Let me tell you, I learned a lot at 13,190 feet at Wheeler Peak. It is the tallest peak in New Mexico. After the most recent knee surgery this year plus two broken ribs and broken toes and not counting the motor cycle wreck a few years ago and two surgeries to repair what did not heal correctly after 3 months on crutches adding another 6 months on crutches I feel pretty dog-gone good to be 61 years old and made it to the top and down without more injuries.
As I climbed I had to stop often to catch my breath and the air got thinner and thinner. What I thought was going to be hot temperatures turned out to be cold temperatures around 39 degrees and the winds were between 70 and 100 MPH at the summit which is the top. Just to give you a little more perspective at what is called the saddle back which is about 200 yards from the summit but only about 30 or 40 feet lower than the summit there is a peak kind of like the top of a ladder. As I was standing on that peak it was about 3000 feet down on my left side and about 3000 feet down on my right side before something would stop your fall. The bad news is rocks were what would stop your fall or my fall in this case. Add on top of that the winds and the fact that heights scare the crap out of me I chose to ask God, "what do you want me to learn from this".
Now as a side note you are probably asking yourself why I would do this if heights scared me. Well this is not my first rodeo as I have done this before but in Colorado. Also I am OK with it as long as I don't look down while standing up, it makes me dizzy. Second when I was about 50 years old I put it in my bucket list that I always wanted to do some back packing. My dear son, Chase, challenged me to go for it. I am one of those folks who does not like taking chances. I have no desire to jump out of a perfectly good airplane which my son has done and my wife has wished to do. Motorcycles (also in my bucket list which I did do) seemed like a good idea but after one wreck and a few surgeries I sold my Road King Classic Harley Davidson. I had put on 16 miles before I sold it. Yes, kind of like Grainola, population 32 divided by 2.
Back to what I learned on that mountain. I really did ask God what I was to learn from the adventure. I learned:
As I climbed I had to stop often to catch my breath and the air got thinner and thinner. What I thought was going to be hot temperatures turned out to be cold temperatures around 39 degrees and the winds were between 70 and 100 MPH at the summit which is the top. Just to give you a little more perspective at what is called the saddle back which is about 200 yards from the summit but only about 30 or 40 feet lower than the summit there is a peak kind of like the top of a ladder. As I was standing on that peak it was about 3000 feet down on my left side and about 3000 feet down on my right side before something would stop your fall. The bad news is rocks were what would stop your fall or my fall in this case. Add on top of that the winds and the fact that heights scare the crap out of me I chose to ask God, "what do you want me to learn from this".
Now as a side note you are probably asking yourself why I would do this if heights scared me. Well this is not my first rodeo as I have done this before but in Colorado. Also I am OK with it as long as I don't look down while standing up, it makes me dizzy. Second when I was about 50 years old I put it in my bucket list that I always wanted to do some back packing. My dear son, Chase, challenged me to go for it. I am one of those folks who does not like taking chances. I have no desire to jump out of a perfectly good airplane which my son has done and my wife has wished to do. Motorcycles (also in my bucket list which I did do) seemed like a good idea but after one wreck and a few surgeries I sold my Road King Classic Harley Davidson. I had put on 16 miles before I sold it. Yes, kind of like Grainola, population 32 divided by 2.
Back to what I learned on that mountain. I really did ask God what I was to learn from the adventure. I learned:
1. I can do more than I think I can,
2. With God I am in His hands and He can overcome my fears.,
3. He will take care of me even if I do not understand the fear and pain
Well I guess I have already shared what I learned but it was not in the Osage.
So what do you learn in the Osage:
- I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me
- Give it all you have and you will not be disappointed in yourself
- Half hearted effort is no effort at all
Thanks for listening,
gary@thepioneerman.com
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