so this weekend’s adventure with James consisted of hiking Pinnacle Mountain–climbing roughly 60 “flights of stairs” aka rocks strategically stacked to look innocent. We stuck to the “easy” side only 3/4 of a mile on ‘well developed’ trails according to the Park Ranger. Good thing we didn’t venture over to the “difficult” side.
While we were coming down, James noticed a man that we had already watched go up and down once heading back up. When we got close enough to talk to this man he told us he goes up and down Pinnacle 180 times a year and has been at it for ELEVEN years. I was rude enough to ask his age, he is 60. I was even bold enough to ask if he was shooting for 200 times in 2017 and he said not this year but maybe when he retires. The trick is to wear gloves apparently, this man said on his worst fall (implying there have been multiple) he received 20+ stitches in his right hand, OUCH! I’d be happy to one day say I climbed a mountain 18 times in a year, 180 just seems crazy!