Baby Boomer Achievements – this one on horseback

Baby boomer achievements fascinate me – probably because I am of that generation and am painfully aware of the decline in my physical abilities.

Sue arrived back from her 5 week holiday in Scotland last week. She brought chocolate and several copies of Horse and Hound, a British magazine we used to read in our former life in Africa. The biggest gift she brought was relief from looking after 8 cats and feeding myself.

One story in Horse and Hound caught my attention because it is a great example of determination and resilience and above all a wonderful example of baby boomer achievements.

It is the story of Megan Knoyle Lewis, a Welsh pony breeder who became the first person to ride around the world on horseback when she arrived in San Francisco in 2017. That she was then in her 60s makes this achievement even more remarkable.

The Long Ride

Her adventure started after the 2008 Bejing Olympics when she set out to ride to London in time for the 2012 Olympics in that city. She did not ride continuously as she had to look after her own horses in Wales and organise the next stages of the trip. Her route took her through the Gobi desert, Asia and Europe at times following the old Silk Road used by traders and invading armies on horseback for centuries. Megan rode between 1000 and 1500 miles on each section of the trip, buying horses for each stage of the journey.

After reaching England, the next few stages took her from Newfoundland, across Canada and down through the USA to San Francisco.

She had some interesting experiences along the way including a bad fall in China which delayed her for 3 months. Apart from a backup truck to carry water for the horses through the desert sections, she rode alone or with one companion.

An amazing achievement for a woman when most people her age are enjoying a quiet retirement, and an example of what members of the baby boomer generation are capable of. Read about her adventure on her website.

Personal Baby Boomer Achievement

I have written before about the exhilaration of completing the 85km Comrades Marathon. With a heart attack, bypass surgery and worn-out knees, my running days are long gone.

However, it has been my goal to walk one of the routes of the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage before I turn 70. I had trained and planned to do it in 2018, but my son and family’s decision to return to Africa upset those plans.

I am now on target to do the 220km route from Porto in Portugal to Santiago at the end of September.

A week ago, my hiking boots split after only 1000km. Fellow hikers and Camino veterans recommended the Merrill brand – a make I had never tried. Last Saturday, I purchased a pair of Moab 2 mid-height boots. I walked 4 km in them the next day and every day since. They are the most comfortable pair of new hiking boots or running shoes that I have ever used. No blisters, rubbing or pinching. I will be testing them on a longer 20km walk on Saturday but have no concerns at all. Other hikers told me that they get 2000km out of a pair.

Conclusion

While we cannot completely stop the ageing process and the effect on our physical performance, we can slow it down by regular physical and mental exercise and a determination to stretch ourselves.

There are many examples of outstanding performances by seniors. I wrote about 79-year-old Wally Hayward completing the 1988 85 km Comrades Marathon in 9 hours and 40 minutes. That was only 20 minutes slower than my time even though he was 41 years older. Getting old is no excuse for giving up. Giving in to its effects and giving up are what make us old.

Share your stories of baby boomer achievements in a comment.

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