BootsnAll Travel Community

I thought maybe we could have a place to chit-chat about the upcoming BNA trip aside from the other thread that we are getting updates on. I know it is still early but is everyone as excited as I am?!!

I can't stop reading up and learning more and more about the area. It is getting me in trouble because I still have more to learn about Morocco before I go.

Anyone else got Kili on the mind?

Absolutely, all the time!!! Even though I've got to plan a trip to Argentina this summer, first!

So...one thing that I've been trying to do is to get in shape for the trip. Why? Well, because I hike slow and is seems that on all the other trips I've been on, I've been one of the last hikers...Also, I was trying to get in shape for my trip last year, and I failed miserably at doing it. And dang, I sucked. So now I'm seriously going to make the effort and stick with my plans!

So anyways, hoping to inspire others (or hoping others inspire me...)...I'm going to post the exercise that I do to get my ass in shape for this trip. I've been lazy lately...running around the neighborhood is soooo boring.

Within the past few weekends, I did a 10 mile hike (easy, not much elevation change), a 3.5 mile hike ("most difficult hike in central texas"...which was nothing...biggest elevation change was 200 ft descent into a valley followed by a 200 ft ascent), and a 2.5 mile walk with 65 pounds of resistance (my dog)

Today: Rock climbed for 4 hours - of course, with rests, but worked up quite a sweat! (Now this will probably be a bunch of mumbo jumbo to you if you don't understand the climbing lingo and such) I worked on leading a 5.10 route, which is pretty ballsy of me..seeing that I've only climbed two 5.9's. I got 4 out of the 6 clips, and gave in before the psychological point...the "donuts", where I lead belayed a chick who fell from them. But I thought I did pretty damn good. To get to the first clip, you have to traverse a roof, which I'm an expert at now..although my feet slip in the same spot (height issues there...they don't make these routes for short people!). Not to mention hanging on for dear life just above the roof, to make the first clip as my hand slipped, regaining a foot, arm trembling, and clipping at the same time.

I also tried leading a 5.9 that I had tried last weekend. Only to make a miserable attempt. Last weekend, I got 2 clips...but then I cleaned the route that someone had lead, so I was toproped in..just to see if I could do the route (big moves towards the top, only feet are on the tufa). I proved to myself last weekend that I indeed could do it. Today..no way. I got 3 clips. One huge move a few feet above the last protection...I just didn't feel comfortable doing it, so I downclimbed until the last protection point. Seeing someone who's 5ft 7in struggle with that huge move..well..they've got 8 inches on me, so it's probably a good thing that I didn't go for it..quite yet..maybe another day when I'm feeling more brave (or stupid)...

I did quite a bit of bouldering. One was rated a V1+, which..well..I don't know about that. The first move is huge for me, I have to lunge and hang on to a flake, hang on and bring a foot up...then from there, it's not so bad...until it makes a transition onto a roof. I can transition well...I twist over to a handle, then get my right hand on a flake..there..I have no feet. I need to be at least 2 inches taller to reach the feet. It really sucked. So I tried something crazy...campusing (no feet, all hands..on a roof). A few attempts later, I was able to campus my other hand to the flake to match, campus my right hand to a little two finger pocket, and bump it to a jug..thereby falling after that move as my momentum made me swing. I had a little audience at the gym watching me do that campusing part..well..I mean, I couldn't reach the feet and there had to be a way for me to get further in the route

What have you done to get in Kili shape? Inspire us all to get off our asses!

in rachel's thread, i started yapping about an xmas party in africa somewhere - i mean hey, if there's goign to be anotehr xmas party in pdx, why not one in kenya or tanzania??

i've actually been too giddy and excited to be able to sit down and start learning. i'm sure as soon as i have a couple days off from school adn work (which probably won't be in the next couple months), i'll calm down and actually sit down and start googling and dropping by bookstores.

i've decided that i'll be doing local hikes at least once every two weeks. tomorrow, i'm going for an 11.5 mile hike, the highest point at 2800 feet. i know, it's not much.. but i'll work my way up to the ones that go up to 5000 feet. if i find out about any trails that go higher, i'll do those too! i DO NOT want to turn back due to mountain sickness (or to anyting else, for that matter). not only will i be pissed off at myself, i'll be throwing away my money, plus i'll be forced to put up with other peoples stories about how awesome it was!!

cmon guys!!! we'll be celebrating 2006 on the highest point in africa! how sweet does that sound??

xoom, that sounds great! I wish I had hikes that went up that high..highest I'll be able to go is like 1300 feet..ugh...not high at all.

I highly doubt you'll get altitude sickness at 5000 ft, nevertheless at 2800 ft. Sounds like a good hike, tho!

quote:

Originally posted by Marisa:
I highly doubt you'll get altitude sickness at 5000 ft, nevertheless at 2800 ft. Sounds like a good hike, tho!

yeah, that's what worries me. i'm trying to get as high as i possibly can without, you know, dropping $800 to summit mt rainier or something like that. i'm on the lookout for any hikes that'll put me higher than 5000ft, that are within driving distance so.. if you guys know of any, let me know!

marisa, after re-reading your post, it got me thinking. should i start taking rock climbing classes??

No need to take rock climbing classes for the Kili trip. It's just a high altitude hike...no climbing or mountaineering skills required.

Now if it's something you're interested in trying out..then I'd say, heck yeah, take classes - for fun! I love rock climbing...been climbing consistently (about 3-4x per week) for 5 months now. It works out all sorts of muscles..depending on what your climbing...slab climbing = mostly leg muscles, roofs and caves = core (abs) and arms, vertical = legs and arms. I work on a lot of roof/cave or anything other than vertical (underhanging). It's challenging, and damn, I want abs! They're starting to appear...slowly...I know they're under there. My arms have become incredible lean-muscled since I started, though. Climbing and hiking are the forms of exercise I really like...otherwise, I hate working out!

Chances are that I *might* get around 8000 ft in Argentina in August...but that's quite a ways from the Kili trip....so I'm pretty sure that I won't retain the effects. I'd also say that chances are that a lot of people will not get to high altitudes for training before the Kili trip...don't spend the $800 to summit Mt Rainier (yet!). Rainier looks nice and technical, too. I'd save it for later

I am doing more excercise than I had been previously but still not enough. It has been tough to stay motivated with work and everything but as long as I keep my eye on the prize (Kilimanjaro) then I think i'll be ok.

I have been eating slightly better and if I don't run I atleast walk every day on my work breaks and lunch hour.

I'll let you guys know when I hit the rock climbing gym regularly

I'd be down for arriving in Kenya a few days earlier but I really wanted to take extra days at the end of the trip so we'll see.

I think you can pass on the BNA Christmas party for 1 year for this Xoom

I am totally excited about this trip - I think about it all the time. I can't get TOO excited, though, because there is one little thing that could prevent me from actually going. I'm interviewing for a higher position at work and if I do get promoted, the chances of getting the time off around the holidays will be very slim. This is a tough one for me because I view this Kilimanjaro trip as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. My husband has no desire to ever go to Africa and I would never think to go totally by myself. So this trip is perfect because I can go without him and even though I'll be heading to Africa by myself, I won't be alone when I get there. But I can't turn down the promotion - if it's offered to me - just so I can go on this trip. So we'll wait and see...

I have been working out every single day to prepare, too. You people who live near the mountains or near any kind of elevation suck! There's nothing like that around here so I don't have the luxury of taking 10.5 mile hikes in preparation. Instead I hit the elliptical machines at the gym and once the weather improves, I plan on riding my bike a lot (I'm also doing a few bike races this summer that I need to prepare for). No more junk food for me, too. Whenever my coworkers order take out for lunch (like pizza and tacos), it's difficult to resist the temptation so I just keep telling myself, "I've got a mountain to climb!" I've also been drinking tons of water (xoom, I think you mentioned in another thread that it's a good thing to do in advance of high altitude trips?)

And xoom, since the whole BNA crew will also be in Tanzania, I'm guessing there probably won't be a Christmas-time BNA bash in PDX. Unless their plans have changed, of course.

Freesia, i'm with you on the "no mountains" thing... living in Florida I have absolutely no way of getting elevated above a few hundred feet... and that is just in a skyscraper.

Maybe you should climb the stairs of the Sears Tower once a week

I am thinking we are going to be able to get a group airfare and a few of us are probably going to be boarding the same outbound flights to Europe and Africa... so chances are you won't be completely alone on the flight. You, me and Marisa are "basically" east coasters and i'm guessing NYC, ATL, or HOU will be one of the airports we can all group at and fly out together.

I still think the BNA needs an east coast or midwest meet up sometime in the future. PDX is so far!! Obviously that is headquarters though so I can't complain

I need to start doing the incline on the tread mill. I'm not even really concerned with lifting weights. A bunch of people I know at work swear that you aren't working out unless you are on the bench press and that is completely ridiculous.

The eating right part is soooo hard especially in corporate America when everyone orders junk food for convenience. I have to find a way to fight it. I have a difficult time using Kilimanjaro as a motivation because I guess it hasn't quite sunk in yet... it seems so unreal that i'd actually do this.

I thought i'd be much older before i'd get to see this part of Africa.

Anywho, time to get back to work!

so sean and chris will be coming too?

i'm really worried about my school schedule. when i come back, i'll be jumping into the second week of my last quarter before i graduate - so yes, that means i'm missing the first week. i don't want to get dropped from that class, especially since it's only offered once a year. i know it's going to be a pain in the ass finding a flight that'll get me back by the morning of the 9th at the very latest. is it even possible to get back by that time? i know donovan said we could leave the evening of the 8th, and then of course there's the time zones and maybe the red-eye's.. hmm. anyone care to put my mind at ease?

joey, since you're going to morocco, why not go for a day hike around the atlas mountains? if you have time, that is.

Xoom, I considered that but it isn't on the top of my list of things to do in Morocco. I have to make sure I can see Marrakech, Fes and then the camping in dunes of the Sahara. I forgot though, that i'll be traveling through the High Atlas mountains in order to get to the Sahara from Marrakech so that'll give me a taste.

Joey, I'm all for a midwest or east coast BNA meet-up. Not because I live here or anything, but I think Chicago is a perfect location. Easy to get to/from & plenty of stuff for everyone to do... But a Tampa shindig wouldn't be so bad, either. Hang out in Ybor City and visit The Columbia, one of my favorite restaurants in the whole wide world... And you know the weather is always better in Florida!

Freesia, well... with that being said. When are you and your husband visiting Tampa again? Let me know!

Chicago, bah!!! I vote for a Florida meetup.

Yes!!!!

Chicago - 0
Florida - 3

buahaha
score!!

I'll vote for a Chicago meetup.

BillE, unfortunately your vote doesn't count... simply because it goes against the outcome that I would like. Sorry.

In fact not only will your vote not be tallied for Chicago... i'm going to ADD one for Florida.

Chicago - 0
Florida - 4

there we go

And it's no wonder Florida had to have a recount!

Reasons why I deem Florida would be better...

- beach
- beach
- beach
- oh yeah, and we can go to the beach!!!
- warm and sunny weather..awww..yeah!
- not to mention really cool activities such as kayaking, surfing, kite surfing, what else is there joey? who's in with me here?
- just seems sooooo much more chill than Chi
- beach...Texas beaches suck...

Sorry Freesia, Chi-town is just too big for me. I went there for a business trip a few years ago, stayed at the snooty Union League Club. I knew the President, Jay Pierce, at the time. But too bad I couldn't get the hookups on a free room! But anyways...I was stuck in suits all day, working in the financial district..so maybe my view is a bit skewed Oh, but they *do* have Leonida's there!!! So that might be worth a trip...or maybe you can bring me a box when you come to Florida

So anyways...if we're serious about this meetup...well, summer time works great for me, especially late July. August, I'll be gone-a-wandering. Any takers?

No need to apologize Marisa. If your only Chicago experience is the one you described above, then you unfortunately missed out on everything this city has to offer. That's why you need to visit again and hang out with a local - a native would be even better. I've lived in the city - not the suburbs - my entire life (just about). What I love most are all the different ethnic neighborhoods, each with their star restaurants, cultural centers, and museums. And we have beaches here, too You might not want to swim in Lake Michigan all year 'round but summertime is awesome on the lakefront.

But I'm down with Florida, too. I spent every summer of my childhood there (until I was 19) and it's kind of a home-away-from-home type of place for me. And unless you're a hard core beach person (and Marisa it sounds like you are), you'll be miserable there in the summertime, the time of our proposed meetup. It gets so freakin' hot!! Well, freakin' humid, really.

But I'm up for anything. I'm serious about taking part in this Kili trip and it would be fun to meet some of you guys beforehand. My summer schedule is pretty much wide open after July 1st