Originally Posted by Blackhawk

Wealthy and privileged? Please. We may be wealthy but hardly "privileged". My wife and I both came from poor backgrounds. My wife was dirt poor growing up... as in lived in houses with dirt floors sometimes. She worked at McDonalds over the summers to save up for college. She was the first one in her family to graduate from high school and the first one to attend college. She showed up at the bus stop with $5000 to pay for tuition, room and board. She worked as a maid to make ends meet before finding out about ROTC in her junior year. (BTW, her mom then got her GED and ended up getting a master's degree).
My dad was underemployed for much of my youth after the crash of '73. He even scrubbed the sides of buildings to pay the bills. Lot's of fish growing up as we could catch that in the bay for the cost of bait. Even fried fish and scrambled eggs for breakfast.
We both went to college but didn't wrack up debt.
We don't do car payments. We pay cash for cars. We don't buy new cars.
We don't have a mortgage.
We are both on our first marriage.
We don't have credit card debt.
Our kids went to college where they got scholarships.
We have six months of living expenses saved up in cash. We can probably stretch it to a year before hitting our noncash investments.
We don't have toys. No motorcycles, no boats, no jet skis. Well, I take it back. I did buy my wife the used Porsche she had eyed for years as a Christmas present, but I saved up and paid cash.
Please, don't talk to me about being "privileged". We worked our tails off to get where we are.

Originally Posted by ApachePhil

Funny how fast they use the word "privileged." I suspect what they really mean is they are jealous of our preparedness thru sacrifice while they are suffering the consequences of life decisions. The term "privileged" is a social justice construct to stifle conversation and is immediate clear that the one using it is void of rational dialogue. I suspect the grasshopper thought of the ant as privileged too.

Originally Posted by ApachePhil

Hiking the AT and/or PCT are very high on the list actually. Been reading everything I can get my hands on about them.

Originally Posted by BMEP100

Ozarks? Check out the White River Area, just below Bull Shoals lake. There are lots of camp sites, though pretty full. You can live off the trout you catch in the river. No boat necessary, but helpful and can be rented at the state park near Gaston’s.

Just got back. Check out the trout my son landed;



https://www.facebook.com/gastonswhit...151078/?type=3

Originally Posted by wankel7

I've been eyeing the CDT for a long time... I would rather do that one than the PCT.

Have you looked at the ADT?

Originally Posted by PotatoChip

Must be nice to be wealthy and privileged enough to not worry about such trivialities as mortgage payments and health insurance for your children.

...Either of the above would be fun if I were 15 years younger. Considering the current world climate, a lot of items are scratched off the list; maybe not entirely, but enough that they wouldn't be as cool as they would otherwise.
I'd add raft guide in the summer in CA, and lift operator in the winter. That'd be a fun year.
Or this... move somewhere completely random, like, say, Butte, MT. Get a job at a Lowe's, a distribution company, something entry level where you'll meet a lot of people. Get a small apartment. Don't ever tell anyone you're a pilot. Just live there for a year making friends and having that life. You'll forever remember that different year.

Originally Posted by PotatoChip

Okay, chief. In no way whatsoever was I remotely talking to you. I didn't reply to you, I didn't quote you, I didn't address you. You chose to take a reply to someone else personally. Congratulations on your financial prowesses and frugality.

In response to my own original post, not directed to Blackhawk (just so we're clear), I have since had a Snickers. My response was born out of jealousy. That's the root of it. I hope ufgatorpilot has an awesome time. I would be doing the same thing if I could. It is, however, frustrating, when you see some pilots treat furlough as a year long vacation, when you're looking at your third one, and are seriously trying to figure out how to provide for your family. Like I said, it's jealousy. I love my family and have no regrets starting one, but it's an entirely different ballgame, obviously. I've done everything I possibly can to be prepared for this. Including the fact that I am a major airline pilot with two part jobs right now.

Originally Posted by ClearCreek

Tier 1 boomer dream. Think inside the box!