Status: Have added some more to my Roth savings. Not an easy thing to do as then I do put things on my credit card....
Plan of Action (POA): Keep adding to my Roth Savings account while keeping the credit card balance as low as possible ($0). Budget more by taking cash out at the start of each month for each of the categories I spend money. Not buying any clothes, shoes etc., until October....
Status: Have not climbed Longs...BUT, did climb Mt. Bierstadt which is 14,060 feet. Not bad! I did not make the climb with MK as he had a last minute interview come up but I was telling another long-time friend about the 30list and my desire to do a 14er and she said she and her boyfriend had been talking about doing one for awhile so, we three (plus the dog!) climbed Bierstadt three weeks ago.
The mountain was a veritable anthill as probably 500 others made the climb that day too. I knew I was in Colorado when people were calling out to their dogs, “Aspen, come girl!” or, “Pica!” and a lab or retriever of some sort came their way. The climb was I admit, not easy for me; nor was it impossibly hard. At the end of the uphill I did have to deal with a fair amount of light-headedness as I had flown from sea level less than 48 hours before. At the end I just went slower than the rest of my party and they were very good about waiting for me. I did 10 and 1 intervals like I do when I run so I would climb up for 10 minutes and then allow myself a rest for a minute. This worked for me.
It sounds strange but my favourite thing about the hike wasn’t reaching the top but experiencing the changing view along the way. And making the climb with an old friend.
Will I take this 14er thing up in a hardcore way? Most likely not as honestly, while beautiful at the top, I had a feeling that the tops of mountains were meant for people...but there was something amazing about the actual process of the climb with other people, the companionship, the goal, etc., that I liked. And I still have it in my head to do Longs.
Oh, my hiking boots (Keenes) on the way down the mountain killed me. They were great going up but coming down, they were far too wide in the toe (I have long feet – size 12 in womens) and had to get men’s shoes which meant they were too wide in spots. I bought them from Mountain Equipment Co-op. Great company. They took them back for a full refund when I explained the problem. I’ll certainly get the new pair there too after the first of the month.
Plan of Action (POA): Stay in shape, buy new hiking shoes and plan on doing another 14er next summer and possibly Longs in August...
