365 Summits For Cancer

On January 1, 2013 I hiked up Kennesaw Mountain, a small appalachian peak near the otherwise crowded suburb of Marietta, GA. I have done so every day since and will continue to do so until I have climbed a mountain 365 times in the year 2013. I have plans to climb as many different mountains as possible over the year and already have some picked out in North Carolina, Virginia, Pennsylvania and of course north Georgia. Rain or shine, snow or heat, I will hike. Figuring that I may miss a day or two due to illness or injury, I will double up on other days until I have accomplished my goal. My only criteria is that 1. the mountain must have an official name and 2. I must hike up to the top of the peak. No driving to a parking lot at the top and walking the last few feet.  I can't say for sure exactly where or when I hatched this idea but it was probably on a hike somewhere, daydreaming with my ipod on. Why do this you ask? I have several reasons. First is the simple reason that I love hiking. Nothing makes me feel better or helps me to figure out life's complexities quite like an hour or two in the woods. I'm always calmer, happier, and more content after a day on a mountain. Those of you who spend time in the outdoors know exactly what I'm talking about. Second is that I'm now in my mid 30's. Admittedly I have not exactly been an ironman the past 15 or so years (those who know me are laughing right now) and this is as good a time as any to challenge myself a bit and try to ward off Father Time as long as possible. The third (and most important) reason is simple - cancer. We all have been touched by this disease at some point or another. The medical community has made amazing strides in diagnosis and treatment of cancer but there is still much work to be done. Somewhere out there is a cure waiting to be discovered. More dollars equals more research. So this brings me to my main point. I am hiking up a mountain 365 times in the year 2013 to raise money for the American Cancer Society, a fantastic organization that works to find a cure for the disease and helps those that are currently fighting it. I have struggled back and forth with a goal amount to set and have decided on $500. Of course I'd love to raise much more but if I can raise $500 over the course of the year, I'm happy. I will be blogging here periodically when something moves me to do so. You can track my progress daily at http://twitter.com/RyanEtter. So if you have a few extra dollars lying around and want to donate to a great (and tax deductible) cause, please visit my donation page listed at the top right side of the page. Thanks so much!