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You Started What After 60? Highpointing Across America
ITCHING FOR A CHALLENGE when she turned 60, Jane Bertrand set out to reach the highest point of each state. Her strategic mistake was to start with the easiest ones, leaving the most strenuous for the end of this decade-long quest. She recruited over 50 family members, colleagues, and childhood friends to join her in making this the experience of a lifetime.
Jane Trowbridge Bertrand is a professor at the Tulane School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine. A Maine native, she moved to New Orleans over 40 years ago where she and her husband Bill raised their children, Katy and Jacob. Her recurrent travel to Africa in connection with international family planning work generated many of the frequent flyer miles that made this highpointing pursuit possible.
284 pages, Paperback
Published November 16, 2018
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523 people want to read
About the author
Jane T. Bertrand
9 books14 followersJane T. Bertrand is a professor at the Tulane School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine. A Maine native, she moved to New Orleans over 40 years ago where she and her husband Bill raised their children, Katy and Jacob. Her recurrent travel to Africa in connection with international family planning work generated many of the frequent flyer miles that made this highpointing pursuit possible.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
April 19, 2019
wow what a great book
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 7, 2019
Before I began reading You Started WHAT After 60? Highpointing Across America by Jane T. Bertrand, I had never heard of highpointing. Not to be confused with mountaineering, highpointing (so says Wikipedia) is the sport of ascending to the point with the highest elevation within a given area (the “highpoint”). Examples include: climbing the highest point of each U.S. state; reaching the highest point of each county within a specific state; and ascending the highest mountain on each continent (the “Seven Summits”). To many armchair travelers or couch potatoes who consider themselves fit, why would anyone want to climb the highest point of each U.S. state? The author herself states she hadn’t slept in a tent or on the ground for 40 years! It seems the author’s family has a grueling tradition of doing something extraordinary on a special birthday.
The year Jane turned 60 was the year she decided to meet the highpointing challenge she had set herself, after considerations of health, and available options should she be unable to meet her first location goal. Planning, organizing, and reading on the topic were just a few of the preparations. Plus, Jane admits to two major weaknesses: lack of technological know-how and poor navigational skills (I know the feeling!). Once the challenge had begun, Jane then decided she had to make up for lost time…
Jane lays out the challenges in a chronological order with the number of the highpoint, location, date, and level of difficulty. Her highpointing adventure was not without health issues (a gammy knee and bunions) and Jane had to work around those. This could all make for dry reading, but Jane has a lovely conversational style, chatty and down to earth, and she mixes in details of family, friends, life events, and activities that took place around the highpointing expeditions. By the time one reaches the end of the book, Jane has become as familiar as a longtime friend and the reader feels part of the family. Photos interspersed in the text also put names to faces and make the book reader-friendly.
While some of the highpoints read like the proverbial pleasant walk in the park, others make the mind boggle, especially if you’re an armchair traveler or a couch potato (as mentioned above). This activity is not for the faint-hearted (bear spray?). When the author says she had to “get serious” about highpointing (which requires reaching the absolute, definitive highpoint, not just “getting close”), one can sense the adrenalin and, perhaps, the obsession kicking in. Jane’s sister Liz happens to be an avid journaler and these details came in very hand when Jane decided to start putting her experiences down on paper.
Jane includes references to other books on highpointing which could be useful to anyone considering taking up this challenge. Each highpoint experience is described in detail and this gives the reader an extraordinary view of the many beautiful places in the U.S., places that many of us would have neither the time nor energy to experience. I am not an avid hiker, mountaineer, or any kind of adrenalin junkie. I don’t think I’d have Jane’s stamina, courage, or confidence to embark upon what could sometimes be incredibly dangerous ventures, should the weather turn bad, for example. However, Jane’s exceptionally detailed, informative, and highly entertaining account is inspiring for many. It can be done. A ‘life experience’ must-read for anyone planning to do something very special as an adventure, and you don’t have to wait for a special occasion or be 60 to do it. Jane’s final reflections on the home stretch are interesting, honest, and illuminating. Read this book, even if you have no intention of climbing anything except the nearest gentle slope.
The year Jane turned 60 was the year she decided to meet the highpointing challenge she had set herself, after considerations of health, and available options should she be unable to meet her first location goal. Planning, organizing, and reading on the topic were just a few of the preparations. Plus, Jane admits to two major weaknesses: lack of technological know-how and poor navigational skills (I know the feeling!). Once the challenge had begun, Jane then decided she had to make up for lost time…
Jane lays out the challenges in a chronological order with the number of the highpoint, location, date, and level of difficulty. Her highpointing adventure was not without health issues (a gammy knee and bunions) and Jane had to work around those. This could all make for dry reading, but Jane has a lovely conversational style, chatty and down to earth, and she mixes in details of family, friends, life events, and activities that took place around the highpointing expeditions. By the time one reaches the end of the book, Jane has become as familiar as a longtime friend and the reader feels part of the family. Photos interspersed in the text also put names to faces and make the book reader-friendly.
While some of the highpoints read like the proverbial pleasant walk in the park, others make the mind boggle, especially if you’re an armchair traveler or a couch potato (as mentioned above). This activity is not for the faint-hearted (bear spray?). When the author says she had to “get serious” about highpointing (which requires reaching the absolute, definitive highpoint, not just “getting close”), one can sense the adrenalin and, perhaps, the obsession kicking in. Jane’s sister Liz happens to be an avid journaler and these details came in very hand when Jane decided to start putting her experiences down on paper.
Jane includes references to other books on highpointing which could be useful to anyone considering taking up this challenge. Each highpoint experience is described in detail and this gives the reader an extraordinary view of the many beautiful places in the U.S., places that many of us would have neither the time nor energy to experience. I am not an avid hiker, mountaineer, or any kind of adrenalin junkie. I don’t think I’d have Jane’s stamina, courage, or confidence to embark upon what could sometimes be incredibly dangerous ventures, should the weather turn bad, for example. However, Jane’s exceptionally detailed, informative, and highly entertaining account is inspiring for many. It can be done. A ‘life experience’ must-read for anyone planning to do something very special as an adventure, and you don’t have to wait for a special occasion or be 60 to do it. Jane’s final reflections on the home stretch are interesting, honest, and illuminating. Read this book, even if you have no intention of climbing anything except the nearest gentle slope.
January 16, 2019
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
One woman’s journey to traverse the highest peaks in all 50 US States leads to a nearly decade’s worth of stories and memories in author Jane T. Bertrand’s You Started WHAT After 60? Highpointing Across America. Here is the synopsis.
The Synopsis
ITCHING FOR A CHALLENGE when she turned 60, Jane Bertrand set out to reach the highest point of each state. Her strategic mistake was to start with the easiest ones, leaving the most strenuous for the end of this decade-long quest. She recruited over 50 family members, colleagues, and childhood friends to join her in making this the experience of a lifetime.
Jane Trowbridge Bertrand is a professor at the Tulane School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine. A Maine native, she moved to New Orleans over 40 years ago where she and her husband Bill raised their children, Katy and Jacob. Her recurrent travel to Africa in connection with international family planning work generated many of the frequent flyer miles that made this highpointing pursuit possible.
The Review
This was such a unique and inspiring book to read. This nonfiction, sports and senior travel novel showcased not only the sport of high pointing and the various goals, classifications and challenges that go along with it, but it showed the strength and resilience it takes to complete such a task. Despite many challenges and alternate hiking routes/mountains that needed to be taken, the goal was the pursuit of this challenge, and showcased how anyone labeled a senior citizen can still accomplish seemingly impossible tasks.
Although a fairy short read, the amount of detail and the writing itself was brilliant in this book. Breaking each chapter down by the mountains climbed and the difficulty of the climb itself, to bringing in memories of family and friends, as well as the travels themselves and the companions who joined her, made this not only an inspirational story and unique take on high pointing in general, but a personal story at that. This allows readers to connect with the author in a whole new way, and made this quite an enjoyable experience.
The Verdict
Overall I loved the tale. A true story of overcoming the odds and adversity as a strong and powerful woman tackles an often overlooked sport and challenges herself to this task, readers who enjoy hiking, high pointing and stories of fighting against all odds will absolutely love this tale. If you haven’t yet, grab your copy of You Started WHAT After 60? Highpointing Across America by Jane T. Bertrand today!
One woman’s journey to traverse the highest peaks in all 50 US States leads to a nearly decade’s worth of stories and memories in author Jane T. Bertrand’s You Started WHAT After 60? Highpointing Across America. Here is the synopsis.
The Synopsis
ITCHING FOR A CHALLENGE when she turned 60, Jane Bertrand set out to reach the highest point of each state. Her strategic mistake was to start with the easiest ones, leaving the most strenuous for the end of this decade-long quest. She recruited over 50 family members, colleagues, and childhood friends to join her in making this the experience of a lifetime.
Jane Trowbridge Bertrand is a professor at the Tulane School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine. A Maine native, she moved to New Orleans over 40 years ago where she and her husband Bill raised their children, Katy and Jacob. Her recurrent travel to Africa in connection with international family planning work generated many of the frequent flyer miles that made this highpointing pursuit possible.
The Review
This was such a unique and inspiring book to read. This nonfiction, sports and senior travel novel showcased not only the sport of high pointing and the various goals, classifications and challenges that go along with it, but it showed the strength and resilience it takes to complete such a task. Despite many challenges and alternate hiking routes/mountains that needed to be taken, the goal was the pursuit of this challenge, and showcased how anyone labeled a senior citizen can still accomplish seemingly impossible tasks.
Although a fairy short read, the amount of detail and the writing itself was brilliant in this book. Breaking each chapter down by the mountains climbed and the difficulty of the climb itself, to bringing in memories of family and friends, as well as the travels themselves and the companions who joined her, made this not only an inspirational story and unique take on high pointing in general, but a personal story at that. This allows readers to connect with the author in a whole new way, and made this quite an enjoyable experience.
The Verdict
Overall I loved the tale. A true story of overcoming the odds and adversity as a strong and powerful woman tackles an often overlooked sport and challenges herself to this task, readers who enjoy hiking, high pointing and stories of fighting against all odds will absolutely love this tale. If you haven’t yet, grab your copy of You Started WHAT After 60? Highpointing Across America by Jane T. Bertrand today!
January 9, 2019
Previous reviewers have mentioned this is a great book for an adventurer and I just think it's a great book for anyone. Anyone at all can benefit from the empowering story of Jane T. Bertrand's highpointing adventure. Truly.
I am not an adventurer - not one little bit. I'm not even an adrenaline junkie. I enjoy a nice stroll but would turn down a hike most days. I'd absolutely say no to anything involving heights, falling, or most days, leaving the county I live in. That said, I had also never heard of highpointing until reading this book. I STILL absolutely love the story. Here are the high points for me (pun intended):
**you are never too old for an adventure
**everything is better enjoyed with
friends and family
**if you set your mind to something
you can achieve it - regardless of age
For me, You Started WHAT after 60? is a story that allowed me to travel without leaving my children or the comfort of home. Jane T. Bertrand's beautiful storytelling allowed me to enjoy all the places she traveled and all the people she traveled with. This is an empowering story told beautifully by a talented and determined woman who amazes me as both a person and author.
Regardless of age or physical ability, readers of all walks of life are sure to delight in You Started WHAT after 60? by Jane T. Bertrand - 5 stars for sure!!!
I am not an adventurer - not one little bit. I'm not even an adrenaline junkie. I enjoy a nice stroll but would turn down a hike most days. I'd absolutely say no to anything involving heights, falling, or most days, leaving the county I live in. That said, I had also never heard of highpointing until reading this book. I STILL absolutely love the story. Here are the high points for me (pun intended):
**you are never too old for an adventure
**everything is better enjoyed with
friends and family
**if you set your mind to something
you can achieve it - regardless of age
For me, You Started WHAT after 60? is a story that allowed me to travel without leaving my children or the comfort of home. Jane T. Bertrand's beautiful storytelling allowed me to enjoy all the places she traveled and all the people she traveled with. This is an empowering story told beautifully by a talented and determined woman who amazes me as both a person and author.
Regardless of age or physical ability, readers of all walks of life are sure to delight in You Started WHAT after 60? by Jane T. Bertrand - 5 stars for sure!!!
January 30, 2019
You started what after 60? Highpointing Across America by Jane T. Bertrand is an engaging, well-written memoir that reiterates the fact that life doesn't stop after 60, it doesn't even slow down. It is a lesson in perseverance and mental fortitude that many of us would do well to mimic. Her style of doing it is one that I generally find admirable (although I do not excel at copying it), she started out slow, with a metaphorical dip of her toes in the water rather than jumping in head first.
For a more detailed review, please visit my blog at https://sreevarshasreejith.blogspot.com/.
*An e-book copy of this book was provided to me to review, the opinions expressed are my own*
For a more detailed review, please visit my blog at https://sreevarshasreejith.blogspot.com/.
*An e-book copy of this book was provided to me to review, the opinions expressed are my own*
April 30, 2019
Jane’s lifelong love of hiking took on a new meaning when she turned 60 and decided to tackle the high peaks in every US state as a way to travel to every state. Her account of her 10 year adventure is a fun read and an inspiration.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews