We swap crash tales, altitude math, and plans for a 21,000‑foot trek while sharing how injury, MS, and early retirement reshaped our choices. Between Garmin alerts and book drafts, we weigh risk, recovery, and why some goals still feel worth the climb.

• Cycling crashes, concussions and a hip fracture
• Blackouts and memory gaps around impacts
• Trekking to Everest Base Camp and high passes
• Altitude, acclimatization and Diamox trade-offs
• Planning a 21,000‑foot trekking peak without oxygen
•MS diagnosis (wife) and early retirement
• Risk tolerance as we age and safer sport options
• Turning travel journals into a self-published book
• Testing Amazon’s publishing tools