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Current Everests
Five guys trekking to EBC and climbing Island Peak
Scott is embarking on a climb of Ama Dablam
Fiona's building a website business for word of mouth information
Paul's second Mount Everest climb: an unfinished goal 
TA's Mt Everest climb, inspiring young people to dream big 
Pat is climbing Mount Everest - the last of his 7 summits 
Gavin is following his dream to climb Ama Dablam 
Aeronik continues her reinvention as she climbs Mt Kilimanjaro
My Next Everest
I received an email today from someone named Monica. This is what she had to say, "I am still reading and enjoying your wonderful writing. You write so well. ‘Many Everests’ was very nice. Glad you made it home safely. Please, keep writing."
Interesting timing. Just today I decided to sign the contract that will be my next Everest. My next mountainous challenge will be to put my Everest experience into words that will become a book. The goal is to have the first draft ready by mid autumn so that it can be published just in time for the next Everest season. So Monica, thanks for the pep talk as I need to “buckle down” as my mom would say and keep writing. Time to stop surfing around looking for new mountains and find the words to bring “My Everest” to print.
I was supposed to return home from Everest during this past weekend. There are some who believed I wouldn’t truly settle into being back home until the original arrival date had passed. The transition out of my 18 month Everest journey hasn’t been the smoothest as I’ve struggled to find my way through the large void that remains now that the experience has passed. It’s been tempting to fill the void but instead, I’ve chosen to sit with the emptiness, revel in moving slow, waste time left and right, and obsess about whether or not to replace the Omamobile.
I suspect I’ll soon find myself back into the thick of it as teaching is just around the corner. I’m taking Flat Stanley back to central Newfoundland tomorrow and will present to his school on Wednesday.
Takunda was born a week ago today. In many ways, the past week has been like mountaineering. Go to bed early. Awake in the fresh night just beyond midnight. Find the way in unfamiliar territory. Know that a team is stronger than its individuals. Don’t sleep much. Steep learning curves. Joy. Pain. New views. Sleep. Eat. Burp. Poop. All Takunda is missing is the walk uphill part. That will come!
Take care,
TA
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Messages
t.a.
book — Tue, 06/12/2007 - 02:08excellent news!![ken.nz]
Greetings from Tom and Audrey
Visitor — Tue, 06/12/2007 - 02:22TA, Thrilled to hear that you are going to chronicle your experience into a book. I am sure it will be a best seller. Put us down for an autographed first edition!!!!!!, whatever the cost!!!!
Monica is so right. You have a beautiful and suspenseful writing style which I know will continue to draw all your readers into a special relationship with you. I am sure many will be anxious to read and learn from your wonderful, yet terribly difficult experiences of the past 18 months. You have such a story to tell and teaching to do through your writing. You are such a hero in our minds and hearts and feel so honoured to have you as a dear friend!!
So hurry. no hesitation or procrastanation!!
I leave on Thursday for the Rotary International Convention in Salt Lake City where my brother is being inducted as RI President for 2007-08. I will also attend the RI World Peace Symposium and will attend the Rotary Foundation Alumni gathering to which our GSE Team are members.
Will be back June 22 and will catch up with you on return.
Meanewhile TA, we both hold you in our thoughts, hearts and prayers. Keep smilin and keep writing. Let the lessons, joys, hopes and struggles of your heroic journey flow from your fingertips so that it may serve as an exceptional example to all of your stamina, determination and great spirit.
In friendship,
Tom and Audrey on PEI
GSE Forever
taloeffler — Tue, 06/12/2007 - 12:26Tom and Audrey,
Good to hear from you. I got my GSE Rotary Foundation Newsletter the other day-it always causes me to pause and reflect on my Argentina experience. Many of the things I learned through that experience assist me today. Congrats to your brother. I noticed a billboard the other day that mentioned Dennis Knight as district president...amazing the connections that came out of the 99 experience-hard to believe it was almost a decade ago.
TA
Thanks for the "ride"
bewsy — Tue, 06/12/2007 - 03:52My year 11 Outdoor Education class have watched all of the "Everest Climbers" on this site (my everest) take on the challenges of tackling the worlds highest peak. I set them a task prior to the climb season to be able to identify a "climber" and follow their progress. I had set the class a number of key questions that required them to interpret the many experiences and emotions that occur as part of the "Everest" psyche. My class thoughly enjoyed the dispatches from all of you on my everest. The results they obtained were very pleasing. I saw them develop a real deep understanding of why it is people climb such a challenging mountain!.
Ever since I had my first class sit in front of a computer back in 1996 when Rob Hall & Scott Fisher's expeditions were going horribly wrong, I have tried to immerse my classes in the Everest experinece. To vicariously take on the mountain so to speak through all of you. Thanks again TA for a wonderful account of the climb that you have undertook.
All the Best
Steve B
Victoria
Australia
Glad to Know
taloeffler — Tue, 06/12/2007 - 12:23Steve,
Glad to know I got into schools along way from Newfoundland. Reaching out to youth has been amazing and one of the best rewards of my Everest experience. Please say hello to your students for me.
TA
The written word
Visitor — Tue, 06/12/2007 - 09:50Hey TA
You are a wordsmith woman! Go do your thing.
Deb.
Your book
Visitor — Tue, 06/12/2007 - 11:38Hi TA
I can tell you one thing that is certain, when your book it ready and on the shelves, I will be one of the first in line to purchase it.
I enjoy your writings so much. It is like a great novel, I can't wait for the next page to see what you will write next
Looking forward to the next read.
Debbie
Thanks to all for the encouragement
taloeffler — Tue, 06/12/2007 - 12:22Thanks! Your words fuel my words. I got up early and spent two hours writing this morning. I'm trying to unfold the story in related vignettes that bounce back and forth in time. This will be a new writing challenge for me but I know it's about putting in the time, seated on my butt, crafting the words and the tale. Glad to know folks will be eager to buy the book...that will make the publisher happy :-)
TA
Great News!!
Visitor — Tue, 06/12/2007 - 12:47Great to hear you are going to write a book - I look forward to reading it.
YEAH!!! - A BOOK
Audrey — Tue, 06/12/2007 - 12:54I can't wait to read all about your Everest experience in a book.
BOOK
Ann — Tue, 06/12/2007 - 23:45Hi TA,
I think your writing has been absolutely wonderful and we will love to see the book when it is available! Great idea!
Ann and Graham
Greetings TA,
wmpopper — Sat, 06/23/2007 - 18:16Fantastic to read that your outdoor adventure writing art is being recognized by a print publisher. Between your experiences and impressions and photos, a definite creative resource from which to create an intriguing narrative for a wider scope of readers. Hope that the writing work is progressing nicely and that you are having a nice Summer. When the book is published be sure to get in contact with REI (Recreational Equipment Incorporated) Seattle Washington(rei.com). A member owned cooperative with many store locations in the west, including literature related to the outdoor experience. A belated Happy Summer Solstice to You. Hope that much is going well and that you're having a wonderful summer.
particularly like the image of the prayer wheels and monastery with the snow covered peaks in the background...
Take care...
wmpopper@gmail.com