WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2024 - RUST OUT OR BURN OUT (CONTINUED)

 WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2024 - HIKING ANGELS LANDING (AGAIN)

Okay, on Monday, I commented that I can’t stand the concept of hiking Angels Landing. I just can’t do that anymore at age 77. But yesterday, I introduced the concept of aging and attitude.  

A quote from yesterday

“The outgoing president of the United States, Joe Biden, is 82. The incoming president, Donald Trump, is 78 (and I’m just a young 77!!!). Warren Buffet is 94 and leads a dynamic investment firm.  

According to current records, the oldest person to hike the Appalachian Trail was M.J. "Nimblewill Nomad" Eberhart, who completed the trail at 83. The AT is 2,200 miles (plus getting off trail for food, lodging, and showers!!).”

And - a new one - Yuichiro Miura, a Japanese mountaineer, is the oldest person to summit Mount Everest at the age of 80

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This puts me back at square one - do I really want to hike Angels Landing? I know the preparation to get to the top of Angels Landing - walking and hiking for five or more hours a day.  Practice, practice, practice?

I can keep my body challenged without going to Angels Landing.

This has been in my brain. I can “rust out” (sit in my chair watching television) or “burn out” (keep busy). Lately, I’ve been easing more into the sit-in-the-chair mentality (writing blogs).

The other day, I was looking at more state high points - Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama.  

Driskill Mountain in Louisiana - looks like an easy climb (it is the third lowest high-point - only Florida and Delaware high points are lower)

Woodall Mountain in Mississippi looks like an easy climb (and the site of a Civil War battle)

Cheaha Mountain is the high point of Alabama - about halfway between Birmingham and Atlanta.  

Getting these three high points would boost my total to 18 (or … if you will, with 50 states - about 36% of all the high points.)

To reach all three of these points (and then back home), it would take about 20 hours of driving.  

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I have established a pattern of yearly adventures.

2016 - Retirement

2017 - Aorta Surgery / Germany River Cruise

2018 - Moving out, establishing a new identity

2019 - Starting hormones, Winona Trip

2020 - Drive to Arizona, Guadalupe Peak

2021 - Gender Surgery, Name change

2022 - Black Mesa, Mount Sunflower, Panorama Peak (high points)

2023 - Big Ben National Park

2024 - Grand Canyon, Zion National Park, and two high points)

2025 - unknown yet

STATE HIGH POINTS - Not in any particular order

1. OREGON - MOUNT HOOD

2. ARIZONA - MOUNT HUMPREY

3. NEW MEXICO - MOUNT WHEELER

4. TEXAS - GUADALUPE PEAK

5. OKLAHOMA - BLACK MESA

6. KANSAS - MOUNT SUNFLOWER

7. NEBRASKA - PANORAMA POINT

8. SOUTH DAKOTA - BLACK ELK PEAK (formerly Harney Peak)

9. IOWA - HAWKEYE POINT

10. ARKANSAS - MOUNT MAGAZINE

11. ILLINOIS - CHARLES MOUND

12. NEW JERSEY- HIGH POINT

13. CONNECTICUT - MOUNT FRISELL

14. RHODE ISLAND - JERIMOTH HILL

15. MASSACHUSETTS - MOUNT GREYLOCK

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So, should I “rust out” or “burn out”?  I’m opting to keep busy and go for “burnout”.

LOVE WINS

LOVE TRANSFORMS

Karen Anne White, December 4, 2024