Some of my favorite places in the world give me the sensation of being on top of it. Take for instance the top of a rock wall. It takes a lot of work just to climb. You work your entire body, gripping rocks with your whole hand, propelling your body up the wall with the full force of your legs, clutching to what little crevice is within reach in the wall, all the while hoping your spotter doesn’t let you fall from 100 feet in the air. The moment you reach the top and crawl over the structure, you feel good and accomplished. Sitting at the top with your feet dangling off the side, relieving your muscles from all the hard work, is such an amazing feeling. The best part of it all is looking at everything out and down below.

Take a second and imagine that.

There’s something about the air up there. Something that makes me want to go back again and again. No matter how exhausting the work is.

I have experienced something greater than the top of a rock wall.

It’s a combination of the takeoff and the glide.

I absolutely love being in airplanes.

Feeling the full force of the acceleration in every fiber of your body is such a rush. Going faster than you’ve ever gone before. And then just gliding in the air across the country. Soaring to scenes you’ve never been to before.

Did I mention I love being in airplanes?

Speeding across the landscape, watching cities come and go. And the clouds! I swear flying in and out of clouds is so magical. If I had the one superpower, I would choose flight because 1.) I would never have to drive ever again 2.) chicks dig dudes that can fly (let’s be honest, there aren’t that many) and 3.) I could fly so high with the clouds.

Unfortunately, rock walls are rare in Kansas and plane tickets are expensive.

The one thing Kansas does have going for it, and doesn’t cost a penny, are the hills. Boy, do we have hills. We have big hills, we have little hills, but I mostly like the big hills. Climbing those big hills is a nice medium between the rock walls and the plane rides I love so much. It is a bit of work, but not as much work as the rock wall. And once you’ve reached the top, you get an amazing view, but not as good as the one from the clouds.

I’m lucky enough to live close to a great hiking trail with a hill that will steal your breath away. Just be sure not to go during a cloudy day. You can’t see as far on a cloudy day and trust me, you can see far off the top of that sucker. If you’re ever in Manhattan, Kansas on a sunshiney day, check out the Konza Prairie reserve. It’s a beautiful place. Even more beautiful with friends.

I guess you could say I have a problem with getting high. I just can’t get enough of it. When you’re on top of a rock wall or a hill or in the clouds, there’s the sensation of being on top of the world.

And I never want to come down.