An Uphill Climb Survivor's Guilt and the Inca Trail

Why would a morbidly obese man approaching 60 even consider hiking the grueling 26-mile Inca Trail to Machu Picchu? Find out in this sometimes funny, sometimes brutally honest, sometimes heart-breaking, but always entertaining book of one man's quest to break free from Survivor's Guilt after childhood trauma coupled with the loss of his first wife to cancer.This is not your typical Inca Trail book.Although you will find practical advice for preparing for the Inca Trail, and follow along with inspiring pictures as Jim and Rita make their attempt, you will find much more. There is the story of pain and loss leading up to a new life that should be a happy ending, but instead is tainted by guilt and feelings of unworthiness. You will get a fascinating glimpse of expat life in Ecuador, as the couple take advantage of their home in South America to train in the Andes. As the author shares stories of his first few months as a widower, you will even get a peak behind the curtains of working in the US Senate.From the ups and downs of the loss of childhood innocence, dealing with cancer and death, finding love again, and fighting depression, you will experience an emotional journey every bit as difficult as the Inca Trail itself just to get to that first checkpoint at Kilometer 82 in Piskacucho, Perú. After all of the preparation and pain, will they make it to Machu Picchu? If they do, it will be An Uphill Climb.