Robert Callahan

Outdoor Recreation & Nature for Seniors

Age 76 · Retired Boston firefighter, outdoor recreation enthusiast, and coastal Maine resident

I was born in South Boston, the third of five sons, in a family where nobody sat still and nobody complained. My father was a firefighter. My grandfather was a firefighter. It was never really a question. I spent 32 years with the Boston Fire Department, retiring as a lieutenant, and I thought retirement would feel like a long exhale. It did — for about three weeks. Then I started getting antsy. I bought a fishing rod, then a kayak, then a tent, then a trail guide to the White Mountains. I've since hiked over 40 miles of the Appalachian Trail in sections, caught more fish than I can count, and discovered that being outdoors — even just a morning walk by the water — is the single best mood regulator I know. I now live in coastal Maine with my wife of 40 years, who humors my outdoor ambitions with admirable patience. I write because too many people think adventure has an age limit.