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.
