John Pugh is my role model. At 96 years of age, you’d expect him to be content with a rocking chair, bingo cards and a can of Ensure close at hand.
Instead, he’s taking polar plunges at Antarctica, rafting down the Colorado River and hiking in the Canadian Rockies.
OK, I’m playing it a little loose here. John’s rafting through the Grand Canyon occurred years ago. He was only 81.
But still.
The man is a self-proclaimed adventurer. Plus, he’s as tough as nails.
He’s addicted to work, probably because he’s had 90-plus years to ingrain the habit.
And he enjoys seeing new places and things.
Take his reason for traveling in January to the bottom of the world, for instance.
“I’d heard it was like no other place on earth,” John told me last week. “I’d been to the Arctic 25 years ago and it was altogether different.”
Most folks hate opening the door to get the mail when it’s less than 50 degrees. John volunteered to jump into the ocean just off the coast of Antarctica in his swim trunks. For that he got a certificate declaring him the oldest “lunatic” to take the plunge.
I’m sure old age is in John’s genes but his health is attributable, at least in part, to his dedication to exercise. He’s been going regularly to the YMCA to work out since he was a mere octogenarian.
That’s when John decided to participate in the Senior Games, at the local, state and national levels.
He has so many medals he could probably use them in weight training.
John used to fly his own airplane. He had an airfield next to his home on Highway 64 and would fly to destinations around the country.
He’s given up piloting, but he still drives a car and pickup truck.
I asked him what his next adventure might be and John said he plans to stay close to home this summer. That’s only because his family is sponsoring the state American Legion baseball tournament at Asheboro’s McCrary Park.
“I’m looking forward to it,” he said.
Still, there are some national parks that beckon John. “I haven’t seen Yosemite and there are some smaller parks” he hasn’t visited.
He said he also like to visit some 800-acre corn farms. He’s heard they used cutting-edge technology to grow their crops.
After all, it’s just a day or two drive from Asheboro.
“My driver’s license is good til I’m 100,” John said. “I have four more years.”
As for leaving the country? “I have no particular place in mind.”
On the other hand, John says, he has a friend in Spain he’d like to visit. “I said if he’d visit me, I’ll go visit him in Spain. We could go to a bullfight.”
Then there are other acquaintances in Scotland and Argentina ...
Larry Penkava, who has written Now and Then since 1994, hopes to be able to walk on his own if he lives so long.
Voices
Larry Penkava – My role model
- Voices
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- Mr. Movie: Can magicians do all of that?
- Jody Terry: Community pitches in
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Larry Penkava: Deer me!
Deer are making themselves at home in Gopher Woods.
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Mr. Movie: Marilyn Monroe
The short, unhappy life of Norma Jean Baker, a/k/a Marilyn Monroe, has been well documented. She was married to Joe DiMaggio and to playwright Arthur Miller.
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Mr. Movie: Princess Grace Kelly
Hollywood has produced one real-life Princess in Grace Kelly.
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Larry Penkava: Ila Mae goes home
Ila Mae Williams can rest in peace.
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Larry Penkava: Asheboro in the spotlight
Asheboro’s Sunset (Avenue, not Boulevard) was the scene last Friday of cameras, sound booms, cables strung all over the streets and dozens of crew members acting like ants on a catered pizza slice dumped on the sidewalk.
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Larry Penkava: Group hugs available
Maybe what we all need is a big hug. Times are hard, don’tcha know. The economy stinks, we’re in a never-ending war and Lindsay Lohan is looking at jail time.
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Mr. Movie: Patricia Neal
Patricia Neal died at the good old age of 84. Experts said she should have been dead 40 years ago.
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Larry Penkava: Roaches as a miracle drug?
Where the roaches are when you really need them?
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