AGE is a hard thing. Young folks have no idea. Aging may not make you cry but it will bring you to tears. I am not being a crybaby but just sharing what the trailhead looks and feels like.
The hardest part is having all the toys, time, skills, and desire but …
Old Farts are sputtering at best. Old outdoor buddies are also few and far between. Their bodies are failing too. I used to drag my slower and aging friends out and was comfortable helping them if they needed it. Now I am nearing the point where I need help.
My biggest recommendations, advice, suggestions, and wisdom is to do as much as you can while you can. Do not wait. If you have a trip, goal, or desire, do it while your body will let you. No matter how well you take care of your body, every day is one day less in your life. Age will take its toll.
For 67 years Montana Grant was Bulletproof. No mountain was too tall, no fish too big, no river too fast, no challenge too great. I carried elk quarters over both shoulders, uphill. Hunting and fishing from dusk to dawn was routine. I could wade through the strongest rivers like a Sherman tank.
One day I went to the Doctor and discovered my tight hamstrings were caused from a bulging disc in my lower back. One surgery led to 2 and led to 3. I am recovering but not as fit as a fiddle as I once was. Physical Therapy is not enough. Less movement means gaining weight. You can’t move more until you lose more weight.
The Dr. said that I was the perfect candidate for a GLP drug.” Getting back to post-surgery weight is next to impossible. “New weight loss medications have few side effects and work fast. It requires a weekly shot, which is no big deal. I lost 4 lbs. in the first week. The biggest challenge is keeping off weight once you reach your goal. GLP programs will become more common in the future as health care plans prescribe them to prevent other expensive health problems.
It is at that point when I hope to be able to exercise and better manage my lighter, more normal body. Less weight on my joints, bones, and muscles means less stress and strain on my frame. Lower Blood pressure, better cholesterol, overall better health that can effectively manage my older body.
Mountain Men did not live long lives. Hard Winters, miles of travel, inconsistent diets, and outdoor life stress took its toll. If you made it into your 40’s you were an elder. Rarely did people live longer. Today we live much longer.
Old hunters and anglers may still need to change their sporting styles. Using wheelers, accessing less strenuous areas, slowing down, and working smarter, not harder. Having younger sports to tag along is also helpful.
Last Spring, I went turkey hunting with my son Kyle. I was still on the mend from 3 surgeries but sitting at home won’t get me back in the game. It was hard. My body was weaker, sorer, and less flexible but… Using Kyle’s wheeler allowed us to get to the high ground. Then I could hunt downhill back to the camp. I used a ski pole for balance, and security, and took my time. That meant calling better, listening further, and using past lessons to get close to a gobbler. At 9am, my Ithaca model 37 pump shotgun notched another turkey. It’s funny how carrying a gobbler over your shoulder takes away the pain.
I may not end up as a” vintage muscle car” but at least I can stay active and enjoy retirement. There are plenty of kids, friends, and family that need Montana Grant’s attention. I may not be able to carry 2 elk hindquarters uphill, but maybe I can pack one.
Every season is one less!
Montana Grant
