Not for the faint of heart

[Gymrat]

I turned 60 today. I did a selfie with my webcam and timer. It is with indoor light so it isn't very good. This is something I have done every 5 years just to track my progression or digression. The main thing is I will be going into my retirement in a couple weeks in good enough health to really enjoy it.



The ones below are from when I was 50

[Pudge]

Good for you. Good luck in retirement. I hope to follow somewhat in your footsteps in about 10 yrs or so.

I 'used' to run and have got back to it after a a big old heart attack Columbus Day '14. Three stents and the scare of my life later, I've logged 700+ miles since getting my legs back under me early last spring. Diet and exercise have become major factors in retirement planning. I've been putting money away for 20+ yrs but neglected my health just assuming I would be fine. Too many do the same.

[John Sand]

Hmm. I notice you grew a beard and put on a ballcap.
Have fun in retirement!

[Beer-lord]

Dude, you're ripped!
I exercise almost every day, mostly cardio but still need to lose 12-15 lbs.
Good on ya old man (I'm just a few years behind you)

[ScrewyBrewer]

Ahhh now I get your forum name.... Just kidding. Here's to enjoying a long and happy retirement!

[Beer-lord]

Let's forget how good you look and talk about how you can retire at 60. I'm not sure I will ever be able to retire.
There's always my shot at fame as a Walmart greeter!

[Gymrat]

Working for the BNSF railroad for 38 years has its perks

[Kealia]

Congrats on the retirement and for your good health, sir!

[bpgreen]

Working for the BNSF railroad for 38 years has its perks

What did you do?

I worked on a railway summers during college as a Gandy dancer. Made good money, but that's rough work.

[Gymrat]

I started on the tracks but transfered to mechanical and became an electrician

[Inkleg]

I worked on a railway summers during college as a Gandy dancer. Made good money, but that's rough work.

That just sounds a little dirty, but hey if you were just experimenting and it paid the bills, who am I to judge.

Congratulations Roger on the retirement, good health and new car. You've earned it.

[bpgreen]

I worked on a railway summers during college as a Gandy dancer. Made good money, but that's rough work.

That just sounds a little dirty, but hey if you were just experimenting and it paid the bills, who am I to judge.

Gandy dancers are the guys who pull out old ties, put in new ones and pound the spikes in with 10 lb mauls. And carrying a 39 foot section of rail with 5 other guys (if my math is right, that works out to about 250 lbs each; maybe there were 8 of us per rail for a little less than 200 lbs each). And those ties aren't exactly light, either. Although there were tricks to making those sail a long way by yourself as long as you were careful not to get caught between on the hook like tool and go sailing off the flatcar along with the tie. Not that that ever happened to me. At least not a second time.

I imagine much of that is automated these days, especially on larger railroads, but back then, it was mostly manual (we'd sometimes use jackhammers to drive the spikes in, but sometimes, two guys who were really good could keep pace with the guys setting the spikes and the guy on the jackhammer; at least for a while).

The story I heard on the phrase Gandy dancer is that at one time, the company that supplied nearly all the tools to railroads was named Gandy. When you walk down the tracks, you don't really want to walk in the gravel, because that's a sure way to twist an ankle. So you'd walk on the ties. But the ties are spaced such that you're either taking steps that are too short, or you're skipping a tie and taking steps that are too long. Or a combination. So you end up doing sort of a hopping skipping gait that almost looks like a dance of sorts. Since you do that while carrying a tool (or a few tools) made by Gandy, you're a Gandy dancer.

[Beer-lord]

Didn't Bachman, Turner, Overdrive have a song named Gandydancer?
Yes they did!

[FedoraDave]

Wow, I didn't look that good when I was 30. I sure as heck don't look that good as I'm knocking on the door of 57. Good on ya for staying in shape, Roger.

And congratulations on retirement. I'm ready to retire myself, but we just can't afford it. But my work gets tougher and tougher the older I get. My knees can't take the walking, climbing, and squatting all day.

[Dawg LB Steve]

Congrats, Roger!! I'm right there with Paul and Dave in age, but when I hit 60 I will probably be 10 years away from being able to retire!