Thinking about a life change

timwinters said:
My main revelation: In many ways, I have become the type of person I so despised when I was in my 30s and 40s. That, in and of itself, probably bothers me more about me than anything else that I've concluded.

...

The bottom line (and I haven't completely landed yet) but the direction I'm strongly leaning towards...

I am going to divest myself of nearly all my worldly possessions, minimize material "junk" and maybe even move somewhere outside of the states.
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Keep thinking for a bit. It would be hard to get back to your private strip if you decide you really do want that later (after divesting). Divesting may be exactly where you want to be and that's great.

I don't know that I could live out of the US. I love traveling and seeing other parts of the world. Not so sure on it being permanent though. I was definitely read to leave Peru before our vacation was done last spring. I have an ex-coworker that has land and a house in Costa Rica and he plans to retire there. He goes there regularly. I have coworkers and friends from other countries, so I have some good pros and cons input.

In my younger years I thought of getting a sail boat and sailing the world. Not sure that would be a good plan for me in retirement as I didn't grown-up doing it, so don't know the issues that could arise.


I wish you well in your choice.



Wayne
 
Ted DuPuis said:
I consider Tim a good friend and someone always welcome in my home.

He’s also laying on the ground in front of the bulldozer in my avatar.
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har! I wouldn't lay down in front of just anyone's dozer blade!
(well, okay, if there was enough beer involved, then maybe I would)

and you, Laurie and the kids are always welcome at my place also.
(wherever that may be in the future) :cool:
 
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Ted DuPuis said:
So let's take an airplane.

Ok, I'm "not going to worry about it." But if I want to fly it it still needs an annual every year, insurance (ok technically that's optional, but that's a decision I have to make still), hangar or tie down (again, a decision to make).

I own an airport. Now I have to mow it if I want to use it, repair ruts from the ****ing moles/groundhogs that dig holes in there. Keep it flat. If it's a legal airport I have to report NOTAMs as required, although if it's private use only permission required before landing that eases it somewhat.

I own an airport, so I want a hangar for my airplane. Now I have to design and build that hangar, do whatever upgrades I want to it when needed, fix it when it's broken, deal with insurance, hail damage, etc.

I own a fleet of heavy equipment that requires oil changes and other maintenance yearly, fixing when broken. Maybe not insurance but probably storage.

For some of us this stuff can be enjoyable and fun. At some point it gets to be "too many things", and at some point it gets to be "**** this ****" if you get burned out from doing it too long, and you just want to do something else. Especially when the things you do for your hobby start to really look a lot like your day job.
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A lot of that depends on what it is and how you own it. We have a boat. It's nothing extravagant, a 21 foot bowrider. It lives in dry stack storage. When we want to use it, we ping the marina, they put it in the water. We go up there, uncover it, and go. We come back, cover it, and we ask the marina to put it back. Every third or fourth outing, we pull up to the gas dock and fill it up. When it needs servicing (not often), we call the service department at the marina and they do it. They send me a bill, I send them a check. All very easy, really all it costs is money.

My wife's cousin has a lake house. Holy crap, that is a lot of work. It costs money too. No way I'd want a second house, unless I had a ginormous income and I could hire someone to manage it for me, sort of like what Jay Leno does with car collection.

Our first daughter is in her second year of college, is doing well, should have no problem finishing in four years. Daughter #2 will be starting college in seven months. We will be dispatching with some of the things we've been hanging onto that aren't needed any longer (anyone want a trampoline?) but we're not going to move until retirement, which I hope will be in eight years. We're already looking around at what we should start getting rid of.

One thing I'd like is a car that I can use for track days. My current car is a plug in hybrid and isn't suitable. I'm not going to act on this until daughter #1 has graduated, which should be a little more than two years away. I keep going back and forth as to get an older car and keeping the one I have as a daily driver, or replacing the one I have with something newer that would be both play car and daily driver. We currently have four cars and four drivers, don't need a fifth one now, especially one that's older and is more likely to need repairs. The current ones we have are very reliable.

SoonerAviator said:
Sometimes . . . it's cheaper to rent.
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Yeah, it is, but there's something about having your own. Going back to the boat for a second, this will be its fifth season with us. It's sort of a family institution now. Plus, it's a lure to get my daughters to come back to us occasionally. The older one has said that she will only be coming back for a few weeks this summer, her life is now in the town where she is going to school. I suspect the same will happen with the younger one. I don't think the rental boat would have the same draw. Plus it's nice to have all your stuff up at the boat, all we have to do is pack a cooler and some towels.

timwinters said:
Reflecting here:

Being a pilot, owning a plane and making so many friends all across the nation has indeed been an absolutely wonderful experience. Most of the time, when I take a business trip, I know people in the area, contact them and am almost always successful in having dinner and/or a few drinks. How many other hobbies...obsessions...afford that type of nationwide exposure to people? And a wonderfully diverse group of people it is too. I have made many good friends here and elsewhere via this aviation obsession.

But...

I used to have a valid reason to fly and did so...did so A LOT...for numerous years I flew between 200 and 300 hours. It was cool. As I've said here before, I was one with the machine, I no longer sat in it...I WORE IT! It was a very, very cool place to be. I flew in all conditions, including hard IFR, no autopilot, just me, the machine, and a garmin 496 with data link weather...the Cadillac of the day.

But I no longer have a REASON to fly, I'm simply a weekend warrior and I'm no longer in "that zone." I'm no longer wearing the plane, rather, I'm simply sitting in it. And, honestly, on some days, It's not a very comforting place to be...especially remembering what it WAS like when I WAS IN THAT ZONE! If you've always been a weekend warrior, I doubt you can relate. That's not a slam, just a statement of a perceived fact.

I likely won't quit flying completely. There's a cute little ultralight at my airport for sale (a qucksilver or something similar). With an ultralight, I can scratch my itch for less than a $10k entry fee and not have to worry about most of the FAA BS. These days, when I'm flying, I'm just putzing around "the neighborhood" anyway, with no particular destination in mind. I can just as easily (and with more excitement) do that in a $10k open cockpit ultralight than I can in a $75k C182A that I spend an additional $10k on a year.

I've come to view it as a stooopid and wasteful excess, even though I can well afford it.
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I hear you. You were in the zone with your airplane, and now that's gone. I used to race cars for fun, and about five years after I stopped, someone asked me if I would ever go back to it. No, I wouldn't, I didn't have time at that point in my life, and it wouldn't be the same. One I stopped, there's no way I could race with the same intensity as I had, and being older, my vision wasn't quite as sharp and my reactions are slower.

For you, getting something that's just for fun sounds like a good idea. Let's face it, a 182 isn't anyone's idea of sporty.
 
FormerHangie said:
A lot of that depends on what it is and how you own it. We have a boat. It's nothing extravagant, a 21 foot bowrider. It lives in dry stack storage. When we want to use it, we ping the marina, they put it in the water. We go up there, uncover it, and go. We come back, cover it, and we ask the marina to put it back. Every third or fourth outing, we pull up to the gas dock and fill it up. When it needs servicing (not often), we call the service department at the marina and they do it. They send me a bill, I send them a check. All very easy, really all it costs is money.
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Funny you mention that, we have a 21' bow rider as well. All of our friends have upgraded to much bigger boats, and they enjoy them, but I also hear of all of the extra things that need done. Tanks need sucked out, fresh water system on the blink, AC not working correctly, etc. They ask when I'm upgrading, and my answer is never. I like my simple little boat, it gets me out on the same lake all the fancy boats use. KISS!
 
FormerHangie said:
One thing I'd like is a car that I can use for track days. My current car is a plug in hybrid and isn't suitable. I'm not going to act on this until daughter #1 has graduated, which should be a little more than two years away. I keep going back and forth as to get an older car and keeping the one I have as a daily driver, or replacing the one I have with something newer that would be both play car and daily driver.
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Tesla Model 3 Performance - Turn on Track Mode for the track days and let 'er rip!

It's pretty cool how it works, and it does some things that ICE vehicles can't: https://www.tesla.com/blog/how-track-mode-works
 
Mtns2Skies said:
It's a straight tail... It can be saved.
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I was told once, that some of the old 180/182's came off of the line with both gear boxes. Don't know if there's any truth to that, just something I was told by an old A&P.

Jeff (@Pilawt), do you know by chance?

(mine doesn't have both)
 
Bill Jennings said:
Funny you mention that, we have a 21' bow rider as well. All of our friends have upgraded to much bigger boats, and they enjoy them, but I also hear of all of the extra things that need done. Tanks need sucked out, fresh water system on the blink, AC not working correctly, etc. They ask when I'm upgrading, and my answer is never. I like my simple little boat, it gets me out on the same lake all the fancy boats use. KISS!
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Also have a bow rider (20’), 1976 model that still looks new. It’s been in the family for 25 years, and the only major repair was a transom replacement that I did myself 5 years ago. Other than that, it’s been nothing but oil/gas and normal maintenance for decades, which I always do myself. Still runs like a champ and has original tuck-roll interior upholstery. We always kept it stored indoors and washed it/detailed after each trip, annual wax job. Best $5K my dad spent on a toy.
 
flyingcheesehead said:
Tesla Model 3 Performance - Turn on Track Mode for the track days and let 'er rip!

It's pretty cool how it works, and it does some things that ICE vehicles can't: https://www.tesla.com/blog/how-track-mode-works
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That's neat, I didn't realize that Tesla made a performance model. The directed torque technology could really improve turn in, which is important in a car that heavy. The Porsche 911 GT3 that so impressed me had four wheel steering, plus the engine is in the back, and it turned in like a dream. While I do love EV'ing it around town, that's a bigger, heavier, more powerful and more expensive car than I'm contemplating. One of the cars I've been kicking around in my head is a 2002 - 2004 Corvette Z06, and it has the same issues. A car that powerful eats brakes and tires, and quite honestly, one that fast probably should have upgraded safety equipment, which would preclude it from being a daily driver, not that I'd consider a 20 year old car for that use anyway.

Ted DuPuis said:
Like be completely boring for anyone who actually enjoys driving.
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I'm curious, what is it in your experience that made you decide that these recently introduced driver's aids are bad?
 
Ted DuPuis said:
Like be completely boring for anyone who actually enjoys driving.
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Last I heard you couldn't turn off traction control, and it's really good traction control. Who wants traction 100% of the time? I like to put one in a broadslide every now and then.
 
timwinters said: ↑
My main revelation: In many ways, I have become the type of person I so despised when I was in my 30s and 40s.

@timwinters what did you mean by this? I am starting to think this myself in a way and am resisting “going there”. Am considering selling my last hot-rod and downsizing the house in order to justify keeping the plane. It’s by no means a decision driven by finances. (Thanks for being so honest publicly with your insane thoughts. I say that with full respect.)


@FormerHangie I am 1 year behind you on the retirement thoughts and where my 2 kids are in school.
 
timwinters said:
I was told once, that some of the old 180/182's came off of the line with both gear boxes. Don't know if there's any truth to that, just something I was told by an old A&P.

Jeff (@Pilawt), do you know by chance?

(mine doesn't have both)
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No, I don't. I checked the book written by a Cessna engineer and test pilot who was involved in the early C-182 project, and it's not mentioned. Interesting concept, though.
 
FormerHangie said:
I'm curious, what is it in your experience that made you decide that these recently introduced driver's aids are bad?
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It’s not that they’re bad per se, just that I don’t like them. I’ve never driven any driver aid that I felt added to the experience, only that detracted.

Note that it doesn’t mean I think I can do a better job than the machine can, per se, but that it detracts from the driving experience.

However what I was referring to in that case wasn’t the driver aids, it was the idea of a Tesla performance car. That is going to be completely boring and unenjoyable for any engine person, which I am.
 
Ted DuPuis said:
It’s not that they’re bad per se, just that I don’t like them. I’ve never driven any driver aid that I felt added to the experience, only that detracted.

Note that it doesn’t mean I think I can do a better job than the machine can, per se, but that it detracts from the driving experience.
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Will your Cobra have automatic ignition timing?
 
In 2002 when I was 30, my wife and I sold nearly everything we owned, bought two good backpacks, two laptop computers and bought a one-way ticket from Reno, NV to Tbilisi, Republic of Georgia. We were gone for 12 years, lived in Georgia, UAE, Czech Republic, New Zealand and Thailand and had a wonderful experience. Along the way we managed to visit 100 countries. I might do it again in another 5-10 years... still have about 100 countries left to visit.
 
Ted DuPuis said:
Like be completely boring for anyone who actually enjoys driving.
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Strongly disagree. I actually enjoy driving, and the Model 3 is one of the best driving experiences I've had.

Don't knock it until you try it.

Fiveslide said:
Last I heard you couldn't turn off traction control, and it's really good traction control. Who wants traction 100% of the time? I like to put one in a broadslide every now and then.
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Sigh... Please go back and actually read the article I linked to about Track Mode.
 
flyingcheesehead said:
Strongly disagree. I actually enjoy driving, and the Model 3 is one of the best driving experiences I've had.

Don't knock it until you try it.
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But you’re an electrical person and so you like the technology and for you, that enhances the experience.

I’ve driven hybrids, including the BMW i8, which is way cooler than a Tesla. And while it was interesting, no.
 
flyingcheesehead said:
Sigh... Please go back and actually read the article I linked to about Track Mode
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I have read your post, the link, considered your views... And I still wouldn't want a Tesla for a track car. :D

Actually, I'd love to have one as a daily driver, and if I won a lottery I buy that fugly truck in a second.
 
flyingbrit said:
Will your Cobra have automatic ignition timing?
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CharlieD3 said:
That's a "retarded" question. BUT, Maybe it will have a mixture control... Unless he goes FADEC!
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I realize it's easy to miss the point I'm getting at, and, well, that misses the point. Yes, I do want to own a really old vehicle with manual ignition timing. I actually have a thought for building the most complicated to operate vehicle that I can for the next car after the Cobra. I also would love to have a way to change ignition timing as well as mixture on piston aircraft engines, for which operation is done at steady state (at least effectively so).

The Cobra won't be it, though, as I've said in the thread - it will have EFI and distributorless ignition. There's a difference to me between those and the various other electronic driver aids (and especially electric cars). In the case of EFI and electronic ignition (or some kind of mechanical/electronic timing) the driver isn't specifically putting in the fuel or the spark. EFI puts fuel in better than a carburetor does. The engine doesn't know how the fuel is being delivered, and frankly it doesn't care. All it cares about is the quantity relative to the airflow. So to that end, and older style EFI with basic lookup tables and minimal to no logic works great at providing the correct amount of fuel at the correct time. Same for ignition. You are controlling both of them more or less directly with your right foot. Having those things work correctly gives the driver control of what the car is doing.

The other aids are different. They remove control from the driver and put it in the hands of the computer. Yes, they can allow the driver to push the car harder as a result of those added controls, so if all you care about is lap times, they are beneficial. But if you care about actually controlling the vehicle, they're a hindrance to the experience.

I've explained this a bunch of times and people either get it or they don't. That's fine. I know I'm in a minority.

@flyingcheesehead mentioned that he likes driving, but I would argue that he doesn't truly enjoy it as an enthusiast. And while Kent may like it (and having driven a few million miles of semis obviously must be able to tolerate driving), but his core interest is in technology more than anything. Kent, your cars have perhaps been interesting in some ways, but none have been true driver's cars (Ford Fusion, Volvo, etc.).

There's a fundamental difference there vs. a pure driver, and especially a mechanical person vs. an electrical person.


Incidentally, today's episode of Jay Leno's Garage is an all-electric car, claiming 1200 HP total (4x 300 HP electric motors, one per wheel). It is, no doubt, a very attractive car, although it was based off of some other car first (I didn't catch what).

Listening to the company rep (I didn't catch his title, one of the higher ups) was talking about all the fancy features about what they can do with the individual motors driving each wheel. He was very proud of the fact that it was isolated and you basically didn't get any feel of the driving thanks to software and removal of all mechanical components.

Jay didn't seem impressed by the driving experience at all, and he's someone who's is far more in favor of electric cars and technology than me. "Are we getting the full 1200 horsepower? Because it sure doesn't feel like it." He commented on that more. But Jay actually enjoys driving and is a mechanical fellow, like me.

 
Hell hath frozen over again, since I find myself once again in agreement with the Ted. Where I really see this cropping in is in bikes. Bikes are all about the riding experience, there really isn't a whole lot else. Yet all sorts of assist are making their way in, from ABS to full blown automatic transmissions. I don't want any of it, to me its all gadgets I have to pay for that are going to break anyway. But the younger set seems really into this stuff and can't get enough of it. There are now whole sectors of the motorcycle market where you can't get a bike without lots of electronic gee gaws.

Me agreeing with Ted. Must be a sign of the end times.
 
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I’m with Ted 110%. I was really pizzed when they stopped selling BMW X3’s with manual transmissions.
Another thing that really irritates me is the “safety” Cruise Control that I can’t turn off and maintains what some geek determines is a safe distance. All that happens is it opens up a space for some a**hat to cut in and slow me down some more.

Cheers
 
steingar said:
Me agreeing with Ted. Must be a sign of the end times.
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Oh come now, Michael, we both like airplanes so we agree on more than you give us credit for.

X3 Skier said:
I’m with Ted 110%. I was really pizzed when they stopped selling BMW X3’s with manual transmissions.
Another thing that really irritates me is the “safety” Cruise Control that I can’t turn off and maintains what some geek determines is a safe distance. All that happens is it opens up a space for some a**hat to cut in and slow me down some more.

Cheers
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That's the issue with these features - the bounds for how you can set them are usually very limited, and the ability to turn them off or revert to "dumb" versions is also limited.

It's not that I begrudge others using these features, I begrudge the fact that I, too, am forced to.
 
Ted DuPuis said:
But you’re an electrical person and so you like the technology and for you, that enhances the experience.

I’ve driven hybrids, including the BMW i8, which is way cooler than a Tesla. And while it was interesting, no.
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Honestly, the hybrids suck in terms of driving experience, and always will. If you like the feel of driving, they're terrible. I don't know if it's the disconnect between the engine noise and what's going on, or if it's something about the planetary gear sets they all seem to use to mix the electrical and gas power or what, but I find them all kind of annoying.

Yes, the i8 is cooler *looking* than a Tesla, but that hybrid driving experience... Yuck.

If the driving experience to you involves making things make noise, and controlling the *engine* - Yes, the Tesla won't be your thing.

But in terms of being one with the vehicle and feeling the *road* - It's incredible.

Ted DuPuis said:
Yes, I do want to own a really old vehicle with manual ignition timing. I actually have a thought for building the most complicated to operate vehicle that I can for the next car after the Cobra.
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It needs to be equipped with one of those boat engines that Henning was showing how to start. ;)

@flyingcheesehead mentioned that he likes driving, but I would argue that he doesn't truly enjoy it as an enthusiast. And while Kent may like it (and having driven a few million miles of semis obviously must be able to tolerate driving), but his core interest is in technology more than anything. Kent, your cars have perhaps been interesting in some ways, but none have been true driver's cars (Ford Fusion, Volvo, etc.).
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Yeah, unfortunately the ones I own veer towards practicality. :( But again, I do enjoy it as an enthusiast, and I think the disconnect may be that you're more into the engine while I'm more into the road. Doesn't mean I don't like driving, or that I only like the electronic tech - which I unquestionably do, but it's not what I'm talking about when it comes to the driving experience.
 
@timwinters Hats off to you for sharing. I’ve found your note about being in the zone applies to many aspects of daily life - thing just get harder. But in weighing that, we all only get one chance and no manual so best to make the most of it.

We can still do the PoA hotel at your place whichever way you go ;-)
 
Fiveslide said:
Last I heard you couldn't turn off traction control, and it's really good traction control. Who wants traction 100% of the time? I like to put one in a broadslide every now and then.
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That's swell (and I've done it) but most of the nannies only exist due to regulations, and if less crashes occur, car makers are happy to reduce their liability by having the car mind its own manners.
 
flyingcheesehead said:
Yeah, unfortunately the ones I own veer towards practicality. :( But again, I do enjoy it as an enthusiast, and I think the disconnect may be that you're more into the engine while I'm more into the road. Doesn't mean I don't like driving, or that I only like the electronic tech - which I unquestionably do, but it's not what I'm talking about when it comes to the driving experience.
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If I were to rank the aspects that matter to me most in enjoyment of a vehicle, it would be:

1) Engine
2) Transmission
3) Suspension
4) Ergonomics of driver interaction

The thing is, enjoying driving isn't about any one of those solely - it's about the correct pairing of all those components. What it is for me is the man-machine interaction that involves me working with the machine to make the car move.

With all the electronic wizardry, yes, it can help performance and make you faster, but it removes that man-machine interaction. With all those gizmos you're basically at the point of just hitting "start" on the roller coaster and then the computer does the rest. As you've said before, Kent, you're a technology person, electrical engineer, and you love the tech. I'm not saying there is anything wrong with that, or with people who like the wizardry. But it's not the same.

There's different levels of enjoying something. I like riding horses. I do really enjoy it, in that case the man-beast interaction (rather than man machine). But, it doesn't take more than 30 seconds of time at the stables for me to see that while I enjoy it, I'm not at their level. They love horses more than people.
 
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timwinters said:
I was told once, that some of the old 180/182's came off of the line with both gear boxes. Don't know if there's any truth to that, just something I was told by an old A&P.

Jeff (@Pilawt), do you know by chance?

(mine doesn't have both)
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Yep, it's true for 180/182s, 170/172s, and 140/150s. Not sure how long it lasted in each model. My friend has a pretty early 172 and it doesn't have both.
 
timwinters said:
I have pondered it long, hard and often over the last two months...the holidays definitely aided the "taking stock" portion of my internal debate and evaluation.

The bottom line (and I haven't completely landed yet) but the direction I'm strongly leaning towards...

I am going to divest myself of nearly all my worldly possessions, minimize material "junk" and maybe even move somewhere outside of the states.
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I think a lot of us have these dreams and I feel like I'm getting closer and closer. I'm still young enough I can't afford to completely retire, but that's not my plan anyway. My youngest just moved out, so now I can start dreaming of selling the house and down-sizing, quitting my day job, and just doing photography full time. The problem is, there's not a lot of money in aviation photography so I would probably have to do less fun photography too... and well, weddings suck!

Then there are other days where I feel like selling my cameras, everything else, and just moving to a small town and working at a Tractor Supply. Pretty sure I'd be bored in a minute though, so I'm stuck doing the daily grind for now!
 
My last trip to the highlands of Guatemala showed that I could pack up right now, move there and live like a king for the rest of my life. I'm more than enough saved up. Volcanoes covered in cloud forest to explore, tons of curvy mountain roads to ride, gorgeous mountain lakes to kayak. Were I not married I'd be gone.
 
@Ted DuPuis

I like the feel of a car too. Hate the new adaptive cruise control emergency braking self parking balderflop.

My first driving car was an MG TF 1500. I think it had a 15-16 inch steering wheel, lever shocks, and disc wheels (not spoke).

Top speed about 60. Stuff a scarf between the wind screen and side curtain in the winter .. or freeze your face off.

Miss that car.
 
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It sounds like a few of us are not too far off from Tim’s way of thinking.

I think flying and owning airplanes means you’ve got the basic necessities ironed out, and then some, and are contemplating “the meaning of life” sort of.

Tim- how old are you?
 
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