Turning 40 ish....................

[big al]

Since turning 40 ish and children have grown up all I want to do is go out on the bike
and travel the world. I think it all started when I visited France a few years ago with my mate Nick, we had such a good time and put a few miles on the bikes in the process and all I want to do now is save up more money and bugger off on the bike to Europe.
Is this selfish of me or is it my time now.
Al

[GreatScott]

nope & yes !

[backofbeyond]

"Turned 40 and the kids have grown up" - blimey, you must have started early - no wonder you want to hit the road! I've got 20yrs on you and they're still hanging around

Whether your time is now depends on how long you're away for. Most of us can manage a couple of weeks, maybe a month with a bit of rearranging and come back without everything having fallen apart. Much longer than that is going to depend on your circumstances, whether you've got the money and what you're willing to give up. Just riding away and coming back six months later to a pile of CCJs, a "for sale" sign and the bailiffs having nailed the door shut is probably not worth it. Neither is coming back to a note on the kitchen table starting "Dear Al ...."

These factors, particularly the last one, play heavy with me. Having had one relationship go south because of bike travel I've been unwilling to leave my wife in the middle of winter to cope with two school age kids (going back a few years) whilst holding down a 12-14 hrs / day job so I can ride around the sunnier parts of Africa. It's just not fair. But those are my circumstances, yours may be different. Discussing it with Mrs Al is probably a good way to start. The 2011 Eurotouring season is rapidly reaching its end so it may be eight or nine months before you can do much. That's plenty of time to reach a working agreement - you get three weeks on the bike, she gets - well, time for some hard bargaining :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

[howlingmoon]

Your not on your own on this one. I think this happens to alot of poeple. Im at this cross road myself.Ive come to the conclusion. if you dont do it ,youll always wish you had .
if you do it ,the adventure wont end when you get home it will live with you forever. Just do it ! B)

[tiger800xc]

Hi Big al if you do go can I come with you
Since joining the forum I have done nothing but think how I can get 3-4 weeks off next year and travel.:laugh:

[boxerbmws]

Sympathise with this completely.

I spent a whole life playing the game (mortgages, jobs, kids and Dad's taxi). Then it all (maritally) came unstuck a few years ago.

After thinking about it for a lifetime it was one of those moments.

26,385 miles later I had the biggest grin on my face.

It certainly helped put the whole thing into perspective - life, the universe and everything.

[herman]

Oddly I went the other way,after touring Europe for years my wife suggested I try off road bikes and for my 40th bought me a BMW weekend . Totally rekindled my flagging interest in bikes to the point I have'nt had a true road bike to call my own for more than a year now. At some point I will have to give up the screaming two stroke race bikes no doubt but I am looking forward to 'retiring' onto large four stroke trail capable bikes. Without the support of Mrs Munster however I think I would of descended into the ranks of 'I used to have' pub bores. It is not selfish at all to want some time for yourself but it is to the exclusion of your loved ones,if they know you they will understand and support you. B)

[Simon_100]

I guess the sproggs are off Mrs Al's hands too - so why don't you both go!

Mrs S and I skeedadled here to not-so-sunny Spain when we were 40. Bad for the pension plan, which I now have time to regret to be sure, but you can't build your whole life around that - or can you?

Right now, being back in Britain for only about the fifth or sixth time in fourteen years, I find I don't regret it at all - now that I've had a skinfull, or two , of real ale that is!

Whatever happens you'll know when it's the right one!

Enjoy

Simon

[Tramp]

Well when me and the wife was 40 we sold everything..but never had kids or family to worry about, then just hit the road in camper for a few years well now into our 6th and yes the moneys nearly all gone. hmy:

But we`ve no regrets, yes lifes hard but we get by and have our laughs...but the memorries and the people we`ve met along the way far outway the future worries.

So if you`ve got a scratch to itch get rubbing up against that tree :laugh: :laugh: , as you never know what will happen and who you`ll meet as I`m a firm believer in your lifes already mapped out " you just dont know it".

Better a happy ,been their and had a good time skint old faggot than a rich never seen anyting/under achiever.

"so who got some money " and I`ll tell you later what a good time I had.:woohoo:

[Redmurty]

Your in a very lucky position and perhaps do not quite realise it yet. Your life is at a fork in the track which way you choose is up to you. We do not know your circumstances. I would rather die regretting the things I have done, than die regretting the things I have not done, at least I would have done something.
Do you want to get old with lots of money to end up sitting in a old peoples home smelling of pi** having the goverment taking your money, your home and everything else you have worked hard for and saved for, or would you rather be sitting there with a grin on your face because of all the memories you have and the stories you can bore all the other inmates with, of course you'll still smell of (well you get the gist)plus the other sap that is sat next to you is moaning about all the money he saved and the goverment is taking to pay for his care........

True story time and a litle long..... and I dont care if some one knows this guy.

An old friend and I say old because we no longer speak, saved all his life and I know this as we met in the mid 70's whilst in the military. He served for 30 years wanted his pension made his son go through uni to become an accountant as that was a good earner and he would get a good pension, I should imagine you can see the pattern.

Well my old mucker would go ape at me for leaving the military then civie jobs because I fancied doing something else or a "better" offer came up. We would almost be up to blows. He came down with a very rare cancer of the spine. (The navy the FU**ERS refused to pay for his treatment 27 years in decoreated in the Falklands "we served together there" and the Gulf.)

When I found out I immediately put my house up for sale to pay for his treatment (a friend is a friend full stop, a house is a pile of bricks)and whilst I was doing that I started getting in touch with the press, Max Clifford was on my hit list with a view of getting my mate the money for his treatment any way I could. My mate told he local doc who was looking after him, what I was doing (I think the term was "he's a loose cannon and wont care who he upsets and if he gets warned off he will do even more"), who just happen to know the local MP, who then contacted someone high up in the Goverment of the day and low and behold a cheque was written that night and he was sent for his treatment.

To this day he has never thanked me for what I did or what I was going to do. But that's not the reason for the fall out, he came to my house one xmas with his son who asked me about going travelling, I told him to do it whilst he had the chance, he spoke to my Mrs who has treveled extensively and had almost made his mind up to go when his dad kicked off about working for a pension and a career to which I simply replied "yes and it may even save your life" to which my mate stormed out and we have never spoken since, I sincerly hope his son did some travelling.

the moral to all this who have managed to last the course, you never know what's around the corner however well you plan, life is not a dress rehearasal so "SIEZE THE DAY" you may live to regret it or you may live with some wonderful memories that are simply unreplaceable.

Good luck with your decision and keep us all imformed

cheers Spud