A funeral may be an unlikely place to find inspiration.
But for Anne McCasland, it was an event that became her starting point in a quest to gather unique experiences that, one day, her grandchildren can tell as stories at her own memorial service.
"I don't want a boring funeral," McCasland said. "I want them each to have a good grandma story. It's going to be a party, so it's gotta be good."
The Costa Mesa resident is calling them her "eulogy stories." She's planning one for each grandchild.
From the get-go, McCasland set the bar high.
For her first eulogy story, which marked her 70th birthday, she climbed Yosemite's Half Dome with her grandson, Joe McCasland.
"So when I kick off, Joe's got that story," McCasland said.
Then, for her 75th birthday in August 2011, she decided to ride her purple Giant mountain bike 75 miles in less than a week. She accomplished her goal in about five days.