50 by 50 Bucket List
To keep myself on track, I’m keeping a list of 50 things in each area that I want to do by the time I turn 50 (a.k.a My 50 by 50 Bucket List). I left some blanks on each list so I can add stuff along the way, but there are plenty to get me started. So between now and December of 2022, feel free to make a suggestion or peruse the list for ideas for your own adventure.
Cayman Islands– February 2013Canada– August 2013 and July 2017Ireland– June 2014Iceland– June 2017- Portugal
England– June 2014- Greece
- New Zealand
Australia– January 2016- Easter Island
- Turkey
- Mongolia
- Germany – November 2018
- Denmark
- Netherlands
Belize– February 2015- Costa Rica
- Panama
- Peru
- Ecuador
- Brazil
- Egypt
- Antarctica
- South Africa
- Brazil
- Chile
- Argentina
- Uraguay
- Austria
- Japan
- Cambodia
- Vietnam
- Thailand
- India
- Spain
- Italy – November 2018
- Belgium
- Russia
- Switzerland
- Morocco
- Madagascar
- Norway
- Finland
- Poland
- Czech Republic
- Hungary
- South Korea
- Hong Kong – October 2018
- Taiwan
- Kenya
Learning (a.k.a. My Lifestyle Résumé)
“Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.”
~ Mahatma Gandhi
A few of the learning challenges I did prior to turning 40 include learning to: scuba dive, play guitar, play chess, ride a motorcycle (and get my license), run a marathon (Marine Corps 2003), run a triathlon, make a great omlette, make croissants (that’s me with Chef Geraud), take better travel photos, and swim by joining a Master’s swim club.
- How to book a round-the-world ticket – June 2018
Tennis– January 2016 (ongoing)Speed reading– March 2013- Sailing
Time lapse photography– Mar 2015Camping and backpacking– April 2013 (6 week course)Fencing– January 2014- Learn to code (Code Academy)
- Learn to read music
- Motocross riding – March 2019
- Learn about coffee
- Learn about wine
- Learn about sushi
- Make great pizza
- Learn to play mandolin
- Learn best ways to pack – September 2018
Learn about minimalism– Jan 2015
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Life Experiences
Variety’s the spice of life that gives it all it’s flavor.
~ William Cowper
It’s a big world out there and I want to do everything I can to experience what it has to offer. A few things from the highlight reel so far: marriage, fatherhood, walking on The Great Wall, lunch at the Eiffel Tower, writing a few books, salmon fishing in Alaska, seeing some great concerts and taking some fun guys trips (snowmobiling, skiing, scuba diving, hiking, four wheeling).
- Finish taking my daughter to all 50 States (23 to go)
- Take a round-the-world trip – Oct/Nov 2018
- Have dinner at French Laundry
- Read 500 books between ages 40 and 50
- Get an article published in the Wall Street Journal
- Get a book on the New York Times Bestseller list
Hike a section of the AT– May 2016Write for MarketWatch– January 2013- Write a finance book to raise money for Charity: Water
- Buy a Ducati Monster motorcycle
Take a 1 month mini-retirement before 45– June 2014- Take a 3 month mini-retirement before 50
- Get a straight razor shave while on vacation
- Tell a story on stage at a Moth event
- Get 100,000 subscribers at Intentional Retirement
- Visit all 7 continents (4 down, 3 to go)
- Attend the Traverse City Film Festival
- Have lunch at Chez Panisse (My wife’s request)
- Take a multi-day, offroad motorcycle tour
Go duck hunting– November 2013Hike the Grand Canyon rim to rim to rim– April 2016- Walk the Tour du Mont Blanc
Hike the Cliffs of Moher– June 2014Hike a section of the Wales Coast Path– June 2014Visit Stonehenge– June 2014Visit the Guinness Brewery in Dublin– June 2014
Go to a concert at Ryman Auditorium– March 2015Teach my daughter to ski– January 2015- Do a short notice “spin the globe” trip
Speak at NASA– October 2015See a concert at the Ryman– March 2015Camp trip to Wind River Range– September 2015- Hike a section of the PCT
- Hike a section of the CDT
- Hike the Snowmass Mt. Loop
Take a no notice travel roulette trip– January 2018- Climb Mt. St. Helens – August 2016
- Go to a concert at Austin City Limits – February 2017
- Hike the Lost Coast Trail – June 2018
- Drive and camp the Iceland ring road – June 2017
- Hike the High Divide/Seven Lakes Loop – July 2019
- Play chess in Washing Square Park, NY – November 2019
- See Norm MacDonald live at Carolines – November 2019
- Hike the Kalalau Trail in Hawaii – January 2020
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