Memorial Day Wknd...

Yet again I am hopelessly overdue for a posting, and I am sorry. Training has been evolving. Or rather my pack has evolved it seems into a heavier and larger beast which has taken on a personally all it's own. This Saturday was 11 laps on the Howe St stair-climb, with 30 lbs on my back. Argh...... Here you can see us trudging up and down in the drizzle. And what you see is actually the 2nd flight of steps, 272 of them, one way. Memorial Day was a soggy affair here in Seattle. Even our hike in the North Cascades was cancelled, which is rare.

We are all now starting to assemble the bits and pieces we will need for the climb. Presently, the largest group issue is the climbing boot "strategy". And this seems rather daunting for many of us on several levels, myself included. REI has graciously agreed to donate the heavy double-layered insulated expedition climbing boots required (which typically cost $250-$500 new) among other things. However, I personally am not thrilled about having absolutely no "break-in" time prior, only getting to wear them for the first time on the very 1st day of the climb. One certainly doesn't want to start off an epic adventure laden with lethally debilitating blisters from the very start. Not to mention these suckers are about 4-6lbs of unwanted weight ! However, taking my own precious lighter boots might not be the wisest choice either, as tho they are sturdy alpine trekking boots, they simply aren't high enough to protect against a dratted tweaked ankle climbing over loose shale...or covering distance on the glacier locked into crampons. On a lighter note, I finally broke down & purchased a Big Agnes expedition insulated sleeping pad weighting only 24 oz. I have also arranged for the teams mountain-top caffeine jolt to be graciously donated by Jim Eustace of Forza Coffee in Tacoma. We are both truly honored and utterly grateful to say the least.

In a wonderful side note, my bone marrow donor Bruce and his lovely wife Beth will be coming to Seattle to meet me, for the very first time (!!)....several days after my climb ! I am both thrilled and humbled in the same breath. What an immense honor.