On This Day In 1987...

...Hulda Crooks became the oldest woman to climb to the top of Mt. Fuji. She was 91 years old at the time.

91. Years. Old.

Oh, and Wikipedia informs me that Crooks got her endearing nickname, Grandma Whitney, by scaling 14,505-foot Mt. Whitney a couple times between her 65th and 91st birthdays. And by a couple times, I mean 23 freaking times. At a time in life when most people start using the handicapped ramp at the local library because they just can't maneuver their walkers up those three stairs very well. Way to make me feel dismally inadequate for finding yet another excuse not to get on the elliptical today, Grandma Whitney. 

You know, I've always wondered why the Japanese have that old saying: "He who has not climbed Mt. Fuji is a fool. He who climbs it twice is a bigger fool--unless they're Hulda Crooks. She's just up there because she had some time to kill before her lunch reservation."