You cannot see the upper reaches of Everest br from the base camp, where you acclimatize br with attitude and finger exercises. br br In starting your embrace of the peak, br You must move with an almost monotonous precision, br perfecting each phrase, bend, hammer, and lift-off, br owning each measure before moving br across hours to Camp Two, br then Camp Three, br each section with its hurdles and mazes, br your mind bobbing like a pigeon’s head br searching for the path br br After Camp Four br and across the Hillary Step br with the Kid’s summit in sight br your fingers fluid and rippling, br repeating impossible runs br until they can be sold as easy, br you’re at once focused and disjointed br as if watching yourself play in a film br while you’re playing in the film, br or maybe your brain br is oxygen-deprived br knowing you are so close, br a single ascending line to go br br And when you finally summit br you pass through a golden turnstile br and look down from rare air br feeling a bond with the masters br and all you can do to underscore the feat br is tenderly put the guitar down br and lean your head way back on the couch br until you are looking straight up br br br Note: Rolling Stone magazine called Larry Carlton’s “Kid Charlemagne” solo (from Steely Dan’s 'Royal Scam' album) “one of the three greatest rock guitar solos ever.