# 35-- 60,000 Feet and Not a Bust!!

I did it! The goal that was the initial inspiration for my "60" list has been accomplished. Last year as we were driving out to Arizona, I mentioned my desire to climb a "fourteener" in Colorado. Rob challenged me to not stop there but to climb 60,000 feet for my--sixtieth year. The rest is history, and I will now move on without climbing another step (staircases included) as I do believe my life has been destined to be confined to first floor dwellings.

The uphill adventures began in Costa Rica in January and continued in Arizona where every elevation was carefully calculated. At first the goal seemed impossible so after conferring with my referee (Rob) we concluded that since many of our hikes involved the ups and downs of mountain ranges, the elevation would be counted as such.

I am pleased to report that no adjustments were necessary because I managed to conquer it with pure total elevation gains (going up mountains).

The last eleven thousand feet were accumulated by spending nine days hiking in the glorious Colorado mountains. On the "fourteener" day, ten motivated women began the ascent to summit the high peak of Quandary--which registers at 14,265 feet. Despite our early conditioning to prepare for this trip, the high altitude rendered us to a step by step approach as the air became thinner and the mountain seemed to increase in size right before our eyes. We eventually reached the top proving it to be an exhilarating and exhausting event that will be lodged in our memory bank for at least the next sixty years.

Goal # 2--Climb 60,000 feet--has been successfully checked off the list. The combination of being on the top of the world (or at least 14,265 feet high) and the realization that anything can be overcome with determination, sturdy hiking poles, and my best buddies by my side is another gratifying moment to be recorded for the year.