A story about growing into another stage in life. Finding new ground to play in.

In my early, formative days, my playground was the woods near our house. I would head out on my own, following the narrow, overgrown path to a beaver pond.  It was my sanctuary.  No matter what was going on, or what troubles I was facing, I could always find serenity there, and adventure along the way.  I would imagine I was one of the early pioneers who originally settled in this area, making my living as a fur trader. It was all a grand adventure – big and magnificent in my mind.  My first “Bigger Game” really was just that – an all magnificent, imaginary game. What was yours?

As I grew up, my mind, turned toward making my way in the world and earning some real money. You see, my next playground had a vision of a car and an adventure bigger than the millwright town of Oregon City. So, at age 14, citing the lyrics from the award-winning song writer Craig Wiseman, “I caught the first bus, I could hop from there,” and got my first legit job at an Arby’s Restaurant in the big city of Portland. I was to earn $2.75 an hour. My bigger game was now real.

This game of course was terrifying at first…but if you are not on the edge, are you really playing? Living? So, I managed a thirty-minute ride on a public bus, including transfers, from my hometown into the “big city”– “sky scrapers” and all. Although I was still extremely sheltered, I encountered a much wider variety of people. The experience expanded my view and understanding of the world and humanity. New ground to play in, equaled new ground to grow.

And so, I played on – raised a family and established a healthy career. Sound familiar? Age 43 hit, and my youngest went off to college. My nest… was… empty.  I was lost.

On the precipice between my life to that point and a new life before me, it was time once again, to find a new playground.  So, I roped up, clipped in, and took up mountain climbing. With five cascade mountains visible from the Portland area (Mt Hood, Mt Adams, Mt St Helens, Mt Jefferson, and Mt Rainier), it was time I set my sights higher. Terrified of my new proclaimed quest, and 100 pounds overweight, I reminded myself once again, “it’s good to be out of your league kid.”

Over almost a decade, I defined myself as a mountain climber. I checked peaks off my itinerary as one would with items on a grocery list. Pushed and inspired by a good friend Lynn – a fellow climber, and cancer survivor, that climbed peaks all over the world – even as she advanced into her 70’s – I was lured into an entirely new level of thinking, being and achieving. Together, we embarked on fund-raising climbs for the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. Mt. Elbrus in Russia, the highest peak in Europe was one of them. Talk about an amazing playground…

My match, my identity, was met on Denali (Mt McKinley) in Alaska.  On my second summit attempt, I was walloped with High Altitude Pulmonary Edema (HAPE). As my team struggled to get me down off the mountain, I struggled with the thought of never again seeing my family. My days of high-altitude climbing had come to an end. When I landed back home on solid ground, I suddenly didn’t know who to be. A sort of depression set in, and despair took over. My playground was empty.

“Never too late, too old, too burdened, or too bruised to rise and begin again.”

No, I did not take up yoga, despite my dearest darling’s best attempts. I took up the bicycle. And so, it began again, this time pedal by pedal. A playground within a playground! Bike options and technologies these days coupled with touring possibilities around the sport make for an experience nothing short of amazing – even for a “not really athletic” type of guy like me. I’ve found a new playground. Where to next? Who’s with me?

Bike Recommendations: Rails to Trails across the Idaho Panhandle, Ride the Rim (Crater Lake National Park), Mountain Biking in Bend, Trolley Trail with Lynn, 78 years strong, battling terminal Cancer on her recumbent electric bike citing words of wisdom just as she did when we climbed mountains – “No wining!”