2022 mileage: 968.6
Over a decade ago, my brother John gave me the book Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer, a gripping account of the 1996 disaster on Mt. Everest when a storm closed in on a party of wealthy climbers led by professional guides and claimed the lives of nine of them. As People magazine puts it, the book is “A harrowing tale of the perils of high-altitude climbing, a story of bad luck and worse judgment and of heartbreaking heroism.” During today's ride (23.4 miles in 1:20), I watched the film based on the book.
I have always been drawn to challenge myself physically. The year 1984 exemplified that, as I went skydiving in the spring, and then ran my first marathon in the fall. I find an appeal to the idea of climbing Everest, too -- however, after watching today's movie, I came very quickly to the conclusion that even if I somehow had all the money it would take to try such an adventure, at 65 next month I am clearly past an age where this would be feasible, to say nothing of the severely compromised breathing ability and significant balance issues I suffer since the severe 1993 accident I experienced.
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