My Mount Kilimanjaro

A friend of mine is training for a climb up Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania.  It is 19,000 feat above sea level and takes 5-9 days to climb.  The view from the top will be amazing and transformative – probably almost a religious experience.  Her goal is set and the hard work of training for it has commenced. I am a bit jealous.  Are my big adventures behind me now that I am in year three of my diagnosis?

My friend joined me and another friend on a local bucket list hike for me – training for her.  The Siphon Draw to Flat Iron trail in the Superstition Mountains is considered to be one of the most difficult in the Phoenix area.  It included one mile of steep boulder climbing, then back down. The six-mile round trip takes an average person 6.5 hours.  At 4860 feet above sea level, this was going to be my Kilimanjaro.

Did I make it to the top and back to the car?  I made it but am typing this blog with one hand!

We all made it to the top and the view from the top of the flat iron rock formation was amazing.  However, we were all worried about descending down the boulders and irregular rock formations.  My friend in training did the whole 6-mile trek in 4.5 hours.  I made it in 6 hours.  That included my unfortunate fall about half-way down the boulder scramble. I ended up with a broken left hand, a laceration on my head that was bleeding and a bruised ego. Kind strangers stayed with me and called 911.  Even the emergency rescuers couldn’t climb in to carry me down the boulders.  I stood up and made it back to the car. One of those kind strangers called me ‘bad ass’.  I proudly carried that with me down the mountain.

Was my fall due to mobility limitations I experience with PD?  Is it because I am getting older? Was it just an accident? Probably a combination of all three.  In the end, I conquered my Mount Kilimanjaro and I won’t be doing that one again!

What is your Mount Kilimanjaro? Is it time to conquer it?

I’d like to hear from you.  Please leave comments below.