By Hal Walter
The burros were fresh in the cool evening air and, as they often do, sensed a neophyte in my companion, who was also having a bit of an issue adjusting to the altitude. At one point they bolted uphill and I had to simultaneously sprint ahead while literally “climbing” the lead rope hand-over-hand to gain control.
I looked over at my friend. “You know those battle-rope workouts people do in gyms?”
He nodded silently.
“Yeah, I don’t need to do those.”
He just smiled.
Years ago I met this energetic magazine writer, Christopher McDougall, who was covering the Leadville Boom Days pack-burro race and also gathering information in Leadville for what would become a classic best-selling book.