Goal Setting in Retirement

That day when you look at your spouse and realize that you’ve accomplished everything you set out to accomplish after you retired?  Yeah, that’s happened. 

For those of you whose goal is to retire, be advised:  retirement is a doorway, not a destination.  When we retired we knew we would buy a trailer and work as campground hosts for five years.  During this time we would continue to become totally debt-free by reinvesting most of our rental income back into the properties.

Fast forward four years, five months, and three days, and here we are.  We decided to give up camp hosting after the summer of 2015 and learned that we quite enjoy camping without cleaning toilets.  All our rental properties are paid for.  Our hard work helping our son and daughter-in-law plan and execute their wedding culminated in a beautiful October 1 celebration.   And we have set no additional goals.

So now what do we want to do?  Travel?  Downsize?  Buy a summer home (or in our case, a winter home)?  Just for fun, I looked through an attempt at a “Bucket List” written in 2004 (eight years before we retired, and three years before we started calling them Bucket Lists).  There are 33 items on the list. 

#1 is to write and publish a novel. I’m working on it.  I’ve been working on it since 2012.  I’m on Chapter 31. 

#2 is to own two condos – one in SLC and one someplace warm.

Of the remaining 31 items, 13 are places I want to travel to (2 accomplished), 6 are things I’d like to do with my time (2 accomplished), 2 are things I’d like to learn, 3 are places I’d like to sing (2 accomplished), 2 are places I’d like to volunteer (1 accomplished), 2 are items I’ve since decided I never want to do, and the rest are pretty random .  Things like owning another pug, giving the kids nice weddings, and running a 5K.  Yes, I did write 5K.  How was I to know what an avid runner I would become?   So far I’ve accomplished 11 ½ of the 33 items on my list.

Just for fun, I shared the list with my husband.  He agreed with me that traveling more and trading in the big house for two smaller houses were ideas worth considering.  Maybe it’s time to transform these from the bucket list to actual goals that we can work on together.

Carrot vs. Stick

At the height of the burst of the housing bubble and the “too big to fail” debacle, I worked for what was then the 8^th largest bank in the U.S.  At the time, Wells Fargo was one of the good guys.  We knew that lending money to people who couldn’t afford to pay it back was bad for business, and according to those I worked with who knew the mortgage business, we turned away a lot of money because of this.  We paid back the “bailout” money.  And we grew to be the 2^nd biggest bank in the U.S.

Fast forward eight years and the shocking revelation that so many Wells Fargo bankers created fraudulent accounts in order to meet sales goals.  5300+ were fired.  The head of Retail Banking retired.  And just a few days ago, CEO John Stumpf announced his immediate resignation. 

I am saddened by the fact that the company who treated me very well as an employee did not treat the customers who keep the bank in business quite as well.  And I’m more saddened for the Retail bankers, most of them honest and hardworking, who are likely taking the brunt of the fallout.  And I can’t help but wonder…

First – a disclaimer.  I’ve never worked in Retail banking.  The hypothesis I’m about to put into words is mine alone.  And it is this:  Wells Fargo Bank used to have a wonderful reward for high performing employees called the Sales and Service Conference.  Salespeople earned their way to this conference by meeting and exceeding sales goals.  Service people like me earned their way by being recommended by other departments for exemplary service.  The conference was an honor to attend – and a lot of fun!

My first Sales and Service Conference, held in the Bahamas was themed, A Culture of Legendary Excellence. I met a phone banker who was attending for her seventh time.  She worked hard every year to meet her sales goals and was rewarded.  But there were many more first-timers like me who were awestruck at the way Wells Fargo leadership honored us “little people” who were the “heart and soul of the company.”  The culmination of a long weekend of recognition and inspiration was walking across the stage to receive a medal from the CEO.

I attended two more times.  The last time I attended was in 2008.  John Stumpf presented my medal.  I shook his hand.  He seemed genuinely pleased to be there.  Later that year the company announced that it would be doing away with Sales and Service Conference, as it appeared to the outside world to be a boondoggle for highly paid executives.  In the climate of bailouts, buyouts, and out and out failures, no financial institution should get away with such frivolity.

That frivolity, however, seemed to be a significant incentive for bankers to meet their sales goals.  Sure, the executives were there, but they were there to encourage, support and honor those who had excelled at their jobs.  I wonder – in making the decision to do away with the conference, did we lose a part of our “culture of legendary excellence?”  I wonder – would the now-fired bankers have turned to fraud to meet sales goals if instead of threats such as reduced compensation or even job loss, an incentive were on the table?

I wonder – but I’ll never know.  

The Arapeen OHV Trail System

Blue Lake on the Arapeen OHV Trail System

We just completed a wonderful six weeks at Pine Mountain, located east of Spring City on a gateway road into the Arapeen OHV Trail System. This set of roads and trails, many open to 4X4 vehicles as well as off-road vehicles, is located in the Manti-LaSal National Forest.  The roads and trails are maintained by the National Forest Service and are well marked with signs bearing the road number.  System maps are available – free – at the Forest Service Offices in Ephraim, Ferron, Price, Moab and Monticello.

The main road linking the trails is #1, Skyline Drive.  It’s classified as a 4X4 road, and in certain sections you can drive a 2 wheel drive vehicle over it, but great deal of the road is pretty rutted.  I’m picturing the first sunny day in March, an old 4 wheel drive truck, a six pack of Keystone Light, and “damn the mud and snow – full speed ahead.”  That’s probably not what happened, but that’s my story and I’m sticking to it. 

The trails are rated like ski runs –green for easy, blue for intermediate, black for advanced.  The color code is on the actual signs marking the trails.  But look carefully at the colors on the map. We learned the hard way that a green line for a trail on the map doesn’t mean it’s easy.  It means it’s restricted to ATVs 50” or less in width.  They take this width restriction very seriously.  The gate to enter the trail is just a bit wider.  Seriously.  We cleared one of the gates by ½ inch on either side.  The gate is also stationary.  If you don’t fit through, you don’t ride the trail.  Case closed.

Most of the ATV-only trails are two-track, alternating through dense forest and open meadows.  The Reeder Canyon trail and the other road #5 (still confused) had steep uphill and downhill sections punctuated by Forest Service speed bumps – actually culverts to divert running water.  There are several reservoirs along the trail, many with fishing and camping opportunities. 

We rode in this area more than a dozen times during our stay at Pine Mountain and still have trails and loops we have yet to ride. Interested?  You can download the trail map here.  Happy Trails!

What the Best Dressed ATV Riders are Wearing

Welcome to my first – and most likely last – fashion post.  But if ever there were an event where the right attire is paramount, ATV riding would be it.  So, without further ado, starting at the bottom and working up….

1.  Boots.  Your boots should have good tread and provide ankle support.  Remember, you’ll need good traction on the trails and on-foot sightseeing.

2.  Socks.  Your socks need to cover the space between your boots and the inevitable lift of your pants when you’re seated.  Why?  The heat from the ATV’s engine can make the sideboards near the footrests very hot.  Save yourself the burn.

3.  Long pants.  Covering your legs protects them from windburn, sunburn, insects, flying objects and again, the heat of the machine.  The best riding pants have lots of pockets.  Ladies, the trail is no place for your designer handbags.  You need a pocket for your camera or cellphone, a pocket for chapstick, a pocket for tissues, and anything else you really need.  Don’t pack a comb or brush.  Trust me on this one.

4.  Long sleeved shirt.  Covering your arms has the same benefits as covering your legs.  I use a white cotton shirt on hot days, a pullover windbreaker on cooler days, and a parka for cold days.

5.  Bandanna.  Or maybe 2.  One should be tied around your neck so you can slip it up to cover your mouth and nose if you’re riding in really dusty conditions.  They make official dust masks for ATV riders, but so far I’ve found the bandanna to work just as well.  I use a second bandanna around my hair.  It keeps most of the dust out and makes it a lot easier to brush when we’re finally back home.

6.  Helmet.  This is the most important fashion accessory in the ATV riders wardrobe.  The benefits of wearing a helmet are many:

- It's the law (in Utah) if you're under age 18;

- It keeps wind and bugs off your face;
- It keeps rocks and dust out of your eyes;
- It keeps your ears warm on cold days;
- It keeps low tree branches from hitting you in the face, and
- It can save your life.

According to Riders West, “Recent research indicates that wearing a helmet while riding an ATV reduces an individual’s risk of death by 42 per cent and of suffering a head injury by 64 per cent. Head and spinal cord injuries are among the most common injuries incurred by ATV users.”

Don’t scrimp on the helmet.  Buy the best helmet you can afford and make sure it fits you well.  And if you should have the misfortune of having the helmet do its job, replace it.

But as for the pants, shirts, and windbreakers – the best source I’ve found is my local thrift store.  After all, why pay big bucks for clothing you intend to get dirty?

Happy trails!

Pine Mountain – A Guest Post by Frank

Hi!  It’s me again, Frank.  If we haven’t met yet, you can read my story at The Story of Frank.

Shortly after my previous owner, Fred, passed away, his daughter and son-in-law purchased a 5-acre lot in Pine Mountain in Sanpete County, Utah, southeast of Mount Pleasant and just east of Spring City.  Paul and Cheri brought me there for the first time last weekend.

The property sits on top of a hill.  The views are amazing and sunsets are spectacular.  The owners have built several trailer spots, a lovely sitting area and dining area, a playground complete with sand, and two horseshoe pits – so far.  Fred’s kids, grandkids, and great-grandkids come up most weekends to enjoy the property and the nearby recreation.  There are several hiking trails and easy access to the Arapeen OHV trail system.  You can drive (or ride) to several ponds and reservoirs to fish, and can walk out onto public lands to hunt.

Or you can just sit back and enjoy the peace and quiet.  Pine Mountain is a gated community.  Only owners and their guests can even access the area, and our spot is at the end of a road that the kids are in charge of naming.  During the day you can watch the hummingbirds (and chipmunks) at the feeders, and in the evening you can enjoy thousands of stars and dozens of solar lights.

I came this particular weekend to participate in a Memorial Service for Fred and his wife, JoAnn.  Fred’s children had chosen Pine Mountain as the final resting place for their ashes, and on Saturday, August 13, they honored Fred and JoAnn and buried the ashes.  Most of the family, including adopted son Paul, were there and spoke of their fond memories.  There were tears of joy and tears of gratitude.

The gravesite is marked by a tree planted in honor of Fred and JoAnn.  A simple cross and angel guard the site with their colored lights.

I think Fred and JoAnn would have loved it here.

All In

 When we bought our first ATV – the very old, very small, very cheap one with the Queen’s chair – we did so deliberately with the idea that we would try it and see if we liked it before we invested any real money into the sport.

Or so we thought.  The downside of buying anything used is that you know something’s wrong with it.  What it is and when it will surface is a crap shoot, but something will break.  We put lots of hours and lots of miles on this used ATV – and lots of money on maintenance that never really got it working as well as we would have liked.

All the while, in the back of my mind, I started my list of requirements for the next one:

1. Power – it had to be able to go faster than 30 mph.

2. Foot rests for the passenger – the makeshift stirrups we used so I could brace myself riding downhill just weren’t the best solution.

2A. OK – we really needed a machine that was factory built for two.  The industry term is “two-up.”

3.  Built this century.  When I said the first ATV was “very old,” I meant “very old.”

When we brought the old ATV back from Hurricane, we immediately sold it for parts.  Then we spent a good deal of time deciding whether or not we really wanted to buy another ATV.  Were we ready to put both the time and money into the sport – for the next several years?

The decision was “yes.”  Last April we bought a brand-new, 2015 Polaris 570 Touring model.  It was a base model without power steering and without a built-in winch.  We bought a gun rack to hold fishing poles and walking sticks and pouches to hold whatever else.

We took it out in the west desert for its trial run and learned that I can drive with my husband riding as passenger.  (I would have never attempted this on the old ATV.)  We took it to the mountains and learned that it gets stuck in a foot of snow.  Thankfully we had another vehicle to pull us out.  We bought and installed a winch.  We took it camping and learned we could bungee chairs to the back, pack lunches and snacks in the pouches, and put fishing poles in the gun rack and go on all day adventures. 

It’s official!   We’re all in on this ATV thing!  Now if we only had a GPS…

Reminiscing at Hoop Lake

We decided not to work as campground hosts this year – mainly because we spent four months in the trailer during the winter and were ready to spend some quality time in the house and yard.  But when it was time to go camping, we decided to go to the first area we hosted – Hoop Lake on the North Slope of the Uinta Mountains.

We didn’t actually camp at Hoop Lake.  There is only one site in the main campground big enough for our trailer – and it’s not the host site!  We camped near the Middle Fork of Beaver Creek.  We rode to Hoop Lake several times.

The lake is as high as I have ever seen it, and as of June 25 they had not opened the spillway to let water out.  Of course, they didn’t need to.  The trailhead near the campground was under a foot of water – again, as of June 25.

Some things hadn’t changed.  The campsites are as rustic as ever, and after hosting at Washington Lake, seemed even smaller.  We ran into our Forest Ranger, Nancy, at the lake.  She told us that she would likely retire next summer, so it was great to see her one last time.  She was doing double duty as there was no camp host.  Not surprising.  Only in the month of July does Hoop Lake get enough business to justify paying the host couple 30 hours a week.  We were paid 20 hours a week in June and August.  Our area managers at the time commented that it was a difficult post to fill.

Some changes had been made.  Sites 1 and 2 on the horse camp side have been made double sites.  Also not surprising.  We were used to having several trailers on those sites, and we charged per trailer.  The good news was that we could charge half price to Senior Pass and Access Pass holders.  These discounts don’t apply to double sites in most National Forest Campgrounds.  A sign requesting a trailhead fee of $3 per vehicle per day is now posted at the horse camp. 

When we hosted at Hoop Lake four years ago I was a rookie runner.  It took all summer before I was able to run up the hill on the lake side of the main loop without stopping to walk.  And I didn’t even think about running up the hill to the horse camp.  This year, even on my first day running, I made it up the lakeside hill and ran all the way to the horse camp.  It was great to realize that I am that much stronger – even though I’m also that much older.

While I loved the walk down memory lane, it was really nice to drive back to camp and then, when the camping trip was done, to drive home.  I’m loving the summer off!