RAY BELLEM
Age: 72
Hometown: Prescott, Arizona
VOCATION: Retired
Air Force colonel, professor of electrical engineering.
AVOCATIONS: Swimming, mountain climbing, hiking, and weight training.
LAST YEAR’S ITINERARY: Six swim meets, including the U.S. Masters Swimming (USMS) National Championships and about 1,000 miles of trail hiking, including summiting 14,433-foot Mount Elbert (Colorado’s highest peak) and hiking down into and camping in the
Grand Canyon eight times.
WHAT’S NEXT: Defending my swimming title at the 2009 USMS championships, completing a one-day rim-to-rim hike in the Grand Canyon, and climbing 10 more 14-ers (14,000-plus-foot peaks) in
Colorado this summer as part of my long-term goal to attempt to scale all 54 of them.
PROUDEST MOMENT: At least as far as my activities go, it would be becoming a two-time national champion in U.S. Masters Swimming last year.
TOUGHEST PHYSICAL/HEALTH HURDLE I’VE FACED SO FAR: Prostate-cancer diagnosis and treatment five years ago.
WHAT I’VE GIVEN UP: A full-time faculty position at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, where I still teach a course and do some research.
WHAT I’LL NEVER GIVE UP: Staying active doing competitive sports and other physical activities that I love.
PERFECT DAY: Launching down the Grand Canyon’s Bright Angel trail at dawn, dining on stew at Phantom Ranch that evening, and sleeping under the stars at a campsite that night, being lullabied by the roaring Bright Angel Creek.
MOST EXHILARATING EXPERIENCE: Gazing down at the world from the 14,036-foot summit of Mount Sherman, my first 14-er in Colorado. Now I have 52 more 14-ers to go!
BEST PIECE OF ADVICE FOR GETTING THE MOST OUT OF LIFE: You’ll increase your workload productivity by about two hours a day by fitting in an hour of exercise -- guaranteed.
LIFE PHILOSOPHY: If you keep all moving parts moving and feed yourself the right fuel, the human body can do amazing things.