Limitless freedom expanding into the horizon. A body filled with euphoria and exhaustion. A strong, striking smile well earned. This is what I imagine it will feel like when I summit this mountain.

In life, we all have mountains to climb, obstacles to overcome, and misfortunes to mitigate. But, more importantly, we all have stories to tell.

A few years ago I was speaking with my grandmother, who has since passed. She looked at me with eyes yearning, "Cody, I want to see the world. I want to hop on a plane and go, but I'm too old and can't walk well now." She was 81 at the time.

She continued, "the biggest regret I have in this life is never doing it. I never left the United States. Hell, I barley left Missouri. So, whenever you get a chance to go anywhere, to go on an adventure- just go."

Just go...that moment will stay with me forever. I had already inherited the travelers gene, but this conversation activated it. Whenever I travel, I imagine her looking through my eyes. I think about the awe and wonder she would feel. It makes me reflect on the conversations I'll have with my grandkids. "Grandpa, how did you live your life? Did you do anything cool?"

What I do between now, and when I get asked that question, will be my answer. Life is the paper, and my actions are the pen; what story will I write?

Summiting the tallest freestanding mountain in the world, bringing back the wisdom and beauty of the journey, and sharing that with anyone with ears to listen; that's a chapter I want in my story.

My intention is that this experience will serve as nexus point connecting who I am now, to who I am becoming. Someone who has more stories than regrets, and climbing the mountains my grandmother didn't.

So thank you for reading, and considering donating to this campaign.

With Love,

Cody Decker