Explore the Mountains in Retirement
I was eight years old when I first saw mountains in real life. Of course, I had seen pictures of them before, but I still remember seeing the Catskill Mountains for the first time on our way up to Cooperstown to see the Baseball Hall of Fame. I was mesmerized and still am. I always suggested that our vacations included a stop in a mountainous area and, as looked forward to the day I would be able to stop working, I knew would explore the mountains in retirement. In fact, I really wanted to retire to a place where we could see the mountains every day. Fortunately, my saintly wife agreed with me, and we have been in Hudson Valley for the last seven years. It has been even better than I thought it would be. Over the years we have seen mountain ranges all over the world and it’s not a bad way to plan your vacations.
You can almost spin the globe and pick out a great mountain range to visit but most people start with our own wonderful country. The Catskills were my first experience, and our family vacations were limited for a while because of lack of money and time but we still were able to have some great experiences. Mount Washington, part of the White Mountains that run through New Hampshire is something we still talk about. At 6,288 feet, it might be dwarfed by some of the peaks that are part of the Rockies in the west, but it is definitely worth a visit, and you have no doubt that you’re in the mountains. The video that is featured at the top about the worst weather in the world is very amusing and every once in a while, I go to the sky cam that they operate to see what’s going on. If you’re going to explore the mountains in retirement, this should be on your list. You can even get a bumper sticker on your car boasting that your vehicle climbed Mt. Washington.
Explore the Mountains in Retirement to see some incredible scenery.
But you don’t have to go to those heights to appreciate the beauty of the mountains. The Berkshires and the Adirondacks offer spectacular beauty and there are some places that you can pull over and take pictures. On a clear day you see an incredible distance and the scenery is absolutely breathtaking. While you’re in the Adirondacks you can see the Olympic training center in Lake Placid and the small arena where the Miracle on Ice took place in 1980. It is a charming town and a great area to spend some time and relax or hike or just take in the scenery. Explore the mountains in retirement and you might become as addicted as I have to the majestic peaks and the little mountain villages that become ski centers in the winter offering wonderful winter dinners while you sit next to some lovely fireplaces. Those are the moments in life when you can put all of your worries aside. The best part is that retirement is full of those moments.
Explore the mountains in retirement and you can’t help but fall in love with the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. The Appalachian and Smoky Mountain ranges all blend together to form a breathtaking panorama of mountains and valleys that are the home to so much history. I never get tired of visiting this area despite the fact that it can get very hot in the summer. It might have edged out Upstate New York as our retirement home but the summer heat and humidity kept us looking north. It’s a matter of personal taste but when we found our little lake the matter was settled. But it hasn’t kept us from exploring.
Explore the mountains in retirement and you’ll end up in the Rocky Mountains sooner or later and wonder what took you so long. These mountains get all the publicity they need and the Grand Canyon is an absolute must see for everyone, but I want to call your attention to just a couple of more American mountain ranges before turning to one of the most impressive peaks that I have experienced. The Cascades and the Olympic Range of the Northwest are wonderful, and the Grand Tetons are not to be missed. Add the mountains in Alaska and Hawaii and you can fall in love all over again with what nature has to offer. The glaciers of “Seward’s Folly” and the volcanoes of our 50th state provide a backdrop that is unforgettable. And the amazing part is not what I’ve mentioned here, but what I have left out. There are too many mountains in our beautiful country to mention here and even some books don’t get to them all, but I leave all of that for you to find out as you explore the mountains in retirement.
But there’s more, as they say. There’s a whole world out there to explore and I haven’t gotten to most of it. The Himalayas are at the top of my list but even I have my doubts that I’ll get there. Rest assured that I will give it my best effort because I was able to get to two other mountain ranges that lived up to all of my expectations. The pictures I had seen of the Blue Mountains of Australia reminded me of the Catskills so when we went “down under” I was determined to see them for myself. The Catskills feature a set of peaks called the Three Sisters and so does this range which is not too far from Sydney. We got to see them with a guide who was a walking encyclopedia of information about this area and Sydney itself. I always recommend using a guide with a company you can trust.
The other mountain range was in Europe and it’s in one of the most storied areas you visit. The Carpathian Mountains in Transylvania and the Bran Castle are still etched in my memory. The home of the Dracula Legend, partly true but mostly fiction, provides some of the most interesting landscape you will find as drive through the winding, steep roads while navigating your way around the horse drawn carriages that are still used by the farmers. It is a step back in time and well worth a few extra days as you explore the mountains in retirement.
It's never too late to start. Explore the mountains in retirement and you will create memories for the rest of your life and bring back stories that will inspire others to journey to the highest peaks in the world. It’s time to get out there and explore the world. It’s time to Enjoy Retired Life!
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