Over and Out

Well this is it, what I have been training for, getting shot up for, woken up early for, etc..... I am out. In a few hours I fly out to Houston to meet up with the rest of the group. Tomorrow at 10.30 am we start the big air competitions (JFK, London, Nairobi, get it? Big Air? lol I crack myself up). I am hoping to update this on or around the 8th or 9th of September, that may be the earliest I am in front of a computer somewhere in Africa. So as far as the climb I should be on the top on Monday September 5th, Labor Day, ironic? yes, I will be working very hard for it. lol

Take care all and see you on top!

Gearing Up

Here it is, two days before the flight out, packing and finalizing. I spent 3.5 hours at the local REI store on Saturday gathering all the things that I still needed. I think I have everything now. From water purification tablets and powdered drink mixes, to waterproof outer shells both pants and coat, to . . . well alot of other stuff . . . now I need to pack it. It's all about organization at this point, what will I need to dig out first and quickest.

Then the flights, and there are many.

1. Denver to Houston
2. Houston to JFK
3. JFK to London
4. London to Nairobi
5. Nairobi to Kilimanjaro

I could have chosen to bypass the Houston leg and fly east directly from Denver, but Houston is where most of the team is located so I thought it would be easier to meet up there instead of trying to match plans in Africa, but then again that could have been an adventure in itself, next time.

I talked with my brother the other night and he mentioned that the trek agenda has changed (see below). We will not be staying a complete day at the high Crater Camp. Darn it, I was kind of looking forward to that in some strange way. Mostly just to experience the altitude and how I will react to it. You know, it's not that often when we are faced with an experience that is so different from all of our past experiences, I want to feel it completely. Just interesting to me that's all. Anyway, he was not able to acquire some of the equipment that he wanted to use for some experiment with the glacier ice he was planning and that is the reason for the change.

I'll Take One of Each Please

I felt like I was ordering from the local fast food place when I contacted the Colorado Health Department. "Yes, um, hello. I would like the Malaria special smothered with Yellow Fever and Typhoid on top. Oh . . . also give me a side of Tetanus and . . . and super size my Hepatitis A please." Thrilling, of course one of the prerequisites of entering Tanzania is that you need at least a Yellow Fever vaccination certificate. Oh yes, the same one that I will frame afterwards to be placed on my wall right next to my other well achieved documents. I know, I know, it is only for my own benefit. Anyway, yes I got them all, well at least if felt like it. After the 45 minute consultation describing causes, effects, results (death), symptoms, and ways to prevent certain things, I received 3 shots, a pack of pills and prescription for another set of pills. I was hooked up for sure. Ironically this part of the health facility was directly next to the Chemical Dependency area. Oh yes I felt special entering the building, wanting to shout "hey I am going on vacation, where do I get immunized?" just to differentiate myself from the ones who have a real dependency. I laughed about it afterwards.

2 More Finish off July

Well my dad and I view climbing a little differently. He has certainly done his share of 14ers, but when it comes to 4wheeling up as far as you can go (sometimes as high as 13,500 or more) then "walking" to the top and counting is as a "climb", is where we don't see eye to eye. So this next mountain is a guilty one for me. Mt Antero, beautiful, powerful, towering over southern Buena Vista, standing in a row of many 14ers including the Collegiates and farther north Colorado's highest, Mt Elbert. Back to Antero, there just happens to be a 4wheel road that climbs nearly to the top. I humor my dad and drive up, and up and WAY up. I finally stop at around 13,000 + or - a few and say "this is where we start". My dad argued that the road still continued up, but I declined his request. He says he has a hard time walking up a perfectly good road that you could drive up. My son Shawn and I just shook our heads and started up.

After reaching the top alone, I took a few minutes to eat and drink something and take in the great views. That did not last long because a huge ominous BLACK cloud was beginning to talk, more like YELL, that it was getting closer. Time to head down, and quickly. On a little ridge that I crossed on the way up I met up with Shawn again and we continued down together. He was just hanging out and enjoying the view waiting for me.

So I am not quite convinced that I am counting this one.....

July 16, 2005 - Mt Antero 14,269

Next was Mt Sherman. They say that this is the best "1st time" 14er to do, after finishing is I tend to agree. It is a very straight forward climb. I think that my efforts are actually paying off because I was able to reach the summit without stopping once to rest or catch my breath, I feel this is a big step forward even though it was an easier mountain. If no one else does, I will pat my self on the back. :)

July 30, 2005 - Mt Sherman - 14,-036


Well my goal was to climb 4 and now I have done 6.25 (7 according to my dads count). I feel good at passing my original figure.

Good Morning Blues

Pretty much everyone that has known me for more than a couple of days, know that I am totally and unconditionally NOT a morning person. That does not mean that I am an absolute monster but it means that I would rather stay in bed. Mornings for me = slow, non-talkative, robotic and thoughts of going back to bed. Well this whole journey has, quite simply, forced me to make some adjustments. Not only am I climbing these peaks, which is incredible in its self, but I am forcing myself to wake up EXTRA early 3 times a week and ride my bike for 1 hour. It is very painful at times and the bed seems to scream louder early in the morning than at later hours, but I do it. So this is part of my preparation, I figure the more I do now, the better the chance it will pay off on Kili. I think the distance is roughly 15 miles round trip and it is not too bad once I get on the bike and head down the road.

July Hat Trick

July 9, 2005, this was a fun day because I summited 3 times. How you say? Well fortunately the proximity of some of the 14ers in Colorado are relatively close together, only separated by a ridge line. These 3, Lincoln, Democrat and Bross basically form a triangle which can be done from a couple of directions. My dad and I approached from the Hoosier Pass side, which is close to Breckenridge. From here we made our way up an easy 4x road and found a nice place to pull off and start the hike. I ascended the Mt Lincoln face first. After summiting I took a few minute break and then traveled down and across the ridge towards the center of the triangle which by the way is called Mt. Cameron which is at 14,238 but not technically a 14er by its self. The determining factor is that the ridge between peaks must drop 500 feet in elevation, this one does not drop that far. I hit Mt Democrat next which had a steep drop of around 750 feet, then a steep up of the same amount. I had to back trace this part of the trail to get back to Mt Bross which is a big wide topped peak, felt like an open rocky park at the top. The distance between each is roughly 2 miles.

The top picture is of me on top of Bross with Mt Lincoln in the back left. Mt Democrat is far off to the left. The picture to the left is looking at Mt Democrat from Lincoln. Democrat is just left of center along the snow line. This was a good hike, several ascents and descents, good work out. Every one that I successfully climb, I feel more confident and positive, that's a good thing.

Mt Lincoln - 14,286
Mt Democrat - 14,148
Mt Bross - 14,172