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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
Settling In and Planting Seeds
Okay, I would be lying if I told you I hadn't been surfing around looking for other mountains to climb. Bolivia seems to be calling me at the moment. Maybe the North Pole. Maybe another try at the Big E. It's part of my transition process-to look for what the next adventure seeds there are to plant.
Just browsing though. Just looking. Surfing. Like a kid with the Sears Wish Book in November. Flashing through the colorful pages of options. Making a list. No decisions. Just watching where I'm been led. What my google search terms are.
Resting. As I walk around Quidi Vidi Lake, where I usually run, I notice how deep the fatigue is. It's time to honour the exhaustion with rest. Recovery. Rebuild the reserve. Enjoy moving slow. Enjoy life without a yellow pad of to do lists and training goals. See two movies in the theatre in three nights. Haven't done that in years.
Look at photos. Notice the hard edges of the Everest experience are already being softened by a tenderness. A tenderness that allows some thoughts of trying again. Some day. Some way. No hurry. It will be there. Start teasing out the lessons from the mountain. Share them with myself and others. New lessons each day.
Go slow. Breathe.
Convocate. Celebrate. Wear my academic regalia. The students at my university graduate this week. The end of an era for them and me. Lots of hard work all round. Mountains both figurative and literal. Climb high. Study low. Valleys. Mountain tops. We go forth. Again. After. Before. Up. Down. Reach beyond our grasp.
It appears Shrek III has me in quite the mood.
I continue to feel a bit better each day and a bit stronger each day. I think about 65% of feeling healthy.
Here are a few more pics!
Congratulations to Pat Hickey on his summit.
TA
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Messages
That's my girl!
wilberfan — Fri, 05/25/2007 - 00:36This post reminds me of how smart you are (and how driven)! It's nice to hear you honor the need to rest and recover. It's all about balance, and I'm glad you're remembering that...
Still lovin' the pictures!!
Scott
I hear you on Bolivia
Mary Clare Reinhardt — Fri, 05/25/2007 - 01:06Great photos!!!
The Andes mountains have been calling me for several years now. I hope to climb several 6000m peaks in the coming years. Good luck on whatever mountain or new adventure you choose.
MC
"Be yourself but become who you want to be." m.c. reinhardt
Mountains
Andrea — Fri, 05/25/2007 - 02:19You sound a lot like me...once one adventure is over, another one always seems to be in the making. Keeping up with your (along with Paul's and Pat's) blogs has motivated me to promise myself that next year I *will* take a multi-month mountaineering course at a local club. I've done four guided climbs on Mt. Rainier, but I'd love to gain the independence to set out on my own...thanks for the inspiration.
What mountains have you climbed, aside from Denali and Everest?
Thanks for continuing your posts...it's wonderful to hear about the post-Everest experience when so often it is neglected in climbers' blogs.
Andrea
Mountains
taloeffler — Fri, 05/25/2007 - 09:06Andrea,
Glad you'll get the skills you'll need to get out on your own...other mountains: Aconcagua, Elbrus, Mexican volcanoes, Robson, Athabasca, Gannett, and a bunch of other peaks in Alberta, Wyoming, and Colorado.
TA
Andrea - Mountains
Mary Clare Reinhardt — Fri, 05/25/2007 - 19:27Hi Andrea
I just noticed you are from the Seattle area. I live in Vancouver, WA just south of you. I am always looking for people to hike/climb with. I have recently met three great hikers/climbers in the Seattle area (one is a National Park Ranger). We are climbing Mt. Adams next weekend. I am doing Whitney the following weekend, then Kili end of June, Mount Olympus in August and Mt. Baker in Sept. Maybe we could exchange e-mails???
MC
More mountains
Andrea — Fri, 05/25/2007 - 21:37Wow, another ambitious soul!
I've done Whitney, although in September, so I imagine you'll be going a snow route--that was a really beautiful hike...we had spent a week backpacking, so we came up the backside of Whitney, not through the portal--amazing experience. Olympus and Baker are on my to-do lists, Adams is fun...I've spent most of my time on Rainier though, completing a frenzy of climbing experiences since 2002 with RMI's week-long seminar last summer...I don't have anything quite so big planned this year aside from some backpacking trips.
More mountains to climb
Mary Clare Reinhardt — Fri, 05/25/2007 - 22:16Got your e-mail in my address book so we won't have to keep posting on TA's site...thanks TA! The forum might be another way to communicate (under "Climbing Mountains"). I also did Whitney in the fall, Nov. of '87. I actually wore shorts to the summit...the fall color was stunning! I just climbed to C-Muir on Rainier two weeks ago. Here is a link to the forum of MyEverest.com with a few pix. I hope we can plan some hikes/climbs together!!!
MC
"The journey is the destination and the destination is the beginning of a new journey." m.c. reinhardt
Enjoying the Fine Images which...
wmpopper — Fri, 05/25/2007 - 06:04Greetings TA,
...You have been been posting / sharing here since your return. The two climbers on the massive block of icefall and the blue interior glow from the massive block of snow & ice is another fine composition, as are the two here. I concur with Andrea's remarks regarding the "post-Everest experience." And in retrospect the wisdom of your decision to return home for physical recovery seems more pronounced given the difficult weather conditions which developed. With global warming as an integral factor, it will be interesting to observe if (how) Mt. Everest will (might) be altered and the changes it would bring for those attempting to climb E. Yesterday on May 23 in the morning, I went out to get the mail and there was an incredible packet with carefully placed Mt Everest stamps, and faint mail cancellations bearing the Katmandu post. I could express adequately the sensation of standing there with that envelope in my hands next to the mailbox in the yard... amazing receipt of such a letter had on my day except to say that i did not open it until this afternoon, as a anticipated treat after completing the days major tasks. As a artist/graphic artist I am most appreciative of the careful and precise taping of the envelope which must have been accomplished with what was limited available. I am most appreciative & moved TA and humbled for your taking the time and energy to respond to my request amidst your time in Katmandu. May the Gods and Goddesses of the Himalya Bless You In Your Next 12 Reincarnations. May you return as the finest ablest Sherpa Mountaineer Ever, if that is to be. It was a beautiful Spring May day, so refreshed and invigorated, I took a daypack with camera, sketch pad and snacks and went on a walk to the nearby regional parklands and viewed some delightful Poppys, Larkspur and incredible Purple Sage in bloom and was sustained by the realization that despite the cruel and unjustness of this world, there are fine human spirits as well who enjoy and find meaning and sustenance through contact immersion within the Natural world and can convey through word, image and deed something of the sublime. The self portrait in the Western Cwm is fine, it captures something of the person and something of the place leaving space for the imager as well...Thank You TA for the delightful mailing, it is now in a favored spot facing facing the west and Sun setting rays of energy to be transmitted to your adventuring self wherever that may be...and for the insights and inspiration which you have contributed to this cyberspace community. Hope that your recovery continues to progress well and that your eating properly with not too many vanilla sprinkles :> and that soon you're able to ease body & spirit into preparation for your next Adventure or Non Adventure and I, as well as others I suspect, look forward to your images and observations.
All the Best to You...
wp
That was Quick
taloeffler — Fri, 05/25/2007 - 09:14Wow...it arrived already. It's funny that some mail moves at the speed of light and other mail crawls along. I went to the postcard shop about 10 times trying to get a stamp for it-they were always out and always said come back later in the day. On my last day in Kathmandu, I visited again and they gave the same answer-I thought I might have to bring the post card home because I didn't have time to go to the big post office outside of Thamel.
Then I heard the clerk say they had 5 rupee stamps-I checked out the postcard I had written several days earlier to see if it could fit 8 5 rupee stamps. No way. Then I bought another postcard and the clerk put it into a sleeve/envelope! Suddenly, I had the solution, though the clerk thought I was a bit off. He kept saying I could just come back and buy one stamp later in the day. He didn't get that I needed to check something off the list. So I addressed the envelope and the mail universe delivered! Terrific.
I would love to reincarnate as a sherpa mountain-they can move uphill like no one else I have seen :-)
Thanks for coming along on the journey: "It's been a slice or shall we say the whole loaf."
TA
New Climb?
Ann — Sat, 05/26/2007 - 00:38Hi TA,
Sounds nice to hear that you are exploring ideas to maybe move to another mountain, this is pure progress and makes us understand how driven you are! Recoup and then set out on a new page!
Best, Ann and Graham
Taking it easy!
truvei — Sat, 05/26/2007 - 00:40So glad to hear you discuss your other life, the 'at home in Newfoundland one'. Even though I see the life of climbing has a way of creeping in there.
I spent the afternoon at my sisters convocation at MUN (Masters in Educ. IT). It was a beautiful ceremony with a mass of hard work and learning seated before me. Bruce Cockburn was given an honorary Doctor Of Letters. He gave a beautiful speech that had to be motivating for all attending.... as I know it was for me.
Enjoy the slower pace. Keep the photo's coming. I'm going to on a slower pace holiday in Manitoba for a week. Have a great one! I'll be in touch again in a week.
Trudy
Hi TA!
rayk — Wed, 05/30/2007 - 13:54Glad you are home safe and sound. I , too, still had my cough for a few weeks after returning but it eventually disappeared.
I have put together a DVD of some of my pictures and a small amount of video I shot and would be happy to send you a copy if you would send me your address.
While I was there I swore I would never do anything as difficult again, but now that I am home I can't stop thinking about wanting to go back. That mountain has a strange "magnetic" pull that is hard to resist. I am probably delusional but I still feel that under the right set of circumstances, I could get higher, Then again, I hear that pigs will be flying someday very soon ! : )
Take care, TA. Hope that I have the opportunity to climb with you again someday.
Ray K