Just got this email from my good friend Biz and wanted to share it with all my faithful readers. I also think John's feat deserves a little attention, given the fact that some jerk submitted a picture of himself a week or so ago to the worthless Post-Journal bragging about his climb. Perhaps I shouldn't blame the guy though - maybe his mom sent it in or something. Anyway, John did it with very little fanfare. I heard about his plans from someone else before I heard anything from John. So here's the email:
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Hey Everyone! I just wanted to let you all know that the Kilimanjaro summit attempt was a success. It was an absolutely amazing experience that began at 6,500 ft in lush tropical rain forest and finished at the summit of Uhuru peak at 19,345 ft among glaciers and lunar-esque landscape. The actual hike itself, apart from being almost completely uphill, was actually at a nice slow pace, allowing us to have maximum energy for the 6th day, the summit attempt. The climb to the summit began at 15,000 ft where every breath was a slight struggle and the weather changed more often than my underwear. We started at midnight when the scree slope would be frozen, thus maximizing our traction and minimizing falling rocks. Plus, we would arrive at the summit right around sunrise. It was an extremely grueling climb that took over 6 hours in almost complete darkness. The stars were beautiful and the Southern Cross had me humming one of my favorite Crosby, Stills, & Nash songs. Honestly, the climb is almost a complete blur. I remember staring up the mountain into the darkness and only seeing other climbers' headlamps. They never disappeared. They only kept climbing. It was a little discouraging to look up so it was a little more comfortable to stare down. Plus, it was easier to follow the trail that way.
As we approached Stella Point, which is the saddle that leads to Uhuru, we realized that it was perfect timing. The eastern horizon was on fire and there was a sea of clouds just waiting to explode with the start of a new day. It was almost too cold to take pictures. The water in my nalgene bottle was frozen. We had another 45 minutes of hiking to reach the true summit, Uhuru, and the sign that marks the highest point in Africa. I guess there's not much more to say than it was an incredible experience. Seeing glaciers 3 degrees from the equator is a very exhilarating feeling. The 5 hour hike down the side of the mountain, on the other hand, was not. I didn't think it was possible to get blisters on the tops of your toes.
I hope that this message finds you all well and in good spirits. I will be back home around the 13th of february. I can't wait to catch up with everyone. Until then, Peace and love! And, Hakuna Matata (too bad Disney got a hold of that one).
-John
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