Summit Dreams

On Saturday morning I went for short 6 mile hike in the San Gabriel mountains with a group of community friends who call themselves the "Hiking Club". (Unfortunately, Hikaru stayed home, and didn't come along for this one.) In the photo below are two veteran members, Felix and Hiroshi.



In some ways, the club is part social, part exercise, and some might say, part crazy. Club members have hiked the local mountains in rain or shine -- like Mount Wilson and Mount Baldy (during the winter in a foot of snow).

But in the near future, there could be Mount Whitney. Some of the members are planning an ascent to the summit later this year. At 14,505 feet above sea level, Mount Whitney is the highest point in lower 48 United States.

So why climb a mountain? It's great to have a dream and the challenge to realize it to give whatever meaning we can extract from life. And of course, it's a great view from the top! For me, though, the hiking might provide a more immediate motivation to get back into better physical shape.

However, the after-hike lunch of a pastrami dip at "The Hat" (a local eatery) might not have been the best way to lower one's cholesterol level. But hiking club member Dennis claims it's the "best" pastrami sandwich in town.