Getting nostalgic

While hiking this past weekend along some snow-covered trails, we reminisced about our time living in Alberta. Living within a short drive to some of the most majestic parts of the Rocky Mountains was something we never wanted to take for granted. And, winter was a great time to head to the mountains. (photo taken at Chester Lake)



We had some fun times with great friends x-skiing and snowshoeing. (Banff National Park, Mount Ball)





While we don't have the mountains in our backyard any longer, we're paying close attention to the hikes that we have been doing so we know where to revisit in January...with our snowshoes! A great workout and incredibly peaceful way to enjoy the outdoors.

Just like a kid on Christmas morning...

...how did you know??!!! :)

We picked up a couple of cool new items for this trip. So, now we're hoping for sunny days where one can be used and the other will stay in our packs.

The first is this very cool portable solar charger. The Solio Classic got great reviews, but I'll be doing my own testing on it over the next few days to see what we can expect from it.

The second is a GoreTex waterproof overmitt - great for keeping regular gloves/mitts underneath nice and dry on rainy days. The smallest size (unisex small) were still too big for my hands, but they are a great fit for Mark. Thankfully, I have found an inexpensive alternative to get me through this particular trip, but will be on the look-out for a more durable pair for future use.

Thank-you, thank-you, thank-you!

Biomes

We will be traveling through five biomes from the base of Kilimanjaro through the summit.  This particular image reflects the landscape changes seen while taking the Marangu route to the summit, but the landscape will be similar to what we will experience on our trek using the longer Lemosho route which begins on the west side of the mountain. (click on the image for a larger view)

Who would be crazy enough to join us...

yup...Walt & Marisa!

It's going to be a ton of fun.

Chilly days makes for quiet trails

Training and shopping

Kilimanjaro is not really considered a technical climb (no ropes or harnesses required). The difficulty, other than the hours of hiking each day, is the altitude. Since we really can't train for the altitude, we are training our bodies to deal with the hours on our feet. We're hoping that taking extra days on the mountain will help us acclimatize to the altitude.

Running, cycling, and swimming will help the cardio side of our training, but getting out and exploring the various trails in our area will not only help with general fitness, but will get those boots worked in and allow us to test our gear - what works and what doesn't. Yes, found out last weekend while spending several hours hiking in cold rain that we may need to make a quick stop at MEC for one more thing. MEC (Mountain Equipment Co-op) rocks! www.mec.ca

These boots were made for walkin'...

We have been getting outdoors to hike as much as possible over the past few weeks - a great way to ready ourselves for the trip and share some laughs with good friends (hope Walt & Marisa don't grow tired of us!)

Why Kilimanjaro? ...because it's there...

but for how long? I'm not referring to the mountain itself, but rather the snows of Kilimanjaro. How long will they last?

Some reports suggest global warming is to blame for the retreating glaciers on Kilimanjaro, while other reports suggest lower level deforestation is having a negative impact on humidity/moisture levels in the mountain air which 'feed' the ice and snow on the mountain. But whatever the reason, the ice cap is disappearing quickly.

So, when we read that the snows could be gone within the next decade, we said let's combine our love of hiking, the outdoors, our sense of adventure, and of course a safari, with a summit attempt of the world's highest free-standing mountain in the world - 19,340 ft (5895 m).

Memories of Africa...

When I was in grade three, we had a class field trip to African Lion Safari - basically a drive-thru zoo located a short bus-ride away. I have some reservations about animals in captivity now, but I do know that the field trip sparked something in me. To see these animals so close - a school bus window separated us - was so cool. Whether it was the silly antics of the monkeys or the majestic look of the lions, I'm not sure...but I remember the trip well and have always longed to see more.

We didn't have the plethora of TV channels to watch as a kid that are available now, but when Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom came on, I was easily hooked. I found it so fascinating that Marlin Perkins and Jim were able to actually touch many of the animals, but still showed the respect that these creatures deserved. Wow...wouldn't it be cool to see all these animals in their own environment just like we saw on television. ( A little Wild Kingdom nostalgia )

Shortly after Mark & I were married, we talked about places we would like to go and things we would like to do. Not surprising to either of us, we both wanted to go to Africa one day and the trip would need to include a safari.

Remember that song "Africa" by Toto done in the early 80's?

part of the chorus:

I bless the rains down in Africa

Gonna take some time to do the things we never had

So, here we are, many years after we shared our dreams of travel and we're finally taking some time to do the things we never had. How cool is that?

In the beginning...

...there was a blog. And so it begins.

"I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived." - Henry David Thoreau