An Adventure Log: A Chronicle of Climbing, Running, and Biking: A Chronicle of Climbing, Running and Biking

An Adventure Log - A Chronicle of Climbing, Running, and Biking presents 24 articles, including color photographs.

Part 1 of this book includes 13 mountain climbing articles that describe the scaling of the famed "Seven Summits," including Mt. Everest. In addition, Part 1 includes articles on other mountains such as Santiago Peak in California, Mt. Rainier in Washington, Mt. Cho Oyu in the Himalayas, and Carstensz Pyramid in New Guinea.

The articles not only cover the technical aspects of mountain climbing but also those aspects that define its special allure, namely the sights, sounds, and smells that make mountain climbing less a test of endurance and more an adventure in living.

Doti's article on climbing Mt. Rainier, for example, describes the smell of a local pizzeria's "Pizza with the Works" and goes on to explain how that pizza was an integral part of the climbing experience.

Ryan Dahlem's account of summiting Mt. Everest with his father explains the preparation and planning needed to climb Everest. But his account also describes how their shared experience can bond a father and son as well as climbers to their sherpas. As Dahlem concludes his article, "The summit was never just a place. It was a moment in time that represented a larger journey and an enduring bond between father and son."

Part 2 of An Adventure Log includes 11 articles relating to running and biking. One of those articles describes the training and preparation needed to successfully complete an "Ironman." Another article describes biking the RAGBRAI - a 500-mile bike ride from Missouri to the Mississippi in Iowa.

Marathons run throughout the world are described, including articles that describe the special experiences of running four Boston Marathons.

An article written by Jim Doti delves into the physiology of running by using statistical analysis to measure the impact of age on running times. Doti concludes: "The fact that I've accepted rather than fought the effects of aging on pace times has had a salutary effect on me. Instead of training harder to fight the relentless effects of aging, I've learned to not only accept the slower paces but be grateful that I'm still in the game."

The authors of the articles in this book all have day jobs. Somehow, some way, they carved out time to experience and record their various adventures, pushing against the boundaries that often constrain life's offerings. As Jim Doti writes, "Separating the term 'runner' from my family life or career is impossible. They've all become so intertwined that being a runner is an integral part of who I am."