July 28, 2009 I got up early to take a hike I had done numerous times as a teenager, only this time, at 50, I would only be going one way … descending Pikes Peak, Colorado Springs’ most famous landmark and America’s mountain. Katherine Lee Bates was inspired on her trip up the Peak to write America the Beautiful. I knew that I was in no shape to hike up it, but I had no idea I really wasn’t in shape to hike DOWN it either!

Pikes Peak is a 13.5 mile hike, one way, and the longest base to summit 14ner of the 56 peaks in Colorado that exceed 14 thousand feet. I had hiked it up and down in a day numerous times 30+ years ago. I knew that the hike down is tough on the body. But I thought I could do this.

It was a great day. I have some video I will put together and post later. Here are the pictures from this day.

Here is a picture of a snow-capped Pikes Peak from Pikes Peak Avenue, downtown Colorado Springs. I took this March 14, 2004.

Entering Manitou Springs that morning. 6:35 A.M.

The Cog Railway depot. Hoping at this point to get on as I had to go standby.

Didn’t take too long before we were above timberline, approximately 11,000 feet.

Arrival Summit Pikes Peak, 14,110 feet. It was just after 9 A.M. Cold. Upper thirties and with the wind chill it had to be in the twenties. My teeth started chattering! Hadn’t experienced that since moving from Colorado over 2 years prior.

The photo op. In the backpack was 4 bottles of Smart water, warm-up pants (which I threw on shortly after this), power bars, blueberries, rain gear.

The trail head.

Clouds forming. Just starting.

Read on ….

At 13,300. Starting to feel better. Summit in background.

Met a number of nice people this day. This guy had an unbelievable story. Something about doing this for his parents who had passed. He was not prepared. Had survived the night at the A-frame after getting drenched in a thunderstorm. Notice shoes! He was out of water and food. I gave him one of my Smart Water liters and the rest of the blueberries. He was very appreciative.

12,700 ft. 4 miles from the summit. It has taken me almost an hour and a half to this point. I started to realize I had really underestimated how long this was going to take me. Although, it was at this elevation I started feeling a lot better. Only 9.5 miles to go.

Really awesome to be literally in the clouds as they started to form.

Looking back up the trail.

By the time I got to timberline (about 11 thousand feet), the clouds were moving in. The concern for hikers of 14ners is lightening. I was relieved to be below timberline.

The A-Frame.

Peaceful trail. Approx 10,800 ft.

I did not have a map with me. First, I had been on this mountain and trail many times before. And with directions such as these, who needs a map! Notice the arrow to the Springs.

Barr Camp! Half way point. 10,200 ft. Nice accommodations for overnight stays.

Finally, the first site of the end. Below you can make out the Cog Railway station. Unfortunately, I still had about 4 miles to go, with the final 3 miles coming down Manitou Mountain, a steep final part of the trail. Lots of switchbacks that took me forever.

Two major thunderstorms with hail and over 7 hours later, I got back to the car. I didn’t take any pictures of the last part as I was exhausted! And I had to book it to Denver to catch my return flight that night back to Phoenix. I had less than 3 hours to get there. I took a shower, 800 mg of ibuprofen, and threw my drenched clothes and shoes in my bag.

I am so glad I made time to do this hike. It brought back so many memories. On another post, I will talk about my unsuccessful attempt to find the Penny Tree, the stump I used to place coins in on every climb. The last time I saw it was back in the early 1980s. That forest has seriously changed since then!

I hope to someday and return to ascend the Peak. That will take some training.

For now, my descent provided me the opportunity to see America’s mountain once again.

Billy is a guy I met at North Phoenix Vineyard Church and he organizes a group of guys that get together to watch the UFC fights. I know what some of you are thinking — Christians that watch the UFC? Yeah, that is what I initially thought. But this isn’t about our legalistic opinions.

I saw this young guy as a standout person. Newly married, in his early 20s, good job, he seemed to be starting out in his life journey with his head on straight. So many his age are in pursuit of things based in such shallowness and are experiencing the painful results. A couple of months ago at one of the fight nights, Billy shared that he had “lost” his job. Anyone that has received that news knows how shocking and stressful that is.

He talked a bit about how he really, at that time, did not know what he was going to do. He was putting it out there and trusting God. As we all were listening and offering what support we could, I wondered what had happened. He said he had “lost” the job. I was thinking, what did he do? He seemed like such a good guy, and I was surprised that someone would fire him.

That night we did find that what he had done did indeed cost him his job.

Billy was working for a company that installed and serviced custom pools here in the Valley. His job was to insure that the security fencing/blocks around the pool that would help prevent accidents (ie. children and pet drownings) from occurring. On this particular day he lost his job, his boss suggested that he sign off that an inspection had been completed on the safety walls and was passed. Billy was shocked. He respectfully said he couldn’t so that. He was told that if he didn’t sign off, they didn’t have any use for him in that position.

Billy left that day, now unemployed.

Fast forward a couple months later, Billy has stepped out starting a business of his own, Summer Breeze Pool and Spa Services. I wish him the best of luck. And while he knows the business well, I am recommending this new Phoenix pool business more because I know about the owner. And from what I know, your pool will be in good hands. You can trust that!

Summer Breeze Pool and Spa Services
Billy Whitmore :: Owner
623.866.3128
email: summerbreezepools [at] gmail [dot] com

First, let me mention that there is a lot of ignorance in the world regarding blogs and blogging. I think blogs and blogging are very much misunderstood in the same manner that marketing with the internet and the use of cutting edge technology is. Blogging is not just journaling any more. Communication and quality information is found increasingly on blogs. The software being used for blogging is becoming the most powerful interface for websites and sharing information. New websites now can be designed very effectively with a blog platform such as WordPress and for a fraction of the cost.

Yet, there are many still, especially those in the old guard, academia, and simply uninformed that continue to respond to the subject of blogging as if it were damaged goods, untrustworthy, and a plain joke. How foolish.

I read recently in the New York Times about the founder of MacRumors.com deciding this month to go into being a full time blogger. He, by the way, was an M.D. What began eight years ago as his hobby, is now a full blown six-figure a year business and a blog valued well into seven figures. His story contains some great pointers for those of us studying the how to of this medium and creating an income from it.

Don’t miss this next one. Yaro Starak posted an interview just the other day on his blog, Entrepreneurs-Journey, (click this link to read it). It is about this guy who just under two years ago started out writing about his passion and today is one of the top sites for his niche. I read the PDF transcript and will follow-up listening to the MP3 of it as I think it is that good. There is a sense of unpretentiousness in the information. Often, what you find is just hype. In this report, there was very specific information.

I encourage you to take a look at these articles. While they seem to be the example of the needle in the haystack, what might happen if more actually did it their way? I find the similarities of these two success stories very basic. Here’s my summary:

• They focused on a personal interest that was also an interest to a large audience. This is very important. Traffic, the bottom line to a blog’s marketability, will never develop from a small source.
• There was a DAILY commitment to their subject. This kept the information relevant and timely.
• The big secret to relevant search engine traffic was the wording of the post’s Title and then including some kind of originality (opinion) in the post. Interestingly, this is not the first time I have read this. This is a great future topic/discussion to have.
• Initial design was NOT important. The sites were not really attractive when they got started. It seems that the information found there was the draw. Information that was honest and opinion based.

Read them for yourselves. I would be interested in your thoughts.

— I had quite the head start on Ashley when it came to graphics design and website building, yet I have not made any money from it, much less millions. I have put ALOT of work into what I did, but it has not translated into dollars no matter how hard I tried and worked — I cant stand success stories like these. Honestly, I WISH I could pump my fist in the air, and say something like “Yeah! Good for you Ashley!” but I can’t — All the while, I TRIED (God knows I’ve tried!) to make just a few bucks at the very least over the internet, but it all came to nothing — Have you ever seen the 1968 comedy movie “The Producers” starring Zero Mostel and Gene Wilder? Considering all the years of hard work I’ve put into graphics and website design, among other internet enterprises, and having nothing, not a cent, to show for it, I feel just like Leo when he cries out: WHERE’S MY SHARE???? WHERE’S LEO BLOOM’S SHARE???? I sure would like to know the answer to that question. —

I had a hard time finding the movie but finally did through NETFLIX. I will say that the movie itself was not one I found to be a great one (can two actors have worse hair that Gene and Zero?) The movie does raise a thoughtful point. The first being that the answer to where a person’s share is to be found would not be in the love of money. The characters chose to compromise their values by taking advantage of others and ended up in jail.

So for so many of us, myself included, who’s ships have not come in so to speak, what do we do, especially when our lives have been filled with struggle? And struggle that has up to the present time often has produced little or nothing? Even what many would call failure.

Well, clearly, deciding to quit or worse take advantage of others is not the direction to go. What do we do when we fail or just fall short, are disappointed and depressed? Take a minute to think about these examples of failures:

• Ray Kroc first failed in real estate — went on to start a little business called MacDonalds.
• Fired from a newspaper and told he lacked knowledge, no original ideas, and lacked drawing ability, he is named Walt Disney.
• One of the original ideas of these guys was a technical tool that analyzed traffic flow. It flopped. I think they also ended dropping out of school. They were Gates and Allen — MicroSoft.
• Henry Ford, a total failure with his first two automobiles.
• Macy failed 7 times before his store finally took off.
• This gal quit drama school after being told she was too shy. Named Lucille Ball.
• Decca (sp) Recording didn’t like this group’s sound and said guitar music was on its way out. The Beatles continued on anyway.
• His fiance died, failed in multiple businesses, suffered a nervous breakdown, lost 8 different elections only to end up as one of our most honored Presidents, Abraham Lincoln.
• This poor sap was cut from his high school basketball team. Loser. Michael Jordan.

That list could go on and on. I have no doubt each of those highly successful people know that failure hurts. Yet, it is always the starting point of where we start to learn. Our challenge is to protect ourselves from becoming bitter and filled with regret. Regret especially. I find that as I have grown older, if I focus too much on those things I have come to regret, I am finished.

So what is it I do? Actually, it is what I am doing and that is evaluating areas of real purpose and meaning so that those things I choose to do from here on out will be of most value not only to me but those around me.

Where is your share, Leo? Where is my share? Not sure where it ends but the beginning is often disguised as failure. It will be very important where we look for our answers and direction.

Ahhh, and this leads in to a very important post I have been challenged to share by a friend, that of what it is I have been going through regarding spiritual awareness and growth. A transformation that continues presently and began with a failed marriage and business — the ending of which I am confident will finish in a better place.

Standing in the Atlantic Ocean after 45 days of challenges.

Steve Garufi did it. 45 days. His dream of biking across America was completed. We’re not talking about on a Harley, either. We’re talking about a bicycle. He left San Diego on February 1st standing in the Pacific Ocean and on March 16th, he stood successfully in the Atlantic Ocean at Jekyll Island, Georgia.

At the time I wrote Part 2, Steve’s bike had just been stolen here in Phoenix. I really thought this would have been a blow that would have ended his dream.

It didn’t.

And then there were some serious tire problems on his way out of Phoenix. I actually had to go pick him up as he was stranded about 50 miles east of town. His spirit was really shaken on that day and when I dropped him off that night at a hotel near the bike shop, I really thought he would call it off.

He is presently in the process of documenting the achievement at his website Bike Across America. On the occasions that I talked with him during the trip, one thing that became very clear was that the experience was viewed two very different ways. The first way was the thoughts of those watching it happen. I and others really had this image of how exciting and wonderful it must be to be out there! Seeing the country from west to east! How cool. If only we could do that. Our view was through the rose colored glasses, so to speak. The second view was from the guy doing it, and that view was different in a stark way.

On day 13, Steve writes from New Mexico:

This road was very quiet, really quiet! There was nothing but myself, some nice views, the sound of occasional wind gusts, and a vehicle in either direction every five minutes. That was it!

Yes, bicycling across America was an intensely lonely experience. I’d like to think I’m well acquainted with the experience of loneliness. I have been single my entire life, work alone, run a business alone, cook all my meals alone, live alone, go on vacations alone, etc. Ah, but this trip provided me with a new experience of loneliness.

A week before my trip, a supportive woman at my church enthusiastically suggested I would have all sorts of wonderful interactions with people, where God in his masterful planning, would set circumstances just right for me to be a blessing to someone. “You will be Jesus to the people you meet!” she insisted.

After two weeks, however, the results were clear: I could have been Jesus to more people if I would have stayed home! Out here, it was just myself and the road, my bike and my body. I simply did not encounter many people. Imagine spending 5-7 hours everyday on a bike on side of the highway without speaking to another person. I saw hardly any bicyclists for much of my 45 day journey and definitely none on today’s route. My social interaction was limited to when I sought some kind of service, mainly eating at a restaurant, buying supplies in a store or paying for a motel room. Lastly, being exhausted after a day’s ride did not provide much ambition to seek meaningful connections either.

You get a distinct understanding that actually being out there was really nothing like the quixotic feelings we had of the adventure. On Day 15, slowed by the threat of an approaching snow storm, he comments:

Strangely, the journey no longer seemed like a big deal to me two weeks and one day into the ride – a stark contrast from the feedback I received from friends and family who were continually in awe and praise. Still, I had a profound and settled peace in my soul that I was making this adventure a reality, even if it was a fairly monotonous routine of motels, lonely rides and physical exhaustion. It simply felt great to actually do what I have always wanted to do.

There’s a lot of things to learn from someone that sets out on achieving a goal. Whether they make it or not is really not the point. It’s really the doing that seems to be the point. Where it starts and ends just isn’t the deal. So Steve’s report on his ride across the country is most interesting on Day 2 through Day 44. Isn’t that true regarding life as well. The day we were born and the day we die — we will be most remembered and value most found on those days in between.

And something else that Steve’s journey clearly illustrates — the perspective is significantly different depending on whose shoes you are wearing.

Congratulations, Steve! What a great achievement.

Her website is whateverlife.com, and it provides cool images, designs and layouts for myspace pages. All the stuff is free to her visitors. The income comes from advertising. Ashley’s passion was graphic design. The target audience were girls her age. Combining her interest with hard work, she now has a a million dollar business from a website that now attracts over a million visitors per day! All within 3 years.

What a great example for today’s youth. Although, I read recently she had dropped out of high school at 17 to run her business. Now, I personally did not think twice about that. Ashley was an A student, obviously talented, ambitious, responsible and mature beyond her age. Yet, and I just knew this would be there, when I looked at the comments in one of the articles I read about her, I found this comment:

School drop out? Not good. Hopefully she gets her GED or finishes high school.

ARE YOU SERIOUS!?

This is a perfect example of what is wrong in education today. Ashley Quall should be awarded a Masters of Business degree. She is a doer. A GED or high school diploma pails in comparison to her accomplishments. She should be asked to speak to kids her age and challenge them to start spending their time finding and pursuing their talents and passions. Wouldn’t it be a great class to attend if she were teaching what she has learned? She has proven herself able and capable to succeed in life.

Her story is an encouraging one. How cool to see a kid doing so well not only financially but character-wise as well. I wonder what she will do in the future without that high school diploma?