I’m ashamed to say I don’t read much, but on a whim, Denise bought me Into Thin Air as a Christmas gift. I immediately got hooked & finished it quick. Many people I know have already read it (the book is almost 10 years old), but if you haven’t picked it up, I strongly recommend it. It will make a lot of your life problems seem petty – I guarantee it. I only had to read half the book before I removed “Climb Mt. Everest” from my list of life-long goals, which probably just should have said something like, “Make Denise a widow,” or “Die a slow, cold, painful death.” Suffering has a whole new meaning to me now.
Back on the Bike
The doctor said, “Ride, but take it easy,” so on Saturday I took it easy. Until a group went up the road & I proceeded to bridge to it. From there on out it was full throttle, on the front, taking pulls, burning one antibiotic laced match after another. I finally ran out of matches on Victoria about 2 K’s from the finish so I “took it easy” & sat up. Despite my efforts, the sum of it all is that I felt sluggish & slow. Needless to say, I didn’t race on Sunday even though the peer pressure factor was high. I figured why go sit in or put in half-ass efforts for Padilla, Turner, Norm, Zack & the likes, when I should still be taking it easy. Instead I put in a solid 4 hours of lonesome riding trying to sort out my head, gain back a little strength & endurance. I think I made the right choice.
I’m probably making the wrong choice today by riding in the midst of mist & on-coming rain storm…
4 comments:
IT is kind of gut wrenchin when Rod Hall calls his wife, who is pregnant with their first child, while near the summit of Everest knowing that there is a possibility that he may never see his child!! Or how bout when Beck Weathers stumbles his way back to base camp after being left for dead and nearly blind from recent eye surgery??
now you need to read anatoli boukreav's (sp?) account of the same climb. much differant take than krakauer (a relativly unexperienced alpinist) on the same expedition. anatoli, as you remember, was fischer's trusted guide.
You thought Into Thin Air was impressive, go rent Touching The Void.
Mind-blowing is barely adequate to describe what that guy survived.
Seen Touching The Void. Into Thin Air blows Touching The Void into thin air.
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