05/31/2026
** May 31st is World NO to***co day **
At PPBBH, I try to keep it fun, educational and relevant to Pike National Forest region. Today’s post, not so much. It’s a two-part one. Bear with me.
This day in age, as folks engross themselves in their niche, they post online their best selves. No one wants to have the good ol’ webernet to look down on them. But I’m gonna take a pass on that.
Here’s a pic of me on Pikes Peak - America's Mountain. Cocky, strong… and dumb as the rocks I’m standing on. I’ve made mistakes, but taking up smoking was probably the worst. Putting 70 carcinogens in my body was straight-up idiotic. I stopped in 1995.
Smoking, va**ng, drugs and generally put unnatural crap in your body won’t get you far without an eventual payback. YOU ARE GOING TO DIE. But leave that to your genetics and general fate/chance. Don’t add an unnecessary variable.
Part II to this. Yeah, I hiked Pikes Peak that day 33 years ago. As folks got off the Pikes Peak Cog Railway, I asked a little old lady stepping off to take my pic. She saw the cig hanging off my lip and immediately berated me. Plus, she didn’t want to take a pic of that. I said I would remove it. When she went to take it, my arrogant self quickly put it back in my mouth. She couldn’t see me do this through my crappy disposable camera. Click.
I remember her face like it was yesterday when she saw me post-pic. Her disappointment in me was real. That “You think you are so tough, but you are an imbecile” type look.
So for that day, I apologize to you… cute little Japanese senior citizen. I deceived and lied to you. I disavowed your knowledge & concern. My arrogance toward you was disgraceful. For that, I am truly sorry.
K. If you made it to the end of this long rant, I promise to get back to my regular broadcast message…