31 mile hike

I'm back from my 2-day solo adventure on the Knobstone Trail, Indiana's longest (link:  http://www.in.gov/dnr/outdoor/4224.htm).  I've read somewhere that hiking the trail in its entirety results in approximately 20,000 feet of elevation change between gains and losses, making it the best thing around for an endurance training.  Whoever mapped it out didn't understand the concept of a switchback.  If there's a ravine, you'll go straight down it, cross it, and then go straight up the other side...using 'steps' that at times are a good upper-knee height.

I hit the trail at 7:50 AM on a hot Memorial Day weekend.  Elk Creek Lake was nice in the morning sunshine, but I knew it was going to be a hot couple of days.  I drank a full liter of water on the car trip down.  My plan was to do about 18-20 miles the first day and the rest of the 31 mile trek the next day.  At mile ~9 and 11 AM I hit the south split of the upper 12-mile loop, and it was lunchtime.  Stopped for some jerky and assessed my water situation, I went east.

At 2:15PM (16.5 mi) I came upon Delaney Park Trailhead, where there's camping and running water.  It was a sight for sore eyes, as my supply was dwindling.  Took some time there to wash up and drink a full liter of water. Back on the trail at 3PM.  At this point I was feeling pretty good and thinking about where to call home for the night.  After a handful of hills, there was a pleasant couple of miles of flat terrain.  I motored  back to the south loop split (21 mi) and assessed.  My knee and ankle ached a little, but not enough to stop.  There weren't any good campsites where I was, so I slowed my pace down to conserve energy.  After another 3 miles, I was spent and found a nice place to call home for the night.  After 24 miles, I was in bed and asleep before dark.

Rise and shine at 6:30.  Wanted to get an early start and finish before the heat of the day arrived.  7 miles to go.  I was pretty sore, so I again didn't try to see how fast I could go, seeing if I could average 25 minute miles so I could be done before 11 AM.  Wasn't hungry but forced myself to eat, I knew I needed the fuel. Broke camp and headed out around 7:45AM.  Found a nice little creek to refill my water supply for the final push.  Good thing I did, or I might have had to resort to the jugs I saw at the trailhead where started!  Was in the truck and headed back home by 11.  Ready for a shower and a nap!

On the jug: Water.  25 cents a swallow.  Leave mony here.  Next water jug 10 miles <--   12 miles  -->

And no, not a typo for mony.  Funny enough I didn't see any quarters lying around.

We are Climbing For: Clarence

We are climbing in memory of Clarence, Joey's wife's Great Grandfather.
His Granddaughter writes:  He'd call and ask how to get to his bathroom, then he'd lay the phone down and I'd have to go out and hang up the phone.  He'd call me at 3 in the morning and ask why the paper wasn't in his box.  Once he couldn't stay by himself and was at the nursing home, he often didn't know me, but I'd go and sing old hymns and he would whistle along with me singing and that became our time together.

We are adding Clarence to the banner for the photo op at the summit!  We will remember Clarence.  Thanks!

We are Climbing for: Mildred

We are climbing in memory of Mildred, Joey's high school classmate's grandmother.  We are adding her name to the banner for the photo op at the summit!  We will remember Mildred.  Thanks!

Climbing in Central Indiana??

So I'm sure all 3 followers of this blog (c'mon, people sign up!!) are wondering what I'm doing to train in central IN (elev. 300 ft) so that I can climb up to 14401 ft.
Well, first and foremost, I have to thank my employer's gym and the National Institute of Fitness and Sport (NIFS) staff that run the gym.  I've been a regular attendee at Boot Camp even before I knew I was going to climb.  Boot Camp consists of a great mixture of cardio intervals, plyometrics, and weights.  The NIFS staff really does a great job.  Special shout out to Jordan for tailoring a lifting regimen that I've followed since the beginning of the year, working it in between Boot Camp sessions.  A few years ago, I would have said this is a bit too girly, but they've also held a 4wk spinning class that I do for a change of pace--and it is also enjoyable.
Lately, I've been strapping on the pack (weighing in at 49 lbs) and climbing the stairway at the gym.  I'll save you the math and just say that 30 trips is roughly 1000 vertical feet up and 1000 feet down.  I've got it timed to where I do a lap in about 1min 15 seconds, and this morning I did 41 laps in 50 minutes.  On days I don't workout I try to do sets of pushups and situps.
Longer than one hour workouts is what I've thus far been lacking, but hoping to get out a few times.  I feel pretty good where I am right now.  My biggest fear is how I'll deal with the altitude, but that's for another post.  I'll keep all three of you on the edge of your seat!

Jenothy's Journal

Jenothy's Journal It is hard to imagine what it must be like to lose your memory. It's one thing to forget where you left your car keys or what you had for breakfast a week ago, but its quite another thing to forget the name of your own child, your spouse of 50 years or the how to write your own name. Although I have not personally experience the pain and heartache of watching someone you dearly love fade away into the world of Alzheimer's, my heart breaks for those who have. The more I learn about this tragic disease the more compelled I am to help find a cure and raise awareness. I hope you will prayerfully consider how you can help support our efforts and make a donation. Help is not only "climb to remember" but climb for a cure!

We are Climbing for: Wilma

I'm climbing in memory of my grandma, Wilma.  My grandma was strong and determined.  Born and raised on a farm.  She wanted to have a girl so bad, it took her 6 tries--first five were ornery boys and finally the girl.  Numerous grandkids and great-grandkids and counting.  She always made sure that no one went hungry--provider.  Cancer survivor.
Knowing all the life's challenges she had gone through made dealing with her Alzheimer's disease very difficult, and while watching her decline, knowing the unavoidable end result made it that much more sad.  There was nothing Dad and his siblings could do for her: no cure, no reversal, no surgery to correct it or remove it, only to be there to provide the care she needed.  It got too much for Grandpa to handle by himself.  The family tried to move them to assisted living, but it didn't quite work out.  There were several plots to escape by Grandpa.  No kidding, he got close a couple times...some pretty funny stories looking back.
Then Grandpa died. This is what sticks out in my mind the most. She was so in and out of reality. It was an emotional challenge for my family in dealing with the loss of Grandpa all the while answering Grandma's repeated questions about who's giving her ice cream that night. Grandma would sob uncontrollably, then the next instant say to people "you heard that Carl died" like it happened years ago.  Grandma passed away shortly after Grandpa.
It was so difficult to see someone you've looked up to for so long, someone who battled and survived cancer, to lose their life to something like Alzheimer's.  It's a hopeless feeling, and I'm sure that Dad, Mom, Aunts and Uncles can attest to that.  And this is exactly why this disease has to be stopped.  There is a cure out there somewhere and we have to find it.

Please send me the story of your loved one at otter_sports@yahoo.com, and we'll post it here, and we'll climb to remember them too.

Growing impact of Alzheimer's Disease and Dementia

Alzheimer’s is the sixth-leading cause of death in the country and the only cause of death among the top 10 in the United States that cannot be prevented, cured or even slowed. Based on final mortality data from 2000-2008, death rates have declined for most major diseases—heart disease (-13 percent), breast cancer (-3 percent), prostate cancer (-8 percent), stroke (-20 percent) and HIV/AIDS (-29)—while deaths from Alzheimer’s disease have risen 66 percent during the same period.

Source: Alzheimer's Association. 2012 Alzheimer's disease facts and figures. Alzheimer's and Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer's Association. March 2012; 8:131–168.

Climb Itinerary

J. Ott:
As I've noted before, I have no mountaineering experience and have employed Rainier Mountaineering, Inc. (RMI) as a guide service.  The following info is from their website, check them out at www.rmiguides.com

The Four Day Summit Climb is our most popular program. This climb is ideal for first time mountaineers, as well as experienced climbers who are in great physical condition. Mountaineering skills learned during Days One and Two will prepare climbers to safely attempt an ascent of Mt. Rainier with a guide leading their rope. Our route ascends either the Ingraham Glacier orDisappointment Cleaver and utilizes Camp Muir, allowing us to climb with less group gear and lighter packs. The program consists of a Pre-Trip Orientation, Mountaineering Day School and a Summit Climb.

(For us, Day 1 = Sunday, July 15.  The following is abridged from their site for brevity)

Day 1:  Pre-trip Orientation
3PM -6PM:  Meet at RMI Rainier basecamp in Ashford, WA.  Welcome and introduction of team members and guides. Discuss personal equipment and gear check, intoduction to safety practices using helmets, harnesses, and avalanche transceivers, and instruction on environmental considerations.

Day 2:  Mountaineering Day School
815AM-5PM:  Meet at RMI Rainier basecamp with pack for Day School gear. Shuttle ride to Paradise, WA.  The day is spent on lower snow slopes of Mt Rainier between 6000 and 6600 feet, offering instruction of various techniques and skills including rest-stepping, pressure breathing, cramponing, roped travel, and ice axe arrest practices.

Days 3&4:  The Summit Climb
The Summit Climb takes over the course of 2 days.  First day we hike to Camp Muir, and on the second day we make the summit attempt and all the way back to Rainier basecamp.
815AM:  Short team meeting. Paradise (5400 ft) to Camp Muir (10060 ft) is nearly 4.5 miles and travels through the alpine zone onto the Muir Snowfield which is climbed for some 3000 vertical feet.  Groups usually climb for an hour and rest for 10-15 min.  Camp Muir 'accommodations' consist of a small mountain hut with bunks and sleeping pads.  Go to bed early.  Day 4 starts pretty early.
Day 4: The push to the Summit
About 1AM: Get your gear you need, leave the rest. The typical route begins with a rising traverse across the Cowlitz Glacier and then ascends the pumiced switchbacks of Cathedral Gap.  Reaching the Ingraham Glacier provides access to the Disappointment Cleaver route, the physical crux of the route.  Zig and zag through multiple crevasses of the upper mountain to the summit (14410 ft).  Here, we're only halfway done.  Descending back down to Camp Muir takes about half the time of the ascent.  Take a break at Muir, get all your gear and back down to Paradise.

Why Alzheimer's?

So, why Alzheimer's?  Here's some quick facts from www.alz.org.  The first three bullets (especially #3) pretty much explains it.

• 5.4 million Americans are living with Alzheimer's disease.
• One in eight older Americans has Alzheimer's disease.
• Alzheimer's disease is the sixth-leading cause of death in the United States and the only cause of death among the top 10 in the United States that cannot be prevented, cured or even slowed.
• More than 15 million Americans provide unpaid care valued at $210 billion for persons with Alzheimer's and other dementias. 
• Payments for care are estimated to be $200 billion in the United States in 2012.

Alzheimer's Association. 2012 Alzheimer's disease facts and figures. Alzheimer's and Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer's Association. March 2012; 8:131–168.