My wife is muttering she wants me to quit my job as the 12 hr shifts are eating me up some.   We are waiting to see what Obamacare is going to morph into here in NC, as right now it is expensive with only Blue Cross and Blue Shield participating.   After my next birthday I will check to see what retirement I could get out of the gov, and balance that against the monthly insurance cost I would have to pay.

There is no independent "for individuals" insurance for much of anything any more where I live, Obamacare has wrecked the individual based insurance industry driving many of the smaller carriers flat out of business, then jacking the price right back up PAST where it was originally.  Then you got that anual govvy fine shite to deal with, which my wife refuses to even consider paying as it affronts her greatly.   This is actually my lowest cost option.   I keep telling her the fine is only one month's insurance cost, and then she starts crying at me as she feel helpless to watch me decline.

My health is indeed beginning to go downhill, so my riding participation will be selective this upcoming year.    I felt great after the surgery, but reality is that I am weaker than before the surgery and hadn't even learned what Warfrin Butt was all about yet.

Both MM's and Dave's are fun,  Dave's garage is as large as some of my old houses were in square feet and it is outfitted like a car/bike guy's toyland.   MM's place is actually more my style as it is very real and it has been used by dozens of scouts, friends, church groups, etc. etc.

Let's plan to go to MM's next, as he can squeeze one in easier since he isn't going anywhere that way (and his wife likes visitors so she might not count that against MM's running totals).

Plus the place is rifle pistol friendly, right off the back patio if need be.   And the stone game room could be our group "tent" as it is close by the bathroom.

  important, that last part

Now, here is what is warped, I still feel and think like I was 20 something (OK, slower on the thinking part, I'll give you that).   But I still feel young .....

AND, riding is a spinal / lower brain set of muscle memory items and I find I can still ride fast in the mountains at will, with no relearning to speak of.

I think the Jeb excursion two years ago was the fastest I ever went on a Savage -- Jeb would likely flat eat my butt up now since he's likely gotten better.

Wait until I retire, then we'll talk .....

Versy liked the big list ..... most of it came off, too.

Bought me one of those Hennesy Hammock tents.... should be here in a week.
I used to love sleeping outside in a hammock when I was younger.... and I sleep in a lounge chair most nights because my hips hurt and I roll a lot.
So I'm thinking the hammock might be my new tent....
I got it while it was on sale.... about half price, it was a Demo model

https://hennessyhammock.com/products/safari-deluxe-asym-zip

I do believe the Kickstand has a lot to offer.  The bathrooms and showers are clean, and you get free towels.  The laundry is also free (however you might have to empty the drier and fold some towels)!  The bunkhouse is in the north end of the bathhouse/laundry building ($ 22 a night), which is nice for us older folks...the tent area and most of the cabins require a bit of a walk.  The atmosphere is very laid back, friendly folks, free bike wash, some covered bike parking, and you can take your car/truck to the campground to unload your tent/gear.  It is only 15 minutes away from Robinsville when you need food or supplies (or when MM needs to stock up on Mountain Dew  from the Dollar Store).  The location is right on 28 which provides great access to some of our favorite rides like the Dragon, Wayah Road, and longer rides to the Cherohala Skyway, the Blue Ridge Parkway.......last year we rode on the Parkway over toward Brevard - that was a very nice ride except for the rain we hit in Cherokee.  If we were really adventurous we could stay a that the Kickstand Lodge and do most our riding from there - but we could pack enough for 1 nights stay at the Blue Ridge Motorcycle Campground and ride over in that area.  Staying at a central area also allows folks to arrive on different days/evenings and hook up with the folks who are already there.

Dave, propose us a date that dodges the most rain in the late spring early summer.   We have to simply say that we have gotten wet at least once on most of our past trips, it is just part of the game up there in the mountains.  

Expect it, and I find if you just ignore it you are completely dry a half hour later due to the wind blast anyway ......  so just bring you a full face shield style helmet to bounce off them raindrops and defend against them ugly 'ol June bugs and butterflies.

Realizing that we are pretty far out still, and there is time enough to move the stake in the sand if need be, which weekend in June would you be picking?

Hopefully, I'll be able to attend 1 east coast event and 1 midwest.
but it too early to know when yet.