I hiked, I believe, to the 12,000 or 13,000 for level in Rocky Mountain National Park until a hailstorm (which wrecked my wife's glasses) drove us back down. This was in July 2013. At the motel we were staying we told them this. They were amazed that we did that at our age, which was 52 for my wife, 56 for myself.

Other notable high-altitude hikes were Lassen Peak in California during July 1973 (10,463), Lake Solitude in Grand Teton National Park (9035), Camp Muir on Mount Rainier...

I tried out for the History AP class. Didn't make it. I attended high school in a district that strongly encourage honors courses and AP credit, graduating in 1975. The "fireworks" though go back to my freshman year, Academic 1971-2 when A teacher we'll call "Mrs. O" was my homeroom teacher. Luck of the draw and she was my European History teach in Academic Year 1972-3.

Those "fireworks" were in November 1972. At the beginning of my freshman year.September...