What's on your bucket list?

My bucket list after early retirement in about 1 1/2 years (fingers crossed and on track) :
Tear down and rebuild our summer cottage on Georgian Bay to be a "home"
Spend three leisurely weeks on the boat on a slow trip to the North Channel (Georgian Bay)
Buy a big motorhome and do the 70 degree tour from fall to spring starting in Toronto, looping west to Seattle, then south west to south east and then back north. Great Loop on rubber.
Buy waterfront (canal) home in Florida (SW)
A high end fishing holiday somewhere like Panama or Costa Rica
Spend a month in Spain/Portugal not acting like a tourist
Tour Australia for maybe 3 weeks with 1 week in Hawaii on the way there or back
... to be continued...
 
PS
markrsimon said:
man I do miss my 240z.. 140mph one night in the middle of nowhere in an undisclosed location :)
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In 1998 I worked for a Indy Car driver. I drove a Newell Motor Coach around the country. Forty four foot motor coach with a 30 foot trailer full of golf carts and party supplies. It is the Rolls Royce of Motor Coaches.

Any way. He had an Acura NSX. One day I had to drive it from Indy to Dayton. I got it up to 155 mph before I slowed down. Got my one and only speeding ticket midnight July 4th 1977. The officer wrote me up for doing 100 mph and a speed contest ticket. Said he had to do 120 to catch me.
 
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Got this from my sister and brother in law
 
Gofirstclass said:
John, many, many years ago I watched a guy in an 8-wheel Steiger tractor pull 3' to 4' stumps out of the ground. He'd back up to it, chain up, then put the tractor in gear. No throttle, just idled away from the stump and the stump graciously followed him. To say I was amazed by that amount of power would be an understatement.

I'm not looking to actually do anything constructive with the tractor, I'd just be tickled sh!tless to get in the cab and drive it around for awhile. I talked to a John Deere salesman at a farm show and told him of my dream. He said to just come on out to their place of business and he'd let me have some fun. I just haven't done it yet.
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They will let you operate them for sure. I don't know of but one center pivot 500 horse around here. But there is a few tracked 200 horse and a bunch of combines right now.

Back a few years, I worked for a hay outfit. They had me cutting a field up a valley that floods every year. This field was some of the best Canary Grass around. When I was told to go cut, I asked about the soft spot in the back side. I was told to shut my mouth and do as I was told. OK. Well that old Allis Chalmers was buried to the frame. Went from cutting along to stopped. The boss came out and said I was right about that soft spot. Well we had the 90h I was driving. A 200h the boss brought out. (buried) then a 400h center pivot. (buried) and about 1000' of chain to all of them then the 500h out on the road daisy chained. That 500h didn't stop until we were all on the road. That was one hell of a parade.
 
On my bucket list is to spend a week or so circumnavigating Isle Royale. Every winter I say this summer. But then I chicken out. Lake Superior can be intimidating.
 
MrHappy said:
PS

In 1998 I worked for a Indy Car driver. I drove a Newell Motor Coach around the country. Forty four foot motor coach with a 30 foot trailer full of golf carts and party supplies. It is the Rolls Royce of Motor Coaches.

Any way. He had an Acura NSX. One day I had to drive it from Indy to Dayton. I got it up to 155 mph before I slowed down. Got my one and only speeding ticket midnight July 4th 1977. The officer wrote me up for doing 100 mph and a speed contest ticket. Said he had to do 120 to catch me.
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One of the IndyCar drivers I mentioned earlier was Mark Dismore. Got to become pretty good friends with him and pitted with him at nationals along with former NASCAR driver Eric Jones (the former Eric Jones from 20 years ago, not the current NASCAR one...lol). I actually became better friends with Mark Jr. They own a kart track in New Castle, IN and hold an endurance race once a year called the RoboPong 200. RoboPong is owned by Josef Newgardens dad. Requires at least 2 drivers and Mark Jr and Dan Wheldon were best friends and always paired up for that race. Mark Jr had mentioned to me that he wanted to cut back on his driving and focus more on the business. I asked him if he wanted my son to join them as a 3rd driver. Mark said he was going to call Dan and see if he was ok with it. The race was 1 week before Dan was killed in Vegas so they never ran that race. Ironically Mark Sr and Josef Newgarden paired up in the kart the Mark Jr and Wheldon were supposed to run and they won that race
 
boatman37 said:
One of the IndyCar drivers I mentioned earlier was Mark Dismore. Got to become pretty good friends with him and pitted with him at nationals along with former NASCAR driver Eric Jones (the former Eric Jones from 20 years ago, not the current NASCAR one...lol). I actually became better friends with Mark Jr. They own a kart track in New Castle, IN and hold an endurance race once a year called the RoboPong 200. RoboPong is owned by Josef Newgardens dad. Requires at least 2 drivers and Mark Jr and Dan Wheldon were best friends and always paired up for that race. Mark Jr had mentioned to me that he wanted to cut back on his driving and focus more on the business. I asked him if he wanted my son to join them as a 3rd driver. Mark said he was going to call Dan and see if he was ok with it. The race was 1 week before Dan was killed in Vegas so they never ran that race. Ironically Mark Sr and Josef Newgarden paired up in the kart the Mark Jr and Wheldon were supposed to run and they won that race
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I met Joseph Newgarden at the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach when he was still racing for Sarah Fisher. We were in the pit lane club (open bar) and my buddies and I were pretty tooled up. When I went up to get my hat signed by him, I asked my friend to take a picture, and I pulled my T-shirt down pretending to have him sign my chest. He got up out of his chair like a bottle rocket. LOL! We all laughed and he was a great sport. I have some cool photos of him. He looked like a tall 14 year old at the time.
 
I met a lot of the Indy car drivers and owners. I raced motor cross motorcycles with Tony George(at that the me owner of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway) at a track we built.

We drove out to Mary Hulman’s(owner IMS)ranch to buy some of her horses. Mary drove me around her ranch in golf cart.

I did not think about it until now. I did get one thing on my bucket list. At the Indy 500 when they announced “Gentleman and lady start your engines” I was standing on the starting line grid next to our car.

At Texas Motor Speedway I was on the backstretch holding the sign telling my driver what was going on.

At Charlotte I watched the race from the roof. Next to the owner of the track. I had my camera and the owner asked if he was in my way. No sir.

Funny story. At the Dover Delaware track my driver got in to a wreck. After the race this guy pulled up on a moped. He threw the moped down and came screaming at the driver. He was yelling profanities and was in his face. This was in front of the drivers parents, VIPS from Procter and Gamble and little kids. I let them go out it for a while. And then the drivers mom said something to the guy. He turned around and went off on her. That’s when I came running out of my trailer and I grabbed the guy by his shirt. I started dragging him out of the area. That was when another guy came up and grabbed my shirt and threw me against the fence. Then he grabbed the guy in the moped and left. My driver came up and asked if I was all right because Jim Harbaugh threw me into the fence. I said I didn’t really know who he was, was he a basketball player. Joking around. I never did get a apology from anybody. The guy on the moped was the other cars crew chief and Jim Harbaugh was part owner.
 
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Wow, reading some of these, I realize how blessed I have already been with some LIST items. Retired for years now, JUST got my first Sea Ray, sold my F type Jaguar (our 12th Jag), after several years of giggles and 150 MPH, computer limited to 186 MPH. Have driven a Nascar track ride, an open wheel trackster on Sears Point raceway. Flown in Hot Air baloons, a corporate jet, a jet helicopter, acrobatic glider. 3 children, 3 grandchildren and a 50 year marriage. A friend loaned me his backhoe, a giant Tonka Toy, which was a blast.

Many more have been stimulated. THANKS Gofirstclass for this trip!

Still on the list is a parachute jump, which MIGHT happen this weekend, a bareboat sail charter in the Caribbean, another trip to Scotland, this time to play the Old Course.
 
Bill Watson said:
Wow, reading some of these, I realize how blessed I have already been with some LIST items. Retired for years now, JUST got my first Sea Ray, sold my F type Jaguar (our 12th Jag), after several years of giggles and 150 MPH, computer limited to 186 MPH. Have driven a Nascar track ride, an open wheel trackster on Sears Point raceway. Flown in Hot Air baloons, a corporate jet, a jet helicopter, acrobatic glider. 3 children, 3 grandchildren and a 50 year marriage. A friend loaned me his backhoe, a giant Tonka Toy, which was a blast.

Many more have been stimulated. THANKS Gofirstclass for this trip!

Still on the list is a parachute jump, which MIGHT happen this weekend, a bareboat sail charter in the Caribbean, another trip to Scotland, this time to play the Old Course.
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Go for the jump! I’ve got almost 1,000 off em. Loved every minute of them.
 
Bill Watson said:
...another trip to Scotland, this time to play the Old Course.
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Crossed that one off my list back in 2005. Was an amazing experience! I remember standing on the tee box at #1, my knees were shaking so bad I could hardly move. Striped the drive down the middle, and knew then I would be Ok so was able to enjoy the round.
 
Gofirstclass said:
Like most guys, I have a bucket list. I've checked off most of the things in the list (see below) and there have been several things that popped up that I added to the list at the time and checked the off at the same time.

So let's split your replies into two categories: #1 would be the things that were/are on your list that you have checked off. #2 would be the things that are still on your bucket list waiting for the opportunity to pop up where you can check them off. So here's my list....

#1. Things I had on my list (or that popped up) that I have checked off. I guess I should explain a couple of things first--I like to go fast. VERY fast. I also like to do things in a BIG way. So with that in mind, here goes....
--I got a ride in the back seat of an F-4 Phantom. Long story short, when I was in the USAF in AK I worked on the avionics on these birds. We had one that we couldn't duplicate the issue on the test bench. I told my commander that I'd need a ride in the back seat to see what was going on when it failed. He agreed and that was the most exhilarating hour of my life.
--When we first moved to AK we lived in a 4-plex. I got to be friends with the guy below us who was a Major, flew a desk, but got flight pay for flying 4 hours a month. I got flight pay but it was a lot less than his. I rode with him on a flight across the Arctic Circle. On the way back I asked him if I could take his seat for a few minutes; he agreed, and I got to fly it for about a half hour. What a kick. They're slow compared to the F-4 but still fun to fly. I
--While on a cruise out of San Diego we had the second in command of the ship at our table. I asked for, and he agreed to give me a detailed tour of the bridge. While on the bridge he asked me "is there anything else?" and I replied "yeah, when do I get a chance to drive this thing?" He flipped off the autopilot, gave me the joystick and said "Sir, the helm is yours." 30 mins later I gave it back to him after I'd made some "S" curves.
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--Tina got me several laps in the Mario Andretti Racing Experience where I got to drive an open wheel indy car at Phoenix International Speedway. The cars were limited that to 128mph. Hell, I'd done faster than that in my 280Z but it was fun.
--Many years ago before I met my wife a lady I was seeing (that's a euphemism for you know what) was friends with a lady whose hubby was a train engineer. She arranged for me to drive one of those things so I got to drive a train that was about a mile long for a distance of about 40 miles. Fun, but boring as hell.
--My 280Z had a penchant for 125mph+. We went there frequently. I LOVED IT.

#2 things left to check off, I want to drive one of those BIGAZZ farm tractors.
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That's all. Next!
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GFC, I could have connected you with my Dad before he retired. He was a farmer in Indiana and had one of those “BIGAZZ” tractors (and some smaller BIG ones). He still comes on here once in a while since the boat sold but if I were you, I’d start googling “Big Bud” and find someone in Montana or Wyoming that has a 747. You could probably buy your way into some wheel time the world’s largest tractor on one of the huge fields they use them on.

As for my bucket list, I have gone fast on a boat, car, plane, and on a (snow)board. I even got my Class A CDL and can drive a truck now if/when I want (I work for a manufacturer). But I want to fly jets, and I’m working my way there now. And I need a rat rod…. Or an old early 50’s lead sled. Low and slow on the earth is fine with me now.
 
Dyamm, I'm gonna need another cigarette! That is some tractor. It gives a whole new definition to BIGAZZ.
 
Nick 55 said:
GFC, I could have connected you with my Dad before he retired. He was a farmer in Indiana and had one of those “BIGAZZ” tractors (and some smaller BIG ones). He still comes on here once in a while since the boat sold but if I were you, I’d start googling “Big Bud” and find someone in Montana or Wyoming that has a 747. You could probably buy your way into some wheel time the world’s largest tractor on one of the huge fields they use them on.

As for my bucket list, I have gone fast on a boat, car, plane, and on a (snow)board. I even got my Class A CDL and can drive a truck now if/when I want (I work for a manufacturer). But I want to fly jets, and I’m working my way there now. And I need a rat rod…. Or an old early 50’s lead sled. Low and slow on the earth is fine with me now.
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Pretty sure there is a Big Bud in the state of Washington around the Palouse hills area.
 
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