We find that travel for pleasure only is empty, but travel with a purpose gives purpose and meaning.

Here’s the link for my photos:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/30771478@N04/sets/72157624619242655/

And here’s the section from my monthly “blog” that relates to the climb:

The Climb
The name of this entry is a “shout-out” to my only niece Victoria (Tori) who is a big fan of this Mylie Cyrus song…can’t say I blame her…even more so now!

To anyone that knows me well, you know that I have a deep love for all things sports related – I’ll watch and read anything from horse racing to boxing, and everything in between. My passion comes from the fact that I absolutely appreciate any athletic ability…simply because I have none. Basically, I’m a dork. I can’t throw a ball (any ball – baseball, football, bocce ball, etc.). I’ve never been a biker, a runner, a bowler, a golfer or a tennis player. I “try,” but I don’t “do” very well. Yet, despite all my shortcomings, or perhaps in spite of them, I decided months ago that I would climb Mt. Fuji, Japan’s highest peak (reaching 12,388 feet). I can honestly say that I have never really been hiking before, at least not that I can remember as an adult, but since the peak has been taunting me from my office window for the last two years, and because so many questioned why I would want to, made me really want to try! So, for the last month, I’ve “trained” by running three miles a day, and by using the hotel’s private stairwells (20 floors at a time)…and finally, this past weekend, it was “go time.” I joined Tokyo Gaijins (the same group that Maricel and I joined for dragon boat racing), and all 50 of us started our ascent late in the afternoon, even though the weather was a bit sketchy and there was a slight chance that we’d have to turn back. The target was to reach the summit to watch the sunrise. So, after I was assigned a buddy – this great girl named Kay who works for Google, is from the OC, and who has great taste in hiking gear (we both had on the same boots and pants from REI) – and the rest of our hiking gear (head lamps, gloves, energy bars and drinks), we were off! As we made our way up at a steady pace (we eventually paired up with another two from our group, Tony and Christina), we all braved the cold and nightfall, but enjoyed what was waiting for us at each station…another heat-engraved stamp for our walking sticks – proof that we were there…battle scars if you will! Sunrise was scheduled for 5 a.m., however, to beat the rush, our guide, Ricky, advised us to be at the summit no later than 3 a.m., which we did with no problem (and even made a 90-minute pit stop at Station 8.5 to just wait it out since the weather at the summit would be near-freezing and windy).

We dined on ramen and miso soup at the summit and waited for the sunrise that never was (the haze took care of that), before starting our descent. Three hours of downward motion was brutal on the knees, but by 9 a.m., 16 hours after we started, we were back at “base camp” (the fifth station) buying souvenirs and snacks. I was tired, but still standing, and my only “casualty” was the blistering on my toes from all the pounding of hitting the front of my boot coming down (a rookie mistake, as I should have laced up my boots tighter to prevent my heel from slipping). Thankfully, I was able to somehow avoid the post-climb soreness that I expected, but it might be a day or two before I can comfortably wear a closed-toe shoe. Still, a small price to pay for what I have accomplished. This past weekend, I was the girl that finally mastered both “try” and “do,” so I guess it’s safe to say that determination made dorkiness its bitch…and I have the stamp-engraved walking stick to prove it, baby!

Never did see you again at the BlogHer conference. Looks like you had a nice time with your children.

Great to meet you at the conference table.

I heard the girls did pretty well in the EXPO.

I’m still recovering!