RMI Expeditions Blog
Posted by: Jeff Martin
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Kilimanjaro
Hello from Plantation Lodge,
We spent the whole day game viewing in Ngorongoro Crater, and it was certainly a highlight for all. The crater itself is massive, and because of the high slopes surrounding the crater and the year round water supply, it is home of about 25,000 resident animals. Needless to say, we added quite a few animals to our list that we started yesterday, including the black rhino. There are only 12 left in this park, and we saw three of them. Hippos, lions, elephants, Cape buffalo, zebras, hyenas, jackals, warthogs, and too many bird species to name, were seen throughout the day.
Once we had our fill of game viewing, we ascending up out of the crater, and went to visit a Maasai village. We were given a tour of the boma and learned all about their simple way of life. It's pretty amazing that they can continue to live in a traditional way despite all the outside pressures to change into the mainstream culture of Tanzania.
Tomorrow we head out for our last and final park - Tarangire. We still have to see a leopard in order to say that we saw the Big 5. We'll see what the day has in store for us.
Best regards,
RMI Guide Jeff Martin & Team
Posted by: Katrina Bloemsma, JJ Justman
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Aconcagua
Elevation: 9,000'
It's here! The final RMI Aconcagua expedition of 2014! The team of climbers and Guide extraordinaire Katrina and myself are set to go. We had a great time in Mendoza and Penitentes and we are revving to go. We have a day of sunshine ahead of us to get to our first trek camp at Pampa de Las Leñas. Follow along to see how much fun we have on Aconcagua.
RMI Guide JJ Justman
On The Map
The team looks great. Bob, I am so proud of you. As I write this on 2/13, I know you have all been doing great. Enjoy this fabulous, difficult, amazing trip. Jeanette
Posted by: Jeanette on 2/13/2014 at 10:58 am
Hey Rich…stay warm and safe. We love you! Mom and Dad
Posted by: Donna Lewis on 2/9/2014 at 4:56 am
Posted by: Jeff Martin
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Kilimanjaro
Hello from Plantation Lodge,
Today we did not have to break camp or walk anywhere. Instead, we switched out our climbing clothes for cameras and binoculars and started our four-day safari in northern Tanzania. The first stop was Lake Manyara National Park. Created in 1960, and the second designated national park in the country, it is most well known for tree climbing lions. Fortunately, we were not disappointed by the elusive lions. Not too long into our game drive, we spotted four lions who had just finished a big meal and took to the trees to get a little relief from the sun and heat. We were about 15 feet away from one of them, with an unobstructed view of this impressive creature. Just down the road, we came across a big family of elephants that were anything but camera shy. Throughout the day we saw at least 25 different species of animals, which is a real treat for such a small park.
Now we are at the Plantation Lodge, a small luxury lodge, that is located on the highlands above Lake Manyara. It is absolutely beautiful here!
Tomorrow we head to Ngorongoro Crater to see what many call the eighth wonder of the world. We are all excited to see what the day has in store for us.
Best regards,
RMI Guide Jeff Martin
Conor has the best hat!
Posted by: Carlisle on 2/6/2014 at 1:56 pm
Posted by: Jeff Martin
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Kilimanjaro
Hello from the Dik Dik Hotel,
We are off the mountain with a very successful climb behind us. We all went to bed pretty early last night after the long day of climbing, and fell asleep immediately. It was the kind of deep sleep that only comes after being up for almost 24 hours, being active for most of it, and finishing a goal that has been months in the making.
When we woke up, it was time to pack up camp one last time and head to the park gate. The team was ready to go by 7:45 and 2 1/2 hours later we were signing the registration book at the end of the trail.
The entire team made it to Uhuru Peak on Kilimanjaro so each of us received the gold summit certificate from the National Park. After our celebration ceremony with our guides, camp staff, and porters, we loaded up and drove to our hotel. As soon as we got off the bus, it was time for that long awaited shower and clean clothes. The afternoon went by quickly as we unpacked all our mountain gear and shifted our focus on the packing for the next part of our adventure, a 4-day safari. We leave early tomorrow for Lake Manyara, the first stop on our safari.
We had no communications at Mweka camp last night and we were dying to know who won the Super Bowl. It wasn't until the gate when we found out that the Seahawks won it big. What a great news. Finally Seattle can claim a victory!
Best regards,
RMI Guide Jeff Martin
Conor, congratulations from all your ConMet buddies! Have fun on the next phase of your visit.
Posted by: John Hodge on 2/4/2014 at 8:07 am
Congratulations to all!! It’s been exciting to follow your progress through this blog and I’m hoping the updates will continue through the safari segment, too. Can’t wait to give you a celebratory hug in person, Barrie, but you have more adventures ahead before we see you here in Richmond. Enjoy the “high” you must be feeling even as you continue your travels at lower altitudes!!!
Debbie Trainer
Posted by: Debbie Trainer on 2/3/2014 at 2:15 pm
Posted by:
Categories: Mountaineering Fitness & Training
Whether training, or on your next climb, your feet are your Achilles heel. If you develop blisters, banged up toes, or pain in your feet or joints, the whole process of climbing comes to a grinding halt. While training for your climb, you’ll put in countless days with heavy weight on your back, countless miles of trail and rough terrain, and many, many hours on your feet. Taking good care of your feet and giving them proper support through all of this training can help to minimize a lot of overuse injuries, and leave you feeling better for your upcoming climb. Get yourself a good pair of orthotics or at least a good supportive footbed for your training footwear and climbing boots.
Our leg alignment can change dramatically throughout our life, often as a result of changes in the structure of the foot. These changes in alignment, when you are in the midst of a heavy training load, can leave you with joint pain and a tendency towards persistent overuse injuries that can stick around and have a major impact on your training. Orthotics are often the best solution for fixing your alignment and keeping those injuries from cropping up. An orthotist can mold a footbed to help your alignment stay nearer the ideal. This helps your knees track straighter, joints stack over each other better, and femurs rotate in the hip socket more smoothly.
Many climbers rent boots for their climb. While rental boots are well made, high-end brands, they are not broken in to your foot. A custom orthotic or an aftermarket footbed such as “superfeet” is the best way to make that boot feel as though it has always been on your foot. With the long days climbing up and down Rainier, or weeks on the glaciers of Denali, that extra comfort and support can be a major boon to enjoying the experience.
In the last several years, there has been a lot of support for the idea of running in very low support shoes that mimic what it would be like to run barefoot. While studies do support the idea that this is better for your body when running or walking, the heavy loads that we put on our backs and the stiff to nearly rigid soles of the boots that we wear when training and climbing all demand that we support our feet. Look into your alignment and footbed needs and find your way to more comfortable climbing and training!
Questions? Comments? Share your thoughts here on the RMI Blog!
Jambo from Mweka Camp,
We had a great summit day and the entire team reached the summit at 7:50 AM. It started about 11:45 PM last night when the alarm went off, and soon after we were dressed and packed for the climb. After a quick breakfast we threw on our backpacks and started up the trail. The team did a great job of climbing the 4,000'+ to the top, and the weather cooperated with us the whole way, with a little wind to start, but was almost calm while we were on the summit. It took us 7 hours total to reach the top, and after spending about 45 minutes on top, we began our descent down to our last camp on the mountain, Mweka Camp.
Everybody did very well today. Now we are settled into our tents and looking forward to a good night's rest. We'll get an early start tomorrow and finish the last section of our trek, descending to Mweka Gate.
Best regards,
RMI Guide Jeff Martin
RMI Guide Jeff Martin calling in from the Roof of Africa.
On The Map
Congratulations Chief!!! We are all so proud of you!!! Love and miss you!!! Jill, Rachel, Caleb, Kiki, Emily, Shane, Eli, Silas, David, Catie, Shena, Jeff, Anthony and Chloe
Posted by: Jill Crumley on 2/2/2014 at 1:18 pm
Hello from Barafu Camp,
We had another gorgeous morning when we woke up. Since it was a fairly short hiking day we took our time packing up camp and had a nice leisurely breakfast. We walked out of camp at 9:00 and made very good use of the trail to continue working on our rest stepping, pacing and breathing so we will be ready for tomorrow. The group did great and we made it to camp in just over two hours.
We took full advantage of our afternoon by talking about all the details of the climb ahead as well as discussing what gear to bring and what gear can stay at camp.
Now we are getting ready for an early dinner so we can be in bed by 7:00. The alarm clock is set for o'dark thirty and the plan is to be walking out of camp at 1:00 am. Hopefully we will be calling in from the summit of Kilimanjaro around 8:00 am.
The entire team is strong and healthy and doing well. We all appreciate the comments that have been posted on the blog, thank you for sending the encouraging words.
Best regards,
RMI Guide Jeff Martin
On The Map
Almost there Daddy (Rob)!! I’m so excited for you!
Posted by: Samantha Golomb on 2/2/2014 at 5:55 am
Jambo from Karanga Camp,
The team did great again today and the good weather continues. Right out of camp this morning we started our climb of the Barranco Wall. While viewed by most people as one of the more difficult parts of the trail, it was a breeze for this group. And it wouldn't be a stretch to say that they actually enjoyed it! We had the usual stopping and starting along the trail as climbers and porters negotiated some of the more tricky sections, but this did not slow us down and we topped out in just 1 hour and 20 minutes.
With the elevation gain behind us, we continued east towards Karanga Valley, traversing below the last of the southern ice fields. We also took advantage of some good terrain along the way to practice some walking techniques that we will use on summit day. By 1:00 we were pulling into camp, just in time to sit down to a spaghetti lunch. Such a treat! Now we are continuing the routine of the past few afternoons and just hanging out in camp enjoying our time on the mountain. The sun has been battling the clouds for most of the day. Lucky for us, the sun is refusing to give up.
Tomorrow is a short climb to Barafu Camp, our high camp. We'll get into camp by early afternoon with plenty of time to get ready for our summit day.
Best regards,
RMI Guide Jeff Martin
On The Map
Congrats Conor! Glad you had a great trip.
Posted by: Dale on 2/6/2014 at 7:23 am
Best of luck to the whole team! Sending love to my dad Tony! Stay Safe!! Chloe and Anthony say hi, They think their Pa is soooo cool!
Posted by: Shena Rodriguez on 2/1/2014 at 2:09 pm
Hello from Barranco Camp,
Today was another perfect day for us. We got out of camp early and made great progress to Lava Tower. We were there by lunch time and everyone felt great, despite being at almost 15,000'. While we had a cloudless sky in the morning, the clouds had started to roll in and we decided to begin our descent to Barranco Camp. The highlight of the descent was seeing all the giant groundsels as we approached camp. It is hard to describe their unique appearance, but suffice to say that you could just as easily have been on another planet.
We were in camp by 2:00 and after settling into our new accommodations, we headed to the dining tent for tea and snacks. Now we are just hanging out and enjoying the impressive views around camp and taking advantage of some idle time to write in journals, do some reading, send some texts, or just relax.
The team has been climbing strong everyday and everybody remains healthy. We'll send the next dispatch from Karanga Camp tomorrow.
Best regards,
RMI Guide Jeff Martin
On The Map
Enjoying following your progress and viewing the photos!! Go, Barrie!!
Posted by: Debbie on 1/30/2014 at 12:44 pm
Posted by: JJ Justman, Mike King, Steve Gately
Categories: Expedition Dispatches Aconcagua
Elevation: 13,800'
Hello RMI blog followers! Our team has arrived safely back at Basecamp. We are so happy to be in the thick air after a very long expedition. We have used up all our days and it is nice to enjoy the fruits of our labor. We are once again enjoying fresh Argentinian pizzas and the stories are rolling around the table.
Aside from relaxing we will be packing up duffels for our mules arriving tomorrow. We will begin our journey back to Pampa de las Lenas where we began, then the next day we will arrive in Mendoza. We want to thank everyone for all your comments on the blog. Everyone gives their regards. This is our final dispatch for the expedition. Again, thank you! Wait...another pizza is coming. Gotta go!
RMI Guide JJ Justman
On The Map
Way to go Team Olyneck! Were rootig for you Di at work! Be safe!
Posted by: Kathy O'Callaghan on 1/30/2014 at 5:38 am
after 3 weeks….. just burn’em
;)
Good job everyone….. its time to get bonked out of your gord
Posted by: josh on 1/29/2014 at 7:16 pm
Hello fellow climbers! I am glad to see that you are enjoying the continuation of your trip. Made it back to California without hassle. Helped by red wine and sleeping pill. My last day at The Dik Dik was a little lonely since I appeared to be the only guest there and my plane was not until 950pm that night. They tried to feed me a lot and at some point I had to say no. Also if you want to buy souvenirs I would recommend doing it while on safari, because the airport shops seemed to be lacking somewhat in authenticity (although not too bad). Interestingly, while waiting for my plane, there were 3 power failures in the terminal. Fortunately, the computers and runway lights seemed to be on a different circuit, so Hakuna Matata! Here is the latest Bieber update: http://celebrity.yahoo.com/blogs/celeb-news/justin-bieber—extremely-abusive—to-flight-attendant—has-pot-party-at-10-000-ft-184625636.html
Finally, something else I wanted to share with you. When I arrived back at the Dik Dik after the climb, I received a series of text messages informing me that my mother had passed away. She was 82 years old and was in declining health, but her death was not expected. She died on January 29, only a few days into our trek. Although I could have been informed of this, my father was absolutely insistent that I not be told until after I had summited (I guess he had more confidence in my abilities than I had myself). I did not want to mention this at our celebratory dinner since it would detract too much from our overall festive mood. Nonetheless, after having spent over a week with all of you and getting to know you, I think I can tell you now. So after a 36 hour turnover time, I will be on an airplane to Florida to visit with my father for awhile.
I look forward to seeing and sharing all of our pictures. It was a pleasure meeting all of you. I think our overall comradeship, as well as Jeff’s high degree of leadership and professionalism is what allowed us to be successful.
I wish you all the best.
Robert
Posted by: Robert on 2/6/2014 at 12:24 pm
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