The Elusive Summit

My nephew heads for the summit of Mount Rainier today in Washington State. He’s been trying out a new blogging system that worked pretty well, but as he approached the higher elevations it conked out on him.

Electronics and mountains seldom work well together. I've yet to see the remote system that works any better than a satellite phone and simply calling in the post for someone to type. Right now he should be on his way to the summit with the sun coming up. It's a beautiful sight to behold as the early morning sun rises, pokes through the early morning cloud cover and then streaks across the clouds with bright orange and yellow rays. You’ve above the clouds and so the streaking is unusual in that you’re not looking at the lower cloud cover. Like on an airplane clouds are below your feet and there is nothing but clear sky and a bright orange ball spewing off solar energy. It is almost an indescribable sight as you look to your side watching the solar light show as you step, once, step twice, and step for the thousandth time. Step, take a breath, step and breathe are what you do as you get to know the back of the climber’s boots in front of you. A smile will come across his face and he’ll probably wonder, for me it’s aloud, “Wow, this was all worth it.” At that moment you have to consider whether your life is better than you ever dreamed it would be. All you can think at is that life is good.

At a certain altitude, it’s never predictable, the iPod will stop working and you’ll be left with your thoughts and the sound of climbers moving upward in cadence. Snow crunches under plastic boots as they kick step into the side of the ice and snow. This cadence is your friend, the altitude your challenge. Breathing labors as you climb higher. You think of everything and everybody in your life until exhaustion whittles you down to no more than a climbing automaton. I personally think about all I could have done to get in better shape, not what I did do. I’m not sure what Scott thinks about. He’s always way ahead of me. Alone with your thoughts your numbing brain wanders through the last six months of your life as if it matters; and at that moment it really doesn’t because you come right back to kick step into the mountain, crunch and kick step again. He’s now up to 2,000 steps.

Climb, climb, and climb. The summit looks so close but you never seem to arrive. He’ll look for small black dots and estimate whether they are getting larger. If they get larger it’s a good sign because that means he’s getting closer to climbers up ahead. The lady of the mountain makes the summit tough for one and all. She cares not what you’ve done or haven’t done; she will not easily open her arms to those wanting to stand on the very top. And as beautiful as she is she is quite frankly elusive. And rightly so... onward he marches. Today I miss not being there with him.

Go get em Scotty!

Scott’s Blog: http://aconcagua2011attempt.blogspot.com/

Mountain Climbing is a Labor of Love

When you first start this mountaineering business you'll either love it or hate it. It's like dating and for those who love it, the challenge is not any different than what you encounter with your love life. At the point in life when you find your true love the die of your destiny is cast. Destiny is not something you can entirely define, but neither are you able to deny it is what you have to do. And so with mountaineering you see us coming back to the well to drink in some more.

Aconcagua 2011, If At First You Don't Succeed, Torture Yourself Again!, by Scott Zannini

Ernest Hemingway while seated in a bar was challenged to write a book in six words. He bragged he could do it. All bets were on the bar and on a napkin he wrote, "Baby shoes, for sale, never worn." He’s such an amazing writer. Interesting story, brief but too the point and well written. I too can write a story in six words. But first the Hemingway twists to all of this story of true love.

In 2004 I bought, The Snows of Kilimanjaro that Hemingway authored in 1936. Until recently I'd never read it or seen the movie. Recently I bought the movie and just last Thursday as I was working out and getting ready to climb Mt. Elbrus, the highest mountain in Europe, I watched the movie for the first time. In the story the uncle tells the writer, Harry Street, a riddle. The riddle has to do with the snow Leopard that died near the summit of Kilimanjaro. There is nothing to eat at that elevation and there are few clues to help him guess why a leopard would be at such an elevation. And so the uncle tells Harry Street that if he can solve the riddle as to why the Leopard was there he will have the direction to his own life. He can't solve that riddle but another character in the movie says to Harry that perhaps the Leopard was on the wrong scent, became lost and died alone on the Snows of Kilimanjaro.

I played that scene over and over six or eight times. I find the parallels ironic to say the least. The Snows of Kilimanjaro have more significance to me than anyone will be able to explain. The epiphany I had on Kilimanjaro was that I had traveled down the wrong path, had become lost in life and needed to go back and find my true love, Barbara. I'm not telling you this for any reason other than it's an amazing story that starts in Bristol and has to end in Bristol. Bristol is to us what we are to each other. It's in our blood, our memories, and our past and in our hearts. It's where this story began and it's where we needed to marry.

I've never heard of a story like this one. I could not have dreamed this up. So let me end it with writing my story that is six words long. The story is titled True Love. And like Hemingway’s it is just six words long. Our story is “A love that can't be denied.”

Like the love of our life (Barbara), mountaineering isn't a love we can turn on and turn off. It calls our hearts and our minds back to the mountains for a drink of what feels like eternal grace.

Why did that boy look over the cliff?

Last week we had young man from southeastern Iowa who during the Memorial Day weekend while at Eagle Point Park near the Quad Cities was most seriously injured after falling 80 feet off a cliff. The news sources were sketchy on how he ended up falling 80’ over this cliff or bluff so I’m at a loss to explain the details of how it happened. I’ve not read anything this week about his situation so other than those close to the family no one knows. Hopefully he’s rehabbing and moving towards discharge from the Iowa City Hospital and Clinics.

13-year-old boy falls from bluff overlooking Mississippi River

How did they rescue the boy that fell 80’ over a rock ledge?

Where in Iowa can you learn to rock climb safely?

I wondered all week about him and started thinking about a friend of mine who is a guide in Colorado. And that brought back memories of being roped to a vertical wall and having lunch while we paused from climbing an ice wall in the Mount Blanc region of the French Alps. I recall looking upward at Jamie and below me at Eugenio and paused to appreciate the beauty of our surroundings. Jamie yelled down for me to stay put we would have lunch here. The surroundings and the camaraderie were somehow worth the risk of what we were doing. And knowing, well Jamie knew I just listened and did what he told us to do, how to use the equipment made it all the better. Jamie pointed out that we simply needed to learn to trust our equipment and that comes with understanding its limits. Behind us was a massive glacier and suspended over it was a cable car from Chamonix on the French side to Courmeyeur, Italy. Four gondolas suspended hundreds of feet about the glacier meeting in the middle while the other two cars let passengers out in each country. An amazing trip really and one that makes me appreciate why this young man would want to look over the edge.

This young man may or may not have the same bug to climb or to experience what is on the other side of the bluff, but whatever made him get close to the edge he needs to learn how to do it in a way that he too can learn to trust his equipment. Staying safe is the first rule. You can’t come back to climb another day if you’re in the hospital.

Back there in the Alps I was completely captivated with my surroundings and the adrenaline rush I experienced will stay with me forever. Which brings me back to our little friend who fell off the bluff in Clinton, Iowa. He got close to the edge for a reason; he just didn’t end up there by happerstance. And all week I wondered about that reason and what he may have been thinking about. Well I can’t really contact this 13-year-old, his parents would think I was prying but I still wondered and having had the busy week we just did there was not the time. But I did contact Jamie Pierce the rock climbing teacher from Colorado Springs, Colorado. He wrote back and is planning on trips to Europe to climb in the French Alps as well as the Matterhorn in the Switzerland. Both places I’ve been too and these are fantastic places to learn to climb. I highly recommend Jamie as your guide. He’s personable and highly qualified. He runs his operation out of America; Colorado Springs, Colorado. He’s a great guy.

Jamie is on Facebook and has a climbing company website. His company is called Pikes Peak Alpine School.

Location: 10 South Limit Street, Colorado Springs, CO, 80905 Phone: 719-630-3934

He’s got some great photographs on the website and does Twitter. You can also sign up for a free newsletter, The Ropes. His bio is set out below.

I guess the lesson for today has to do with assessing risk and learning how to reduce the risk of bodily injury or death. If you’re going to get close to the cliff’s edge learn how to do it right. We wish you well.

Here is Jamie’s bio:

JAMIE PIERCE - IFMGA/ AMGA Certified Mountain Guide & Avalanche Safety Instructor
Jamie has been an active climbing and ski guide since 1989. Originally from the mountainous region of Elgin, Illinois he transplanted to Colorado in the late 80's after he skied out the terrain of the Midwest. He's always been curious if an avalanche has ever occurred in the Midwest? Please contact him if you know of one!

AUSTIN BADEAU - Rock Climbing Instructor - A recent graduate of CU Boulder, Austin brings solid and consistent leadership to PPAS, acquiring quite a list of technical routes and ascents to his resume. We're pleased to have him back again this season.

John Gadbois - Hiking and Mountain Running Guide - John Gadbois brings his passion and love for the mountains over from his experience and love the outdoors on a bike. John has over twenty years in the road, mountain and track cycling experience, working as a mechanic and bicycle fitter for the U.S. Association of Blind Athletes and for a Paralympics Gold Medalist.He currently spends his leisure time riding, running or hiking the extensive trail network of Pike National Forest.

GUIDES 2010 - PPAS provides instruction and guiding for people of all ages and backgrounds. Our guides & instructors are experienced climbers willing to share their love of the mountains. All are either Wilderness First Responders or Wilderness First Aid qualified and certified. Additionally we customize trips for individuals and small groups seeking private or semi-private outings to the Pikes Peak regions premier mountains, Crags and Wilderness areas.

How did they rescue the boy that fell 80’ over a rock ledge?

Photo by Wild Bill on Cerro Aconcagua, South America

Rescuing a person after a fall presents all kinds of challengers for those rescued and those doing the rescuing. I’ve had a little crevasse rescue training in the French Alps in Chamonix, France. This is in the mountain range with Mont Blanc and the Aiguille du midi. I’m not sure you can ever have enough training for crevasse rescue.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mbmWs811CnM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=72gTlDgx9GM

How do you climb smart? Take a look at the Expert Village series on rock climbing. These videos will give you ideas that might teach you how to enjoy the view without falling and becoming injured. We hope this little guy is hanging in there with recovery. Who knows maybe he’s reading this blog and is getting the idea about something he could learn while sitting in a hospital bed. If you are I pass on my hopes you’re mending well.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=82NPjJuUemI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HDhM6e_3KWQ

Now the fun stuff let’s take a look-see at the mountain village of Chamonix. When you engage in adventure travel you get to go to real nice places like this mountain community.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABGIYwuXkvY

And what about that rescue effort by the Clinton emergency and law enforcement.

Crevasse Rescue in the snow by the Mountain Council of Scotland – Notice the use of ropes, hitches, anchors, karabiners, crampons and a rope system. I have an idea of what to do but I’m not proficient at it. The person who I’ve met that knows the mountains and has the best attitude is Jamie Pierce. He’s the consummate professional. Now when you watch this crevasse rescue video notice how the fallen climber helps himself. With the Eagle Point victim I’m not sure he was able to assist.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HaweXnjx1CY

Here is another video with rocks. This commentator when he refers to the climbers in Peru is talking of course about the author of Touching the Void, Joe Simpson, and his fellow climber Simon. Here is the part of the video relevant to this post. Watch about 2:15 into the film clip. It’s amazingly beautiful and in an instant changes for the worse. Perhaps our young ledge climber can watch this file while he’s laid up and recovering. No matter your injuries don’t give up. Take a look at how hard Joe Simpson had it and he’s back to climbing again.

I wish this young lad well and a speedy recovery.

To visit Joe Simpson’s website go to NoOrdinaryJoe. [http://www.touchingthevoid.co.uk/ ]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3VXfrIAgpG0

Here is a video of Eagle Point Park.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=avzHedP_31Y

I have no idea how the firemen performed the rescue but they did. They should be commended for their training and most assuredly their ingenuity.

For additional reading see Saturday’s post 13-year-old boy falls from bluff overlooking Mississippi River

13-year-old boy falls from bluff overlooking Mississippi River

Good things can come about because of bad things happening to a person. Just have to find them. A 13-year-old boy fell 80 feet from a rock ledge in Eagle Point Park in Iowa.

This lad must have gotten too close to an 80-foot ledge at the Eagle Point Park in Clinton. There is a bluff overlooking the Mississippi River and he fell. The accident happened on Monday and the youngster was airlifted to the University of Iowa Hospitals in Iowa City. He was transported by MedForce helicopter. The investigation was conducted by Clinton Fire Department Battalion Chief Ken Schumacher. Clinton County Sheriff’s Department was also at the scene. The Clinton Fire Department responded with at least 10 firefighters. Jeniece Smith has the best reported story.

For whatever reason a “representative of the park filed a trespass complaint with police.”

For additional stories on this subject read the following articles. The comments in the KCCI article are pretty lively concerning the debate about the citation. The comment section is sort of like the jury room where citizens debate what they believe to be the important points.

Clinton Herald, 13-year-old injured in Eagle Point Park fall, June 1, 2010, Jeniece Smith, Herald Staff Writer.

KCCI has a nice map of the area. See also Teen Injured In 80-Foot Fall At Park, June 4, 2010

KCRG Report is Teen Hurt in Fall at Clinton Park, June 4, 2010

Iowa News, WQAD, 13-year-old injured in 80-foot fall at Clinton park, flown to Iowa City hospital.

Tomorrow let’s take a look at the rescue of this curious teen. This story will be posted on Life On Campus because I can see college age students getting into this kind of mishap. I recall in the late seventies in Iowa City there was a quarry where we would swim. The gymnastics team members and the athletes who worked summers at the Iowa Summer Sports School (name could be different today) would swim there on the one day we had no student residents. We were the “adults” living in the resident halls with the high school athletes that attended. Dave Neilsen, a pole vaulter who tried out for the Summer Olympics in Eugene, Oregon that year could dive like no one I’d ever seen. He had no fear of heights and would climb to the top of the highest rock formation then dive doing a triple or double with a half twist before slipping without a splash into the quarry water. We didn’t drink, but we did have fun. By the way, there is a safer way to do what he was trying to do. It’s called toproping.

See you tomorrow.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tfWwmO73RZI

The demons we chase and that chase us

It's been awhile since I last wrote. Today I see Scott Zannini wrote about a recent injury and it got me thinking about training for the mountain. So I posted a comment on Scott's blog Aconcagua 2011. Scott and I have climbed together and know about the challenges we face in the mountains. Although mine are a bit different than his, training is always a challenge and as we both know it's about what we do down here that makes a difference up there.

Like everyone who trains for whatever, it's nice to get a nudge every once in awhile that encourages us to get our training back on track. That is the purpose of this post, how to mentally get your training back on track. Here is what I wrote to him.

Zee-Jay:

I thought about this last night on the walk around the Raccoon River Complex. It seemed simply. So now I know why you tried to injure your foot in this "race". You see unconsciously you really don't want to summit. See you in your head you can hear this song playing over and over and over again.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qpfhcljJ9bQ

Training is the easy part. The difficult part isn’t yet in your face or inside your head; but its there. You and I both know it’s there. On the way up it's all about what you didn't do down here. That is what adds up. Because in the end - at the very top it's what you didn't do down here that will keep you from getting there. It is in those moments when you're feeling the absolute crappiest ... that it's all about the demons you can chase away when you're on the mountain. Up there it's about the demons who are in your face, screaming at you, playing tricks on your mind, bugging you about how a nice comfortable mattress feels and how nice shiny porcelain looks and feels. I know you know all about those things ... The mountain demons will be there throwing rocks, laughing at you and dropping rocks in your path; you may stumble or fall down, but in the end you and only you will or won’t have the fortitude to pick yourself up and crawl if that's what it takes.

And whether you can crawl that extra inch is all about what you didn't do back home, this weekend, next weekend or the weeks that follow. The past is the past – and nothing you can do will change what you didn’t do then. But you control the now and the future now’s.

Here look at this one.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DDK5qGlLT8s

Like Al says it’s all about the inches, six inches in front of your face...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WO4tIrjBDkk

My biggest fear in training, besides injury, is that I get bored with training. The mountain likes it when you get bored or distracted or just want to do nothing. She loves it. Because she knows later she’ll make you pay the price and save the top for the better mountaineers.

That little boo-boo on your foot isn't a reason not to train. The pain when walking or running is good pain and will remind you that Mother Mountain cares not that you are there and need to get to the top. She sends climbers packing every day and it's only those with the will power to train with pain down here - no matter how painful - that let's you slide by her up there.

If you want it bad enough ignore the pain, the blister, the rawness of the feel and go the extra mile. With every sting of pain in your foot smile and remember you’re beating back the high altitude demons.

Babu'

Use Google Earth to Map John Rudolf's Progress

I’ve not seen another site use Google Earth to track their progress; John Rudolf’s climb of Mt. Everest is the first I’ve come across. Google Earth is a mapping of the Earth’s surface and when it’s used to map the Khumbu region it’s really impressive.

Mt. Everest Base Camp and the summit on Google Earth.

To add this feature to your site, and there are a lot of possible uses, you need to install the Google Earth 3d plugin, which will allow your uses to view the interactive map. On John’s site Kurt Hunter, from 3DGeo Trail by RainOn* provided the technology. Take a look at John’s site and engage his interactive map tracking feature. The yellow line is of course the boundary between two countries; in this case Nepal and China and if you don’t know where to look for the summit of Mt. Everest follow the yellow line sort of to the northeast. The north face is in shadow.

Back to John’s post for the day. This one is a video post for an IPCR dinner, to raise money. And of course everyone has to have some marketing angle or cause to pitch. That’s how many get the money to climb Everest. I certainly don’t begrudge John for this worthy effort, but a word of caution should always be exercised to appreciate the genuine of the person pushing the cause as well as the people who the climber claims will receive the money or benefit.

I don’t think anyone would argue about Sir Edmund Hillary’s cause for rebuilding the economy of Nepal and an educational system within that county as being the best recognized or legitimate effort surrounding Mt. Everest climbers.

Mt. Everest History & Facts – Offers a great selection of information categories using a pull-down menu.

Most Ascents:
Eleven, 24th May 2000 Appa Sherpa became the first person to climb Everest 11 times-Ten, Ang Rita Sherpa, Babu Chiri Sherpa all ascents were oxygen-less.

*I was unable to locate the RainOn website. If Mr. Hunter runs across this post please contact me and I’ll create a workable link to access RainOn.

Trekking along with John Rudolf towards colorfully creative Kathmandu

The trip to Kathmandu on your way to Everest is itself a pretty interesting thread to this adventure woven into the fabric of your life. It’s full of brilliant colors, foreign languages, new and exotic smells foreign to your olfactory senses and people like you’ve never experienced.

On his blog John Rudolf reports today he’s flown via Los Angeles to Bangkok and then in reverse back to Kathmandu. I flew via Chicago and London then onto Bangkok and backtracked to Kathmandu. It’s a series of long flights and as a traveler, to some extent you look and feel different than everyone else around you. Many are dressed for business and your business is filling mountaineer boots. For his age his fitness level will make him stick out like a sore thumb on a piano player. But then it changes. It's true right up until the last flight where he might run into other climbers with the same level of adrenaline pumping through their veins. Kathmandu's airport is small, but clean and is a well organized terminal. The people are friendly, customs quickly moves you through and out to the cab stands.

In Kathmandu we stayed at the Hotel Yak & Yeti, which appears to still be intact after the Maoist revolution. (Bagh Bazaar, Kathmandu, Nepal, (0)1 424 89 99) It’s close to Durbar Marg, the Royal Palace, the Hotel Annapurna and still sort of off the well beaten path. Visit the website by following the link to see this is truly a five star accommodation. I sat in the restaurant and the guide explained that Sir Edmund Hillary in the 1953 expedition laid out the expedition's gear on the tennis courts just outside in the courtyard area. I stared in amazement trying to imagine for a moment the historic significance and wishing I had an photograph of the scene back then in 53'.

Guiding Service – Alpine Ascents, International
Owner - Todd Burleson
Guiding Team – Vern Tejas, Lakpa Rita Sherpa, Garret Madison, Michael Horst and Ellie Henke.
Climbing Team Members – Vanessa Folkerts, Donall Healy, Michael Kraft, Alison Levine, D.C. McDonald, John Rudolf, Jan Smith and Victor Vescovo.

I’ve travelled with Alpine Ascents back in 2000 or 2001 to Africa and Kilimanjaro. They have some great images on the AA website that you may enjoy watching.

From reading AA’s tweet (Twitter) it seems John’s post is a bit delayed which isn’t unusual. AA reports the team is “stuck in Kathmandu with gastritis.” But then says April Fools! They go on to report the team has safely landed in Lukla and has begun the trek up the first hill towards base camp.

The airstrip in Lukla can’t be compared to any airport you’ve ever travelled to. Before you even get to it all your gear is weighed and flown via a small plane from Kathmandu. The plane is one that isn’t like a normal airline plane. It seats around 12 to 20 if I my memory is serving me well. A lot of the room is taken up with gear. The climbers are all crammed in together. The cockpit is wide open and the windshield is in plane view from most passenger seats. You could hug the pilot if you chose to do so. During the flight you can see the peaks all around you. The plane flies pretty low to some peaks it overflies and everyone is buzzed with the excitement of seeing nothing like you’ve every before experienced. Climbers react to all of this by either talking or sitting in silence. It’s an emotional overload for these adrenaline junkies. Here you are starting the trip that has taken you so many months of preparation and so many miles of blood, sweat and now you are seemingly near tears as you see it unfolding around you. Our guide turned to us and said, here comes Lukla you won’t want to miss this landing.

As the plane approaches the airstrip you won’t believe this is where you’re about to land. The plane flies straight into a mountain and if by chance it didn’t stop you’d be toast. As it approaches this highly elevated landing strip you seemingly hold your breath, which at this altitude isn’t the wisest thing to do. But it does stop and you do get out, suck in some O’s and walk out of the airport, if I can call it that, and through the town of Lukla which is colorful and amazing all at once. Down this narrow path that winds through the town’s center, by shops, Sherpa’s, Yaks and Knacks. You can buy anything you didn’t find even antacid tablets for the gastritis that is surely to visit your intestinal track from time to time. My eyeballs fell on the bottles of Everest Whiskey which we discussed on our trek to Mt. Everest’s base camp.

Already too long for today, I won’t discuss it now, but later I’ll revisit this airport because if you think the landing was exciting wait till you takeoff to head back to Kathmandu.

That’s enough for one day. You’ve a flavor of the vibrant colors of this ancient civilization that grows in the early stages of this walk to base camp. Enjoy this Easter weekend.

Alpine Ascents Twitter

John Rudolf to Attempt Mount Everest

Mountaineer, John Rudolf is on his way to Mount Everest hoping to summit sometime during the window. He’s a 62-year-old portfolio manager of Summit Capital Management and Summit Special Situations Fund, LP and Co-Portfolio Manager of Summit World Partners Fund, LP. Rudolf received an undergraduate degree from the University of Notre Dame and then Columbia University Graduate School under the Herbert Lehman Doctoral Fellowship. I picked up the news from a New York Times writer and that led me to John’s 7 Summits blog. He’s climbed Kilimanjaro in Africa (Tanzania), Aconcagua in South America (Argentina), Elbrus in Europe (Russia) and Denali in Alaska (North America). He’s also climbed Vinson Massif in Antarctica. There isn’t much on his site. The New York Times article is more friendly promotion than factual. We’ll have to follow this blog to see how it develops over time. Andean Health (AndeanHealth) is now following your tweets on Twitter http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dlITgWcJMSM http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dlITgWcJMSM

I'm still figuring this platform out and don't yet know how to add YouTube videos but we'll figure it out. Until then I'm going to post the YouTube link.

The above photograph isn't Mr. Rudolf, it's actually me with a young Sherpa boy from the Khumbu region of Nepal. I visited in 2002.

Dryhead Ranch in Montana

So here I am at the Dryhead Ranch with some great people and on the back of a horse we ride the range for an entire day. Normally we end up at the mess hall for chow but this particular night the owners' daughter decides we'll do a night ride, cook by the fire and just enjoy each others company as we chow down in the cool night air. To the north we can see the Billings skyline and Bleu chases whatever moves. The fire is crackling as we sip coffee watching shooting stars and trying not to feel small under this big sky country. There's Jackie and Harmony from France, a couple from the Netherlands, a guy whose just had back surgery from Denver, my son, a father and daughter from out east who have trucked her horse for her ride, two young guys from Switzerland and a several others all coming to America to ride the wild west. This group is different than the one last year, but each has it's benefits of colorful personalities.

Still today I remember this night especially well because it was the first time we'd been able to ride at night and sit around a campfire. I'd missed two years of opportunity to drive the cattle and so I slept in a cabin each night. But this was special in a way I'd long forgotten about. Boy Scout camp or sitting around the fire by the skating pond in Westboro, Massachusetts had long ago past into history. The pond was tucked in between the horseshoe of Gary Circle with it's apple trees and the railroad tracks that carried new cars from points unknown. Watching steam come off ice coated pants after playing hockey was a distant memory. Tonight in Montana we got to lie down on cool grass in front of a warm fire with boots, stirrups and a wide brimmed cowboy hat that kept the heavy damp air at bay.

By nights end we'd seen enough shooting stars to sleep. As we drove away from the DryHead our thoughts couldn't help but drift back to all we'd seen on the 45,000 acres that for one week had been home.

Adventure Travel

KEEP IT SIMPLE STUPID

I've been purchasing adventure travel services since 1999 when I first ventured to Montana and Wyoming to ride the range at the Shively Ranch, now called the DryHead Ranch. Some 45,000 acres of fresh air, wide open fields and expansive vistas that took my breath away. Riding for a week at a time the owners and staff were for me a breath of fresh air. Straight forward, plain speaking and frank with fewer words than you'll hear throught your day at work or in an elevator ride up to the floor of your office. I learned more in a few words from these plain speaking folks than in a year and a half of litigation over some piddly issue. These folks don't squabble unless it matters.

No phones, faxes, keyboards, laptops, PDA's, Blackberry's, pagers, elevator buttons or cell phones. A rollup, the clothes on your back, spurs, chaps, a vest, some water and a light snack is all your horse and you will need. By weeks end I was tired because unlike some I chose to work while there. The hard work was good for me and as people there are fond of saying, "The outside of a horse is good for the inside of a man." That first year I chose to drive out to Wyoming, we stayed in that ranch house that year. I met some really fine people from all over the world. At the conclusion of my first week I was already planning next years visit.

Upon arriving home I found myself standing in my closet and remembering what a great week it had been. But it caused me to consider how it could be that for an entire week I could have so very little, and no electronics, and still could be so happy. As that thought kicked around inside my brain my eyes fixed on the clothes hanging from the top row in the walk-in closet. Many were old, some as far back as my first year in college. Why had I kept these clothes? What would influence me to save old clothes that hadn't been worn in well over 15 years and that didn't even fit me anymore? They had long gone out of style. I'd saved them because I'd been taught to save things like this just in case - for that rainy day which might come. That day when I'd need them again. Hell that day was never coming. And then it struck me that probably over 60% of the clothes in my closet were not longer needed. Are you kidding me I thought? What is this about?

And that started a serious journey into adventure travel. It was about learning to rely on myself, to evaluate and then to give away whatever I don't need. If a rainy day comes less will certainly be more anyway. I gave things away and the more I gave away the more I wanted to give away because the less I owned the lighter I felt. The less you have to insure the better off you feel.

It was a few years later, in 2002 when in Nepal that a Buddhist said to me, "You Americans have everything and yet you have nothing." For ten days I spun what he said in my head and when it struck me what he meant and how it related to my life I was literally blewn away. It was learning that lesson from the Buddhist that took me on a new journey. From that day forth I earnestly began really wanting less so that I could have more out of my life. What good is it if I work hard, to buy a lot of things, then need to work harder to buy a bigger house with more garages to store it in, only to have to work harder to pay the taxes, upkeep and insurance to store all that stuff; and then end up with no time to use any of it? In essence I have everything but I have nothing.

I'm a tool guy, I love tools. Those I can't give away because they allow me to get done more work than one man should sanely be able to do alone. So my infatuation with tools continues. I owned a Porsche, but it too was a burden. The Porsche attracted attention but not positive attention. The sleek lines, shiny paint and speed attracted jealousy and anger and just a whole lot of bullshit into my life. It had to go.

My new attitude didn't please everyone. My kids questioned whether giving everything away was a sign of suicidal depression. It wasn't. My wife at that time thought perhaps I'd suffered a stroke or had a brain tumor. She offered a free MRI, which I turned down. I told them there wasn't anything wrong with me, but with the way they were viewing life. Buying that 25th pair of shoes at the mall wasn't going to make them any happier than there were buying the 2nd pair.

All these trappings of "success" were really things hanging from the oxen's yoke on my shoulders. These things were throttling me and making life less enjoyable. Because in the end the less I have to insure, the less I have to consider living without. Imagine that. And so by riding the range north at the south end of a herd of cattle I learned how to better experience life.

On this blog I intend to cover to general subjects. The first will be the changes in me and how my life has changed. The other, how not to be taken advantage of by adventure travel companies, guides and guiding services. Just because we are naive doesn't mean we need to stupid.

Welcome to my blog named Mountain Madness Sucks. And remember even if the guiding service sucks life doesn't have to.