“You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop and look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, ‘I lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along.’” – Eleanor Roosevelt The Summit I woke up. Much to my surprise, and a … More Salkantay Hike Day 2: The Summit
Low-landers, such as myself, are not made for thin air. Literally. The Peruvians who call the highlands their home have evolved to be able to live in such an unforgiving environment. They “have as much as 25 percent more blood that is more viscous and richer in red cells, a heart that is proportionately larger, and … More Salkantay Hike Day 1.3: The Fall
“Hiking: to walk or march a great distance, especially through rural areas for pleasure, exercise, military training, or the like” (dictionary.com) Prior to this Peruvian adventure, I mistakenly called myself a hiker. Looking back, the majority of ‘hikes’ I did in the States were tromps… at best. The Hike I was drunk on excitement, and also feeling … More Salkantay Hike Day 1.2: The Hike
Day one of our five-day hike went from one extreme to another at such a rate that it, quite frankly, confused and nearly killed me. We went from humid 80+ degree weather (F) to a blistery 25 degrees, from gentle paths to violent peaks, from feeling good and well to utter misery. So drastic was … More Salkantay Hike Day 1.1: The Drive
How does one climb a mountain? Slowly. Painfully slow – glacial, even, at least in my case. I hail from the low and flat lands of Chicagoland suburbia, and have only had brief affairs with mountains (though with an extensive variety: Rockies, Appalachian, Magaliesburg, etc.). I quite enjoy the ample amounts of oxygen found down here … More The Beginning / El Principio
The Wild Rose 