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Comment by randcraw | Hacker News Reader

As someone about to retire, I'm looking to develop passions that involve more physical activity than computerdom allows, like:

- Fix up a 30 year old motorcycle that's been just sitting far too long. Maybe resurrect a classic bike or two thereafter.

- Tour by bicycle and motorbike and write about the journey, both physical and mental.

- Hike and backpack, day hikes and longer.

- Develop musically, maybe even play the myriad instruments I've accumulated over the years. Ideally, in an ensemble.

- Find others with similar interests to hang with offline.

- Stay actively curious and engaged.

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> Tour by bicycle and motorbike and write about the journey, both physical and mental.

I have two perfect videos for this topic.

TWO YEARS ON A BIKE (four part video series)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rY0i2wUmIak&list=PL32DhVYS_c...

One Year on a Bike

https://vimeo.com/ondemand/oneyearonabike

One Year on a Bike "A thousand hellos"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AtF92Rq36GI

I would add "A Bivvy, a Phone and a Drone: Cycling Home from China"[1] to that great list. As well as Ed Pratt Unicycling The World series [2]

[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mmdxs_0yYwc

[2] https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLocRYksAqGOJnr-Y0eyP8...

Very cool! Thanks!

Nice. How old is the bike and how long has it been sitting? I recently tried to restore a old 92 Honda CBR600F2 that had also been sitting "far too long". Ended up spending almost as much as I paid for it due to my dumb butt leaving gas in it, ended up needing way more than its carbs cleaned out(surprise :p).

Called it quits at that point unfortunately although I am looking to get another bike for similar reasons, don't really care what kind as long as it isn't a hog if you have any recommendations!

Shame about the F2. I'm a big fan of the 600Fs. Mine's a 1986 Ninja 900. My first step: make sure the crank turns. :-( I drained the tank before storing it so the carbs shouldn't have gummed. But I'm sure that after 25 years of immobility its road to resurrection will be full of potholes, irregardless.

It's been sitting for 25 years... during which I bought two more bikes, a 2004 Yamaha FZ1 and a 2015 Ducati Diavel. Don't ask me why. Apparently owning an excess of bikes is my penance for... some past sin.

I’ve learned the same hard lesson. Restoring always cost so so much more than buying something already in that condition

So true. But I'm hoping that the need to resurrect the dead will propel me into discovering a whole other side to living with mechanized transport. Riding is certainly rewarding (and challenging) but wrenching is another dimension entirely. I'm hoping that, by letting my steed devolve into a basket case that needs emergency surgery to survive, I'll finally get motivated enough to learn the surgical techniques needed to bring it back to life, and that will reveal the secrets of life itself. Or at least some insights into what makes a bike tick.

Awesome! Would you hike by yourself?

That’s what’s holding me back. Even if I get past the loneliness aspect I start freaking myself out about bears and moose.

I'll play that by ear, begin with some solo long afternoon hikes and overnights, then take stock. The lack of others on off-season weekdays may require a plan B. It'll probably depend on the location. I think I'll also look into a satellite phone, which also might be handy when biking in the boonies.

I would, if legal, carry a revolver hiking anywhere with dangerous wildlife :)

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