After the muscular agony of climbing the 463 stairs of the Duomo in Florence I considered banning all future attractions with stairs, at least anything more than the ten it takes me to get to my bedroom. But, climbing to the top of a lighthouse was still on my bucket list. Unchecked. That is not acceptable when a perfectly good one in St. Simons stood before me.

The 104 foot tall St. Simons Lighthouse in Georgia has a mere 129 stairs. About a quarter of the Duomo steps in Italy. No problem.

I started at the bottom of the cast-iron spiral staircase with enthusiasm and continued that way for the next 50 stairs.

Any inappropriate language you may have heard coming from my mouth after stair number 51 was justified. Let’s just say that stair climbing is not in my daily exercise routine. Then again, neither is anything else.

Luckily, the crowd behind me forced me to push onward, forward and up. I couldn’t possibly allow any six year olds pass me along the way. That’s just embarrassing for a healthy woman whose only excuse is lack of exercise.

By the time I was at the top, my lungs were gasping for air, which I tried to do as discreetly as possible.

As always, the view from the pinnacle was worth the struggle. There was impressive visions of St. Simons Sound, the community center and local buildings below.

After taking in the scenery, it was time to descend. Back the same way we came. Ugh.

Once at the bottom, on stable ground, my legs were wobbly and they continued shaking for the next half hour…pathetic. Can’t these things just have elevators?

Disclosure: This tour was sponsored by the St. Simons Lighthouse and Leigh Cort Publicity, but all the words I write come straight from my, sometimes distorted, mind. Just as it should be.