Mountains. I claim to be a fan, fain to worship in the shadow of their temple-like majesty, but have almost become a stranger to them in recent years. Blame it on geography, trying to establish a career, a shifting of priorities, age--whatever you will. But I have keenly felt their absence. For years, while living in the inner city of Baltimore, I felt so bored and uninspired by city life, by the East in general, always longing for the West. I remember stumbling onto 'Jeremiah Johnson' one night on television and suddenly seeing my home, my mountain--the ever elegant Timpanogos. What a rush of homesickness struck me!

I will arise and go now, for always night and day I hear lake water lapping with low sounds by the shore; While I stand on the roadway, or on the pavements grey, I hear it in the deep heart's core.
--Yeats

I now live with a view of Pike's Peak from my window. Every morning, when I look out and take in the view--the snow capped peak, the detail of the pine trees--I feel a surge of adrenaline for a second, like when you look upon the face of a beautiful woman. Yet to my shame, in 2 months, I have yet to attempt a summit hike. I have gone on hikes a few times for about 2-3 thousand feet, and taken the train part way up, but never the summit.

Lately I've been thinking I need some new life goals, hobbies or passions. I am worried that too quickly I am sailing into a life of middle age, suburban mediocrity. I fear stagnant thought and muted emotions. I want to feel more inspired, passionate, engaged. And since I already know what inspires me, it is merely a matter of activating rather than searching.

The Goal: To climb all of Colorado's 54 peaks over 14,000 feet. http://www.14ers.org. The purpose: To help shake off the life of quiet desperation and reconnect with the core of living. I do not wish to peak bag; I have always had ambivalence toward such outward-facing goals. Furthermore, I am too old to think I have something to prove. Many others have done this--I am no pioneer. Many others are more physically fit, more accomplished outdoorsmen--as much as I like to compete, I know there will always be others that are better, faster, stronger. But I do want to challenge myself, to have some sort of goal that forces me to do those activities which will feed my soul. I need a destination that I might learn from the journey.