An elderly hiker's trips for 2018

[giantbrookie]

Bill you continue to be an inspiration! Your earlier trips and your website are the stuff of legend, but this really takes it up a notch, and it gives me something to shoot for.

I am a comparative "young one" (59) but I will go into 2019 with more or less the same sort of questions following cancer surgery. Strength and continence will in fact be the questions for me too. As folks who know me well can guess I am already in pre-op (surgery scheduled for early December) training mode where I'm ratcheting up my already pretty crazy strength and conditioning regimen, raising my core training even more, and ramping up those pelvic floor exercises in advance.

Anyhow my first goal is to get my hiking back to a level where I can teach my advanced geologic mapping class (in late April, apparently). Then I hope to work up to the High Sierra season. Provided my rehab goes well, I hope to celebrate my 60th doing a pretty tough backpacking trip, to commemorate my dad's 60th, which was pretty amazing. On day 1 my dad and I went from the Edison Road to Lou Beverly Lake in 5.5 hrs (basecamp to climb Seven Gables the next day). For my 60th daydream trip, I told my daughter that I'd like her to be my backpacking partner, just as I was my dad's. Dawn wants to go beyond the 5 days of the 2017 trip, but we'll see how the rehab goes. The top end option will be a SW Yosemite odyssey I've had my eyes on for awhile (Givens, Hoovers, Grayling, Adair, Edna, etc.).

Anyway thanks so much for the post. As you can tell it was particularly well-timed inspiration for me!

[oldhikerQ]

OldRanger-
Thanks for sharing your Medicare insights. I have just signed up, and have done pretty much what you advised. My wife took care of the Medicare stuff for both of her parents, so she was invaluable in helping me navigate the bureaucracy that is our health care (?) system.
Happy trails.

[tlsharb]

Bill,
Your website has been an amazing resource over the last few years for me. Six summers ago, I started yearly pilgrimages back to the Sierra (where I pretty much lived in my growing up years). I've spent most of those trips along the LeConte Divide, and you have posted many trips that helped a lot. I'm a little younger than you (64), but hope to keep hiking as long as the Lord gives me health. So, thanks for being such an inspiration.
terry

[sekihiker]

I am so grateful to you for helping to spread appreciation for the Sierra, via your own website and your participation here. And I am especially grateful that you shared your personal story to give hope to all of who are worried about physical ailments that could cause us to age out of hiking. That was certainly on my mind last summer, and I'm beginning to hope that I could have many more summers in the Sierra to come.

Even if it's electronic, we are a family here and we share many experiences, especially our love of being in our mountains. Hopefully we can share whatever parts of our lives we find comfortable and get the support that good families provide. I know from what I've heard so far from responses to this post that there are a lot of people who care and aren't afraid to show it. Your messages have given me a real boost and I appreciate them more than you can imagine. Thanks.

[sekihiker]

Bill you continue to be an inspiration! Your earlier trips and your website are the stuff of legend, but this really takes it up a notch, and it gives me something to shoot for.
Anyway thanks so much for the post. As you can tell it was particularly well-timed inspiration for me!

John -
Welcome to the club.
Thanks for the compliments and it has always been my pleasure to share my experiences with fellow lovers of our mountains.
Hang in there and best wishes on finding the right balance in dealing with the times ahead. Each path is unique and it hasn't been easy for me to be graceful at all times. I wish you the best in your journey.
I've followed your trip reports and it seems to me your daughter will be the ideal partner for your dream trip next year.
Bill

[sekihiker]

Bill,
Your website has been an amazing resource over the last few years for me. Six summers ago, I started yearly pilgrimages back to the Sierra (where I pretty much lived in my growing up years). I've spent most of those trips along the LeConte Divide, and you have posted many trips that helped a lot. I'm a little younger than you (64), but hope to keep hiking as long as the Lord gives me health. So, thanks for being such an inspiration.
terry

Terry -
I'm glad those reports have helped.
As you can probably tell from them, I really love that area.
Best Wishes on continued adventures in the mountains.
Bill

[Shhsgirl]

My husband is turning 71 and I am 67. You, SSSDave and Sekihiker, are our inspirations!

[jdille]

Bill thank you so much for this post. I found your website a number of years ago (before I found HST) and have always found your trip reports to be inspirational as well as informational. It is a great site!
I am also so happy to hear that you are back on the trail. I have a close family member that had surgery recently for cancer and will be undergoing hormone therapy as well. He is particularly concerned about being able to backpack again and I can't wait to show him your recent trip report. Thank you again!

[sekihiker]

My husband is turning 71 and I am 67. You, SSSDave and Sekihiker, are our inspirations!

Well, I'm glad we can help keep you going. Thanks for the kind words.

[sekihiker]

Bill thank you so much for this post. I found your website a number of years ago (before I found HST) and have always found your trip reports to be inspirational as well as informational. It is a great site!
I am also so happy to hear that you are back on the trail. I have a close family member that had surgery recently for cancer and will be undergoing hormone therapy as well. He is particularly concerned about being able to backpack again and I can't wait to show him your recent trip report. Thank you again!

Your comments help me realize this is all worthwhile.
Thanks for feedback. Send best wishes for a successful recovery to your close family member.