Top of the World, Ma !

or, Getting High on Life:

BEIJING (AP) -- A 13-year-old American boy became the youngest climber to reach the top of Mount Everest on Saturday, breaking the former record as part of his quest to climb the highest peaks on all seven continents.
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''Every step I take is finally toward the biggest goal of my life, to stand on top of the world,'' Romero said in an earlier post on his blog.

The record for the youngest climber to scale Everest had been held by Temba Tsheri of Nepal, who reached the peak at age 16.

''I'm just very proud of him,'' Romero's mother told The Associated Press by telephone just before he reached the peak, as she watched his progress online on a live GPS tracker.

When asked what she would say to him once he reached the summit, she started crying: ''I can't really say that. It's just emotional.''

Romero, from Big Bear, Calif., was climbing Everest with his father, his father's girlfriend and three Sherpa guides. He left for the peak from the base camp on the Chinese side.

Everest was Jordan Romero's first challenge above 26,240 feet.

Unlike neighboring Nepal, the other approach to Everest, China has no age limit for climbers. Romero registered with Chinese officials in April, said Zhang Mingxing, secretary general of China Tibet Mountaineering Association.

Photo: Gopal Chitrakar/Reuters.

ADDED: The kids in boots upstairs were still tromping around at 4:30am, woke me up. They must be nodding off now...

Me? I'm up early, heading up to Douglas Co. -- Gordon/St. Croix Flowage -- to compete in this race. The short course is 1-4, 6-8 and back in, 6 miles. Wish me luck.