Climb Every Mountain

Hayden Butte Preserve. The first thing I want to do once we arrive in Tempe, AZ, is climb this mountain/hill behind the hotel. Why? Lack of O2? Lack of Sleep (up at 0300 EST)? Jet Lag? Because it's there? Perhaps all of the above, regardless, I perceived it as a challenge. A manifestation of how I have approached many things in my life. Screw the fact I have atrophied into a slug in the last few months. Cactus et al, the Butte was mine. While K went off to her conference I packed my patrol pack, slipped into my PT gear, and took the toughest route, running. About a 1/3 of the way up you would have thought I was tackling K2. I couldn't remember what I was thinking that had got me to this point due to lack of oxygen to my feeble brain. Once I got to the stairs, walking was more in order, and holding the hand-rail. The preserve overlooks Tempe and is adjacent to the the ASU Sundevil stadium. To the left in the background of the above photo you can see Phoenix. As a matter of fact the preserve is in the flight path of the airport runways. The yellow painted "A" you see on the side of the mountain is maintained by the Student Alumni Assoc. I read that on sign I was leaning up against while catching my breath at 1495 ft. Next step, Everst.