Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Feb 17
At basecamp! We ferried a load up to camp 1 yesterday at 16,200 ft. It was a 9 hour day and I was fried. Internet is spotty, i have about 2 minutes left. One member left the group already. We leave for up the mountain tomorrow. Winds are up to 60 mph at camp 3. More later.
Sunday, February 7, 2010
February 7, 2010
This is just so cool. I leave tomorrow and I just got an email from Ed Viesturs. THE Ed Viesturs. He wished me luck on the mountain.
I'm reading his new book K2, which is intense and down-to-earth. Ed will go down in history as being one of the most skillful and level-headed American mountaineers of all time.
I'm reading his new book K2, which is intense and down-to-earth. Ed will go down in history as being one of the most skillful and level-headed American mountaineers of all time.
Thursday, February 4, 2010
February 4, 2010
Before our very eyes, my trainingforaconcagua blog has turned into the Aconcagua Experience blog. I'll write from Mendoza, Plaza Argentina Base Camp, and Plaza de Mulas Base Camp.
So now that I can transition into this new phase of the blog, here's more information. I'm going with Tusker Trails http://www.tusker.com the folks with whom I summited Kilimanjaro, Tanzania in 2004 and traveled to Mongolia with, in 2008. This will be their last trek up Aconcagua because the success rate on summiting Aconcagua is significantly lower (30%-40% success) than Kili. Tusker likes a high success rate, which they are good at with Kili.
My new friends Guy and Brett at Dynamic Earth in Overland Park, KS have been outfitting me and have really revved up my anticipation of the climb. I just bought from them today a Solio Classic solar charger for my ipod. Also, Guy re-vamped my pack and it fits like a glove now. These guys have singlehandedly turned me into a gear-snob and I love them for it. I'm all about Arc'Teryx, thanks to them, and NOTHING BUT merino wool. Dynamic Earth is THE place to buy great gear in Kansas City. Backwoods holds their own too, and I will continue to be a customer at both places, but I have to admit that the guys at DE know their stuff.
Despite an occasional frenzied flash of fear, I'm starting to visualize the starting line and wild horses can't keep me away.
So now that I can transition into this new phase of the blog, here's more information. I'm going with Tusker Trails http://www.tusker.com the folks with whom I summited Kilimanjaro, Tanzania in 2004 and traveled to Mongolia with, in 2008. This will be their last trek up Aconcagua because the success rate on summiting Aconcagua is significantly lower (30%-40% success) than Kili. Tusker likes a high success rate, which they are good at with Kili.
My new friends Guy and Brett at Dynamic Earth in Overland Park, KS have been outfitting me and have really revved up my anticipation of the climb. I just bought from them today a Solio Classic solar charger for my ipod. Also, Guy re-vamped my pack and it fits like a glove now. These guys have singlehandedly turned me into a gear-snob and I love them for it. I'm all about Arc'Teryx, thanks to them, and NOTHING BUT merino wool. Dynamic Earth is THE place to buy great gear in Kansas City. Backwoods holds their own too, and I will continue to be a customer at both places, but I have to admit that the guys at DE know their stuff.
Despite an occasional frenzied flash of fear, I'm starting to visualize the starting line and wild horses can't keep me away.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
February 2, 2010
There is just no way around this....it's coming and it's coming fast. Ernest Hemingway's theme of Grace Under Pressure is the rule of the day. It's all good.
The Lawrence Journal World contacted me and will interview me for a story on Friday. It should be fun and a decent diversion from their usual sports drivel.
I lifted weights today, and just warmed up on the treadmill for a few miles. I'm still stiff from my big workout on Sunday so I figured it would be ok to go lite; after all, if I'm not trained now, I'm toast.
This is turning into not just a training blog but an over-all-diary-blog. It's not as if I have to apologize to my readers (all 4 of you!). Creating this blog has been enormously cathartic, and yet, self-indulgent too.
Sometime I must read about blog etiquette, if there is such a thing....but not now. I'm much too into my own blog to be worried about pleasing anyone else.
The Lawrence Journal World contacted me and will interview me for a story on Friday. It should be fun and a decent diversion from their usual sports drivel.
I lifted weights today, and just warmed up on the treadmill for a few miles. I'm still stiff from my big workout on Sunday so I figured it would be ok to go lite; after all, if I'm not trained now, I'm toast.
This is turning into not just a training blog but an over-all-diary-blog. It's not as if I have to apologize to my readers (all 4 of you!). Creating this blog has been enormously cathartic, and yet, self-indulgent too.
Sometime I must read about blog etiquette, if there is such a thing....but not now. I'm much too into my own blog to be worried about pleasing anyone else.
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