URS Retirees Share Their Stories | Matt Peters

From Coast to Coast, Fueled by URS

This retiree traded his desk for a bike - URS benefits giving him the freedom to chase a cross-country dream.

“The pension shows up in your account every month, and you don’t do a thing. You just live your life. It makes everything possible.”

Matt Peters doesn’t worry much nowadays about the stock market or whether he can cover his regular expenses.

“The pension shows up in your account every month, and you don’t do a thing,” he said. “You just live your life. It makes everything possible.”

Everything, including a bold plan to ride his bike across America in Summer 2025. Matt retired from the Utah Geospatial Resource Center in August 2024 at age 60, after 30 years of service — young enough to embrace such adventures.

‘I Have Time Now’

For Matt, retirement isn’t about slowing down. He skis midweek, explores the Wasatch when the trails are quiet, and sets off on spontaneous road trips. “I have time now,” he says. “Time to think. Time to fix things. Time to experience things and kind of live more fully.”

When we spoke to Matt, he was planning to complete a cross-country bicycle trip that was interrupted last year because of wildfires. He’ll be riding from Oregon to Washington, D.C., with a friend and former colleague.

“There’s a simplicity to it,” he said. “You wake up, eat, ride. You meet people from every walk of life. You see small towns you never would have visited otherwise. It gives you this deep appreciation for America.”

‘Live the Life I Want’

To those behind the scenes at URS, Matt puts it simply: “You can’t imagine the ripple effect of what you do. Because of the pension, I get to live the life I want. That’s the final product of your work. It’s not just a check. It’s freedom.”