Can you imagine us years from today,
Sharing a park bench quietly
How terribly strange to be seventy…

Actually, no. I can't imagine me spending my 70th birthday on a park bench, unless it's situated on the false summit of Mount Adams with a view of all creation. I hiked Adams in 2011 but failed to make the final 3,000-foot climb to the summit due to a shortage of water. This time things will be different.

When Simon and Garfunkle released "Old Friends" in 1968, I didn't have the slightest notion of what 70 would be like. But with only a year to go, it's looking pretty good. Using ice axe and crampons, it will take me an exhausting few hours to make the final 3,000-foot ascent, but only about 10 minutes for the glissade back down on a plastic tarp. My 2011 elderly hiking Buddy, Roger Matthews (he's already 70), claims he's up for it. That's why I'm publishing this blog now, so he can't back out.

This journey of 1,000 miles began with a notion and a conversation. The conditioning has already begun. I'm hiking with a 20-pound weight vest and 5-pound ankle weights along with backpacks. I'll be doing a couple hikes a week this fall, then perhaps the southwest in the winter for some spectacular hikes.

Unlike with many of my blogs, this one has a very limited audience. The point is not to inform; the point is to keep us on point. There's no backing out now.

More to come...