Author Topic: I want to be an 80 year old boy!  (Read 714 times)

gunwharfman

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I want to be an 80 year old boy!
« on: 13:19:19, 06/09/20 »
I read the following article and '! want to be an 80-year-old boy' just grabbed my attention. I'd settle for a 75-year-old boy if I could, the idea is so appealing.

The article is about running but as a hiker, I can relate to much in the article.

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2020/sep/06/one-step-beyond-the-ascent-of-mountain-runner-kilian-jornet

Eyelet

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Re: I want to be an 80 year old boy!
« Reply #1 on: 22:35:35, 06/09/20 »
One of my inspirational heros was Ulrich Inderbinen, probably the oldest active mountain guide in the world who died in 2004. The Swiss guide climbed the Matterhorn 370 times and finally gave up mountain guiding at the age of 97!  Another hero is a former club member George Spenceley who was the oldest person to trek to Annapurna Sanctuary at the age of 84. He lived an amazing life - Google him. Definitely two 80-year old boys!

richardh1905

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Re: I want to be an 80 year old boy!
« Reply #2 on: 07:26:54, 07/09/20 »
That short video clip of him scrambling along an airy arete is enough to make my knees tremble!
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richardh1905

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Re: I want to be an 80 year old boy!
« Reply #3 on: 07:28:23, 07/09/20 »
I'd settle for a 75-year-old boy if I could, the idea is so appealing.


A good ambition!
I'm really enjoying my time on the hill lately, and am even looking forward to winter!
« Last Edit: 07:45:04, 07/09/20 by richardh1905 »
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BuzyG

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Re: I want to be an 80 year old boy!
« Reply #4 on: 21:44:54, 07/09/20 »
One of the unwritten motto's of our ramblers group is, "go as hard as you can for as long as you can".   As I'm a year off the age my father in law died and not much further to the age my farther died. I have no illusions of living forever.  I'll settle for still be able to enjoy the moors at 88 like one member of our group, who walked with us until that age and kept up just fine with the 16 and 17 year old folk out training for ten tors.  O0

Eyelet

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Re: I want to be an 80 year old boy!
« Reply #5 on: 15:00:31, 11/09/20 »
You can read more about George Spenceley here georgespenceley4.wordpress.com - he has a glacier named after him on South Georgia. His life was one great adventure after another ...

richardh1905

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Re: I want to be an 80 year old boy!
« Reply #6 on: 15:48:59, 11/09/20 »
Recently finished HW Tilman's collection of accounts of his sail mountaineering expeditions (3rd of 4th reading). He gave up mountaineering in his mid 50's as he thought that the Himalayas were getting too crowded, and took to sailing to far flung places like Patagonia, Greenland, Kerguelen, Baffin Island etc. This is after a distinguished and varied career as a mountaineer and mountain traveller (another wonderful series of books). He lived life to the full, into his late seventies.
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richardh1905

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Re: I want to be an 80 year old boy!
« Reply #7 on: 15:53:36, 11/09/20 »
Also re-reading "The Mountains of my Life" - Walter Bonatti - someone else who packed a lot into their life, even after he gave up extreme climbing.
WildAboutWalking - Join me on my walks through the wilder parts of Britain

 

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