tulsatown, on the issue of self-barging, check out those in the south of France on the Canal du Midi. You can go roundtrip or one way, usually a week rental. There are several outfitters and boats to choose from. There have been a number of posts on this. If you want to do a search enter
"Canal du Midi". My partner and I sort of checked it out a few years ago. In the end "half" of us wanted to do it and "half" of us didn't. We didn't.

tulsatown

Too old?
I am 77 and just returned from a 1400 mile driving trip in a rental car through Bavaria and had no problems whatsoever. In fact we enjoyed the seniors discount for the Rhine river cruise from Bacharach to St Goar so age does have some benefits.
I think we would be bored to tears on a slow moving barge butI sure wouldn't let age be a factor.
As long as you are in good health don't even think about it.
Enjoy

When my parents were 81, they flew around the world including a stop in Katmandu for a short flightsee of Mt. Everest. In their 70's they even rode horses during a tour in Hungary. If my mother hadn't died at 82, I know she would have booked the following year on a boat through the Three Gorges before China completed their dams.

Ultimately, you're only given one life to learn as much about the world as you can.

tulsatown:
See the world before you leave it.
John

Too old doesn't mean much; the most important is how fit you are and how well the barge is equiped.
I run a hotel barge in southern France
and one of my guest was 95 when she came for the first time!She was back this year for the second time...
Ok this is a bit unusual but I get a lot of guests around 80....