the lower 48 states!

The man had outlived 2 wives and currently had a third (who was 69!). Johnny said "it's always nice to have companionship", to which the 104 year old smirked and said "yeah, that too!". Johnny laughed and asked him "aren't you worried about a heart attack when you are... you know... romantic?". The fellow replied with a straight face " Well, if it kills her, it kills her."

I think he sets the bar pretty high. I suggest we all try to match his spunk!

Kevin

[oldcar29]

Hi Folks
I have been solo now for a couple years and traveled several thousand miles in my 27 foot overlander and enjoyed everymile. If you have an older unit just besure to have the unit serviced, especially wheel bearings, tire inflation, hitch system.
I try to stay in state park camp grounds and found them to be very safe and well kept. Plan you trip by finding interests you would enjoy and then find a state park or national parkcamp ground near-by. If you dont have a computer to find these, just stop at a visitor center when you enter a state and ask for info. The attendents have always been very helpful . Oh by the way I am 72 Monday.
Dave

[Jim in Pima]

HI, 74 here, just gave in and sold my 1973 Amerigo Truck camper with manual jack. Take my Sovereign on numerous trips, just did a week in Quartzsite, and planning several trips for this spring. My wife works so when the HEAT hits AZ I head for the hills during the week. Next trip will be a short one to check out new brakes and tires.

[AirsDream]

Originally Posted by bredlo

Just re-read all the comments, and everybody's saying "go for it". Am I missing something?

I think that pretty much everyone IS saying "Go for it!" and I'm heartened by that, 'cause I think it's the right answer ... but there are a lot of these sorts of comments:

"get out on the road and if it doesn't work for you, at least you tried!"

"find a Bambi or something small,so you can use a smaller tow vehicle"

"A 250 mile day would be a "long" day - and I never go over 100 miles without getting out and taking a break."

"If you have never towed before, get yourself something like a B-Van setup"

"Find out whether it's beyond you or not before you invest if you can."

"Get a physical and ask your doctor."

I suppose that these are all sensible, and indeed helpful comments ... but my ear hears them as sort of reticent. My personal attitude is simpler and a lot less nuanced - like the Nike people used to say in their ads, "Just Do It!"

I was over 60 when I got back into motorcycilng and bought a bike I could handle, but which will go 0-60 in 4.2 secs. and I determined one day out in Colorado that it IS, as the mfr. says, computer limited to 132 mph. I solo backpack, hunt, fish, fly light planes, and last month had a day where I towed my A/S 850 miles. So I'm not willing to concede ANYTHING age except absolute physical limitations.

If you can succeed at the activities of daily living and you can safely drive a car (mostly not an age-related thing but an attitude thing), then you can 'Stream away! So, get out there and have fun!

That's my story and I'm stickin' to it!

[Lumatic]

Hey Zeke,

A couple of years ago I met a spunky octogenarian couple from Utah at the Grand Tetons. They scaled down from a big motor home to a smaller van about the size of an Airstream Westfaila. Big enough so you are not tripping all over yourself and don't get cabin fever, but small enough to easily drive and set up may be worth a looksee.

Hope I have your get up and go at 80. Go for it, what have you got to loose except getting older sitting on a rocking chair on the front porch watching the Airstreams roll by. And, don't forget to stop in and see me. We can talk about the chicks.

[TrailerVamp]

This post tickles me. As I'm preparing to solo/full-time, I'm finding my age makes me stick out like a sore thumb (at 36, almost)- I think you'll find more people closer to your age than mine. My current neighbor is 78, on his 4th RV, and so jealous of my AS he's considering trading up.

By the way, I too am getting the nuances. The very same ones. Go smaller so you can use a smaller tow vehicle, if it doesn't work at least you can say you did it, make sure to carry every blooming thing you might possibly need, and have you ever towed before? I'm half your age. Go figure. I think, more than age, people get a little freaked out if you want to live life and do exciting things by yourself. Most people aren't solitary and can't comprehend it. Me- I enjoy company, and I enjoy my own company most of all, thank goodness. I'd love to be doing this with someone. But that person isn't here and my life is too short to wait for someone to hold my hand. So is yours! Get out there! Buy as big a rig as you want! Go where you want!
I'll hope to run into you and we can compare solo notes.

[HOG-I]

He__(ck) yes!! I'm 72 and just returned from a 800 mile round trip motorcycle rally and plan to be in my AS well into my 80's (to include motorcycle rallys). I also plan to continue to chase women - I may not be able to catch them, but if I do, I still know what to do with them.

[Byams55FlyCl]

Perhaps the gentleman at Alumapalooza 2010 - he who just bought his first new Airstream at 87 years could chime in now?

[Pahaska]

I'm just short of 78 and 8 days before taking off for my (child) bride's 50th high school reunion in Michigan and a family reunion in St Louis. Maybe it is because I was a fighter pilot, but I still have great driving reflexes. I do take just a bit more care making decisions than I used to, just in case.

I find towing at my usual steady 60-62 mph to feel safer than keeping up with traffic in my Genesis sedan. I stay much more alert to my surroundings with the trailer on.

I figure I am good for a few more years at least.

[Aage]

Any of us should feel fortunate if we are in Zeke's position, I think. I mean, he apparently feels in good enough health to take up travelling alone in a TT, and has the wherewithall (read: cash) to do it. In many ways, that makes him a luckier man than 93.7% of the population.

However, I would encourage him to find a travelling companion to go with him on any long trip that he may decied to undertake.

Why? Two reasons:

1) Your health can be a funny thing and it can definitely play tricks on you. One day you feel like a million dollars (and I don't mean all green and wrinkled) but then the next, something happens and an important change can happen. It could be something as simple as a bad cold or an infection, or maybe a fall, with a broken limb, or something more serious and debilatating, which I will leave to your imagination.

How much fun would the trip be then? How helpless would it leave you without a partner to take over and help you get out of the mess? I personally would not be at ease knowing that I had no close "back up" to help me out of a jam, or just take over when I was tired.

2) One thing that touring alone years ago on my motorbike taught me was that while you can have the time of your life off travelling alone, it's three times more fun to have a partner to share it with. Something rediculous happens, and the two of you might look at each other and laugh your heads off.

My enjoyment was always magnified and enhanced when I travelled with someone else. Don't get me wrong, I do not depend much on others for my happiness, but there's something about being on the road, away from everything familiar to you that can give you a lonely feeling and make you feel like a stranger really quickly.

Plus, let's not forget that you can also sometimes give another pleasure just by including them in your plans. Let them experience something they would never have had the opportunity to do without your invitation. The trip of a lifetime...

I say, why not? It wouldn't be that hard to find someone, would it? And if you find you don't like them, just turn around and come back home.

But imagine taking a grandson, grand-daughter, neice or nephew across America: what a great time you could have; YOUR "trip of a lifetime"!

[pmclemore]

How's your vision?

How are your reflexes?

Have you taken a good, hard look at your capabilities? If you are marginal, how would you feel if...?

I'm 61. I think about this stuff. Do you?

Pat

[Mike McCrory]

Go for it! My Great Uncle gave me the AirStream fever when I was 15 yrs old. He traveled the US & Canada into his 80's, outlived 8 wives(that we knew of). I met several folks at the TOG that were in their 80's that still towed.

[bwaysteve]

Zeke,At 62 this year I got my first Airstream! Planning on full time and going alone.
Just remember there are Airstreamers in every staye that would jump at the chance to help if you encounter trouble.Make a buddies list to have someone to call on when needed Should you decide to find a traveling companion to go along I understand there are alot of young girls out there say 60 or so?

[oldcar29]

zekethebear
I was wondering how your solo camping is going???
I plan to visit the great national parks this summer and enjoy my 69
Overlander
Everyday on the road is a new adventure
Dave

[la nomade]

i am 79 and solo all over the place....and heavily rely on the kindness of strangers...never hesitate to ask for help backing up or what ever....and plan my trip carefully, never drive more than 4 hours.sometimes 5h...and not in heavy rain...let the storm go by and stay a extra day in the campground....take my time....etc..

[claymanjack]

im 78 and just put a 3in lift on my AS.heading to florida in feb.me and the brittany. chasing some clay targets.just plan everthing out and all good. safe trip jack

[turk123]

My advice to you is to stay as healthy as you can. That means you have to exercise every day when you can. That is seven days a week!

I'm going to turn seventy in may. My wife is 70 now. When we are home we have this set up in our family room. I like spinning, she likes the treadmill. I spin 45 minutes a day, every day! I lift weights once a week.

When traveling, we have our bikes and weights to take with us. If you don't exercise now and you are in your 60's, you better start. There is a great book we read some years ago called "Younger Next year". It is a bit dated, but it is solid info on how to keep "fit" in the golden years. It takes work.

Will it stop you from having "surprise" issues in your later years? Maybe not (I had a stroke in May of 2020) but I recovered with very few after-effects and I am in pretty good physical shape for my age. I also just had eye surgery to repair my retina (eight months ago) and just three weeks ago had cataract surgery. I also had hand surgery to repair a trigger finger four weeks ago. When you're on Medicare you need to take advantage of all the surgeries you need! Get them done before you hit the road. The cataract surgery is 12 minutes long and I can't believe how well it has changed my life and vision! My cataract was caused by the earlier retina repair. Don't put off procedures you need to have done to repair your body.

We also belong to Sky Med. I am really impressed with the system they developed and the services you hope you will never need. It gives me and my wife peace of mind.

We probably will not be as aggressive a traveler as we were before, but we never did force ourselves to push on while traveling and camping. As an example, we have a trip to Florida coming up in January, and I've mapped out six days to get down there. That's about 200 miles a day, our usual pace. We are staying in one RV resort for the full three months. Out of the cold Ohio winters and snow.

So that's how we do it. I can't say how long we will be able to keep this up, but with God willing, I hope for another five or ten years on the road.

[lilstreamer]

Hi y'all
I have just purchased my first RV---not so sure about how to tow a 24' trailer so thinking I will park her for a month or so in my backyard so I can visit and get acquainted.
As I read through these threads, I am awed by the abilities most have to fix and repair. I can't do anything like that! So, feeling a bit "adventurous" to be taking on a life-style that I never tried before....maybe went camping a few times in my entire life.
So, freaking out. I will take delivery in about a week. I have so much to learn but stretching my brain will keep me from walking in circles around my house!
I am taking on a 24' Tradewind that is restored and well-appointed.
It's coming to me in Florida from California on a flat bed...That is going to be one crazy day!!
I am looking for a trailer dolly to move her -- any suggestions on this will help me.
I suspect I will be searching forevermore -- google "how to tow a trailer" what is "boondocking"....newbie is not even close...embryonic and idiotic.

[Fungus]

Originally Posted by lilstreamer

I can't do anything like that!

Yes, you can. You just don’t know it yet.

[John Ware]

I'm 69 and I've been Streaming alone for 4 yrs now. I made the trip from the Gulf Coast to the West coast 4 times and I'm going again this Fall. I like to stay in State Parks and National Parks the best.