MAY 20th - Except for Hugh Hefner

On this day in 1989, Walter McConnell became the oldest person to reach 27,000’ on Mt. Everest at 57 years young. Quite impressive, especially considering that I pinch a nerve in my back if I stretch too far trying to get the remote without completely leaving my seat. And while I would love to celebrate Mr. McConnell’s tremendous accomplishment at the tail end of the glorious 80’s, it’s a bit difficult to do so with the knowledge that just last year (on May 23rd no less) Yuichiro Muira made it to the summit when he was 80 years and 223 days old. Sure, he almost died on the way down, but...80 years old. In either, case it’s pretty damn admirable that these guys had the testicular fortitude to do something that risky. It’s like that scene in Benjamin Button when BB sees Tilda Swinton become the oldest woman to swim the English Channel (woman have testicular fortitude also). Minus the aging in reverse of course. Point is, no one is ever too old for anything. Except for Hugh Hefner. He’s too damn old for his thing (his testicular fortitude is used up).

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