Far too often, being middle aged gets a bad rap. Society often makes middle age out to be the first step toward the end. You’ve got one foot in the grave already, so you may as well act like you’re already half dead.

But it doesn’t have to be that way. Life happens in chapters, and middle age can be one of the best. Middle Aged Wanderer grew up along the Wasatch Front in Utah and learned to love hiking, backpacking and mountain biking as a teen. Childhood and adolescence is a chapter full of wonder and discovery. We begin to find our way in life and learn what we enjoy. Certainly, I tried to make the most of that time and built a foundation for who I would be as an adult.

First, The Hard Part

In contrast, early adulthood tends to be a time of hard work. Early adulthood is a chapter of building that often includes gaining an education, starting a family and building a career. The obligations of life weigh heavy in this chapter, especially if you’re focused on building for a future. Unfortunately, the responsibilities in this part of life led me to lose focus of those things that make life sweet.

Fortunately, I married a great partner who helped me continue to grow through this time. Together, she has helped us both find some measure of success.

Now comes the good part!

It’s not that life gets easier or that there are fewer challenges. But all that prep work in previous chapters has made it possible for middle age to be a life chapter to be enjoyed. I’m a little bit older and a little bit wiser. When the truck breaks down I now know what to do and how to handle the problem with confidence. Work still fills the majority of my time and most of my days, but I’ve already climbed the ladder. Now I can begin relax just a little. And I finally have the means to do a little more.

For example, I’ve always wanted to learn to fly since I was about 12 years old. Over the next 30 years I watched the small planes flying overhead every weekend wondering where those people are going today. It took me until I was in my 40s, but I finally realized one day that I was in a position to follow through. I could become one of those people flying around. I told Middle Aged Wife that I wanted to get my private pilot certificate. The only question she asked was “where are you going to take me?”

The kids are starting to reach adulthood and become more independent. I get to decide a lot more often what I am going to do with my time. Middle Aged Wife and I have slowly worked our way back into reconnecting with those things we learned to love when we were younger. We are enjoying the experience together as we make the most of being middle aged.

Time To Enjoy What You’ve Built

So come along with Middle Aged Wanderer, Middle Aged Wife and Middle Aged Dog as we explore the outdoors and discover new hiking trails as often as possible. We want to share our experiences with you as we enjoy the benefits of being a little bit older and a little bit wiser. Sure, we may not be in as good a shape as we once were when we were younger. But now we have the ability have even more fun. This includes things like taking you along for flights in a small plane where we enjoy the smooth evening air or visit a small mountain community for lunch. Every once in a while Middle Aged Wanderer will take you along for a ride on the motorcycle.

The only requirement is that we take advantage of all the benefits of being middle aged.