Thirteen years ago, Kelly Perkins underwent a heart transplant because of cardiomyopathy. Her new heart has been taking her to great heights ever since.

About 10 months after the surgery, Perkins completed her first ascent up the easier back side of Yosemite's Half Dome monolith. Climbs such as this are difficult for the average Joe, but for someone who is a transplant survivor it's even more monumental. Transplanted hearts usually lack vital nerve connections to the brain which help the body realize when muscles need more oxygen. Perkins doctor feels that intense exercise may have helped rebuild some of those lost connections so the body has at least a partial response.

Post-transplant, Perkins has scaled many famous climbs including Mount Kilamanjaro, the Matterhorn, and Mount Fuji. Her recent climb up the more difficult front side of Yosemite's Half Dome is a fitting close to a now complete circle. Though, with drive and spirit like Perkins', I imagine she'll be climbing again soon.

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To many Americans, summertime in the great outdoors is associated with food. Giant grill-fests where everyone brings a dish to pass. People tend to focus more on the spread than the outdoor activities. I just spent this past weekend climbing and hiking with a local mountaineering club, where I had the chance to quietly observe the general eating habits of rock climbers. I felt a bit like Jane Goodall.

For a majority of the climbers, eating was simply a means to climb. Oatmeal or whole-grain cereal with fruit was a common breakfast favorite, as it provided decent energy for the morning ahead. I never saw a box of donuts or a slice of danish. After hiking and setting ropes for a couple hours, I had to remind myself to grab a handful of trail mix before scaling the wall -- I had already burned through my small breakfast. At lunch time, climbers rummaged through their pack to locate a modest sandwich, a can of protein-rich sardines or a pack of ready-to-eat tuna. I never saw a bag of chips, a soda or a candy bar. Water was the main hydration of choice.

Emotional eating expert Geneen Roth says, "Our relationship to food is a perfect reflection of our relationship to life itself." For the handful of climbers I observed on this trip, eating and hydrating was secondary -- it was a tool to fuel their love of climbing. When you start thinking about food in this way, it's hardly the superstar in your life anymore. I'm guessing it's one reason climbers on the trip were fit. This was my kind of picnic.

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Climbers tend to stick together. If you like to rock climb, mountaineer or hike, a great way to find like-minded trail friends is through your local mountaineering club. The United Kingdom's CHAmois Mountaineering Club offers a nice list of clubs around the world to help you identify a club in your area.

Syd (hubby) and I just spent our first weekend immersion into the land of the Chicago Mountaineering Club (CMC). We'd had our eye on this club for years, but little kids and a 4-year stint in no-altitude Florida stunted our chances. Back living in Chicago, it was time to join one of their guest weekend climbs in Devil's Lake, Wisconsin, a Midwestern climbing mecca.

Saturday morning, a mix of about 25 club members and guests split into two separate climbing groups and headed out. After brushing up on my knots, our group dropped around eight or nine ropes along a variety of routes to fit the raw beginner to the elite. Club rope leaders carefully checked each top rope system. Rain shortened our climb time, but all in all it was an incredible day. Rock climbing with a group offering that many different routes is a Disneyland climbing experience. After the exhilaration of finally making it up a 5.7-rated crack, I happily earned sore muscles that haven't ached in years -- rock climbing is a full-body workout. Thanks to the club, we also met new friends and will tie into another outing soon.

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The last time I took a long walk on the beach, barefoot, my calves let me know about it the next day, which got me thinking about how great it would be if I could do more walking barefoot. There's something really satisfying about stretching one's toes and feeling the changes in terrain while walking, plus, it obviously works the leg muscles differently than walking in shoes. However, it wouldn't be safe (or hygienic) to walk around the places I go barefoot, so that was the end of that.

Only it wasn't actually the end, because this link for Vibram FiveFingers Footwear (which we've also covered here at That's Fit a time or two) popped into my inbox the other day. You know I love fashionable footwear, and believe me, this isn't it, but it is a unique and cool concept based on barefooting, which they define as:

1. The exhilarating joy of going barefoot without leaving yourself exposed; 2. any activity requiring unconventional footwear offering the protection of a thin, flexible Vibram skin; 3. an intelligent way to deepen your connection with your natural surroundings.

Vibram FiveFingers Footwear: It's funky!(click thumbnails to view gallery)

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Got an inground pool and $8,000 laying around? Then you can have an aquatic climbing wall! I must admit this 10 1/2'-tall inwardly slanted wall with interchangeable handholds (thanks FitSugar) intrigues this rock climber, especially from a fitness perspective.

You see, bouldering is a fantastic way to train without traveling to the big rock. Bouldering is rock climbing -- it's just done without a rope and at low heights to prevent injury when you do drop off to the ground. From the description and look of this wall, you can interchange handholds to varying levels of difficulty. Overhangs, underhangs and cracks allow you to practice a variety of holds such as a smear, a jam, a mantle, open/closed crimps and the like. Regularly scaling an aquatic climbing wall would also work critical hand strength and improve technique, upper/lower body power and overall flexibility -- all in a refreshingly fun environment.

Besides, it's the ultimate bouldering crash pad -- when hands and legs start shaking with exhaustion just lean back and Nestea plunge.

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As many people are, I'm heading out of town for the holiday weekend. Keeping up with my fitness routine while on the road is a concern. Since my weekend is jam-packed, my exercise routine will probably be limited to the treadmill in the hotel's fitness room. But, when looking for other activities in the area, I ran across this article.

Bouldering is a free-form version of rock climbing, uses no ropes or harnesses and sticks to heights less than 7 meters. Not only does this adventurous sport build strength, it's also an exercise in problem-solving. Outdoor enthusiasts require no more equipment than chalk for their hands, climbing shoes for better traction, and a crash pad in case of a fall. Indoor climbing routes are increasing in popularity across the country, too. Most routes are graded with multiple levels of difficulty, so everyone -- even kids -- can enjoy this up and coming sport.

It sounds like a lot of fun, but I typically like to keep my feet planted on the terra firma. But who knows? Maybe I'll feel a bit more daring this weekend. How about you?

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