As I get closer to retirement, hopefully within the next 2 years, I have been thinking about places I want to visit, things I want to do.

1) Night time cruise across Lake Michigan, on the Badger, when there is a full moon and a chance of seeing the Northern Lights.

2) The boat and the plane trip to the Dry Tortugas. Hopefully during the same trip to Key West.

3) Day trip to Pelee Island from Sandusky, in the middle of the Summer.

4) A multi-day trip on a Freighter, in the Great Lakes.

What's on your bucket list?

The caretaker of the Badger made a custom shotgun for me. Crusty former Marine with a large GSD. I was pleased with his work.
He is originally from Florida and retired to Michigan.

finally buy a High Power, mint condition. I've wanted one for 35 years and never got around to buying one.

I'm getting old. Tomorrow's sunrise is fine.

Salma Hayek.

Ohhhhh you said bucket list. I misheard you.

Understanding me. Being me.

Ski Sun Valley for a few days during the week. (No weekend crowds please) Probably won't happen but when I ski bummed there for two years there it sure was fun. I got pretty good at skiing to

1- Ride the locomotive from the Empire mine down to the MQT Ore Dock.
2- Sail Lake Superior on an Ore Boat from MQT down through the Soo Locks.
3- Catapult shot off the deck of an aircraft carrier.

To see the Monaco Grand Prix. I’d also like to see the FN plant in Belgium; specifically John Brownings office there. Lastly I’d like to take a trip driving around the Great Lakes in a Porsche 911 or an Aston Martin; I’d like to do the trip with the wife but she can be a nervous passenger. There’s potential for a trip like that to be similar to the one time I got her to come with me on a roller coaster. That was hell, less than enjoyable.

So many, and growing.

These are persistent now:
1. Northern lights
2. Learn to read/write hieroglyphs (the phonetic ones) and take a trip to see the great pyramids, etc.
3. Play a piano sonata from Mozart, Beethoven, Liszt.
4. Play Pachebel's Canon and Vivaldi 4 Seasons on violin.
5. Visit each prefecture in Japan and try the local specialty.
6. Snorkel in exotic clear waters teeming w/ sealife that doesn't want to eat me.
7. Take an off pavement road / camping trip - no civilization in sight.

-Nurburgring, at least 3-5 laps

-Mercedes museum in Germany

-F1 races at Spa & Suzuka

-Take a flight in a 747

Former items, no longer possible
-Ring taxi with Sabine Schmitz
-Concorde flight
-Live shuttle launch

quote:

To see the Monaco Grand Prix

Be sure to go to Indy if you haven't already.
The raw speed and show is an amazing sight and experience.
Another, since tomorrow's the big day, is the 6th Floor Museum in Dallas.

quote:

Originally posted by 400m:
..... Lastly I’d like to take a trip driving around the Great Lakes in a Porsche 911......

This made me recall that owning a Porsche 911 (air cooled) had always been my dream. By the time I (thought) I finally had the disposable money to buy a nice used example 20+ years back, the prices had really started escalating on the old ones so I gave up. But maybe a more modern Porsche like a 15 year old Boxster, Cayman, or 911 could be possible? I'd love to take one on a cross country trip staying on small highways.

Im not going to count on being able to own one. Im thinking a rental.
And 220-9er, I did see the Brickyard in Indy in 1997 I believe. We were maybe row 12-15 along the pits. It was loud as hell and I remember it took probably 10 laps before my eyes could adjust to the speed so I could read the numbers on the doors. I’m not much of a NASCAR fan but it was fun to watch. My dad wasn’t a big fan either but he gave me the program and said pick the winner. I chose the Tide car (#10 I think), and I’ll be damned Ricky Rudd won that race.

Crew member on the Port Huron to Mackinac race.

Originally to see a few things already mentioned here. Then got widowed about 10 years back. My new list was to find a good woman to go do those things with. So far it's been a failure, and somehow I am wired not to travel till I can also share those experiences. We do in fact build our own cages eh?

Perhaps you have to travel a bit to find that good woman. She doesn’t seem to be local. Just a thought.

quote:

Originally posted by konata88:

7. Take an off pavement road / camping trip - no civilization in sight.

Not sure where you live, but I can arrange this tonight if you want. I'll drop you in the Tillamook forest and see you in a week

It's quiet with no civilization until some stupid loud airplane goes overhead.

In no particular order:
- Pay off debt
- Build the deck
- Retire (To Gulf coast of Florida)
- Reno/Vegas trip
- Vacation in Iceland
- Some new bass guitar gear
- Sleep with a woman (Not sex, sleep)
- A Mustang would be nice (Classic or Fox body)

and I'll take @konata88 #7 (One thing I miss about the Army is the field)

quote:

Originally posted by konata88:
7. Take an off pavement road / camping trip - no civilization in sight

Someone ,somewhere knowing that I was right about something.