I'm writing this blog because I know there are people out there just like me who didn't think they could do it: Accomplish something they never in their wildest dreams imagined was actually achievable. Whether you have aspirations to make it to the top of one of the Seven Summits, or to make it to the seventh minute of your very first run, I hope my journey will inspire you to keep pushing, dreaming and believing.
I titled my blog "Belle in Boots" because that's what I was on this journey to summit Mount Kilimanjaro. I'm a self-labeled southern belle that's worn my share of high heels, frilly dresses and pearls, of course. Camping tents and trekking poles were foreign objects to me, and I wasn't sure what to do with my first pair of dreadful-looking hiking boots that arrived in the mail. I don't deny I'm a "priss" and my family would certainly concur, but I'm also a believer in "stepping outside the box."
One of my favorite quotes comes from my fellow Kentuckian, Ashley Judd:
"Tough girls come from New York. Sweet girls come from Georgia. But us Kentucky girls, we have fire and ice in our blood. We can ride horses, be a debutante, throw left hooks, and drink with the boys, all while making sweet tea darlin'. And if we have an opinion, you know you're gonna hear it."
Ms. Ashley's got that about right (except for maybe the left hook part). I am a girly girl, but I also grew up in a very small, rural town in the Bluegrass. I explored the woods behind our house, dug for worms and chased crawdads in the creek. A couple of friends and I had big plans for those little creatures. We were going to make clothes for them, keep them in cages and carry them around like our little children.
My point is, I'm certainly not afraid to get dirty, work hard and accept challenges. However, Kili is a whole different can of worms...and I was just about to open it. This is my journey to the top of the highest mountain in Africa.
