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Recommendations For Someone Looking For New Hobby?

Thanks for the update. Which one of them died? Climbing/mountaineering is not something I've ever done other than a bit of ski mountaineering but that did not involve any classic climbing. However the stories make for very interesting reading.
 
I'm always looking for new things to do or new experiences to have. Some have higher price tags than others, but I find a way to make it work somehow.

Got my pilot's license - used to fly the company plane to meetings quite a bit, but they have since sold the plane and I can't afford to fly myself, so that one is out these days, but I'm sure glad I did it. Flying was one of my biggest dreams as a kid and I made that one happen.

Scuba diving - absolutely love it and still dive whenever I can

Skiing - Now living in Oklahoma I only get one good ski trip a year, but I still make it a point to go.

Camping - obviously

Fishing - learn how to cast a fly rod if you don't already know how.

Archery - I don't really hunt much these days, but it's still fun to poke holes in a target in the backyard from time to time to keep the skills up.

Guns - poking louder holes in targets is fun as well. I also have a couple airsoft pistols and an indoor target when I'm bored.

Playing instruments - I've played guitar for quite a while. More recently picked up a drum set and a bass to expand my musical fuckery.

Woodworking - building shit is always a good time. I can build bigger shit for the wife when she wants something, or little trinkets just for the fun of it.

Recently bought some supplies to make silicone molds and duplicate shit around the house just to see how if I could do it. It's pretty cool, actually.

Learn to ride a unicycle - It took quite a while to figure that one out, but now I can do it with ease.

Skateboarding - I haven't done that one in a while, but I still have one hanging up in the garage.

Cooking - needs no explanation. Ya gotta do it anyways. I'm getting pretty good at it. We eat well at our house.

Canoe/kayak - fun, relaxing

Hiking - costs nothing, relaxing

My next hobby is going to be 3D printing. Looking at different models right now trying to pick one out. I've been designing shit in 3D at work for 30 years, so figuring out how to 3D print is long overdue.
 
I am a self taught welder grinder. I bought a really nice Miller 211 at 18(14 odd years ago) and just haven't properly utilized it. Welding consumables are pretty easy to come by but my issue is scrounging up scrap metal to make practice exercises for myself. I would hat to buy bar stock just to booger it up. We have a serious scrap collection at my new job but I would have to go dumpster diving for it and I am sure the safety lady would throw a shit fit.

I am good for one or two things per year. Recent projects include a shop towel bar, a flag pole mount and an ammo can stove. There's some really ugly welds in those and I learned it is likely due to a lack of gas. Now I know what values "out of gas" are on the gauges and what unshielded welds look like. Maybe this winter I will burn some more things.
I’ve had good luck getting a lot of steel stock from local suppliers. They usually have a scrap section with remnants from larger orders they’ve cut.
 
I recommend paddleboarding to anyone. But if you have a boarding back ground, it might be slightly disappointing with the standing on jello feel. I was fortunate to try my 1st attempt in white capping water and got beat to heck. This eventually sped up the learning curve. Only have been a few times. But last time was out 1 and half hrs of paddling in open water. Got about a half mile off shore. Wind picked up and I made a nice arc to get back in. Got back to land with dry shorts. Of course protected waters are a better place to learn. Buy in is cheap and inflatable can be transported on a bike.
That’s a great suggestion! Seems like a good way to improve strength and balance for riding too.
 
Learn to play a musical instrument. I had several years of piano lessons as a kid, but went years without playing. Bought a halfway decent keyboard a few years ago, and peck at it once in a while, but would like to get more serious about it once I'm retired.

I'd also really like to learn to play the guitar...
That’s another great idea. I looked into keyboards a few years ago that had a lot of neat tutorial features. I’ll never be a great musician but I’d love to have a little better insight and appreciation for music.
 
Archery - I don't really hunt much these days, but it's still fun to poke holes in a target in the backyard from time to time to keep the skills up.
Archery is a lot of fun and can be done on the cheap. I bought a used bow for $100. A release was about $25 and I think a set of 5 arrows was like 40 bucks. You don't NEED a release, but I tore my hand up and ended up having to resort to using one. I like it better this way anyway.

I was clueless going in and didn't know how to nock an arrow the right way and ended up tearing one fletching each off three of my arrows. Another arrow has only one fletching left. I only have one arrow with all three fletchings still intact 😁 Regardless, all five arrows still fly repeatably and will group a 3" circle at 20 yds without trying hard.

I say all that because, like most things, the internet will convince you need a $1,000 bow with the ultimate cool guy arrows and tons of expensive gadgets and tools to even get started. Nope. Just get one and go shoot the thing. I'm pretty sure my bow was built in the '80's.

Now, if the wind is blowing, my damaged arrows will end up wherever the hell they want while my healthy ones still shoot well. Healthy equipment is a good thing, but it definitely doesn't have to be expensive.

You never outgrow a skill-based hobby like this. If hitting your target has become too easy just step further back or find a smaller target to up the stakes. Quiet, clean, relaxing fun that doesn't require expensive consumable ammo or demand a bunch of cleaning afterwards.

Along that same vein, a buddy gave me a blowgun for Christmas years ago. Wasn't sure what to think of it at first, but man, talk about a challenge! It's a great way to peacefully soak up the outdoors while getting a bit of exercise and flexing your brain as well. Highly recommended even if it sounds a little nerdy/goofy. I would love to develop the skill to take the blowgun squirrel hunting.
 
Archery is a lot of fun and can be done on the cheap. I bought a used bow for $100. A release was about $25 and I think a set of 5 arrows was like 40 bucks. You don't NEED a release, but I tore my hand up and ended up having to resort to using one. I like it better this way anyway.

I was clueless going in and didn't know how to nock an arrow the right way and ended up tearing one fletching each off three of my arrows. Another arrow has only one fletching left. I only have one arrow with all three fletchings still intact 😁 Regardless, all five arrows still fly repeatably and will group a 3" circle at 20 yds without trying hard.

I say all that because, like most things, the internet will convince you need a $1,000 bow with the ultimate cool guy arrows and tons of expensive gadgets and tools to even get started. Nope. Just get one and go shoot the thing. I'm pretty sure my bow was built in the '80's.

Now, if the wind is blowing, my damaged arrows will end up wherever the hell they want while my healthy ones still shoot well. Healthy equipment is a good thing, but it definitely doesn't have to be expensive.

You never outgrow a skill-based hobby like this. If hitting your target has become too easy just step further back or find a smaller target to up the stakes. Quiet, clean, relaxing fun that doesn't require expensive consumable ammo or demand a bunch of cleaning afterwards.

Along that same vein, a buddy gave me a blowgun for Christmas years ago. Wasn't sure what to think of it at first, but man, talk about a challenge! It's a great way to peacefully soak up the outdoors while getting a bit of exercise and flexing your brain as well. Highly recommended even if it sounds a little nerdy/goofy. I would love to develop the skill to take the blowgun squirrel hunting.

Another part of the archery hobby I have recently added . . . re-fletching arrows. I bought a cheap jig on Amazon, a bottle of super glue, and got to work. Figured it out in no time and now all of my arrows are as good as new.

Oh yeah . . . I have a blow-gun, too, lol. Haven't pulled it out in a while, though. Might have to do that one of these days.
 
Archery is neat. I've got a Bowtech Carbon Icon. Neat setup. At 70lb draw, it really gives you a workout in the arms using muscles that don't get used often.

I nailed a turkey in the neck 55yds out. I'm thinking a bit of that was luck. :lol2
 
That’s a great suggestion! Seems like a good way to improve strength and balance for riding too.
It is very enjoyable. If you have a skate, surf or wakeboard background it might be mildly disappointing at first. 3% of the time feels like boarding much like a sidecar vs motorcycle. But low weight and a compact package with the right kit can be packed on small bikes to adv bikes. Inflatable kayak or canoe can also be used also. With fishing gear.

Music and noise making is very cool. It is a gateway for electronics and cool tech that is affordable. On the otherside...music can be programmed the same as cnc. Check out sonic pie. It is the only interface I have programmed and played with. Circuit bending falls into this also. And other crazy anolog circuits.

Then ham radio or radio circuits are just a step
away. Funny how it all connects back to the motoworld. A mountaintop is a perfect place to send morse code on a small low powered rig. Then check the emails from around the world when you get home. Kinda endless when hopping on a bike or learning from the bike opens a whole world.
 
This past 6 months l have bought three air guns. Which is more than I have bought in 30 years.
I have a rat issue around my ducks down the orchard. I started targeting them with the rimfire and .410. but it soon got old and I resorted to various air rifles I have. And really enjoyed the challenge. It grew in interest for me and I actually went round neighbours places shooting their rats.
Decided to get a .25 cal spring powered cheapie for no other reason than i never owned a .25 before.
I love it. It's cheap but accurate hits with authority at the max 30 yards I am typically shooting at.
Found myself wanting to push the boundaries again and dived in head first with a crosman 2240 co2 pistol. Loved it and at 10...15 yards despite the low power if you do your part and hit the things they die.
The crosman showed a noticeable drop in velocity with the frosty mornings. And I found using a co2 cylinder for just a few shots a waste. So I decided to get a cheap spring air pistol and bought a hatsan super charger in .22 it's accurate and gets the job done as good if not slightly better than the crosman.
I am in to many forms of shooting. But rat shooting is not only good and beñefits in many ways it's a great challenge and I found learning air pistol accuracy quite fullfili g. And get a lot of satisfaction from a low priced tool that is bordering on toy status re power levels. Try clearing problem rats with air rifles you don't need spend big money if you don't want to and you might find it a pastime you enjoy participating in and your neighbours will love you the numbers of bottles of wine we have had dropped off by greatfull friends is considerable too..
 
Two words:

Red Wine

Works for me after motorcycles and work. I will never retire and I don't like golf so enjoying vino tinto works as a nice compliment to my time spent on motorcycles and you can find nice wine for $10.00 a bottle, hence the hobby box is checked since it requires time to find these.
 
Wine hobby? well just replace the w with an sh. Finding a good jar takes time. But the cost is a little higher and so is the collector.
 
Or you can make your own wine . . . yet another hobby of mine. Bottled 6 gallons this week.

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I’ve just started playing with Rac cars again. The cost to start is around five hundred bucks but it’s a lot more fun than you might think.

This has been a freaking blast for us.

I ordered two SCX24s for kiddo and I. I'm going to build a little course on a 4x8 sheet of OSB in the basement. Maybe that will expand to an small scale rc indoor race track when he gets older.
 
Wine? Don't get me started-beer is definitely a bit of a hobby. I studied to be a Certified Cicerone just from personal interest, I do not work in any beer related industry. I've tried well over 10 000 different beers in my life and am always trying more. I collect beer with over 1000 bottles in my cellar. It's a rare day I don't have at least one.
 
One thing i do a bit of which is not a hobby of the traditional type perhaps but its certainly a pass time and one which is interesting educational involves your input research improvisation etc, and yet requires basic skills basic tools and is indeed empowering. Wait? " that's not a Matty word"
True i admit that but its a word off this blokes channel description on youtube.
Phew that was long.
but if your still reading, this minor pastime/ hobby is more of less explained in the video here, i made a wind powered generator and it worked.
Have a look, see if any of the content interests you if you might want to replicate or improve on the idea.
I am looking at earth batteries at moment , not sure exactly if anything useful i will achieve or quite what i will do or wont do with any i produce. but its interesting and
of less explained in the video here, i made a wind powered generator and it worked.
Have a look, see if any of the content interests you if you might want to replicate or improve on the idea.
I am looking at earth batteries at moment , not sure exactly if anything useful i will achieve or quite what i will do or wont do with any i produce. but its interesting and you might just thing likewise or not whatever the case may be. Not all of it is of interest to me but from these you can take what you want. You can look for nothing .

This chaps Chanel is one of many.


Loads of stuff, a heater no welding.


Rocket stove.
 
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Earth batteries?...cool ...I went down that path long ago. It all started at work with the pa system picking up radio stations. I fixed it and started messing with crystal radios at home. That led to everything else including earth batteries all the way to programmable micro controllers. Recently been interested in making some fx pedals. One can never have enough caps, resistors, diodes, ic, magnet wire, ferrites , breadboards ect.
Hey maybe I'll rig an earth battery today and see what I get.
 
I forgot to mention I also collect beer labels but since I got onto Untappd I don't collect many these days. My bottle collection is not very big but it is full of memories.

Pretty much all you can see here are lambics, my favourite style.
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These are vintage beers from mostly the 80's drank at Kulminator in Antwerp.That was the last known bottle of Campbells Gold Label in the world. Pretty cool drinking history.
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Needs more light but you can see the Utopias bottle in there.
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