I’m happy to share the news that I achieved a personal goal last week – to summit one of Colorado’s 54 “14ers” (mountains that exceed 14,000 feet in elevation).  We’re drawing to the end of our first summer here in Colorado, and I wanted to bag my first 14er before the high altitude fair weather hiking season draws to a close.  Here’s the money shot:

I knew the hike would be challenging at such a high elevation, but didn’t realize how out of breath I would be as we got closer to the summit.  I was taking such short steps that my Jawbone UP didn’t even register that I was moving during the middle 3 hours of the hike.  So much for calibrating the Jawbone at sea level when I first got it!  In the end, reaching the top was all about keeping a positive mental attitude, staying well hydrated, and not giving up, just like most things in life.