My Commitment to Veganism: Why I'm Inspired    

by Carl Pluim

 

 

 

Carl Pluim (rhymes with "time") is an avid rock and ice climber,

road and mountain biker and backcountry skier. 

His journey into veganism began seven years ago on

Thanksgiving, 2006.  This is Carl's presentation at the 2013

Vegan Life Colorado Thanksgiving Dinner in Denver

on November 28, 2013.

 

 

It's 7:30 in the morning. I'm 600 feet up a vertical icy cliff on a face of Longs Peak in Colorado, Rocy Mountain National Park. The wind chill is below zero, I'm on a technical ice climb and going up higher doesn't look hard, it looks almost impossible. I've been up since 12:30 AM and already driven to Estes Park and hiked 6 miles in 4 hours in snow with heavy packs. Now climbing up higher is beyond intimidating. A slight mistake on my part would be disastrous. The hardest part of the climb, the next 70', requires extreme focus and a 100% commitment that you need to experience to understand. I know I can do it; doubt or failure are not options. Succeeding at this, going for it and making it to the top, through terror, pain and hardship has been among the greatest things I've ever done... until now!   

 

To view Carl's full speech click here.