Hello!! I am Ed and the co-owner and innkeeper at Shellmont Inn. If you have already viewed the sidebar list of our favorite Things to Read and View and our Favorite Links, then you have most likely concluded that my passion is Alpine Climbing, Mountaineering and Rock Climbing. In fact, if I'm not at the Inn, chances are good that I'm out seeking higher ground.
I became interested in mountaineering just over five years ago while surfing the web looking for an exciting outdoor sport which would be physically challenging. Climbing caught my attention, specifically Mt. Rainier outside Seattle in Washington state. I trained very hard (or at least I thought I had) for five months prior to my summit attempt. However, at 12,500 feet, I hit the wall and could go no further. Of course, the 60+ mile per hour wind may have had something to do with that issue! Anyway, I returned 7 months later and gained the summit. What a wonderful feeling of accomplishment.
Since then, I have been fortunate to have had the opportunity to climb Mt. Whitney (California), Mt. Hood (Oregon) and Ixta & Orizaba (Mexico) as well as rock climb here in the Southeast states. I routinely try to stay in shape by riding a mountain bike from the Inn in Midtown, Atlanta to Stone Mountain east of Atlanta, climb the mountain and return back to the Inn...a fourty mile round trip. Of course, working around the Inn presents numerous opportunities for exercise on a daily basis.
Our next post will most likely focus on Debbie, our resident Innkeeper and Co- Owner of Shellmont Inn, who also happens to be my wife who patiently supports my mountain wanderlust!!!
