Spending time outside as we age

[cbo111]

So, I'm wondering how many of you spend significantly more time doing things outdoors since your ER. I would like to create one of those cool electronic surveys, but frankly I'm a bit too lazy after almost 2 years goofing off.
For me, way more hours outdoors. DW and I kayak, bike, hit the beaches, play tennis, pickleball, golf, and more. All require big chunks of time outdoors. We see the dermatologist annually to freeze and snip various "pre-something-or-other bits of flesh. We slather on the sunscreen and head on out.
I noticed that in my extended family, my father spent much more time indoors in his later years, as did nearly all my grandparents, aunts, and uncles. They were all ambulatory, but just seemed more comfortable indoors. My mother, on the other hand, loves to be outdoors (when its warm). She gardens and still takes long walks at 80-years young.
I don't know about you, but I plan to soak in as much outdoor action while I am physically able. There is just too much fun stuff to do!
Chuck

 

[jjquantz]

A lot more time outdoors. I was just telling DW that when I was a kid (especially HS and MS) that I was outdoors all the time during summer vacation and that is the feeling that I'm channeling now. So I bike, golf, play tennis, go for walks, read on the patio... Hours every day. The only difference being that I am less likely to go outside when it is "cold" and the definition of cold has crept up about 20 degrees since I was a teenager. I still love the summer heat, however.

 

[athena53]

Definitely more. Although we downsized I have more garden space to maintain and more lawn (previous house had a pool that took up most of the back yard). Instead of the company gym, I now bicycle in nice weather.

 

[Fedup]

I'm an outdoor person except lately my knee hurts. But I do swim daily just to keep up my muscle.

 

[Souschef]

Our porch faces South Mountain, a 2000 foot mountain a mile and a half away. We are also a half mile from the airport I fly from, so we can watch the planes coming and going.
I have a Kindle with WiFi, and 2 mini speakers on the table next to me. We have a patio set, and I spend a lot of time there reading and listening to music while enjoying the scenery

 

[Blue Collar Guy]

I walk to Church early every morning, about 5 minutes round trip. I walk to the bakery for warm bread daily, 10 minutes. Then i either go to the butcher, fish monger, or delicatessen about another 10 minutes. I go out to the balcony to survey the neighborhood and rub my belly after dinner about 3 minutes. The big wild card is that i throw out the garbage about 3 times a day. It can take 30 minutes. If i see a neighbor we chat up a storm. In the dead of winter rule out the yapping with the neighbor. When i was working i spent about 8 hours a day outside.

 

[Ronstar]

I go outside to play between 7 and 8 am, and come in for dinner at 5-6. Hiking, biking, kayaking, pontooning, photo excursions, yard work. And woodworking either outside or with the garage door open.

 

[Dawg52]

Golf, biking and hiking pretty much makes up my outdoor time. Oh yes....yard work too. Mowed my grass today.

 

[Koolau]

We spend a little more time outside since ER - especially if you count "going" someplace (in the car, primarily.) We've never been extremely active as many on the forum are. You would think since we live a summer existence all the time we would spend a lot of time out of doors. Maybe we don't because we know we can at any time. We used to value the summers more since the time was short. Not so much now. YMMV

 

[Sanstar]

Way more time outside. There were literally months working 12 hour nights with a 1.5 hour round trip commute when I went 3-5 day at a stretch without seeing the sun.... ever. Same when stationed in Germany. Now, every day starts with 2-3 hours puttering in the garden and yard, plus long walks with the dogs at the local park. Glamping on weekends at state parks, al fresco dining whenever possible. Like OP, annual skin check with related snips....well worth it!

 

[jzajzz]

Get that Vitamin D .. you will need it more than ever ..

 

[audreyh1]

Lot more time outdoors. That one of the big things that encouraged me to retire - spending all day indoors most days!

 

[Rambler]

I spend way more time outdoors. We start our day with a 10 minute walk to warm up, 3-5 mile run, then 2 mile walk with the dogs. When we get back, we whip up our protein shakes and sit on the glider to enjoy them, when its warm. I also have a small veggie garden and myriad yard projects yet to be done, and when you have a couple of acres, it seems like there is always some maintenance to do. DW is in the house doing what she does while I'm doing that...usually mid to late morning the breeze picks up and her allergies driver her inside.

 

[Scuba]

So, I'm wondering how many of you spend significantly more time doing things outdoors since your ER. I would like to create one of those cool electronic surveys, but frankly I'm a bit too lazy after almost 2 years goofing off.

For me, way more hours outdoors. DW and I kayak, bike, hit the beaches, play tennis, pickleball, golf, and more. All require big chunks of time outdoors. We see the dermatologist annually to freeze and snip various "pre-something-or-other bits of flesh. We slather on the sunscreen and head on out.

I noticed that in my extended family, my father spent much more time indoors in his later years, as did nearly all my grandparents, aunts, and uncles. They were all ambulatory, but just seemed more comfortable indoors. My mother, on the other hand, loves to be outdoors (when its warm). She gardens and still takes long walks at 80-years young.

I don't know about you, but I plan to soak in as much outdoor action while I am physically able. There is just too much fun stuff to do!

Chuck

+1
I'm outdoors as much as possible every day.

 

[Paracelsus]

I spend way more time outdoors. Even in winter, I'm taking my dog to the dog park for about an hour and a half a day. Currently, I'm working on refinishing my deck. Earlier, I redid a number of garden beds and mulched all of my beds. I'll probably do annual containers on my deck once that's finished. Next, I'll be working on painting some concrete steps and pads around my house. I feel like I'm a laborer around my house! Taking advantage of the outdoors as much as I can!

 

[misshathaway]

Way more. I go for an hour walk around noontime to get reenergized. Also, there is no need to pay someone to care for the yard so a couple of times a week I'm out there weeding or mowing. Then there's sh*veling in the winter.

I live in the burbs and there is nothing especially beautiful to see on the walk, but every day there are small changes. Sometimes funny things happen. Like yesterday there was a woman parked at an intersection, obviously stalled out, with her hazards on. Then a guy pulls up right behind her and leans on the horn, and leans some more. He was there for a good 30 seconds before finally going around in a huff. Maybe he was late getting back from lunch returning to a job he hated ...

 

[Ohio Tealady]

Not retired but having a desk job I try to spend my days off outside when feasible. I'm a gardener so there is always another weed to pull.

Incidentally there is a lot of research that shows how just being outside can help lift your mood. As a mental health therapist, I encourage my client to talk a short walk outside everyday, and notice their surroundings.

 

[ejman]

With 7 acres and critters (mini horses in our case), heating the house with wood from my property (our place is heavily forested), and a fairly large garden a good chunk of time is spent outdoors.

 

[W2R]

OK, 17 out of 17 responses thus far have said essentially, "why yes, thanks for asking! I/we spend much more time outdoors now."

I'll be the first one to differ. I always envisioned spending more time outdoors in retirement, and in fact, I did during my first few years of retirement. However, now that I am growing older I find that I am no longer young. Where's my "forever young" immortality pill! I want that pronto. Anyway I find that various physical limitations are causing me to cut back on some outdoor activities. I spend about the same amount of time outside as I did while working; in other words, not much.

Lately I have been thinking of putting a camp chair on my back patio and at least going out there for fresh air and sunshine for an hour or so each day, but haven't done that yet. For a while I had my eye on an utterly gorgeous ornate wrought iron bench, but a camp chair is light enough that I could easily bring it in if/when a hurricane threatens.

 

[Blue Collar Guy]

OK, 17 out of 17 responses thus far have said essentially, "why yes, thanks for asking! I/we spend much more time outdoors now."

I'll be the first one to differ. I always envisioned spending more time outdoors in retirement, and in fact, I did during my first few years of retirement. However, now that I am growing older I find that I am no longer young. Where's my "forever young" immortality pill! I want that pronto. Anyway I find that various physical limitations are causing me to cut back on some outdoor activities. I spend about the same amount of time outside as I did while working; in other words, not much.

Lately I have been thinking of putting a camp chair on my back patio and at least going out there for fresh air and sunshine for an hour or so each day, but haven't done that yet. For a while I had my eye on an utterly gorgeous ornate wrought iron bench, but a camp chair is light enough that I could easily bring it in if/when a hurricane threatens.

not me, see above, i spend less than an hour outside now, compared to 8 when I worked

 

[W2R]

not me, see above, i spend less than an hour outside now, compared to 8 when I worked

Oh, oops! I was wrong. You spent a lot of time outside when you worked.

 

[sanfanciscotreat]

Golf three days a week unless weather is rainy or less than 45 degrees F.
Long walks or hiking two or three days a week. Overnight camping once every couple of weeks during three seasons. Last night's tent camping was rain all night and just hung everything in the basement to dry and put the sleeping bag in the dryer.
Lots to do and see here in WNC. Met a couple this morning from New Zealand who have been here for two and a half months, now going home and coming back to WNC in the fall.

 

[Walt34]

In the winter the only time either one of us goes outside it to get to the grocery store or to the gym. We hate cold weather. In the warm weather I'll go on a two-mile walk on non-gym days but that's about it. Like BCG I spent most of my working life outside and I'm not active in any sports or outdoor hobbies except radio control model airplanes. But for even that I just go to the back yard.

 

[Out of Steam]

One of my retirement goals. I spend only about an hour a day outside while working. Do have a window over my shoulder at work, though.

 

[pacergal]

About the same, maybe a bit more, as before I retired. I just don't have the pressure to complete all my outside activities only on the weekends so it is more enjoyable.