I just started to hike in July of 2006 six months after I had quit smoking. My first mountain was Mt Massive. I hated my friends for taking me up it! The following year I decided to give the mountains another go and I hiked to 12 more fourteener summits and I got several Thirteeners as well. I also started stockpiling winter gear and the hardwear for moderate snow climbs. As of today on August 11 2008, I have more that 21 Successful summits of mountains over 13,000 feet. It's not much of a feat by most standards, but I look back at what I could have been doing the last couple of years and I am pretty proud of myself. Thats my speal!