I am 82 years old and well remember that Awake! article. Yes, I was tempted to take our $4,500 equity from our house sale and use it to pioneer the rest of our days. Instead, my uber Dad urged me to cool my heels since I had a young family to support.
I've now been comfortably retired for the past 20 years thanks to that good advice coupled with researching the failed history of the borg -- getting out in 1977.