I have often thought of climbing Mount LeConte in the Smokies. But as I have gotten older, the thought seems less realistic. The hike to the top of Mount LeConte is eight miles in length and reaches an elevation of nearly 7,000 feet. You can access the peak only by hiking. I realized that was not a good excuse when we met a gentleman on Little River Trail this past weekend.

As we chatted we found that he was a native of the area and that hiking the Smoky Mountains was one of his favorite pastimes. I asked him if he had ever hiked to the top of Mount LeConte. His response was “Seventy-eight times.”

My reaction was one of wonder and I said, “That is a lot for a lifetime.”

“No,” he replied, “that was last year. Usually I hike that trail about 100 times per year.”  I was completely flummoxed by that piece of information. Then he added, “I’m eighty years old.”

That changed my perspective on my own expectations. When you meet someone like this retired businessman, you may find a different standard of measurement of what you can or cannot do.