Re: time to repeat my manifesto, i guess

I've lasted 6 years because there's been other trips more interesting than doing an OH-IN-IL-IA-KS-MO loop. The only highpoints I have left that resemble mountains are Hood, Denali and Harney. We had a failed attempt on Mt. Hood a few years ago, so that's kept me stuck at 36.

Interestingly enough, once you fall off the hp wagon it gets hard to get back on. I averaged 4.5 hps per year for 8 years, and now none in the last six years. I've redone DE, TN and NH during that time period, but nothing new.

But the next time I get a week or so to head into the mountains, I may head for the Alps instead of doing a highpoint. It's not that I won't finish the highpoints, but after 14 years, the list fever isn't as strong as the desire to have a cool vacation.

Your memory of the Cheaha hike may be better than mine - it was quite a while ago. I probably liked the hike because I had such low expectations for the highpoint going in, and it was winter, so that may have reduced the grunge factor you experienced.