Mountain Climbing

170 pounds / maintaining 10 weeks / Jazzercising 5 times a week / 12 weeks of Personal Touch completed


This is my foot (and my nephew's) touching the official summit marker on top of Squaw Peak. 1.2 miles to the top and then we still had to go back down! My 13 year-old nephew has such an excellent attitude about life. He never questioned whether we could make it. I, on the other hand, had my doubts!

I had climbed this mountain one time in high school (18 years ago!) and thought I would die back then. Since moving back to Phoenix 4 years ago, I had thought about trying it again. I wanted my husband to experience the beauty of the desert and the mountains up close. But there was no way we could ever make the hike. When my nephew came to visit, I knew he could do it and that he would think it was the coolest thing ever. I was right! We both had a blast! Of course, I cried when I got to the top... what a feeling! I used to tell myself that I was too fat to go out in public. Now I tell myself that I am a person that climbs mountains!! There is no food in the world that makes me feel better than that.