Kili in 2007

Well. Here it is. I got what I wanted. A lifetime goal will be attempted. I leave at 10:51am tomorrow and will arrive after more than a day of travel in Tanzania sometime around 8 pm on June 6th.

I’ve gotten a lot of crazy looks and “why’s” out of a lot of people about this trip. The answers are many that I could give. I guess I just wanted to do it and see if it could happen. In our everday life we surround ourselves with all the things that make us stronger in life. Our titles, our jobs, our houses, our toys, our families to make us stronger against the world. I wanted to strip all that away from me and see what was left for a little while. For nearly half a month I’m going to travel to another continent, half way around the world, hiking over 60 miles and up 13,000 ft in elevation to over 19,000ft on MNT. Kilimanjaro because I asked to. I am going to do the best that I can to enjoy it and take it all in. I have a goal to achieve, but will enjoy the journey to get to it along the way.

Will I make it up or be one of the 60 percent that don’t make it? I could have told you five years ago that I would summit 100 percent. I would have pushed through the pain and sickness of altitude to finish. Now,  If I get sick and run a risk of any injury or death, I’ll turn around and go back down the mountain. I will not be one of the 15 or so people that die on KILI each year. I’ve got a son now and seeing him again is more important than my own goals. That being said, I didn’t go to Africa to fail and there will be “One Hell of an attempt” on my part to summit.

To those who helped me get in shape, thank you. Several of you went hiking and running with me to push me to get ready . To my wife, April you are awsome and have been nothing but supportive in my crazy adventures and have stood by me through all of this. Never once have you questioned any decision I have made.  Thank you so much and take care of the baby while I am away. I will see you soon.

This is my last post for the training blog. I will try to see you from the roof of Africa.

Not a very long day. I hiked just a shade over 3 miles. I took the yellow foothills trail up to the white and up to Shackelford point (hightest point on white trail). Got in some good hill work. I made it to Maggies glenn (1.3 miles) in about 20 minutes. Then up to the highest part of the white trail in about 17 mitues. I didn’t stop the whole way, though I really hurt today and wanted to stop. i rested for about 10 miutes once I got to the top and then turned around and came the same way back. Anybody thats been follwing this blog ( I assume there are a few of you as it has had several thousands hits now. One thing I wish I would have done was more consecutive day hikes like the last three days. Its easy to go hard for one day, but when you’ve got several hard hikes in a row I think that helps. My body is worn down from this though (Kili is going to be much worse and many more miles.)

I did 7 miles today and thank goodness, I didn’t see the coyote again. I was however passed by a woman and her Labradoodle. (Poodle + Lab mix, very ugly combo in my opinion). Not a good sign to get passed by a woman and a giant poodle. I was however hauling nearly 45 pounds up hill, so I have a good excuse.

 Brought the rest of my new gear in the pack. My sleeping bag is synthetic and takes up much less space. the thermarest was a very light and I just rolled it up and strapped it to the pack. The new walking poles were O.K, I could have shopped around a little better for a better weight ratio. Their retractable, so thats what matters. It was very hot out and I sweat a great deal today. Actually ran out of water in my camel back. My wife and son are at the lake and I’ll be glad to see them today when they get back. I stayed here to put in some leg work on the trails. I’ll be glad when the 5th gets here cause I’m getting sick of training/working.

I haven’t posted for a while. Lifes been busy and training has taken a back seat to life. I may pay for that in ten days. I have been working on a yard project for my son (cutting down about 20 trees, grinding stumps, leveling the land and planting grass, domestic stuff). My buddy Tim says I’ll be the best firewood cutter on the mountain, making fun of my lack of proper training. I also hurt my back and had that to get in the way. Since I last posted I may have only gone to hike three times and have gone to the stadium to hike up and down the steps with my pack. I’ve done that three times.  So not much real training. I also have a foot injury but as long as I don’t turn it , it is o.K.

Today I went out and hiked about 5 or 6 miles maybe. Strange thing happened. I heard something crashing through the woods and thought it was a deer. Once I got a better look, it ended up being a very large coyote. He crossed the trail only about 15 yards from where I was resting. I don’t think he saw me, as I was sitting down and being very still. Made me very nervous though and I was paranoid the rest of the trip. you never know when those things are sick or could have rabies. Anyway I finished the hike and was pretty tired. I’ll go back out on Sunday and put in some more miles.

Equipment- I bought a new sleeping bag, thermorest, silk liner and a military sleeping bag cover (not crazy about the camo design, as I am tring to leave no traces of my military past to stick out. Al-Quida is known to have operated in Tanzania and I don’t want to stick out). The bag is only rated to 20 degrees, they recomend it be -20F. I think though that with the liner and cover that will get it close to zero. Seeing that I’ve spent some real time in cold conditions (200 miles above the artic cirlce in -60F, that was cold) I think I’ll survive. However, This could be my 2nd biggest miscalculation, right behind not training enough. I also bought some silk wicking long handle underwear, hiking poles, and a hat.

I ran 3 days this week and worked out lifting weights twice. I also went and bought a couple of hiking pants down at Alabama outdoors. They are the kind that you can unzip close to the knee and they become shorts. Not sure if they are suited to the  hiking environment in Tanzania, I’ll have to ask on the forum. I think they are probally to thin.

Today, I hiked about five miles. Did some good hill work. I hiked about 2 1/2 miles up the blue trail, pretty steep at some points. Then over to the yellow foothills trail back. I only stopped once the whole time and kept a pretty good pace. Very pretty and warm out. I was alone most of the trip and just listened to my I-POD and enjoyed a nice couple of hours in the woods.

I ran on Tuesday and Friday this week about a mile each time. Bad storms rolled through and kind of messed my schedule up. I also lifted weights each of those days for around a half hour.

Today I went out to Oak Mountain with my buddy Tim and his wife Elaine. We did a short little hike of about 3 miles total. I did climb up to the top of the white trail just to get in a little hill work. Kaylee also came along and enjoyed the  rain swollen creeks. It was warm and pretty out. Lots of people in the parking lot of the North Trail head. We found a geo-cache site (Hidden boxes in the woods people locate with GPS) that I talked about a few post back, really fun. Not much work today, but I enjoyed getting out in nature after having a rough week at work. I’m looking to increase my cardio this week. I need to be running 3 to 4 days a week rather than the 2 I am right now. Daylight savings time is coming soon and will present more of an opportunity for mid week hikes and running.

I have not been hiking in a couple of weeks. I have been running and working out on Tuesdays and Thursdays still . My running is about a mile or a little more each time.

Today I hiked the same ten miles I did last time. Down the yellow foothills  trail and then up to the white walking the ridge back to the car. The result was close to the same. I ended up hiking up the steepest part in about 15 minutes (almost straight up at times it felt). I guess I did the whole thing in about three hours. It was very windy up on the ridge as there is a bad storm rolling in. Lots of people out and large groups of boy scouts. Kaylee did great as always.

Since the last post I’ve only ran twice (total of three miles) and worked out twice (I’m worthless). Today I hiked ten miles and redeamed myself from getting lost a few weeks back. I took that same route and found my way easily this time. I hiked out the first four miles on the yellow trail and went along the lake. This trail is called the foothills trails and goes up and down. I then cut over on the yellow -white connector (1.2 miles also where I got lost last time) This is also the steepest trail in the park I have found so far. As I approached it from the lake the mountain really loomed over me. I kept looking up at the ridge and thought, “Man I’ve got to climb that thing to get up to the ridge just to walk back.” I’ve heard other climbers talk about the psychological side of this and it defeats some people. Kind of got a taste of that when I got close to it. I really kept thinking how bad this was going to suck nearly going straight up for over 1000ft. I prepared myself to stop several times and maybe even layout on the ground. However, It never happened, I felt much stronger and never stopped all the way up. Whats more, I covered the distance at a fast pace and made it up the ridge in 16 minutes. I was floored !!! I knew I was in better shape, but didn’t expect to make it up without stopping. I then walked the ridge back on the white trail for about 4 miles and then back to the truck. Kaylee barked at a white dog and another hiker who did the exact opposite of what we had done today. When the dog came up she coward down like always. Also met some Geo-Cachers with their GPS out finding Landmarks and hidden treasures with their kids. Lots of fun I’m sure. A good day’s hike, just under 10 miles.  A little cold and kept a lot of people off the trails.

On Thursday, I ran 1.25 miles with Danny and lifted weights. He is a much better runner than I am and has helped push me harder on the runs. I hate to run, but did not stop, knowing I need to build up my cardio.

Today, I hiked ten miles with my dog. It took about 3 1/2 hours. The pack was just over 40 pounds today. I weighed it before I left and without it I was at 220 pounds. With the pack I was over 260 pounds, so my knees and ankles have started to take a beating. I walked the yellow and white trails today. Did the opposite of last Saturday and tried to find where it was that I got lost. I think I can find it next time and it will be a challenge to get up that side of the mountain. Lots of people out on the trails. Good weather and sunshine. This week was a good week of training and marking off the vaccinations from the to do list helped.

On Tuesday, I ran a mile at a pretty good pace without stopping. I also lifted weights for about 45 minutes.

On Wednesday I went and got the recomended vacinations for visiting Tanzania. In all I spent about 300 dollars for four shots and two sets of pills. Here’s the cost (feels like a mastercard commercial)

Hepatitis Vaccine $ 59.98, Polio Vaccine  $27.36, Yellow Fever Vaccine $68.05,  Tetnus Diptheria  $39.15,  Malaria Pills  $42.60

Not dying, while laying in a pool of your own diarrea in Africa, P-R-I-C-E-L-E-S-S!!!!!!!