heart breaking

Despite Max Factor and Vidal Sassoon these bodies of ours will take on corruption. I will be 70 next year and things are becoming harder. There is the physical aspect arthritis etc., waning desire and fear all play into this process we call aging. I went fishing overnight in the RV last week and backed into a tree trying to get into a campsite and ruined my ladder also had an electrical problem and got bit by a tick and am on antibiotics because my leg swelled up. When things like this happen they play on your mind also. I think traveling with someone like an old friend or a grandson that can help you make the trip more enjoyable. Staying connected to the RV lifestyle by reading this forum and other publications help. Exercise, maintaining or losing some weight helps. I notice what was easy 10 years ago just takes more work today, so I just have to push my self more. There is a Proverb that I like that says "As a man thinks in his heart so is he" so I try to be careful not to dwell on the problems of life or RV travel and keep doing what I always did when I was younger. Hope this helps and don't give up yet.

I can to relate to all of the above. I'm 75 and will soon be 76, with that being said I start my seasonal change over about a week before I intend to go. I usually spend about a day of that week giving the TT a good going over, (I'm not to critical) as I have the next six months to complete the task when I arrive in the RGV of TX.
I serve as a chaplain in a 55+ community and see many aspects of aging, some just say I can't do this any longer and quit.
Age and its variety of ailments affect us all to some degree or the other. These bodies of ours all have an expiration date.
We have several in the resort that have sons or daughters that do the driving and setup work of the unit when they arrive at the resort. Many leave their units there the year around and simply commute from their homes up north.
There are also several cabin/park models that are available to rent by the season of by the month.
The only restriction we have is the one put on us by our health and declining mental capacity.

A day in the south is much better than a season in the cold & snow.

Don't give up.....just start preparing sooner and if the day is too short or the energy is lacking, there is always 'Manana'.

Live life to the fullest and enjoy.

Tom/Barb wrote:
I know how you feel, getting old sux

My 90 yr old mother-in- law says " getting old is not for sissies " .:B

We have gotten older overnight.
Medical problems with hitching up and carrying weights etc.
There is usually two car loads from here to where Mh is stored and the details and little bits and shopping seem endless.
Wife is two years older but she runs on high octane apparently.
Afraid we would have to give it up if it depended entirely on me.
Once they fix my back maybe we can keep at it another ten years. Then it is going to be a small home or condo, on water, on the far edge, of a quiet small town. I hope I don't wake up one morning and say well it is time to do all this change.

I recently camped next to a widower who was 93. He could not do the hiking trails but seemed to be enjoying his trip.

I am started to get up there in age. I find it is best to do a few chores a day to get ready to travel. I also have a lot of extra clothes and gear that is left in the RV. De-winterizing is pretty quick for me. I fill the water tank and add bleach. After a few hours, I run some water through the shower and faucet, empty the tank and refill with fresh water. That should be about it for any RV. The bed needs to be made but that is a chore that is no different than making the bed at home. Many of my spices, herbs, and kitchen supplies are in a box in the basement. None of that is essential and anything missing can be purchased at the first grocery stop. I will spend a couple of hours on clothing and miscellaneous items. Then the RV needs a good cleaning. All together I would guess an hour a day for a week should be way more than is needed. If that is too much, it might be time to consider assisted living arrangements.

I feel for you!

If you don't have the right son in laws, I can suggest an alternative: When I was laid up with an injury, I got some people off ads I placed on Craiglist under 'gig's (short term jobs, usually just a few hours).

I met great people, and they worked hard. I only had one 'dud' out of about 10 people over several months.

You just post what you want done and what you want to pay. Get some young folks to load up your tt!

I even did this once when I was interested in a van but couldn't get out to look at it. I had a guy go and take a ton of cell phone pics, scope out some details, and send all the info to my phone, for $25 :). Oh, and last summer I had a pair of college students scrub and reseal a floor for $10/hour...

When I was at Bridalveil CG in Yosemite a few years ago, a couple came in with a Sprinter towing a 13' Scamp. They were in their upper 80s and I could see right off that they were anything but spry or energetic. But they were still out there, full-timing IIRC, and they said they figured that they still had another year or two of camping in them but could see the end approaching. I moved the picnic table for them and helped guide the man as he backed into a spot. I hope I'm still out there when I approach 90.

Have you seen a doctor lately about your decline in energy? My mother in law is in her late 70s now, and 2 years ago she was getting more tired from less exertion than before, but she didn't really think much of it. She had a routine physical and the doctor ordered some tests. Then he asked her to stick around town for a couple hours and come back in the afternoon, after the test results were in. When she returned, the doctor said, we need to schedule you for bypass surgery and to fix a heart valve. MIL said, Ok what day do you want me to come back for that? Doc said, Oh no, you're not going anywhere, you could keel over! I'm admitting you to the hospital and we'll have you in surgery tomorrow at 7:00 a.m. She's a lot stronger physically now, 2 years later. (Unfortunately I think the cholesterol pills they've prescribed since that time have played hob with her short term memory.)

That is, without question, not always the case.

X2, for many reasons.

Old Guy, even if you don't have your TT any more you can always rent a cabin or trailer at many campgrounds. If sleeping in someone else's bed bothers you, bring a sleeping bag or your own sheets/blankets.

A couple of thoughts. Have you had a check-up recently? There could be factors affecting your energy level other than age. Do you exercise at all during non-RV season? As we get older our ability to "pick up where we left off" decreases. The key is to not stop completely. Have you suffered some sort of loss that you connect with RVing? Cause could be psychological as well as physiological. Maybe before you give up you should try figuring out of there are other factors involved.

old guy wrote:
here I am old in nature and not the best of health and trying to get ready to go camping. have been working on the readiness now for a week and seems not that close to being ready. I have so much to do yet and have done a lot already. unwinterizing, washing sheets loading the chairs in the truck, getting buckets ready for mushrooming and berry picking. hate to say this but reality is looking me in the face and she is telling me it may be time to sell the TT and cut back some. never thought I would say that. very sad and heart breaking since I have enjoyed camping so much over the 75 years. My body just gets tired too fast.

Wondering. What do you do to "unwinterize". I do that at the CG. I simply hookup to the city water, and let it push the antifreeze out, Or if I didn't use antifreeze. I just let it. fill the water heater, and I'm done.

Also. We wash our sheets, towels, and wash rags when we get home, and put them back in the TT. And our chairs stay in the camper. Keeping the camper ready, and storing all camping gear in it. Is why we bought a camper. It is in truth ready to leave when ever we want to go. I do wash it, and the TV before we leave, other than that we just put some clothes, and food in, and off we go.

I would only suggest you leave everything you can in it. For me, as I age. The worse part is carrying the hitch out of the building, and putting it on the truck.
Don't make it harder than it has to be.

I can relate as I am nearly 80 but I still plan on camping all summer. It is sure harder to do things than 10 or 20 years ago. I still thank the good Lord for each day that I am allowed to live