Ringing in the New Year
I don’t see the point in sharing a list of resolutions for 2011 other than continue to work hard, provide customer and community value, and spend as much time with my wife and kids as possible. I do have goals of climbing for a third time Mt. Whitney in the Sierra Nevada mountains of southern California, but this time with a couple of my sons. I’d also like to take the family back to our favorite beaches in Kauai. And then there’s that science fiction novella that’s been in the back of my mind for years. But as I sat on a bike at the gym this morning, I realized that the list I really wanted to put together was greater than what could be accomplished in one year – a bucket list. I’ve never organized one before, and I fully expect items to be added or fall off this list over time, but as of this moment, here are the things I would like to accomplish before I depart this physical world:
- Stay a few days at the South Base Camp of Mount Everest in Nepal. No desire to attempt to climb Everest – I just want to see it up close.
- Climb Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. A friend did this back in the late 90’s a couple months before taking me up Mt Whitney for the first time, and I was sold on the idea.
- Climb up to Machu Picchu in Peru. Was hoping to do this next summer with my oldest son as part of a service project, but the program was suspended for a year. Maybe 2012.
- Drive from Anchorage, Alaska to Seattle, Washington in a caravan. Fish a lot along the way. I’m trying to convince a couple friends to fly north with me, rent a couple cars, and then make the long drive south on the Alaska Highway.
- Visit all 50 states. Reached just 25 so far. Hoping to knock of a few more in a year or two when I plan to take my boys on a US historical road trip as we loop around the Great Lakes into New England, drop down into DC, and then visit some Mormon historical sites in Illinois and Missouri before heading back out west.
- Learn to surf. Still trying to overcome the damage done by watching Jaws from the front row as a kid, but would love to pick up this skill.
- Ski indoors. Not particular about Dubai or Tokyo.
- Ride the top 10 fastest/highest/scariest roller coasters in the world. One thing I miss about living in the San Francisco Bay Area is my annual pass to Great America.
- Hike on the Great Wall of China. In fact, I’d love to have the experience of living in China for a few months. Came close to being moved to Japan at a previous company, and would jump at the chance to have the experience.
- Parachute out of a plane. Plenty of friends have done it. Just need to make the time, I guess.
- Take my wife swimming in a hot spring in Iceland. Stopped over for a couple hours on my way back from Scotland, and I want to go back.
- Beat my current (and only) time in a full marathon. I’ve run 3 half-marathons, and plan to do a couple this year, working my way back up to a full race.
- Complete my doctorate. Not sure that completing this degree would extend my earning potential, so its more personal. And yes, I will make people call me Dr. Buckley.
- Write my science fiction novella.
- Go shark fishing on the Great Barrier Reef. You know…turning the table on Jaws. Can I bring a shotgun, just to make sure they’re dead?
- Restore a 1952 Chevy Bel Air Deluxe. It was my first car when I was 16, it was
the car I owned when I met and started dating my wife, and I’d love to rebuild and modernize one. - Go whitewater rafting in central Russia. My college roommate Preston Green suggested this a few years back (he’s fluent, lived in Moscow for a couple years) and I still love this idea.
- Hike the Pacific Crest Trail from Canada to Mexico. It doesn’t have to be end-to-end in a single trip, but I want to be meticulous about the route, and not skip even a handful of miles (unless by government restriction over any segments).
- Climb Half Dome. Been there a few times, and nobody would go with me. What’s up with that? I need to find friends who have never done it, and head down there. I know my boys would do it. Maybe we do a dual Whitney/Half Dome trip next year.
- Take a ride in a one-man submarine. Not too interested in diving certification (umm, Jaws, hello?), but would love to take one of these for a ride. Do they come with anti-shark missiles?
