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hunger hurts, but starving works when it comes too much to love.

1/11/2013

 
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Who wouldn't be a mountaineer! Up here all the world's prizes seem nothing. Muir
Morning y'all,

It's a nasty day up top. The mountain is receiving a persistent little drizzle at the moment. It's so dark 30 minutes before sunrise... it feels more like 5am. The high yesterday reached 45 degrees. The low was a ridiculous 42 degrees. It's currently 44 degrees and drizzling. The mountain received .22" of rain starting around 8pm last night. There's no snow up top and the trails are clear, save for a few brief icy sections.

The winds that accompanied last night's storm were so intense that I was unable to sleep for a few hours last night. It was a nice break from my routine of uninterrupted 10-15 hours. My quiet little loft feels like an old ship during these storms. It could just be my runaway imagination, but I swear that I can feel it gently swaying in the waves. I lit my kerosene lamp and read in between bouts of awe. I wish my knee were 100%, I could've gone out to inspect the storm, a la Thoreau and Muir. It felt busy as a Saturday night downtown out there. Rarely are these woods so shamelessly animated. It usually takes a more subtle eye to sense their liveliness.

Best of luck to the Kilimanjaro crew! I can't wait to hear all about your adventure!
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Top photo: Kilimanjaro!!! Above: Things an injured caretaker makes: strong tea, stronger coffee, pizza from scratch, oatmeal raisin bourbon cookies! Roughin' it.
doug y
1/11/2013 12:40:34 am

Very nice photo of Kilimanjaro. I got out my album from my trip to that marvelous mountain and relived for a few moments the great scenery I was fortunate to see. It'll certainly be interesting to see and hear what your fellow crew members have to report. Some scientists report that the snow and ice cover on the peak have "retreated" and melted; I was wondering when the above photo was taken ? Regardless of when, it gives a good perspective of the mountain. After climbing the mountain I boarded a train in Mombasa on the Kenyan coast and after we departed late in the evening, I saw Kilimanjaro from the train as a dark silhouette which was nearly as impressive as being on its summit. G'day

charlotte
1/11/2013 03:32:18 am

like the contrast in the first pic of Kilimanjaro n the giraffe and your pizza and cookies are look'n great. BTW didn't know I needed to re-write a college thesis on here..lol - to funny. Have a great day on the mt. and hope your knees at 100% soon.

Allyson Virden
1/11/2013 04:43:55 am

Thanks for the shout out, JP! Chris and I are checking our gear and packing our bags. We head of D.C. on Wednesday. This time next week we will getting ready to start an adventure of a life time. I will make sure and hijack the blog when I return to share some photos from 19340'.

JP
1/11/2013 09:58:48 am

Allyson,

I'm so excited for you guys! And good luck tonight, too! Fill me in when y'all get back!

Stay safe and enjoy,
JP

Mick Pletcher link
1/15/2013 04:31:48 am

I climbed it last fall and it was a rush to say the least. There is my blog on summiting it and a lot of info on it too. It was definitely worth doing it.

Mick Pletcher
1/15/2013 04:32:40 am

http://climbingkilimanjaro09-2012.blogspot.com/2012/10/climbing-kilimanjaro.html

Christopher Gehrke
1/11/2013 04:45:08 am

Hey bud! I'll see ya tomorrow around lunch. We will be starting up Alum cave trail in the morning! Looks and sounds like its going to be nasty on our trip! Look forward to meeting ya!

Tilman
1/11/2013 06:26:00 am

lol; yeah, that was funny.

Robert Geer
1/11/2013 07:06:41 am

JP,
Wes,Kim, and I will bring you up a bit of January cheer tomorrow. :-)

Debi
1/11/2013 09:33:23 am

Gees, I seen that giraff in the pic and thought I had the wrong website at first. lol Great looking food. Your roughing it. Allyson, Chris and Lindie, have a awsome time. Remember we are expecting alot of pics.

Richard H. link
1/11/2013 12:46:11 pm

Dang it man, you are roughing it! Tomorrow you're going to be owerwhealmed with wellwishers bearing gifts. Should be much more stuff to help you rough out some more quality time!


Comments are closed.
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