1 00:00:08,008 --> 00:00:09,518 Hey, humans how's it going? 2 00:00:11,425 --> 00:00:14,842 Thanks listening to another episode of hey human 3 00:00:14,842 --> 00:00:15,342 podcast. 4 00:00:16,208 --> 00:00:18,516 This is episode 04:11, and my guests are 5 00:00:18,516 --> 00:00:20,608 author Bonnie Tiff and 6 00:00:21,062 --> 00:00:23,131 author journalist Robin Flanagan again. 7 00:00:23,785 --> 00:00:26,024 Together, they wrote a book called climbing out 8 00:00:26,024 --> 00:00:28,344 an adventure in red discovering life after a 9 00:00:28,344 --> 00:00:28,744 loss. 10 00:00:29,464 --> 00:00:32,936 It's about 3 time cancer survivor Bonnie after 11 00:00:32,995 --> 00:00:35,468 the sudden death of her husband. True story. 12 00:00:36,187 --> 00:00:39,034 She decided to summit mount Kill jar 13 00:00:39,631 --> 00:00:42,733 And in doing so, she discovers the healing 14 00:00:42,733 --> 00:00:45,517 power of friendship, self love and resilience. 15 00:00:46,328 --> 00:00:48,634 It's a great book. I really enjoyed reading 16 00:00:48,634 --> 00:00:51,099 it, shout out to my best, ellen Severe 17 00:00:51,099 --> 00:00:54,121 who has a book club and Bonnie and 18 00:00:54,280 --> 00:00:55,473 Robin we're a part of that. 19 00:00:56,441 --> 00:00:58,505 Ellen decided to read the booked in her 20 00:00:58,505 --> 00:01:01,784 club and Bonnie and Robin did Zoom in 21 00:01:02,078 --> 00:01:04,159 conversation. Really cool that they do that. If 22 00:01:04,159 --> 00:01:05,516 you're looking for a new book in your 23 00:01:05,516 --> 00:01:07,990 book club, they are open to that. Really 24 00:01:07,990 --> 00:01:10,544 cool. Robin also the author of the celebrated 25 00:01:10,544 --> 00:01:11,922 book, m is for mindful. 26 00:01:12,634 --> 00:01:14,974 And a hundred things to do in Rochester. 27 00:01:15,674 --> 00:01:17,354 Big news. I just got back from the 28 00:01:17,435 --> 00:01:20,155 Portland Horror Festival in Portland, Oregon. 29 00:01:20,729 --> 00:01:23,067 Where I showed my film the first 30 00:01:23,686 --> 00:01:27,122 to the audiences there, and it was well 31 00:01:27,122 --> 00:01:29,849 received, and I came home with the Trump 32 00:01:29,849 --> 00:01:31,063 loyal award 33 00:01:31,676 --> 00:01:34,376 for the film, really exciting. It's a special 34 00:01:34,376 --> 00:01:38,030 effects award in service to the film. So 35 00:01:38,030 --> 00:01:38,666 in other words, 36 00:01:39,477 --> 00:01:42,025 art... I think it literally translates something about 37 00:01:42,025 --> 00:01:44,573 the the trick of the eye. So it's 38 00:01:44,573 --> 00:01:47,143 a it's an award that honors 39 00:01:47,693 --> 00:01:51,441 using special effects in service too and a 40 00:01:51,441 --> 00:01:52,796 twist of the story, that kind of thing. 41 00:01:52,956 --> 00:01:55,428 So very cool. Huge shout out to Brian 42 00:01:55,428 --> 00:01:56,167 and Gwen 43 00:01:56,558 --> 00:02:00,083 Ka, who are the founders of Portland H 44 00:02:00,856 --> 00:02:02,925 and do all of the people that were 45 00:02:02,925 --> 00:02:04,533 there. Oh my gosh. I had so much 46 00:02:04,533 --> 00:02:07,825 fun. And the movies I saw, were incredible. 47 00:02:08,282 --> 00:02:10,435 I saw so many fantastic movies. Check out 48 00:02:10,435 --> 00:02:12,748 my social media because I go into detail 49 00:02:12,748 --> 00:02:14,046 about everything and 50 00:02:14,437 --> 00:02:17,376 Yeah. Very cool. Alright. General stuff. I'm on 51 00:02:17,614 --> 00:02:20,236 Patreon at Susan Ruth. You can check out 52 00:02:20,236 --> 00:02:22,063 hey human podcast dot com for links and 53 00:02:22,142 --> 00:02:23,810 Learn more about my guests in the show. 54 00:02:24,783 --> 00:02:27,100 Check out susan root dot com to learn 55 00:02:27,100 --> 00:02:29,178 more about me and my other artistic endeavors, 56 00:02:29,737 --> 00:02:31,990 Follow susan Ruth and a hate human cast 57 00:02:31,990 --> 00:02:34,629 on social media, find my albums on Spotify, 58 00:02:34,790 --> 00:02:36,870 Apple Music, Amazon music wherever music, 59 00:02:37,510 --> 00:02:40,044 rate, review and subscribe to hey human podcast 60 00:02:40,164 --> 00:02:42,234 on itunes or wherever you get your podcast. 61 00:02:42,950 --> 00:02:45,578 Again, find patreon at patreon dot com slash 62 00:02:45,578 --> 00:02:48,147 she's in ruth, and it helps keep 63 00:02:48,459 --> 00:02:50,780 Hey, human, Ad free, which is great. 64 00:02:51,500 --> 00:02:53,819 Rate review and subscribe to hey, human podcast 65 00:02:53,819 --> 00:02:55,819 on itunes or wherever you get your podcast. 66 00:02:56,555 --> 00:02:57,834 And thank you for listening. 67 00:02:58,235 --> 00:02:59,754 Be well, be kind, 68 00:03:00,474 --> 00:03:02,314 be love, and here we go. 69 00:03:03,354 --> 00:03:05,930 Bonnie ts and Robin Flanagan again. Well come 70 00:03:05,930 --> 00:03:06,729 to hey human. 71 00:03:07,289 --> 00:03:09,689 Hi. Thanks for having us. Thank you. 72 00:03:10,489 --> 00:03:12,090 It may get a little confusing for our 73 00:03:12,090 --> 00:03:15,615 listeners, but hang in there, and hopefully, it'll 74 00:03:15,615 --> 00:03:16,571 all work out. 75 00:03:17,368 --> 00:03:19,599 I learned of both of you because my 76 00:03:19,599 --> 00:03:20,577 best friend Ellen 77 00:03:21,129 --> 00:03:22,010 has a book group, 78 00:03:22,650 --> 00:03:23,870 and they... 79 00:03:24,330 --> 00:03:27,849 Their group did the book climbing out about 80 00:03:28,010 --> 00:03:28,465 Bonnie 81 00:03:28,901 --> 00:03:31,124 experience climbing Mount K jar. 82 00:03:31,838 --> 00:03:33,450 And there's a lot of backstory 83 00:03:34,379 --> 00:03:36,459 before I get into any of that. What 84 00:03:36,620 --> 00:03:38,379 I like to do on this show is 85 00:03:38,379 --> 00:03:39,180 ask my guests, 86 00:03:40,299 --> 00:03:43,019 where they grew up what shaped them as 87 00:03:43,019 --> 00:03:45,669 people and then go from there. Robin? Where 88 00:03:45,669 --> 00:03:48,055 are you from? I spent my first 8 89 00:03:48,055 --> 00:03:51,338 years in Maryland, but from 9 to 17, 90 00:03:51,872 --> 00:03:54,576 I lived in Sedona, Arizona. So I feel 91 00:03:54,576 --> 00:03:57,533 like that's where I'm from. My formative years. 92 00:03:58,407 --> 00:04:01,190 I started writing though, when I still lived 93 00:04:01,190 --> 00:04:03,814 in Maryland. My first story, I wrote at 94 00:04:03,814 --> 00:04:04,314 6 95 00:04:04,703 --> 00:04:06,874 It was called Santa Claus and the Magic 96 00:04:06,931 --> 00:04:07,408 pencils, 97 00:04:07,806 --> 00:04:09,635 and I still have it in a box 98 00:04:09,635 --> 00:04:10,987 and my attic somewhere. 99 00:04:11,639 --> 00:04:14,099 But I've been writing ever since. I feel... 100 00:04:14,337 --> 00:04:16,798 I always say I definitely don't take for 101 00:04:16,798 --> 00:04:19,179 granted, the fact that I always knew what 102 00:04:19,338 --> 00:04:21,420 I wanted to do. I always wanted to 103 00:04:21,420 --> 00:04:23,890 be a writer for a living. And 104 00:04:24,846 --> 00:04:26,382 so then when I went to 105 00:04:26,838 --> 00:04:27,157 Sedona, 106 00:04:27,968 --> 00:04:31,015 I guess, part of my entrepreneurial spirit. I 107 00:04:31,152 --> 00:04:33,858 used to collect cans in my wagon and 108 00:04:33,858 --> 00:04:34,893 turn them in for money. 109 00:04:35,450 --> 00:04:37,383 I was a member of the sunshine 110 00:04:37,775 --> 00:04:39,295 sales club, which meant, 111 00:04:40,095 --> 00:04:42,654 I went door to door and sold gift 112 00:04:42,654 --> 00:04:45,215 wrap and greeting cards and got a dollar 113 00:04:45,215 --> 00:04:45,955 per item 114 00:04:46,269 --> 00:04:48,414 And I just was always looking for ways 115 00:04:48,414 --> 00:04:48,914 to 116 00:04:49,606 --> 00:04:51,751 I don't know Have to kind of make 117 00:04:51,751 --> 00:04:53,658 money and be on my own and be 118 00:04:53,658 --> 00:04:54,635 independent and 119 00:04:55,103 --> 00:04:57,650 and even though I grew up in sedona 120 00:04:57,650 --> 00:04:59,322 with all those gorgeous rocks, 121 00:04:59,799 --> 00:05:01,550 I did not come from a family of 122 00:05:01,709 --> 00:05:02,107 Hike. 123 00:05:02,838 --> 00:05:05,247 So I did not start hiking 124 00:05:05,622 --> 00:05:08,802 until I left Sedona. I... Luckily, I go 125 00:05:08,802 --> 00:05:11,188 back every year, and now I'm kind of 126 00:05:11,188 --> 00:05:12,953 trying to make up for lost time. 127 00:05:13,748 --> 00:05:16,636 Bonnie? Well, I grew up in a very 128 00:05:16,772 --> 00:05:18,443 small town in 129 00:05:19,239 --> 00:05:21,489 the southern tier of New York state 130 00:05:22,118 --> 00:05:24,421 And the name of the town is Kenneth 131 00:05:24,421 --> 00:05:24,738 steel. 132 00:05:25,294 --> 00:05:27,462 Our claim to Fame in Canvas. 133 00:05:28,232 --> 00:05:30,535 We have... We we spell up on a 134 00:05:30,535 --> 00:05:31,035 hill 135 00:05:31,823 --> 00:05:33,998 the town Can see is spelled 136 00:05:34,455 --> 00:05:37,166 in Evergreen tree. With very charming. 137 00:05:37,724 --> 00:05:40,436 It is the world's largest living sun. 138 00:05:41,088 --> 00:05:44,111 Grew grew up in a medium sized fan. 139 00:05:44,270 --> 00:05:46,099 Like, grew up in the 50 and sixties. 140 00:05:46,895 --> 00:05:47,395 And 141 00:05:48,105 --> 00:05:49,705 grew up with mom and dad, 142 00:05:50,105 --> 00:05:52,585 2 sister and a brother. There were 4 143 00:05:52,585 --> 00:05:55,245 of us. We lived right in town, literally 144 00:05:55,305 --> 00:05:57,145 2 houses away from her school. 145 00:05:58,037 --> 00:06:00,027 Would it be in a small town and 146 00:06:00,027 --> 00:06:01,141 in that era, 147 00:06:02,335 --> 00:06:04,324 everyone is around you. We had lot... We 148 00:06:04,324 --> 00:06:06,655 had a lot of family and And 149 00:06:07,364 --> 00:06:10,182 and cousin who also live them town and 150 00:06:10,401 --> 00:06:12,958 you just sort of grow up with everybody, 151 00:06:13,837 --> 00:06:15,036 even your school people. 152 00:06:16,408 --> 00:06:18,554 People get close. I mean, in just a 153 00:06:18,554 --> 00:06:20,860 couple of weeks. I'm gonna be heading down, 154 00:06:21,018 --> 00:06:23,108 should celebrate my hip. 155 00:06:23,562 --> 00:06:23,880 Yeah. 156 00:06:25,804 --> 00:06:28,761 High school graduation. With a lot of friends 157 00:06:28,761 --> 00:06:30,679 who are still staying in contact with. 158 00:06:31,637 --> 00:06:33,975 And, I mean, I currently live about 159 00:06:34,369 --> 00:06:37,081 60 miles north of that town. So I 160 00:06:37,081 --> 00:06:38,676 didn't move very far away. 161 00:06:39,314 --> 00:06:42,185 Did you always stay within the proximity of 162 00:06:42,185 --> 00:06:43,780 where you grew up or did you ever 163 00:06:43,780 --> 00:06:44,591 live elsewhere. 164 00:06:45,147 --> 00:06:47,927 I all all did say in this area. 165 00:06:48,324 --> 00:06:49,594 Clearly, that's where you meant Bill? 166 00:06:51,739 --> 00:06:54,223 Yes. Yet. I I did not meet bill 167 00:06:54,223 --> 00:06:57,333 in hand steel, but I met bill. Bill 168 00:06:57,333 --> 00:06:59,645 and I worked together. Up the up in 169 00:06:59,645 --> 00:07:02,209 the rochester to New York area. Robin, did 170 00:07:02,209 --> 00:07:02,709 you 171 00:07:03,401 --> 00:07:05,014 know about Bonnie 172 00:07:05,547 --> 00:07:08,170 being bonnie being a widow and her experience 173 00:07:08,170 --> 00:07:09,839 yet? Or is that something that came later? 174 00:07:10,968 --> 00:07:13,679 I definitely knew part of the story, but 175 00:07:13,679 --> 00:07:16,151 there's no way I knew as much as 176 00:07:16,231 --> 00:07:18,782 I did after I grilled and grilled and 177 00:07:18,782 --> 00:07:19,282 grilled. 178 00:07:19,912 --> 00:07:22,846 When we were doing interviews after the climb. 179 00:07:23,956 --> 00:07:26,890 It was a very, very long in... Process 180 00:07:26,890 --> 00:07:27,579 and she 181 00:07:27,936 --> 00:07:29,997 exhibited a lot of patience working with me. 182 00:07:31,582 --> 00:07:34,356 Was that hard for you Bonnie to reopen 183 00:07:34,356 --> 00:07:34,673 those. 184 00:07:35,324 --> 00:07:37,878 Memories and to talk... I know that you 185 00:07:37,878 --> 00:07:40,512 like to keep his memory alive, obviously, but 186 00:07:40,512 --> 00:07:42,668 jeep... Was it hard for you to really 187 00:07:42,668 --> 00:07:44,046 go back and 188 00:07:44,438 --> 00:07:46,587 talk about the night that he passed away? 189 00:07:47,304 --> 00:07:50,408 That particular piece, of course, was very hard. 190 00:07:51,125 --> 00:07:54,193 You now, in through through much of 191 00:07:54,972 --> 00:07:56,750 Robin asking questions, 192 00:07:57,289 --> 00:08:00,086 we both cried a lot. We we have 193 00:08:00,086 --> 00:08:01,765 we had a lot of moments of that. 194 00:08:02,179 --> 00:08:02,419 But, 195 00:08:03,218 --> 00:08:06,575 absolutely, you know, we are talking about the 196 00:08:06,575 --> 00:08:07,075 night 197 00:08:07,933 --> 00:08:10,970 that my husband bill died and How died. 198 00:08:12,023 --> 00:08:14,037 That's certainly hard to 199 00:08:14,652 --> 00:08:15,688 hard to talk about. 200 00:08:16,803 --> 00:08:17,201 Yeah. 201 00:08:18,078 --> 00:08:20,945 You were... You bold had experiences with cancer. 202 00:08:21,359 --> 00:08:23,831 And Bonnie, you had it twice? I did. 203 00:08:24,151 --> 00:08:26,006 I did. I had I had experienced 204 00:08:26,703 --> 00:08:29,596 breast cancer twice. Yeah. Just a few years 205 00:08:29,734 --> 00:08:32,773 actually about 4 years before we climb told 206 00:08:32,773 --> 00:08:36,029 general. And you're totally cancer free now. Since 207 00:08:36,029 --> 00:08:38,253 that, I actually had 1 more 1 more 208 00:08:38,253 --> 00:08:39,126 cancer experience, 209 00:08:39,618 --> 00:08:40,971 Once again, breast cancer. 210 00:08:41,368 --> 00:08:44,152 Right this minute I am cancer free. Good. 211 00:08:44,630 --> 00:08:45,743 Yeah. And Robin? 212 00:08:46,952 --> 00:08:48,861 I was married at the time of our 213 00:08:48,861 --> 00:08:52,122 climb, and my husband was also a, a 214 00:08:52,122 --> 00:08:53,338 cancer survivor 215 00:08:53,713 --> 00:08:55,088 at that time. He's 216 00:08:55,478 --> 00:08:57,542 he has since had it 3 times as 217 00:08:57,542 --> 00:09:01,059 well, it has... Yes. Affected us both pretty 218 00:09:01,273 --> 00:09:02,567 pretty significantly. 219 00:09:03,274 --> 00:09:06,458 And we actually met before the climb. We 220 00:09:06,458 --> 00:09:09,086 met while training for the climb. The 2 221 00:09:09,086 --> 00:09:12,049 of you. Met U. Bonnie and I met 222 00:09:12,049 --> 00:09:14,446 about a year before we climbed Kill jar. 223 00:09:15,165 --> 00:09:16,204 In 2008, 224 00:09:16,683 --> 00:09:19,400 we climbed, so we met in early 2007. 225 00:09:20,055 --> 00:09:22,774 And this was a group of people... The 226 00:09:22,774 --> 00:09:24,855 support group for people who have had some 227 00:09:24,855 --> 00:09:26,695 sort of experience with cancer. 228 00:09:27,109 --> 00:09:30,218 Yes. Our our entire group, either either someone 229 00:09:30,218 --> 00:09:32,610 had had cancer or their were climbing for 230 00:09:32,610 --> 00:09:35,162 someone. Someone close to them who had had 231 00:09:35,162 --> 00:09:35,640 cancer. 232 00:09:36,533 --> 00:09:39,007 So as Rob just mentioned, as we were 233 00:09:39,007 --> 00:09:41,162 getting ready to 4 kilo jar, 234 00:09:41,720 --> 00:09:43,795 we, y'all we would meet about once a 235 00:09:43,795 --> 00:09:46,522 week, sometimes more often than that, but we 236 00:09:46,522 --> 00:09:48,835 would need about once a week and get 237 00:09:48,835 --> 00:09:50,430 together as many, you know, as many people 238 00:09:50,430 --> 00:09:53,382 as possible and get together mostly in in 239 00:09:53,382 --> 00:09:56,929 the local our local area... Local rochester and 240 00:09:57,147 --> 00:09:58,605 a finger lakes area, 241 00:09:59,302 --> 00:10:00,180 and we would... 242 00:10:00,819 --> 00:10:02,256 That's and that's how we train. 243 00:10:03,309 --> 00:10:05,626 Let's talk about the decision to climb a 244 00:10:05,626 --> 00:10:07,245 mountain like Mount Ke, 245 00:10:08,184 --> 00:10:08,684 what 246 00:10:09,302 --> 00:10:11,540 for both of you, what drew you to 247 00:10:11,540 --> 00:10:11,780 that? 248 00:10:12,592 --> 00:10:14,826 Decision, which I consider insane. 249 00:10:17,457 --> 00:10:19,132 I'm a 1 and done, so I sort 250 00:10:19,132 --> 00:10:21,445 of consider it insane to at this point. 251 00:10:22,336 --> 00:10:25,362 Yeah. Many people do. Many people did. Well, 252 00:10:25,522 --> 00:10:28,150 for me, it was my husband... My husband, 253 00:10:28,309 --> 00:10:29,025 Bill and I 254 00:10:30,792 --> 00:10:32,941 outdoors was was what we did. You know, 255 00:10:33,021 --> 00:10:35,648 when our daughter was growing up, we renewed. 256 00:10:35,807 --> 00:10:38,848 We hike we cross country speed, and we 257 00:10:38,848 --> 00:10:40,444 can't... And so we did a lot of 258 00:10:40,444 --> 00:10:42,917 that stuff. And then as we got older, 259 00:10:43,555 --> 00:10:45,571 we got a little more adventurous 260 00:10:45,965 --> 00:10:47,644 and we would go. We went up to 261 00:10:47,804 --> 00:10:50,285 Alaska a couple times on a canoe trip 262 00:10:50,285 --> 00:10:51,745 a rafting trip We 263 00:10:52,045 --> 00:10:53,884 did a 10 day backpack packing trip in 264 00:10:54,045 --> 00:10:54,524 Greenland, 265 00:10:55,099 --> 00:10:57,811 we did all of the big trips through 266 00:10:57,811 --> 00:10:59,826 a local outfitters center. So we got... 267 00:11:00,363 --> 00:11:02,857 We got very... We became very good friends 268 00:11:02,915 --> 00:11:04,053 with our local 269 00:11:05,404 --> 00:11:05,904 after 270 00:11:06,443 --> 00:11:07,162 bill Nye. 271 00:11:07,721 --> 00:11:09,799 His name is Rick and Rick will called 272 00:11:09,799 --> 00:11:12,196 me every a few months just check in 273 00:11:12,196 --> 00:11:13,475 and see how our was doing 1. 274 00:11:14,366 --> 00:11:16,457 And he would always end with 275 00:11:16,832 --> 00:11:17,150 I'll, 276 00:11:18,184 --> 00:11:20,014 whenever you're ready to go on another trip, 277 00:11:20,173 --> 00:11:21,923 let me know, you know, I'll take good 278 00:11:21,923 --> 00:11:22,401 care of you. 279 00:11:23,373 --> 00:11:25,868 So I had been looking at his brochures 280 00:11:25,927 --> 00:11:28,641 and kinda of decided on this Romania gone 281 00:11:28,641 --> 00:11:31,536 to Romania, and that looked like a 282 00:11:31,928 --> 00:11:33,698 I looks like that would be a safe 283 00:11:34,707 --> 00:11:37,804 I would be in a hotel room or 284 00:11:37,804 --> 00:11:39,575 that breakfast room and 285 00:11:39,963 --> 00:11:42,109 and that it wasn't camping, but but it 286 00:11:42,109 --> 00:11:44,335 was climbing and it was. So I'm doing 287 00:11:44,335 --> 00:11:46,560 a lot of hype and so I thought 288 00:11:46,560 --> 00:11:48,566 that sounded good. The day that I got 289 00:11:48,566 --> 00:11:51,277 ready to call him, and tell him that 290 00:11:51,437 --> 00:11:52,256 I was gonna 291 00:11:52,952 --> 00:11:54,866 sign up for that. I happened to pick 292 00:11:54,866 --> 00:11:56,914 up his brochure and I had noticed 293 00:11:57,352 --> 00:11:59,340 before a letter that he had on the 294 00:11:59,340 --> 00:12:02,203 back of the road brochure, and talked about 295 00:12:02,203 --> 00:12:02,703 how 296 00:12:03,157 --> 00:12:04,850 everybody's affected my cancer, 297 00:12:05,479 --> 00:12:08,191 and he's the the bottom line was, 298 00:12:08,829 --> 00:12:10,584 I'm not sure what this is gonna look 299 00:12:10,584 --> 00:12:10,903 like. 300 00:12:12,418 --> 00:12:12,918 But 301 00:12:13,535 --> 00:12:14,492 at some point, 302 00:12:16,023 --> 00:12:17,380 we will all end up at the top 303 00:12:17,380 --> 00:12:18,976 of Mount telling and gerald other. 304 00:12:20,014 --> 00:12:21,611 So I picked up the phone. 305 00:12:22,169 --> 00:12:23,925 I call him he answered. 306 00:12:24,659 --> 00:12:26,817 And I said Rep I just read your 307 00:12:26,817 --> 00:12:27,136 letter. 308 00:12:27,935 --> 00:12:30,413 I have no idea what you have up 309 00:12:30,413 --> 00:12:32,570 to sleep this time, but count me in. 310 00:12:33,544 --> 00:12:35,065 Owen, by the way I wanna go to 311 00:12:35,065 --> 00:12:35,704 lighting to. 312 00:12:37,304 --> 00:12:39,384 Since I got to go Romania. I did 313 00:12:39,464 --> 00:12:41,065 I did I did that about... I think 314 00:12:41,065 --> 00:12:43,957 about 8 months before throwing general fine. And 315 00:12:43,957 --> 00:12:47,872 how old are you at that 0.57. 316 00:12:49,150 --> 00:12:49,470 Alright. 317 00:12:50,123 --> 00:12:52,348 And Robin, what was your inspiration? 318 00:12:53,302 --> 00:12:54,970 My story is a little bit more boring. 319 00:12:55,288 --> 00:12:57,219 I was sort of a tag along 320 00:12:57,528 --> 00:13:00,143 My husband was Patrick. He has a brother 321 00:13:00,143 --> 00:13:03,100 named Matt. Matt worked for the American cancer 322 00:13:03,234 --> 00:13:05,553 society at the time and was good good 323 00:13:05,553 --> 00:13:08,028 friends with Rick and was going on the 324 00:13:08,028 --> 00:13:11,141 trip as well. And so Patrick decided to 325 00:13:11,141 --> 00:13:13,376 go on the trip because his brother was 326 00:13:13,376 --> 00:13:13,695 going. 327 00:13:14,349 --> 00:13:16,107 At the time, III 328 00:13:16,107 --> 00:13:18,284 wasn't going with them. And then I think 329 00:13:18,344 --> 00:13:19,462 just over time, 330 00:13:19,941 --> 00:13:23,144 it just sounded more citing. I like adventure. 331 00:13:23,462 --> 00:13:25,928 I like to hike. We both loved to 332 00:13:25,928 --> 00:13:28,156 travel. So it sort of was more like 333 00:13:28,156 --> 00:13:30,561 it checked off all the boxes for me, 334 00:13:30,799 --> 00:13:33,189 and I thought it would be a good 335 00:13:33,189 --> 00:13:35,977 a good experience to have. During this time, 336 00:13:36,216 --> 00:13:38,143 you were working on your own memoir? Is 337 00:13:38,143 --> 00:13:41,162 that correct? Okay. Right. So I was working 338 00:13:41,162 --> 00:13:42,751 on a memoir. I had a, 339 00:13:43,625 --> 00:13:46,620 a tough time with infer fertility. I'd had 340 00:13:46,818 --> 00:13:51,689 4 in vitro fertilization processes and 3 pregnancies 341 00:13:51,824 --> 00:13:54,305 that I lost. And so I was kind 342 00:13:54,305 --> 00:13:56,384 of writing about that, but getting very... 343 00:13:56,865 --> 00:13:58,865 I was kind of staying in the sadness 344 00:13:58,865 --> 00:14:02,155 of that and struggling with that. I was 345 00:14:02,155 --> 00:14:04,781 keeping alive something I was trying to move 346 00:14:04,781 --> 00:14:05,498 on from. 347 00:14:06,134 --> 00:14:07,885 And after we got back, 348 00:14:08,521 --> 00:14:10,511 Patrick and I were having breakfast, 349 00:14:11,003 --> 00:14:11,503 and 350 00:14:12,037 --> 00:14:13,708 he said, you know, why don't you write 351 00:14:13,708 --> 00:14:14,345 about Bonnie? 352 00:14:15,140 --> 00:14:17,129 And so it really is because it he 353 00:14:17,129 --> 00:14:19,379 said that that this even exists 354 00:14:20,090 --> 00:14:20,590 and 355 00:14:21,289 --> 00:14:22,730 that was a Saturday morning. 356 00:14:23,690 --> 00:14:25,769 And as I as I write in the 357 00:14:25,769 --> 00:14:27,129 author's note of the book, 358 00:14:27,861 --> 00:14:30,560 I I thought about it waited till Monday, 359 00:14:31,115 --> 00:14:34,711 called Bonnie and just kind of sp this 360 00:14:35,179 --> 00:14:36,538 this is what I wanna do. Dah all. 361 00:14:36,698 --> 00:14:37,976 I just kinda sp it out, 362 00:14:38,536 --> 00:14:41,093 talked about how we had been eating breakfast 363 00:14:41,093 --> 00:14:43,730 when the idea came up. And Bonnie said, 364 00:14:44,465 --> 00:14:47,745 Robin on Saturday morning, probably around the time 365 00:14:47,745 --> 00:14:48,644 you had breakfast. 366 00:14:49,424 --> 00:14:52,065 I was praying, and I said, god, I 367 00:14:52,065 --> 00:14:53,125 think it's time 368 00:14:53,678 --> 00:14:55,983 for me to tell my story, and Robin, 369 00:14:56,142 --> 00:14:58,844 god brought you to me, and I... We 370 00:14:58,844 --> 00:15:01,546 just started crying, or I did, I started 371 00:15:01,546 --> 00:15:03,230 crying, and then I was kind of laughing 372 00:15:03,230 --> 00:15:06,091 to myself that this thing that seemed so 373 00:15:06,091 --> 00:15:08,794 selfish had turned into divine intervention, you know, 374 00:15:09,112 --> 00:15:09,851 sort of 375 00:15:10,559 --> 00:15:11,915 but it just... I feel like it was 376 00:15:11,915 --> 00:15:12,473 meant to be. 377 00:15:13,590 --> 00:15:16,062 It's it's about really being present in one's 378 00:15:16,062 --> 00:15:18,854 lives so you recognize those moments because either 379 00:15:18,854 --> 00:15:20,345 1 of you could have 380 00:15:21,021 --> 00:15:21,657 issued that. 381 00:15:23,009 --> 00:15:24,600 What you you moved forward. 382 00:15:25,157 --> 00:15:27,168 And Robin said she talked about 383 00:15:27,717 --> 00:15:30,176 being mir in a way of of your 384 00:15:30,176 --> 00:15:32,398 grief, and I'm so sorry for all of 385 00:15:32,398 --> 00:15:34,540 that. That's... I can't even imagine, but I'm 386 00:15:34,540 --> 00:15:35,412 happy you have a daughter. 387 00:15:35,984 --> 00:15:39,094 Yes. Thank you. But there was an... Something 388 00:15:39,094 --> 00:15:41,029 that I wrote down in my notes of 389 00:15:41,407 --> 00:15:44,118 that that, Bonnie had said, you have to 390 00:15:44,118 --> 00:15:44,836 stop sinking. 391 00:15:45,490 --> 00:15:47,350 I thought that line was so 392 00:15:48,289 --> 00:15:48,789 powerful. 393 00:15:49,809 --> 00:15:52,070 And so Bonnie, you as well 394 00:15:52,690 --> 00:15:55,915 kept seeing the sinking end of the ship 395 00:15:55,971 --> 00:15:57,264 instead of the the 396 00:15:57,636 --> 00:15:59,937 forest and the trees and the island you 397 00:15:59,937 --> 00:16:01,682 were heading toward. Do you wanna talk about 398 00:16:01,682 --> 00:16:04,235 that a little bit? The sinking part, and 399 00:16:04,394 --> 00:16:06,457 I think that's when you have especially at 400 00:16:06,457 --> 00:16:07,092 7 months. 401 00:16:08,124 --> 00:16:09,472 I think that's pretty normal. 402 00:16:10,044 --> 00:16:12,359 You go down, you have to. I I 403 00:16:12,359 --> 00:16:14,934 honestly think that what saves you 404 00:16:15,312 --> 00:16:18,127 is because you you have to retreat 405 00:16:19,478 --> 00:16:21,234 for for a certain amount of tone. 406 00:16:21,952 --> 00:16:24,926 Truly with something like that. There's no question 407 00:16:25,064 --> 00:16:25,963 that it 408 00:16:27,232 --> 00:16:29,323 1 of the things that I often said 409 00:16:29,380 --> 00:16:32,085 that probably kept me going is it put 410 00:16:32,085 --> 00:16:32,960 you in shock. 411 00:16:34,169 --> 00:16:37,779 And it's the shot that gets you through 412 00:16:37,917 --> 00:16:40,411 a lot of things. And it's almost 413 00:16:41,267 --> 00:16:44,074 like, as you're coming out of that, and 414 00:16:44,154 --> 00:16:46,868 I I maintained it took me close the 415 00:16:46,868 --> 00:16:49,343 18 months to really move out of that. 416 00:16:49,583 --> 00:16:51,739 And it's not like it's not as though. 417 00:16:51,978 --> 00:16:54,388 I lived in sadness all it. I didn't. 418 00:16:54,947 --> 00:16:57,102 I didn't... I have wonderful people around me. 419 00:16:57,342 --> 00:16:59,737 I had wonderful family around me. I have 420 00:16:59,737 --> 00:17:01,972 people who put your care of me people 421 00:17:01,972 --> 00:17:03,304 who I could bounce off 422 00:17:04,857 --> 00:17:05,755 what whenever 423 00:17:06,131 --> 00:17:07,245 whenever I need them. 424 00:17:08,837 --> 00:17:11,146 But I think the idea of saying that 425 00:17:11,146 --> 00:17:13,655 I I was thinking. I think that's almost 426 00:17:14,670 --> 00:17:16,584 when I when I got to the point 427 00:17:16,584 --> 00:17:18,977 where I began to come out of that 428 00:17:18,977 --> 00:17:21,152 mode a shot. When I 429 00:17:22,101 --> 00:17:24,407 can't they began to feel things again. Like 430 00:17:24,487 --> 00:17:25,839 I said, I don't want anybody to get 431 00:17:25,839 --> 00:17:27,986 the impression that, 0II 432 00:17:27,986 --> 00:17:29,599 was just sad and 433 00:17:30,149 --> 00:17:33,023 horrified, you know, through that through those 18 434 00:17:33,023 --> 00:17:33,821 months. I wasn't, 435 00:17:34,300 --> 00:17:36,396 but it did take me that long to 436 00:17:36,615 --> 00:17:38,371 took me. And I think I mentioned in 437 00:17:38,371 --> 00:17:41,006 the book took the 18 months stuff. Opened 438 00:17:41,006 --> 00:17:43,226 up that closet door and go through his 439 00:17:43,226 --> 00:17:45,604 closed. And when I did, it was a 440 00:17:45,683 --> 00:17:46,183 Sunday, 441 00:17:46,970 --> 00:17:48,809 because I threw on a couple of his 442 00:17:48,809 --> 00:17:50,329 shirts because I knew his long. 443 00:17:52,169 --> 00:17:52,669 And, 444 00:17:53,289 --> 00:17:54,809 then I could talk to him about it. 445 00:17:55,544 --> 00:17:57,702 And I could not have done that too 446 00:17:57,702 --> 00:17:59,060 much similar than. 447 00:18:00,738 --> 00:18:02,896 And that being said, you know, we're all 448 00:18:02,896 --> 00:18:04,015 different human beings. 449 00:18:04,429 --> 00:18:05,546 I mean, some people, 450 00:18:07,061 --> 00:18:09,055 you know, that's certainly not the way that 451 00:18:09,055 --> 00:18:10,969 they would do it. 1 of the things 452 00:18:10,969 --> 00:18:12,724 that I often like to say about the 453 00:18:12,724 --> 00:18:14,214 book is the book is 454 00:18:15,613 --> 00:18:18,090 not a how to book. The book is 455 00:18:18,090 --> 00:18:18,809 a book of hope. 456 00:18:20,088 --> 00:18:20,728 It's not. 457 00:18:21,367 --> 00:18:23,205 It's not a book that everyone is gonna 458 00:18:23,205 --> 00:18:25,134 do it. The the same way. 459 00:18:26,091 --> 00:18:27,925 I think it definitely reads hopeful. 460 00:18:29,121 --> 00:18:32,151 It didn't seem Mir and sorrow at all. 461 00:18:32,723 --> 00:18:34,556 Firstly, I think that the the arc of 462 00:18:34,556 --> 00:18:35,991 the story is so well done. 463 00:18:36,947 --> 00:18:38,302 The pacing and the arc of the story, 464 00:18:38,461 --> 00:18:39,657 just as a person that likes to read 465 00:18:39,657 --> 00:18:39,896 books. 466 00:18:40,547 --> 00:18:43,642 Yes. That what happened did an amazing job 467 00:18:43,642 --> 00:18:46,340 is that. Yeah. It's really great. What I 468 00:18:46,340 --> 00:18:48,166 think is so important even if people are 469 00:18:48,166 --> 00:18:48,245 think, 470 00:18:49,134 --> 00:18:50,333 Don't I don't wanna read a book about 471 00:18:50,333 --> 00:18:51,611 climbing a mountain and I don't care about 472 00:18:51,611 --> 00:18:52,910 that. It's really not 473 00:18:53,369 --> 00:18:56,006 about that. I mean, it's the metaphor. It's 474 00:18:56,006 --> 00:18:56,165 the... 475 00:18:56,899 --> 00:18:59,372 Yes. It's the everest that lives within all 476 00:18:59,372 --> 00:19:01,126 of us, all although it is Kill Jar, 477 00:19:01,286 --> 00:19:02,562 but that's the thing. 478 00:19:03,120 --> 00:19:03,939 And grief 479 00:19:04,875 --> 00:19:06,071 treats everyone differently. 480 00:19:07,205 --> 00:19:09,045 And you never know when it will rear 481 00:19:09,045 --> 00:19:11,445 your, you know, rear its head. Grief could 482 00:19:11,445 --> 00:19:11,845 come on. 483 00:19:12,644 --> 00:19:15,019 We've all experienced grief, and we know that 484 00:19:15,220 --> 00:19:17,299 you might be totally fine for months or 485 00:19:17,299 --> 00:19:20,339 even years, and then something a smell or 486 00:19:20,339 --> 00:19:22,820 a look or whatever it is will set. 487 00:19:23,234 --> 00:19:24,904 Say you off, and then you just have 488 00:19:24,904 --> 00:19:26,813 to be in it. Yes. 489 00:19:27,768 --> 00:19:28,006 Yes. 490 00:19:29,517 --> 00:19:31,426 Yeah. Can you get eye. I mean, that... 491 00:19:31,838 --> 00:19:33,585 I love what we just said because you 492 00:19:33,585 --> 00:19:35,910 do have to be we can't deny it 493 00:19:36,124 --> 00:19:36,624 because 494 00:19:36,997 --> 00:19:37,894 that's when 495 00:19:40,430 --> 00:19:42,103 You will spiral back down. Yeah. 496 00:19:43,617 --> 00:19:45,450 Yeah. It doesn't release if you deny it. 497 00:19:45,689 --> 00:19:47,376 You have to get it out. I I 498 00:19:47,376 --> 00:19:49,683 think. I mean, you don't have to... Everybody's 499 00:19:49,683 --> 00:19:51,672 on their own journey, but to me, it 500 00:19:51,672 --> 00:19:53,342 feels like if you push it back down, 501 00:19:53,580 --> 00:19:55,171 it's just gonna cause other problems. 502 00:19:55,902 --> 00:19:57,892 Robin, would you learn about grief through this? 503 00:19:58,528 --> 00:19:59,245 Oh, wow. 504 00:20:00,200 --> 00:20:01,792 What did I learn about grief? 505 00:20:02,428 --> 00:20:02,747 Well, 506 00:20:03,558 --> 00:20:04,217 I think 507 00:20:04,753 --> 00:20:06,209 I think what I learned the most 508 00:20:06,745 --> 00:20:08,280 is Bonnie is 509 00:20:09,055 --> 00:20:11,366 is 1 of the strongest, if not the 510 00:20:11,366 --> 00:20:13,612 strongest person, I've ever met. 511 00:20:14,329 --> 00:20:17,279 Her attitude, the way she approaches things. 512 00:20:17,917 --> 00:20:20,468 Separately, this kind of a tangent thing happening 513 00:20:20,468 --> 00:20:21,400 here and this 514 00:20:21,757 --> 00:20:24,137 particular question you're asking me as far as 515 00:20:24,137 --> 00:20:24,692 what I learned. 516 00:20:25,565 --> 00:20:28,025 But with my relationship with Bonnie. So I'm... 517 00:20:28,263 --> 00:20:30,669 My next book I'm working on is a 518 00:20:30,669 --> 00:20:33,061 research based memoir on religious trauma. 519 00:20:33,700 --> 00:20:35,534 And as you know from reading the book, 520 00:20:36,252 --> 00:20:38,086 it's has a lot to do with her 521 00:20:38,086 --> 00:20:38,326 faith. 522 00:20:39,139 --> 00:20:40,498 And there is no way, 523 00:20:42,016 --> 00:20:43,694 you know, 20 years ago, you couldn't say 524 00:20:43,694 --> 00:20:45,373 the word God without me leaving the room 525 00:20:45,373 --> 00:20:45,932 and tears. 526 00:20:46,492 --> 00:20:48,430 And so here's a woman who 527 00:20:48,824 --> 00:20:51,056 we talk about faith a lot. I write 528 00:20:51,056 --> 00:20:53,309 about it a lot, and she wasn't threatening 529 00:20:53,367 --> 00:20:53,766 once. 530 00:20:54,563 --> 00:20:56,396 So she's somebody who lives... 531 00:20:57,129 --> 00:20:59,686 Her face. And so I know this isn't 532 00:20:59,686 --> 00:21:02,723 really about grief, but I feel like what 533 00:21:02,883 --> 00:21:05,300 I learn about it is just her approach 534 00:21:05,854 --> 00:21:09,044 So I think that, you know, I I 535 00:21:09,044 --> 00:21:11,756 haven't gone through anything like she has. I 536 00:21:11,756 --> 00:21:12,256 haven't 537 00:21:12,634 --> 00:21:14,867 lost a partner, I, you know, in the 538 00:21:14,867 --> 00:21:17,189 same way or even remotely the same. But 539 00:21:17,348 --> 00:21:19,119 I think what I learned is 540 00:21:19,573 --> 00:21:23,886 that you can still be strong and loving 541 00:21:24,674 --> 00:21:28,111 toward the person you lost and keep that 542 00:21:28,111 --> 00:21:31,408 person alive and there's just so much more 543 00:21:31,547 --> 00:21:33,705 that I would look to her for how 544 00:21:33,705 --> 00:21:34,205 to 545 00:21:34,759 --> 00:21:35,240 you know, 546 00:21:36,119 --> 00:21:38,200 I guess, cope with my own feelings. 547 00:21:38,839 --> 00:21:41,579 There was never any doubt. There was just 548 00:21:42,293 --> 00:21:42,793 grateful. 549 00:21:43,646 --> 00:21:45,556 I don't know, Bonnie, You might say I'm 550 00:21:45,715 --> 00:21:48,262 I'm not hitting the mark here, but... Oh, 551 00:21:48,421 --> 00:21:51,366 you're hitting. Yeah. No. You're look got it. 552 00:21:52,018 --> 00:21:52,257 Yeah. 553 00:21:52,974 --> 00:21:54,647 I would I could only hope to be 554 00:21:54,647 --> 00:21:55,205 that strong. 555 00:21:56,161 --> 00:21:58,095 I think some people feel 556 00:21:58,631 --> 00:21:59,768 grief and shame 557 00:22:00,145 --> 00:22:00,645 around 558 00:22:01,594 --> 00:22:04,306 their grief, Bonnie, you talk a little bit 559 00:22:04,306 --> 00:22:05,922 about your feelings around 560 00:22:06,300 --> 00:22:08,395 falling in love again. And 561 00:22:09,251 --> 00:22:10,548 so it's interesting 562 00:22:11,657 --> 00:22:13,482 it's an interesting trap we can get in 563 00:22:13,482 --> 00:22:14,220 as humans 564 00:22:15,148 --> 00:22:15,648 where 565 00:22:16,418 --> 00:22:19,924 we start feeling grief and and mad at 566 00:22:19,924 --> 00:22:21,590 ourselves for letting go of our grief. What 567 00:22:21,590 --> 00:22:23,971 does that mean? Are we disrespect people? 568 00:22:24,684 --> 00:22:26,827 And then that becomes its own vicious circle, 569 00:22:27,319 --> 00:22:29,559 how is that conversation in your head, Bonnie? 570 00:22:30,519 --> 00:22:32,440 You know, I I think I never felt 571 00:22:32,440 --> 00:22:34,759 that at all. And 1 of the things 572 00:22:34,759 --> 00:22:36,119 that I am blessed to be able to... 573 00:22:36,294 --> 00:22:37,508 To say is, 574 00:22:37,881 --> 00:22:39,547 you know, when bill died, of course, it 575 00:22:39,547 --> 00:22:41,213 was very sudden. 576 00:22:42,086 --> 00:22:42,586 And 577 00:22:43,435 --> 00:22:45,607 to but looking looking back on what we 578 00:22:45,607 --> 00:22:46,966 had and what we did and how we 579 00:22:46,966 --> 00:22:48,564 lived our lives. I had no left. 580 00:22:49,523 --> 00:22:51,622 So to me, that was that was just 581 00:22:52,161 --> 00:22:52,880 so important. 582 00:22:53,453 --> 00:22:54,809 1 of the things that I... 583 00:22:56,084 --> 00:22:57,997 Susan that I say this a lot because 584 00:22:57,997 --> 00:23:00,946 it's spent a number of iterations that out 585 00:23:00,946 --> 00:23:03,434 my went. Through on the books so, I'm 586 00:23:03,434 --> 00:23:04,870 not sure if this was in the book 587 00:23:04,870 --> 00:23:05,269 or not. 588 00:23:06,785 --> 00:23:08,641 It may it may have been 589 00:23:09,113 --> 00:23:09,432 But 590 00:23:10,070 --> 00:23:12,325 1 of the things that made me particularly 591 00:23:12,383 --> 00:23:13,341 feel good. 1 of... 592 00:23:14,058 --> 00:23:16,393 Or my my tent made who 593 00:23:16,850 --> 00:23:18,126 is sue in the book. 594 00:23:19,018 --> 00:23:21,672 We hike every Friday together. It's 595 00:23:22,049 --> 00:23:24,442 times Saturdays too. But every Friday, she would... 596 00:23:24,761 --> 00:23:26,436 She and a few other people come up 597 00:23:26,436 --> 00:23:28,111 to my house and and we were hike. 598 00:23:28,844 --> 00:23:29,344 And, 599 00:23:29,801 --> 00:23:31,955 so... And we hiked the long 1 day, 600 00:23:32,433 --> 00:23:34,130 we were... When I 601 00:23:34,587 --> 00:23:37,059 first began to to date, Jim. 602 00:23:37,697 --> 00:23:38,436 She just 603 00:23:39,542 --> 00:23:40,518 very quietly 604 00:23:41,208 --> 00:23:41,605 said, 605 00:23:42,557 --> 00:23:44,540 You know that this means that you've had 606 00:23:44,540 --> 00:23:46,286 a really good marriage with bill. 607 00:23:47,253 --> 00:23:49,481 And I haven't just truly never thought about 608 00:23:49,481 --> 00:23:52,106 that. In in that light before, you know, 609 00:23:52,265 --> 00:23:54,015 that that's been, you know, we're kind... 610 00:23:54,668 --> 00:23:57,563 Reflected that. 1 1 from the other and 611 00:23:57,941 --> 00:24:00,895 that's certainly that the before we hope because 612 00:24:00,895 --> 00:24:03,051 that really was early on when I was 613 00:24:03,051 --> 00:24:05,303 because if what am I gonna do with 614 00:24:05,303 --> 00:24:07,940 it. But I never felt guilty. I truly... 615 00:24:08,419 --> 00:24:11,216 III had no guilt. I had no reasons 616 00:24:11,455 --> 00:24:11,935 Have guilt. 617 00:24:12,667 --> 00:24:14,278 I continue to think that 618 00:24:15,206 --> 00:24:15,706 somehow, 619 00:24:16,872 --> 00:24:20,046 bill with God's health still looks open. 620 00:24:20,760 --> 00:24:21,914 And Absolutely. 621 00:24:22,375 --> 00:24:25,494 Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I think that the people 622 00:24:25,494 --> 00:24:27,654 that we lose throughout our lifetime have a... 623 00:24:28,629 --> 00:24:31,026 Have a a hand. They sit there. They 624 00:24:31,026 --> 00:24:32,385 drink their coffee in the morning and they 625 00:24:32,385 --> 00:24:33,583 say, what are gonna do today? 626 00:24:36,220 --> 00:24:36,460 Yeah. 627 00:24:37,747 --> 00:24:39,335 Yes. But they don't watch us go to 628 00:24:39,335 --> 00:24:41,241 the bathroom unlike what happened to you and 629 00:24:41,241 --> 00:24:42,138 you're on killing. 630 00:24:47,706 --> 00:24:50,502 Let's get into the fountain. Talk about what 631 00:24:50,502 --> 00:24:52,992 that was like. I would start. In the 632 00:24:52,992 --> 00:24:54,424 front, but end up in the back. 633 00:24:55,060 --> 00:24:57,129 Probably every day, Bonnie were you, you were 634 00:24:57,129 --> 00:24:58,720 sort like that. We would we would kind 635 00:24:58,720 --> 00:24:59,618 of bring up 636 00:24:59,928 --> 00:25:02,234 bring the group up from behind. We were 637 00:25:02,234 --> 00:25:04,461 slow. Everything back off the time. 638 00:25:06,529 --> 00:25:09,328 And there about 30 people In our group, 639 00:25:09,646 --> 00:25:13,147 there were... What was it, well? Maybe 25 640 00:25:13,147 --> 00:25:16,330 ish? 24 ish, 25 at... Yes. Mh. Yeah. 641 00:25:16,569 --> 00:25:19,374 In our group. In total, there were almost 642 00:25:19,374 --> 00:25:21,846 40 of us. We were on 2 different 643 00:25:21,846 --> 00:25:22,245 trails? 644 00:25:22,803 --> 00:25:24,638 Whoa. So what was that like? What are 645 00:25:24,638 --> 00:25:26,951 you saying to yourselves in your minds? Is 646 00:25:26,951 --> 00:25:29,837 your doing this to keep you going 1 647 00:25:29,837 --> 00:25:31,113 foot in front of the other because I'm 648 00:25:31,113 --> 00:25:33,347 sure you are exhausted at points, you talk 649 00:25:33,347 --> 00:25:36,058 about it. I mean, most especially maybe we'll 650 00:25:36,058 --> 00:25:37,175 start close to the top. 651 00:25:37,750 --> 00:25:38,650 But most 652 00:25:38,950 --> 00:25:41,829 especially... I mean, when when you begin, truly 653 00:25:41,829 --> 00:25:42,869 from the first step, 654 00:25:43,750 --> 00:25:45,589 you're thinking, I was thinking. 655 00:25:46,562 --> 00:25:48,231 I I don't think I can do this. 656 00:25:48,469 --> 00:25:50,377 I mean, I had... There were some small 657 00:25:50,377 --> 00:25:52,522 mountains that I tried to climb back home 658 00:25:52,522 --> 00:25:54,112 but I... That I couldn't do. Right I 659 00:25:54,112 --> 00:25:55,797 went up to me tried to declined not 660 00:25:55,797 --> 00:25:56,355 for time. 661 00:25:56,913 --> 00:25:58,427 I couldn't do it. I got about a 662 00:25:58,427 --> 00:25:59,383 half a mile from the top. 663 00:26:00,340 --> 00:26:02,412 Knew I couldn't go any further and turned 664 00:26:02,412 --> 00:26:04,183 around, the And that was okay. 665 00:26:04,822 --> 00:26:06,579 But, and then there were a couple of 666 00:26:06,579 --> 00:26:08,816 other things that I attempted to do and 667 00:26:08,816 --> 00:26:09,775 couldn't do. So... 668 00:26:11,303 --> 00:26:13,212 For me, Our very first morning that we 669 00:26:13,212 --> 00:26:14,166 woke up on the mountain. 670 00:26:14,962 --> 00:26:17,110 I woke up. I ran into the woods, 671 00:26:17,269 --> 00:26:18,144 and I threw up. 672 00:26:19,115 --> 00:26:21,055 And I got all 673 00:26:21,434 --> 00:26:23,914 my god. He's got Ripe is gonna send 674 00:26:23,914 --> 00:26:24,955 me back down. 675 00:26:25,755 --> 00:26:27,434 I would worried. I mean, I was sick. 676 00:26:28,249 --> 00:26:31,046 Up a couple of times, and I managed 677 00:26:31,046 --> 00:26:34,402 to get some really weak oatmeal down me 678 00:26:34,402 --> 00:26:35,840 and that that stayed down. 679 00:26:36,573 --> 00:26:38,748 It turned out. I was just 680 00:26:39,205 --> 00:26:41,598 excited about taking my vitamins in anymore. I 681 00:26:41,598 --> 00:26:43,852 took my vitamins with nothing in my 682 00:26:44,230 --> 00:26:45,506 that they did lights on it. 683 00:26:46,237 --> 00:26:48,775 And that's... And and then I packed my 684 00:26:48,775 --> 00:26:50,678 stuff off and roll my been bag and 685 00:26:50,678 --> 00:26:53,295 got everything ready and that's that's what made 686 00:26:53,295 --> 00:26:56,280 me sit. Because after that, I never 687 00:26:56,817 --> 00:26:58,572 never actually got it I never had another, 688 00:26:58,732 --> 00:27:01,285 like, a number of people in our trial. 689 00:27:02,016 --> 00:27:04,557 Had a lot of stomach problems. I feel 690 00:27:04,557 --> 00:27:06,963 like I probably ate some of their food 691 00:27:07,098 --> 00:27:09,972 because the food the food is good. I 692 00:27:09,972 --> 00:27:11,880 was eaten a lot, So I was good 693 00:27:11,880 --> 00:27:12,198 there. 694 00:27:12,755 --> 00:27:15,719 Certainly the most difficult day was on Summit. 695 00:27:16,650 --> 00:27:17,150 And 696 00:27:17,699 --> 00:27:20,891 Some at night, you start you start at 697 00:27:20,891 --> 00:27:22,247 about 11:00 at night, 698 00:27:23,125 --> 00:27:26,328 and you continue to walk just ever ever 699 00:27:26,328 --> 00:27:28,158 so slowly. I mean, the perk... Well, the 700 00:27:28,158 --> 00:27:29,749 per... 1 of the first things that happened 701 00:27:29,749 --> 00:27:31,442 to me saw I'm at night was 702 00:27:32,294 --> 00:27:33,749 my tent may sued 703 00:27:34,857 --> 00:27:37,090 actually got sick before we left. 704 00:27:38,207 --> 00:27:38,707 And 705 00:27:39,882 --> 00:27:42,355 she got all herself back together. She tried 706 00:27:42,355 --> 00:27:43,950 to climb. We didn't get very. 707 00:27:44,442 --> 00:27:44,942 And 708 00:27:45,317 --> 00:27:48,022 I I walked off the path her, rick 709 00:27:48,022 --> 00:27:50,169 literally took me and pushing me back on 710 00:27:50,169 --> 00:27:50,908 the path 711 00:27:51,299 --> 00:27:53,796 and I just... I mean, I cried 712 00:27:54,255 --> 00:27:56,572 because we had gotten still close, and it 713 00:27:56,572 --> 00:27:57,690 was it was a moment, 714 00:27:58,505 --> 00:28:00,825 And then at 1 point, at 1 point, 715 00:28:01,225 --> 00:28:02,125 there we 716 00:28:02,825 --> 00:28:05,644 stopped for a break in our quarter 717 00:28:06,359 --> 00:28:07,179 our porter 718 00:28:07,796 --> 00:28:10,431 had glass cups for us, and we would 719 00:28:10,431 --> 00:28:13,305 break and tea and glass cups and, you 720 00:28:13,305 --> 00:28:15,620 know, it it just felt surreal real. 721 00:28:16,193 --> 00:28:18,414 At the time. And then as as we 722 00:28:18,414 --> 00:28:20,635 continue to go, I would pass 1 of 723 00:28:20,635 --> 00:28:23,832 our very young 23 year old athletes 724 00:28:24,458 --> 00:28:27,084 young man who... He was just getting so 725 00:28:27,084 --> 00:28:28,755 sick. That's how I would say in my 726 00:28:28,755 --> 00:28:32,040 head, I'm not sick. I'm just very 727 00:28:32,495 --> 00:28:32,972 hollywood, 728 00:28:33,784 --> 00:28:35,698 So 1 point, I somehow got lost from 729 00:28:35,698 --> 00:28:36,996 the group, but somehow 730 00:28:37,453 --> 00:28:40,326 rick and our African guy yous found me. 731 00:28:41,057 --> 00:28:43,364 And at that point, I... Because I I 732 00:28:43,364 --> 00:28:44,955 looked at Yous and I said, could you 733 00:28:44,955 --> 00:28:46,785 carry my hand? I said about I can't 734 00:28:46,785 --> 00:28:47,182 use it. 735 00:28:47,913 --> 00:28:50,215 So he not only carried my path but 736 00:28:50,215 --> 00:28:51,430 he stayed with me 737 00:28:52,518 --> 00:28:55,137 until we got to the very top. 738 00:28:56,028 --> 00:28:58,503 And he never when we... When we got 739 00:28:58,503 --> 00:29:00,419 close to the top, probably about 45 minutes. 740 00:29:00,738 --> 00:29:03,133 What... He just took my arm, and he 741 00:29:03,133 --> 00:29:04,570 never he never let go. 742 00:29:05,222 --> 00:29:06,359 So it was 743 00:29:06,814 --> 00:29:08,269 literally and truly 744 00:29:08,724 --> 00:29:10,236 1 step at a time. And I've said 745 00:29:10,236 --> 00:29:12,702 so many times, it was not my physical 746 00:29:12,702 --> 00:29:15,606 body. They got there. It was mud likely 747 00:29:16,062 --> 00:29:18,532 because I I know I could've have given 748 00:29:18,532 --> 00:29:19,807 up at any time. 749 00:29:20,684 --> 00:29:22,766 On that experience, I know there's but, you 750 00:29:22,766 --> 00:29:24,829 know, not big things like Pill Europe, but 751 00:29:24,909 --> 00:29:26,734 I know there's some things in my life 752 00:29:26,734 --> 00:29:27,234 since 753 00:29:27,924 --> 00:29:28,638 where I've... 754 00:29:29,369 --> 00:29:30,029 I think 755 00:29:30,809 --> 00:29:33,150 should I should I just stop? Should I 756 00:29:33,210 --> 00:29:35,929 give up at this point and there's some 757 00:29:35,929 --> 00:29:37,529 time when I like, now. Gonna keep gone. 758 00:29:37,769 --> 00:29:39,384 Didn't be gone. See what happened. 759 00:29:40,103 --> 00:29:40,822 Step by step. 760 00:29:41,461 --> 00:29:43,778 That by sound. Yeah. 1 step time. 761 00:29:44,817 --> 00:29:46,015 The guides and the... 762 00:29:46,987 --> 00:29:49,218 Porter, they're, like, lungs on feet. 763 00:29:49,855 --> 00:29:50,811 I don't know how they do it. 764 00:29:51,607 --> 00:29:51,846 Yeah. 765 00:29:56,480 --> 00:29:57,751 They are amazing. 766 00:29:58,387 --> 00:30:01,486 Yeah. It's it's it's extraordinary. Robin what about 767 00:30:01,486 --> 00:30:04,346 you? So a few weeks before we went. 768 00:30:04,919 --> 00:30:06,274 Before we left for Africa, 769 00:30:06,753 --> 00:30:10,023 I had some pretty severe autoimmune issues going 770 00:30:10,023 --> 00:30:11,858 on, and they were trying to rule out 771 00:30:11,858 --> 00:30:13,772 lupus, and I didn't even know if I 772 00:30:13,772 --> 00:30:14,250 could go. 773 00:30:15,303 --> 00:30:17,457 And I was on a medication, 774 00:30:18,814 --> 00:30:22,027 that when we landed and got to Africa, 775 00:30:23,617 --> 00:30:25,292 I didn't realize you're not because of the 776 00:30:25,292 --> 00:30:25,771 temperature, 777 00:30:26,250 --> 00:30:28,405 the medication it made my body swell. 778 00:30:29,203 --> 00:30:31,926 And then this was... The night before we 779 00:30:31,926 --> 00:30:34,549 were about to leave. My boots didn't fit. 780 00:30:34,947 --> 00:30:36,855 My legs and my feet were swollen. 781 00:30:37,411 --> 00:30:39,478 I thought all this a year of training, 782 00:30:40,607 --> 00:30:43,235 I'm here, and now I can't climb. 783 00:30:44,429 --> 00:30:47,455 So we have some doctors in our in 784 00:30:47,455 --> 00:30:48,171 our group. 785 00:30:48,744 --> 00:30:49,244 And 786 00:30:49,703 --> 00:30:51,941 somebody let me support panty hose, 787 00:30:52,420 --> 00:30:55,058 and, we put my feet on a whole 788 00:30:55,058 --> 00:30:57,695 bunch of duff bags that were stacked high, 789 00:30:58,109 --> 00:31:00,495 and I slept with my feet as high 790 00:31:00,495 --> 00:31:01,313 as possible. 791 00:31:01,927 --> 00:31:04,472 And the next morning, everything had kind of... 792 00:31:05,124 --> 00:31:06,640 Gotten back to normal and I was able 793 00:31:06,640 --> 00:31:08,155 to put on my shoes and leave for 794 00:31:08,155 --> 00:31:08,793 the mountain, 795 00:31:09,192 --> 00:31:11,744 and I stopped taking the medicine. So I 796 00:31:11,744 --> 00:31:13,898 at least got on the mountain, which was 797 00:31:13,898 --> 00:31:14,137 great. 798 00:31:15,269 --> 00:31:17,663 And then pretty early on, around, 799 00:31:18,382 --> 00:31:22,053 at 13000 feet, I started getting pretty sick, 800 00:31:22,372 --> 00:31:23,171 pretty nauseous. 801 00:31:23,823 --> 00:31:26,760 And at that time, I'd only the highest 802 00:31:26,760 --> 00:31:29,301 mountain I'd ever climbed was Mount Marcy in 803 00:31:29,301 --> 00:31:32,080 the Adi, and that's only 11000 feet. 804 00:31:33,206 --> 00:31:36,225 And Kill is over 19300 805 00:31:36,225 --> 00:31:36,463 feet. 806 00:31:37,099 --> 00:31:38,688 So I knew that I still had a 807 00:31:38,688 --> 00:31:41,229 really, really long way to go, just taking 808 00:31:41,229 --> 00:31:42,127 it slow 809 00:31:42,913 --> 00:31:44,978 by the time we got to summit at 810 00:31:44,978 --> 00:31:45,296 night, 811 00:31:46,408 --> 00:31:48,633 I hadn't eaten in about 3 days, 812 00:31:49,189 --> 00:31:51,271 I had had a... Couple bites of granola 813 00:31:51,271 --> 00:31:54,373 bars, but couldn't eat any food. I hadn't 814 00:31:54,373 --> 00:31:56,123 slept in more than 24 hours. 815 00:31:57,095 --> 00:31:59,575 And it's just you kind of are running 816 00:31:59,575 --> 00:32:01,654 definitely on, you know, I don't even know 817 00:32:01,654 --> 00:32:03,575 if it's adrenaline. I don't I don't know 818 00:32:03,575 --> 00:32:05,414 what it is, but you're running on something, 819 00:32:06,069 --> 00:32:06,569 and 820 00:32:06,948 --> 00:32:09,346 oxygen is 50 percent of what you're used 821 00:32:09,346 --> 00:32:09,665 to. 822 00:32:10,464 --> 00:32:12,302 There was a time on summit at night 823 00:32:12,302 --> 00:32:14,953 where I saw Rick look at me, and 824 00:32:15,033 --> 00:32:17,984 I saw doubt in his eyes, and I 825 00:32:17,984 --> 00:32:20,138 just that fired me up. I was, the 826 00:32:20,138 --> 00:32:21,494 same as Bonnie. You know, I was like, 827 00:32:21,653 --> 00:32:23,567 there's no way. He's gonna tell me to 828 00:32:23,567 --> 00:32:24,126 turn around. 829 00:32:24,937 --> 00:32:26,368 So I kept going. 830 00:32:26,925 --> 00:32:29,333 And the last few hours, 831 00:32:30,344 --> 00:32:32,332 I kept thinking about why we were there. 832 00:32:32,983 --> 00:32:34,997 Raising money for people with cancer, 833 00:32:35,613 --> 00:32:36,113 and 834 00:32:36,569 --> 00:32:39,358 I just kept repeating to myself. My pain 835 00:32:39,358 --> 00:32:40,097 is finite, 836 00:32:40,567 --> 00:32:41,861 my pain is finite 837 00:32:42,234 --> 00:32:44,535 because I knew that people who have cancer, 838 00:32:44,773 --> 00:32:46,995 they don't necessarily know that their pain is 839 00:32:46,995 --> 00:32:48,765 finite. And I felt 840 00:32:49,153 --> 00:32:51,454 so grateful that I was in that position. 841 00:32:52,009 --> 00:32:54,469 So that's what got me to the top. 842 00:32:54,865 --> 00:32:57,738 Oh, and that stella point, which is you 843 00:32:57,738 --> 00:33:00,128 get to a place called Stella point, which 844 00:33:00,128 --> 00:33:01,801 is the the rim, 845 00:33:02,439 --> 00:33:05,625 but you have to walk another 45 minutes 846 00:33:05,625 --> 00:33:08,193 to get to the highest point on the 847 00:33:08,193 --> 00:33:10,430 top where the the markers are and the 848 00:33:10,430 --> 00:33:12,129 flags and the con 849 00:33:12,507 --> 00:33:14,685 sign. But when you're at the rim 850 00:33:14,999 --> 00:33:17,792 we saw the curvature of the Earth at 851 00:33:17,952 --> 00:33:18,452 Sunrise, 852 00:33:18,910 --> 00:33:20,985 which is the site you just never forget. 853 00:33:21,783 --> 00:33:22,262 Wow. 854 00:33:23,874 --> 00:33:24,374 Incredible. 855 00:33:25,312 --> 00:33:26,751 Bonnie, would you think when you got up 856 00:33:26,751 --> 00:33:29,388 there? It it so hard to put it 857 00:33:29,388 --> 00:33:31,546 into words. It's so hard to put in 858 00:33:31,546 --> 00:33:32,880 words. It was 859 00:33:33,798 --> 00:33:36,352 because as Robin said, this was if it 860 00:33:36,352 --> 00:33:38,747 was a cancer fund. And so 1 of 861 00:33:38,747 --> 00:33:41,062 the things that we all had is we 862 00:33:41,062 --> 00:33:42,281 all had a 863 00:33:42,674 --> 00:33:43,174 plastic 864 00:33:43,711 --> 00:33:46,183 poster if you will, that we could pull 865 00:33:46,183 --> 00:33:48,177 up and put in our backpack, and we 866 00:33:48,177 --> 00:33:50,193 had had countless people 867 00:33:50,650 --> 00:33:51,948 signed that poster 868 00:33:52,579 --> 00:33:53,690 you know, as a group, 869 00:33:54,404 --> 00:33:56,310 we raised over 200000 870 00:33:56,310 --> 00:33:58,715 dollars for for cancer 871 00:33:59,247 --> 00:34:01,153 just on that that 1 time. 872 00:34:01,882 --> 00:34:03,415 And some of the messages. 873 00:34:03,867 --> 00:34:05,376 And that's the other thing that you think 874 00:34:05,376 --> 00:34:07,203 about as you walk up there are some 875 00:34:07,203 --> 00:34:09,108 of the messages that people have put on 876 00:34:09,108 --> 00:34:12,780 there. You know, some are in in memorial, 877 00:34:12,859 --> 00:34:15,483 to people who are at, you know, some 878 00:34:15,483 --> 00:34:15,983 are 879 00:34:16,358 --> 00:34:19,005 to honor people who are currently struggling 880 00:34:19,632 --> 00:34:21,459 that truly was something that just... 881 00:34:22,492 --> 00:34:24,239 That was so important. And we all got 882 00:34:24,239 --> 00:34:27,018 our, we all got it got it out 883 00:34:27,018 --> 00:34:28,392 and had our pictures taken 884 00:34:29,258 --> 00:34:30,371 with that up there. 885 00:34:31,087 --> 00:34:32,836 Yeah. It really is hard to... You know, 886 00:34:32,916 --> 00:34:34,506 and I know this is Troy, but it's 887 00:34:34,506 --> 00:34:36,335 very hard to put it put in words. 888 00:34:36,494 --> 00:34:38,323 You've been working for a couple years. 889 00:34:39,054 --> 00:34:42,506 Ports this goal in and you're there. And 890 00:34:42,565 --> 00:34:43,065 it's 891 00:34:43,601 --> 00:34:45,915 1 of the most amazing feelings I have. 892 00:34:46,807 --> 00:34:47,307 Having 893 00:34:47,843 --> 00:34:49,597 that experience. I'm sure you had to pack 894 00:34:49,597 --> 00:34:50,314 very lightly. 895 00:34:50,793 --> 00:34:52,387 Was there something that you... 896 00:34:53,662 --> 00:34:56,060 Is a 2 prong, I guess, what did 897 00:34:56,060 --> 00:34:56,560 you 898 00:34:57,090 --> 00:34:58,993 think you couldn't live without and then realize 899 00:34:58,993 --> 00:35:00,579 that you could live with without on that 900 00:35:00,579 --> 00:35:02,900 journey? And and vice versa what are you 901 00:35:02,900 --> 00:35:04,500 so glad you had with you? 902 00:35:09,793 --> 00:35:11,389 Funny, do you wanna go because you had 903 00:35:11,389 --> 00:35:11,889 your 904 00:35:12,266 --> 00:35:12,984 shot necklace? 905 00:35:13,861 --> 00:35:15,776 I did have light shot necklace. 906 00:35:16,414 --> 00:35:18,487 And that was a necklace that had been 907 00:35:18,487 --> 00:35:19,466 given to me 908 00:35:20,414 --> 00:35:22,586 on our Romania trip 909 00:35:23,279 --> 00:35:26,383 by our guide, steve, I had mentioned before 910 00:35:26,383 --> 00:35:26,883 that 911 00:35:27,830 --> 00:35:28,330 Rick 912 00:35:28,705 --> 00:35:32,127 headed heads up Packed harold Steve. His his 913 00:35:32,127 --> 00:35:33,105 brother Steve 914 00:35:33,480 --> 00:35:35,094 was the leader for our 915 00:35:35,628 --> 00:35:35,867 trip. 916 00:35:36,518 --> 00:35:38,765 He Steve had been over to Kill General 917 00:35:39,298 --> 00:35:41,681 a couple of years before then. And so 918 00:35:41,681 --> 00:35:42,951 he and I were doing lot, you know, 919 00:35:43,190 --> 00:35:45,731 nice talking about Bill General, and he had 920 00:35:45,731 --> 00:35:48,378 a show necklace around around his neck. 921 00:35:49,176 --> 00:35:51,251 And, he talked a lot about that, and 922 00:35:51,251 --> 00:35:53,006 he said that he had not taken that 923 00:35:53,006 --> 00:35:53,246 off. 924 00:35:53,818 --> 00:35:55,484 Since he done it when he was at 925 00:35:55,564 --> 00:35:56,278 Code General. 926 00:35:56,992 --> 00:35:58,262 When I got home, 927 00:35:58,737 --> 00:35:59,555 he had 928 00:36:00,086 --> 00:36:00,904 put that 929 00:36:01,215 --> 00:36:03,535 necklace in the bottom of my in the 930 00:36:03,535 --> 00:36:04,994 bottom of my bed 931 00:36:05,454 --> 00:36:06,894 with just a beautiful note. 932 00:36:07,614 --> 00:36:09,989 Just a beautiful note of how you wanna 933 00:36:10,189 --> 00:36:11,226 to get that to me, 934 00:36:11,945 --> 00:36:12,424 and 935 00:36:13,382 --> 00:36:15,217 it was time time to pass it on. 936 00:36:15,457 --> 00:36:19,063 So so I'd certainly, I wore that. The 937 00:36:19,063 --> 00:36:20,361 entire thing that was 938 00:36:21,137 --> 00:36:23,370 that was very important. I don't know that 939 00:36:23,370 --> 00:36:25,465 there was anything that I have, that I 940 00:36:25,524 --> 00:36:26,800 felt like I didn't need. 941 00:36:28,888 --> 00:36:30,875 I mean, we were blessed and lucky that 942 00:36:30,875 --> 00:36:33,658 orders carried our big men. We had we 943 00:36:33,658 --> 00:36:34,555 had to carry 944 00:36:35,248 --> 00:36:37,973 day pants with our reindeer gear and 945 00:36:38,364 --> 00:36:40,997 snacks and things like that, but but the 946 00:36:40,997 --> 00:36:43,971 reporters, the porter truly did the heavy lifting 947 00:36:44,030 --> 00:36:45,307 for us to get things 948 00:36:46,679 --> 00:36:46,999 Yeah, 949 00:36:47,638 --> 00:36:49,716 her robin in? This was so long ago. 950 00:36:49,876 --> 00:36:51,873 I know more about what Bonnie had than 951 00:36:51,873 --> 00:36:53,232 what I do what I did. 952 00:36:54,750 --> 00:36:55,250 But 953 00:36:55,723 --> 00:36:57,474 I think the only thing that I'm thinking 954 00:36:57,474 --> 00:36:59,885 of now is I brought a journal 955 00:37:00,340 --> 00:37:03,126 so that I could take copious notes of 956 00:37:03,126 --> 00:37:05,854 my a whole trip and that lasted maybe 957 00:37:05,854 --> 00:37:08,089 a day. I just didn't have it in 958 00:37:08,089 --> 00:37:10,325 me too. I was too tired. 959 00:37:10,804 --> 00:37:12,775 I guess I could I could 960 00:37:13,292 --> 00:37:14,269 pretend that 961 00:37:14,963 --> 00:37:17,112 that well, I was too present, you know, 962 00:37:17,351 --> 00:37:17,931 I could 963 00:37:18,306 --> 00:37:20,216 I could make it about that, but I 964 00:37:20,216 --> 00:37:21,888 don't think that's the truth. I think that, 965 00:37:22,699 --> 00:37:25,429 that I was just too tired to even 966 00:37:25,566 --> 00:37:26,066 bother 967 00:37:26,522 --> 00:37:28,115 recreating the day every day. 968 00:37:28,991 --> 00:37:30,982 So I thought I couldn't live without it, 969 00:37:31,221 --> 00:37:32,592 but I guess I could. 970 00:37:34,985 --> 00:37:36,581 Did you miss me bank from home? 971 00:37:38,337 --> 00:37:39,076 My daughter 972 00:37:39,708 --> 00:37:42,579 she was 2 at the time. My mom 973 00:37:42,579 --> 00:37:44,673 my mom had them for 8 for 17 974 00:37:44,732 --> 00:37:47,545 days or something like that. Yeah. Mh. Mh. 975 00:37:48,974 --> 00:37:51,532 Wow, how did y'all all maintain privacy on 976 00:37:51,532 --> 00:37:54,009 this trip? Was that a very humbling thing 977 00:37:54,009 --> 00:37:56,406 of trying to, you know, just being a 978 00:37:56,406 --> 00:37:58,898 human being and all of its it's fo, 979 00:37:59,457 --> 00:38:01,135 you know, special smells and things. 980 00:38:02,813 --> 00:38:03,371 Special smells. 981 00:38:05,064 --> 00:38:06,338 Well, I mean, the 1 that... And I 982 00:38:06,338 --> 00:38:07,850 don't know that we... No. I think this 983 00:38:07,850 --> 00:38:09,840 was in the door. But even... You know, 984 00:38:09,920 --> 00:38:11,512 like, they're in the day when you have 985 00:38:11,512 --> 00:38:13,159 to... Because because you do have to drink 986 00:38:13,199 --> 00:38:15,027 a lot. If you don't drink, you are 987 00:38:15,027 --> 00:38:15,846 gonna get it 988 00:38:17,333 --> 00:38:19,956 so, you know, you're you're constantly drinking. And 989 00:38:19,956 --> 00:38:22,277 so at least for a lot of us 990 00:38:22,277 --> 00:38:23,630 we're constantly peeing. 991 00:38:24,425 --> 00:38:26,811 And and when you do, the 1 thing 992 00:38:26,811 --> 00:38:28,561 you cannot do... You can pay, I'm, you 993 00:38:28,561 --> 00:38:30,887 know, off the trail. But you cannot leave 994 00:38:30,887 --> 00:38:32,402 any toilet for any place. 995 00:38:33,280 --> 00:38:35,675 So we have 2 plastic bags in our 996 00:38:35,675 --> 00:38:37,430 pockets every day, 1 with clean, 997 00:38:38,161 --> 00:38:40,621 stuff, and 1 with and not clean stuff. 998 00:38:40,859 --> 00:38:43,160 So that was really something. I I mean 999 00:38:43,318 --> 00:38:45,064 I think most people who were on the 1000 00:38:45,064 --> 00:38:46,040 trip had been 1001 00:38:46,748 --> 00:38:49,380 previous Biker or campers, and you're trying used 1002 00:38:49,380 --> 00:38:51,771 to... Of course, here there's no what for 1003 00:38:51,771 --> 00:38:53,367 the most part, let now once you get 1004 00:38:53,367 --> 00:38:56,253 up to a certain elevation. There's the woods 1005 00:38:56,253 --> 00:38:58,887 to go into anymore. So you try and 1006 00:38:58,887 --> 00:39:01,621 find a rock the hide behind or, 1007 00:39:02,079 --> 00:39:04,130 you know, and no. And then you just 1008 00:39:04,249 --> 00:39:06,806 hopeful that when you get to him, they 1009 00:39:06,806 --> 00:39:09,283 actually... They had a toilet set for us, 1010 00:39:09,762 --> 00:39:11,780 you know, 1 of the tall narrow 1011 00:39:12,413 --> 00:39:14,324 tents, and they did have a toilet tenth. 1012 00:39:14,483 --> 00:39:14,983 So 1013 00:39:15,518 --> 00:39:16,871 there we could go in and do our 1014 00:39:16,871 --> 00:39:20,110 big business. So you you hope that get 1015 00:39:20,230 --> 00:39:22,390 things would work out in the body so 1016 00:39:22,390 --> 00:39:23,910 that you could, you know, could do that 1017 00:39:23,910 --> 00:39:25,430 in the morning or do that when you 1018 00:39:25,430 --> 00:39:26,250 got to the 1019 00:39:26,550 --> 00:39:27,269 camp at night. 1020 00:39:28,084 --> 00:39:29,123 Yeah. Yeah. 1021 00:39:30,081 --> 00:39:31,599 Definitely not a trip to be on your 1022 00:39:31,599 --> 00:39:33,197 period for, I guess too. 1023 00:39:35,528 --> 00:39:37,923 You a bad idea. To really time things. 1024 00:39:39,041 --> 00:39:39,280 Great. 1025 00:39:40,238 --> 00:39:41,835 Robin, what about you? Did you have any 1026 00:39:41,835 --> 00:39:44,364 moments where you thought, my my shy is 1027 00:39:44,563 --> 00:39:47,029 Or, you know, my modest is taking over. 1028 00:39:48,938 --> 00:39:52,457 No. I just remember, like, pass... Animals. We 1029 00:39:52,457 --> 00:39:54,952 would all kind of find the biggest rock 1030 00:39:55,171 --> 00:39:57,246 and all go at the same time. 1031 00:40:00,690 --> 00:40:01,190 Hilarious. 1032 00:40:02,278 --> 00:40:04,605 What is if you could sum it up 1033 00:40:04,820 --> 00:40:05,320 1 1034 00:40:05,773 --> 00:40:06,273 word 1035 00:40:07,124 --> 00:40:09,189 of how that trip changed you, What would 1036 00:40:09,189 --> 00:40:09,507 it be? 1037 00:40:10,795 --> 00:40:12,148 I'm I'm gonna say friendship. 1038 00:40:13,183 --> 00:40:13,342 Friendship, 1039 00:40:14,139 --> 00:40:14,536 true, 1040 00:40:16,129 --> 00:40:17,402 love in friendship. 1041 00:40:19,094 --> 00:40:19,914 I mean, we. 1042 00:40:20,614 --> 00:40:22,715 We still have... We still have friends 1043 00:40:23,255 --> 00:40:24,215 who, you know, 1044 00:40:25,014 --> 00:40:27,175 we began training with these people. 1045 00:40:27,748 --> 00:40:31,499 We still hike with them Today 234 1046 00:40:31,499 --> 00:40:33,574 days ago were up. We were a bunch 1047 00:40:33,574 --> 00:40:35,170 of us without hiking. 1048 00:40:36,784 --> 00:40:39,264 First Saturday of every month, the group still 1049 00:40:39,264 --> 00:40:41,264 gets together and goes for a hike all 1050 00:40:41,264 --> 00:40:42,625 these years later. Mh. 1051 00:40:43,599 --> 00:40:45,751 I love it. I mean, 1 thing that 1052 00:40:45,751 --> 00:40:48,621 has just stated my cart forever, it's this 1053 00:40:48,621 --> 00:40:50,615 is definitely in the book. But when I 1054 00:40:50,615 --> 00:40:53,495 came back down, I was beyond exhausted at 1055 00:40:53,495 --> 00:40:53,972 that point. 1056 00:40:55,084 --> 00:40:56,514 And I... And I'm thinking to my brain. 1057 00:40:56,753 --> 00:40:58,976 I hope I can come the tent to 1058 00:40:58,976 --> 00:41:01,780 get in there, and I somehow did, I 1059 00:41:01,780 --> 00:41:04,339 got in there. And my friend too who 1060 00:41:04,339 --> 00:41:06,339 wasn't able to do a climb of course 1061 00:41:06,339 --> 00:41:07,139 she was in there. 1062 00:41:07,699 --> 00:41:10,434 And the first thing she did was take 1063 00:41:10,434 --> 00:41:12,991 off my boots. And by the time, I 1064 00:41:12,991 --> 00:41:14,988 got... She got to my second boot, 1065 00:41:15,787 --> 00:41:16,686 I was sound, 1066 00:41:19,148 --> 00:41:21,770 that makes me cry. Every time I think 1067 00:41:21,770 --> 00:41:21,849 about. 1068 00:41:23,756 --> 00:41:24,684 You know, that 1069 00:41:25,202 --> 00:41:27,191 that's the kind of love and friendship that 1070 00:41:27,191 --> 00:41:30,078 we've learned that we've learned to lucy 1071 00:41:30,532 --> 00:41:31,169 and get. 1072 00:41:32,219 --> 00:41:32,539 Yeah. 1073 00:41:33,257 --> 00:41:33,497 Yeah. 1074 00:41:34,216 --> 00:41:36,054 Yeah. What about you, robin? What's your 1 1075 00:41:36,054 --> 00:41:36,293 word? 1076 00:41:37,731 --> 00:41:38,231 Perspective. 1077 00:41:38,770 --> 00:41:41,165 It's help me now no matter what I 1078 00:41:41,165 --> 00:41:43,862 do. I just tell myself well, I climbed 1079 00:41:43,941 --> 00:41:45,447 Kill jar. I can do this. 1080 00:41:46,240 --> 00:41:46,478 Yeah. 1081 00:41:47,688 --> 00:41:49,284 It's a major... That's some... Or do you 1082 00:41:49,284 --> 00:41:51,041 think gil either of you will climb another 1083 00:41:51,041 --> 00:41:51,280 mountain? 1084 00:41:52,318 --> 00:41:54,872 I'm a 1 and done. Yeah. Another mountain. 1085 00:41:55,032 --> 00:41:56,882 Yes, but not this high. Not the sign. 1086 00:41:57,281 --> 00:41:59,673 Probably the same for me. Not yeah. Not 1087 00:41:59,673 --> 00:42:01,427 good time. I mean, we went in and 1088 00:42:01,427 --> 00:42:03,341 that was in the book too. We... Jim 1089 00:42:03,341 --> 00:42:04,856 and I took a trip to base camp 1090 00:42:04,856 --> 00:42:07,762 up done that was that was a amazing 1091 00:42:08,059 --> 00:42:08,798 that was 1092 00:42:09,175 --> 00:42:12,762 completely different kind of climb from general, very 1093 00:42:12,762 --> 00:42:13,081 different. 1094 00:42:13,652 --> 00:42:14,048 Mh. 1095 00:42:14,841 --> 00:42:17,139 Yeah. Probably not. I mean we're... 1096 00:42:17,932 --> 00:42:20,309 And I shouldn't... We're in our seventies now 1097 00:42:20,309 --> 00:42:20,809 and 1098 00:42:21,199 --> 00:42:23,193 I mean, we still... We're still very active. 1099 00:42:23,512 --> 00:42:25,608 We still do a lot of things, but 1100 00:42:25,826 --> 00:42:27,661 probably not gonna climb kill them joe. 1101 00:42:28,711 --> 00:42:31,407 Is Rick still giving tours? He does. Yeah. 1102 00:42:32,042 --> 00:42:32,280 Yeah. 1103 00:42:32,914 --> 00:42:34,660 I wanna interview Rick. I... When I was 1104 00:42:34,660 --> 00:42:36,898 reading about Rick. I thought, now that's somebody. 1105 00:42:37,137 --> 00:42:39,370 Oh, yeah. No. He would be great. 1 1106 00:42:39,370 --> 00:42:41,204 of you guys to introduce me the rick 1107 00:42:41,204 --> 00:42:42,001 because I wanna interview. 1108 00:42:42,799 --> 00:42:44,234 Okay. He's a character. 1109 00:42:44,713 --> 00:42:45,351 We can do that. 1110 00:42:46,004 --> 00:42:48,880 Yeah. It's a character. He sounds like he's 1111 00:42:48,880 --> 00:42:51,457 had a lot of interesting life experiences. 1112 00:42:51,916 --> 00:42:52,155 Yeah. 1113 00:42:54,241 --> 00:42:56,628 Thank you both so much for being on 1114 00:42:56,628 --> 00:42:59,116 the show, tell everyone where they can find 1115 00:42:59,173 --> 00:43:01,333 climbing out. They can find it on Amazon. 1116 00:43:01,572 --> 00:43:04,534 It's climbing out an adventure in red 1117 00:43:04,908 --> 00:43:07,688 life after loss. And thank you both. I 1118 00:43:07,688 --> 00:43:09,039 really appreciate your time. 1119 00:43:10,166 --> 00:43:11,280 Thank you so much. 1120 00:43:12,314 --> 00:43:14,860 Susan thank you so much. We appreciate you 1121 00:43:14,860 --> 00:43:16,849 taking the time, and let us tell a 1122 00:43:16,849 --> 00:43:18,121 little bit about us story. 1123 00:43:19,093 --> 00:43:20,849 Absolutely. There's a lot of fun. I'm gonna 1124 00:43:20,849 --> 00:43:22,925 manifest with you that it gets made into 1125 00:43:22,925 --> 00:43:24,442 a movie. I think it'll make a great 1126 00:43:24,442 --> 00:43:24,761 movie. 1127 00:43:25,480 --> 00:43:27,555 Why not? Great. You'll get credit. 1128 00:43:30,126 --> 00:43:32,044 Thank you for listening everybody. 1129 00:43:32,603 --> 00:43:34,680 Bye. Bye. Bye. Bye. 1130 00:43:37,572 --> 00:43:39,809 Great review and subscribe to Hey human podcast 1131 00:43:39,809 --> 00:43:41,886 on itunes or wherever you get your podcast. 1132 00:43:42,525 --> 00:43:42,845 Thanks. 1133 00:43:43,499 --> 00:43:43,898 Bye.