142 more days...
Everest Expeditions
March 15th officially marked the beginning of Mountainzone's Mt. Everest
Expedition coverage. Most of the expeditions won't reach Kathmandu until the
first part of April, but Mountainzone has already been posting information about
several of the climbs. There are some interesting people in this year's group,
along with an attempt by an extremely talented Italian climber to do an Everest-Lhotse
(Lhotse is the world's 4th highest mountain and very near Everest) traverse
along a new route without supplemental oxygen. Of more local interest, Iowa City
doctor Chuck Huss will be making his second attempt on Mt. Everest. He turned
back in 1998 after suffering from snow blindness and exhaustion. Keep up with
his climb at www.gazetteonline.com/special/everest. If Dr. Huss is successful
he'll be the first Iowan to summit Mt. Everest. If he's not successful maybe
I'll have a chance to be first. Anybody want to give me $65,000? Make it $70,000
- I need some gear and a plane ride to Kathmandu. And more insurance.
14ers Speed Record
For those of you who haven't already found the link on my Condo Climbing
website, I highly recommend that you all check out Andrew Hamilton's website at
www.thedavisatdallas.com/14ers. It includes his story about his attempt at the
Colorado fourteener speed record. Andrew was successful - barely. The record now
stands at climbing all 54 fourteeners in 13 days, 22 hours, and 48 minutes.
Reading his 42-page story is quite interesting. Not only do you get to read
about his amazing effort (and poor planning and bad luck), you gain a
familiarity with all of the 14ers. Check it out!
Fitness
It's been 68 days since my first email to the group. Are you significantly more
fit than you were two months ago? How about just a little more fit? Keep
working! I know it's easy to take a few workouts off now and then, but if you're
like me you'll suddenly realize it's been several weeks since your last run.
(Don't worry, I'm back on track after running this afternoon.) Don't be afraid
to push yourself - it will be worth it!
"Seven days without training makes one weak."
-Anonymous
"You can't drown in your own sweat."
-Mr. Boelts, my high school football coach
"You'll pass out before you die."
-Mr. Boelts, who was also my biology teacher
