Kilimanjaro no 1

< Newer Mon, 03/19/2007 - 04:24 — aeronik
 

Hello Everyone,                  Version française

This is the beginning of my journey. Leaving on may 26, 2007, I'm going to Africa to  climb Kilimanjaro. I'm working as a fitness instructor in a gym here in Quebec, called Énergie Cardio. This company is trying to raise money for a charity foundation for sick children, Opération Enfant Soleil. I need to raise $1500 canadian dollars myself to take part in this expedition.

Through this web site, I will try to share with you the whole adventure. From the beginning to the end. By the beginning, I mean the whole preparation, the fund raising (I'm organizing activities through the whole spring season to raise the money), the training, the gear, shots, insurance, etc... and the trip itself. Getting there, the climb, the journey during the climb, post climbing and after the hard part, I'm going on a Safari in Serengeti National Park.

I hope you enjoy what I'm going to feed you with. I will try to make my adventure accessible to anyone. I want to talk about my fears, my weaknesses, but also my trust in life, in what I have to live, my confidence and how I'm building it up for the climb.

I'm not a professional climber, far from that... (see "About me" section for more information). I'm a normal person who works and lives a normal life, and who wants to live the adventure. Life is short. We need to experience different things and that's what I'm trying to do.

I'll try to give you as much information as I can. I want to demystify what climbing, hiking and trekking is. I want people who don't climb or hike be able to understand what I will go through during this trip and enjoy it as much as I do. I also want people to stop thinking that it's for a special kind of person, that it's not for everyone. That's what I thought it was at the beginning, before I went to Everest Base Camp last year, but then I went on with my fears, I broke the doors and now, it's all accessible... with determination, perseverance and motivation to keep in shape...  

I want to take advantage of this tribune to adress special thanks to Paul and Fiona who did some great work on this web site and also for giving me the opportunity to have my own website so that I can share my adventure in Africa with all of you.

You can't imagine how rewarding it is when people you hardly know (I mean we know each other virtually...) put their trust into you and believe in what you can do! I met Paul and Fiona the same way as probably a lot of you guys did... On the web. I followed their climb last year and that's how I got to learn about this wonderful website and I told them about my story and they asked me to join the team!

As you might have noticed, french is my first language as in speaking and writing. So don't be offended too much if you see some mistakes once in a while. I try my best... 

These days, I'm working very hard at the gym. I'm spending a lot of time in building up those pages and I'm also preparing my activities for fund raising. Training completes the spare time I would sometimes get!!!

Talk to you guys soon! Don't be afraid to send me messages! You are the jewels of this site... If you're not there, there is no use in doing this...

Bye, Aéronik  

 

Messages

I will be following in your footsteps!

Mary Clare Reinhardt — Mon, 03/19/2007 - 05:13

It is interesting that not only am I going to climb Kili in June but it will also be my first big adventure without my best friend, love of my life, my husband, Dave. We just got back from the Caribbean together. We go snow skiing, jet skiing, boating, river canoeing and many outdoor activities together. He just has NO desire to climb big mountains. He does enjoy a good day hike so I definitely cannot complain! Good luck with all of your preparations. mc

Wishing you the best of luck - I found Kili harder than expected

Paul Adler — Mon, 03/19/2007 - 06:17

Hi Anik,
I am really looking forward to reading about your preparations for the climb and the climb itself. Fiona and I climbed Kilimanjaro a few years back. I was very unfit at the time and I found the going tough. To make matters worse I started to get mild altitude sickness at our very first camp. This was probably a combination of altitude, being unfit and not drinking enough water.

We intended to climb up the Heim Glacier, but when we got to the bottom, it was really out of condition and looked like it would involve a lot of complicated route finding to negotiate a path through all the crevasses. So we continued around towards the normal route, camped and then climbed up to the ridge and then onto the summit.

One thing I do remember was that it was quite cold on the summit. We didn't bring enough warm climbing gear and would have benefited from some better gloves.

But it was a lovely climb, we had amazing views every day and seeing the Serengeti afterwards was a great way to finish off the trip.

Regards,
Paul

For everybody

Ann — Mon, 03/19/2007 - 22:09

Thanks for the comments about taking the mystery out of trekking, climbing and generally going beyond what "normal" people think they can do! We are slowly training to do the trek to BC and through reading these posts we really believe we can do it. Also showing us that you can fight through addiction and any problem that you may have to achieve your goal,( in our world getting through a medical crisis). Have fun and best of luck! Ann and Graham

Thanks everyone for your good words

aeronik — Tue, 03/20/2007 - 05:02

Thank you guys for all the support and tips you're giving me!!! Ann and Graham, yes I do think that "normal" people can do that kind of trip, as long as the person is willing to suffer a little bit and live the "out of bound" experience. Plus, what I think everyone should know, it's important to get in shape and have a certain level of fitness, but reaction to altitude is something you can't plan. Even the best climbers in the world have it really rough sometimes and can't achieve their goal. What I think and my own experience showed it to me, you need to take your time, climb slowly and more important, listen to your body... The physical part IS important but the mind also needs to be on your side. Because when you're having it rough, and when you're out of breath all the time, you start thinking: "Why am I doing this???" " Wouldn't I be better at home, in my couch watching TV?" "Am I nuts or what???" That's when you want to give it up. That's when you mind needs to take the relay on your body. You need to remember why you first wanted to do this...

In Yoga we believe that there are 3 parts in the human being... Body, Mind and Spirit. I think that while climbing or hiking (that's my case), you really experience the use of those three aspects !!!

Ann and Graham: Thank you and keep up your preparation for EBC...
MC:Wish you luck also on YOUR own Kili climb.... It's going to be really interesting to share both our experience through this web site, isn't it?

Paul: What can I say to you???? That I'm so grateful of all you've done to help me build my pages and giving me this wonderful opportunity!!!! There are no words to express how I feel supported by you and Fiona and how telling my story (and writing it) gave me a chance to make a check up at this point in my life!!! Thank you again, and again, and again... You must be counting the days right now!!! From now on (since my pages are live now) we should be exchanging through the site. I wish you luck, health, determination, good judgement and high spirit on this year's climb on Everest!!! I will definitely follow you through the whole trip !!!

Ciao, Bye,

Aeronik :o)

Another Kilimanjaro Experience

Dena — Tue, 03/20/2007 - 20:48

Hi, Anik,
No one's Kili summit experience is the same, but I can share my summit experience on August 15, 2004. We were a group of 14 and started out at midnight for the summit. Our lead guide said that it was the coldest summit night that he remembered. People summited at different times, beginning just after daybreak about 0630. My friend Lisa (with a history of asthma) and I were the straglers, summiting about 0830. My story differs from Paul's because it was so warm then on the summit that we took OFF our gloves--then had a bite to eat, and enjoyed the views from the top for over 30 mins. Earlier, on our way up, we had met the early summiters on their way down. Many were feeling sick and had vomited. Lisa and I contend that the reason we had a more enjoyable summit experience was because of the extra time we had to acclimatize, instead of rushing to the top. Can't prove this is true--just a thought!

I also wanted to tell you that I re-read your original posting, "Putting Sunshine Back into My Life." Your story is so similar to the story Margo Chisholm told in her book, TO THE SUMMIT (pub'd 1997) which I just read last month (Cocaine, going back to school, climbing mountains.) I found it at a used book store, but you may be able to find it at Amazon. Do read it if you haven't--think you will feel like
you have a new friend. Also, check out her website, www.tothesummit.com
Through your struggles, you both show how you conquered your mountains in life and then to go out and climb the real ones.

I look forward to reading about your fundraising and prepartions for your trip before you leave for Africa.
Dena

Great web-site (Margo Chisholm)

Mary Clare Reinhardt — Tue, 03/20/2007 - 21:14

Very inspirational...thanks for the link, Dena. mc

Hi Dena

aeronik — Mon, 03/26/2007 - 23:07

Sorry for taking so much time for answering back. I kind of lost where your message was. Anyways, I wanted to say thank you for your Everest story, because I suppose you are the Dena from that story. It was so inspiring and everyone should learn from an attitude like the one you had during your battle. You really inspire me... Your text is going to be part of the "lectures" I read to set my mind up for courage, strentgh and motivation. Thank you! I also like your experience on Kilimanjaro. It's also going to help me on my journey!

Have a nice day,
Aeronik :o)

Hi Dena (bis)

aeronik — Mon, 03/26/2007 - 23:08

I went on the link you talked about and I ordered the book. I'll tell you about it when I read it!!!
Thanks for the hint!
Aeronik :o)

Amazed!

Visitor — Wed, 03/21/2007 - 14:03

Knowing you personally, I have to say that you (and your significant other) impress me!

I know you haven't had an easy life but seeing what you are about to accomplish is for me a huge source of strength. I think the human being is driven mainly by positive thoughts and feelings. Everytime I see you in family gatherings or anywhere else I can see that you are a postive person relying mostly on your feelings... By doing that, there is NO limit in what you can accomplish!!!

Well done!

Get up there safely and return to Quebec in one piece ;)

Best of luck!

Dominic

Thank you

aeronik — Wed, 03/21/2007 - 18:02

Hi Dom and Kate,

Thanks for the cheer!!! I know you guys are counting the days by now... 59 as I can read on your messenger. I also wish you luck and happiness on that climb of building a new life!!! Say Hi to your significant other too.... :o)

Aeronik :o)

Best of luck!

Visitor — Thu, 03/22/2007 - 15:50

I am was so inspired by your story- what a lot you've overcome. If you can quit drugs, Kili will be a peice of cake. Can't wait to read your climb!

A fellow canadian rooting for you - Christy

Piece of cake....

aeronik — Thu, 03/22/2007 - 21:43

With big chunks to bite from.... ;-) Thank you very much!!!

Aeronik :o)

Body, mind and spirit

Ann — Fri, 03/23/2007 - 22:49

Hi Aeronik! Thanks for the encouragement!We are working hard to get into proper shape to do the BC trek and have very positive mindset about it, but right now even on these 2.2 miles hikes on the small peaks around here I huff and puff! We are going to keep at it until the lung capacity gets better and do Colorado high altitude hikes to test how we function! We have the mind and spirit, and soon we will have the bodies!!
Best of luck on Kilimanjaro!
Ann and Graham

You already have it!!!

aeronik — Mon, 03/26/2007 - 10:41

Wow! This is great work! You already have the bodies.... Huffing and puffing is normal, (in a certain way), that means you're still breathing ;-). How lucky you guys are to be close to those Colorado peaks for some good practice on high altitude hikes. I wish I would have high mountains close to my house... Well, I try my best with what I have! Good luck for you too on your training!

Aeronik :o)

Climbing Kilimanjaro

Visitor — Mon, 03/26/2007 - 22:38

Hi! I was reading Patrick Hickey's blog when I noticed that you are getting ready to climb Kilimanjaro. It so happens that my daughter and I are also climbing Kilimanjaro at the same time...we leave South Carolina May 26th.....I'm a nurse and she is a graduate student....this for us is the adventure of a lifetime! Maybe we'll see you there. Spritehaven

Coool !!!

aeronik — Mon, 03/26/2007 - 22:59

Wow! Isn't it great? Which route are you climbing? I'll be climbing through Machame Route. I think this is such a great thing to be doing this with your daughter. She,s going to remember this for the rest of her life. Like you say, this is going to be the adventure of a lifetime. For me too, you know. It's my first time going on an adventure trip like this without my boyfriend (he can't come because of other commitments). We trekked to EBC last year and went for one month in Thaïland. We also went in Ecuador and The Galapagos Islands. I did all those wonderful things with him... I know I'll find it rough sometimes on the way, but I also know I'll find something else inside of me.

I hope we see each other there. Would be nice to exchange and share our experience.

Ciao,
Aeronik :o)