Entries By mark tucker

Kilimanjaro: Tucker & Team Ready for Mountain

July 23, 2012

Posted by: Mark Tucker

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Kilimanjaro

Jambo! Our team has arrived in Tanzania. We had our first team meeting this morning after breakfast at the beautiful Dik Dik Hotel. After that we spread out gear and checked that everyone brought the necessary items. The team took the equipment list to heart and everyone is thoroughly prepared for our adventure. the temperature is in the 70s with clear skies. We are enjoying a relaxing afternoon and recovering from our long flights and the new time zone. Some folks spent some time lounging by the pool. We had a nice team dinner and everyone has headed to their cabanas to do some final trip prep. In the morning we will load the vans and drive to the trail head of Kilimanjaro. After so many months of preparing for our Kilimanjaro, the time is finally here. Tomorrow we start the climb! RMI Guide Mark Tucker

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Rob, Jodie, & Ashlynn - We are holding down the fort here and are very excited to follow your trip there! Be careful and safe and have a great trip!

Posted by: Cheryl and Dee on 7/25/2012 at 5:57 am

Scotty Boy! Have fun! Mary Donna is sad, but we will follow your progress as we sit on the beach in St Thomas.

Ang.

Posted by: angela on 7/24/2012 at 6:28 pm

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Carstensz Pyramid: Team arrives back in Timika

July 7, 2012

Posted by: Alex Van Steen, Mark Tucker

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Carstensz Pyramid

Hello All, We have just finished a fun dinner after returning to Timika late this afternoon. Admittedly though, the dinner, as delicious as it was, paled in comparison to a shower after all these days in the humid & muddy jungle! This trip has been demanding in so many ways that the whole adventure is just that much sweeter now that it has ended. Mark Tucker and I are off to Bali for a day of body surfing (oh how I hate my job!) and then back to the U.S. Thanks for following along. All the best, RMI Guide Alex Van Steen

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Mark Tucker, good to hear that you’ve completed the summit list! I can recall hearing you talk about Aconcagua and my daughter, Erin, still has the small chip from the biggest “hill”, from when we lived next to you on Dagny Circle. Congrats! I’ll complete my seventh continent, and 110th country, in March 2013! Les.

Posted by: Leslie Kelly on 7/13/2012 at 7:19 pm

McGahan clan… congrats to all of you! Sooo proud! I can’t wait to hear all about it! Love y’al, Coach/Mrs. Eubanks

P.S. Katie… Are you keeping your backpack as neat as your PE Locker???? :)

Posted by: Amy Eubanks on 7/8/2012 at 7:48 pm

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Carstensz Pyramid: Summit!

July 5, 2012

Posted by: Alex Van Steen, Mark Tucker

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Carstensz Pyramid

Elevation: 16,023'

Good morning, this is Alex Van Steen from the Carstensz Expedition. And my oh my, what a day we had yesterday. And here is the great word: RMI has summitted Carstensz Pyramid! We had a long day but everybody, despite being exhausted, did, really, really well. We all have a little bit of an altitude hack and the desire to head the other direction, but we are just loving this experience. I wish I could send photos via this dispatch, but they will be posted later. We've got lots of photos, and lots more stories. Stay tuned. Thanks, good-bye.

RMI Guide Alex Van Steen with the Carstensz summit news.

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Alex, I’m so proud of you!!! Good job. Love, your cousin-in-law!!! ;-)

Posted by: Lynnette Rutledge on 7/6/2012 at 7:53 pm

Hey guys!! So incredibly proud of all of you! To celebrate your achievements today, Sophie and Kasey slept til noon!!!!You guys are all amazing. Can’t wait to see the pics and hear the stories. Get home safe!

Posted by: Uncle Martin on 7/6/2012 at 4:51 pm

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Carstensz Pyramid: Team Readies for Summit Attempt

July 4, 2012

Posted by: Alex Van Steen, Mark Tucker

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Carstensz Pyramid

Elevation: 13,900'

Mark Tucker checking in from the Carstensz Pyramid Expedition. All is well. We had a great training day today. We climbed a portion of the route just trying to familiarize ourselves with the terrain and technique. Our team is doing very well. We were pleasantly surprised at the abilities of our group here. So, of course, it had to starting raining. We did start out in some clear weather but the spicket turned on and it is raining right now. We are going to take a look at the weather starting about midnight tonight. And at some point we’ll pull the trigger and give it our best shot. Safety is our number one priority but we are going to push it hard and hope that we get a chance to make the summit. We look forward to climbing tonight but for now, we have to get some rest. Thanks for checking in. RMI Guide Mark Tucker

RMI Guide Mark Tucker checks in from Carstensz Pyramid Base Camp.

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Mark, so jazzed to see you are still climbing mountains! Pat is still in college (Theatre) and Erin is a librarian in Md. I am in Louisiana. Say hello to your family for us.

Posted by: Jessie Kelly on 7/12/2012 at 1:38 pm

WISHING YOU ALL A HAPPY SUMMIT.

ALEX FROM THE CANARY ISLAND

Posted by: ALESSANDRO (ALEX) on 7/5/2012 at 7:53 am

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Carstensz Pyramid: Team Arrives Basecamp and Preps for Climb

July 3, 2012

Posted by: Alex Van Steen, Mark Tucker

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Carstensz Pyramid

Elevation: 13,900'

Good afternoon, This is the Carstensz team checking in. We had a hike today into our base camp we got in pretty early this morning, and have spent the day getting ready for a prep day tomorrow. So tomorrow we will probably climb 6 - 8 pitches of rock as a warm up for Carstensz which we hope to attempt the following day. Things are going great. We are well established at base camp. It is raining still but there are long breaks of good weather during the day. And we're certainly hoping to take advantage of that. That's it for right now. We'll check in again tomorrow after we've done our training. Good night to all. RMI Guide Alex Van Steen

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Carstensz Pyramid: Team Almost to Basecamp

July 2, 2012

Posted by: Alex Van Steen, Mark Tucker

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Carstensz Pyramid

The weather is beautiful today and our team is about 3 hours away from Basecamp. After we arrive, we’ll use the rest of the day for training and practice. We may try for the summit as early as tomorrow. Everyone is in good health, strong and excited for the summit attempt. We are presently in a valley where it’s difficult to get a signal but we will do our best to dispatch again soon. RMI Guides Alex Van Steen & Mark Tucker

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Your descriptions are amazing. Marshland at 11000 feet! Good luck, team - be safe and have fun.

Posted by: Mom/Grandma on 7/3/2012 at 5:37 am

excellent…...

Posted by: Rini Indyastuti on 7/3/2012 at 2:33 am

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Carstensz Pyramid: Team Checks in after Their Hike

July 1, 2012

Posted by: Alex Van Steen, Mark Tucker

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Carstensz Pyramid

Today our team completed a 10 hour hike through beautiful marshland. We are getting into an area with limestone masses, passing by caves in the limestone cliffs. Quite spectacular! Today's hike was the first we've had in the rain. But despite the wet conditions, everyone is in high spirits and doing very well. RMI Guide Alex Van Steen

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Houston`s climate is not that bad after all. Hope you all will keep up the good spirit and enjoy the reward of being able to do what you are doing.What an experience it is. I am curious to see some pictures after you are all back in good health.
Pap en Mam

Posted by: Richard van Steen on 7/2/2012 at 6:26 am

Alex, Mark and team, Amakane!Mark your blog reminds of a poem my Mom wrote “Oh give me a mountain to climb! Im leaving the jungle trail, the steamy swamps and the lowlands, give me a mountain to scale. I’ve been cut by the jungle grasses, I faint in the tropical heat, to plow through the mire is exhausting the mud has made heavy my feet….” You will soon be wondering at the towering crags above you, gasping at the vast unclimbed faces! Hey that wall of roots is pretty wild, eh? 5.8 climbing in the jungle! Ka noae!

Posted by: amy on 7/2/2012 at 2:29 am

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Carstensz Pyramid: Team Checks in from Putigapa

June 30, 2012

Posted by: Alex Van Steen, Mark Tucker

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Carstensz Pyramid

Elevation: 11'000'

Hey there Mark Tucker here with the Carstensz climb. I am not quite sure what of the amazing sites in front of me I should speak of when it comes to leading a Jungle tour. We round a corner here in this neck of the woods, I guess jungle. A gentleman appears with a big spear, a large bow, something sticking through his nose, and wearing only a gourd tends to get my attention. A wondrous place it is. It is like jungle gym, thank goodness for roots, I have a new a respect for them as a whole. We had an ascent on some very steep terrain. The team is climbing so strong and so well and the support we are getting from our local staff is wonderful. We are now in Putigapa which is just a meadow swamp land at about 11,000’ and it is still very forested and we have yet to find the tree line. Mother Nature was kind to us again today we were able to get all of our gear, tents and dining area set up before the rains started. Right now it is raining pretty hard, we are all dry, but pretty happy. We are tired, but that just comes with the territory. We wish you were all here and we will check in later. RMI Guide Mark Tucker & Team

Mark Tucker checks in from Putigapa

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When your on that mountain, all you gotta do is give ahundred puhcent. You know me and my boyz dwade and chris all we do is get the rings. If you ever make a big desicion call me up (1-800-got-ring)

Posted by: Lebron (The King Who Got His Ring) James on 6/30/2012 at 8:54 pm

Hey Team!!!! Hope you all are not too worn out so far! You are in our prayers! Keep having fun p.s. Katie I hope you are not using as much chapstick as you did on kili or else you will be out by now….

Posted by: Billy (Bmeister) Mcgahan on 6/30/2012 at 8:49 pm

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Carstensz Pyramid: Team Meets the Moni Tribe

June 29, 2012

Posted by: Mark Tucker, Alex Van Steen

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Carstensz Pyramid

Hello there Mark Tucker here calling from the Carstensz Pyramid Expedition. Here in Ugimba spending quality time with Moni tribesmen. A Great welcome. This is where our lead local guide is from and it is pretty amazing as you can imagine. We were treated to quite a festival and a very formal traditional dance. This is the real deal, just like the pictures you would see in National Geographic. This is it, this is pure in the purest form. It has been one heck-of-a day, we are just smoked, the whole team is already bedded down and it is still pretty early. We’ve probably got another 2 or 3 power days in the jungle where every step takes full concentration team is doing fantastic. I'm so impressed with efforts in there. They are adjusting to all of the incredibly challenging root climbs, there were a couple of small cliffs and moving the rivers having to build little bridges wading in rubber boots almost over the top, as a matter of fact, somebody may have actually had a full submersion. We are all doing pretty well, and WOW this place is amazing. It didn't really rain until about 4 o'clock, and then they turn on the spigot and it's full blast. We are happy where we are at. I can't wait to show some pictures because this is just an incredible experience, and we hope to continue enjoying it. Big day tomorrow and we'll do our best to keep checking in. So for now it's called “Amakane” (ah-mah-kah-neh) it just keeps people smiling and it's the greatest greeting. We will keep checking in, Amakane! RMI Guide Mark Tucker

RMI Guide Mark Tucker Checking in from Ugimba

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The adventure continues. What a story. Much love to you all.

Posted by: Mom/Grandma on 6/30/2012 at 7:18 am

That sounds so incredible - thank you for sharing it all. We are sending good thoughts to all of you.

Posted by: lisa mcgahan on 6/29/2012 at 6:07 pm

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Carstensz Pyramid: Team Takes First Trek Through the Jungle

June 28, 2012

Posted by: Alex Van Steen, Mark Tucker

Categories: Expedition Dispatches Carstensz Pyramid

Good Evening, good evening from the Carstensz Pyramid team. We are at Gamagai Village and we have had an incredible day. We had a beautiful flight over the jungle, we were greeted in Sugapa by hundreds of people, friendly, welcoming, and we began our trek on jeeps, very fun. We rode for about 10 minutes and then began our jungle walk. Although we expected a lot of rain and there were clouds all around, it did not rain on us as we went through first couple of villages. It wasn’t until the last couple hours that we experienced the deluge of the jungle. We set up our tents once we got to Gamagai Village but we are not wet a bit, and the reason why is that they welcomed us to do some indoor camping at the local church. We are enjoying a dinner of cheese and all kinds of good food. We are going to get ready for another big day tomorrow, a great fun day. We are looking forward to what the mountain has in store for us and we will catch up in a day or two. All the Best, Alex Van Steen, Mark Tucker and the first inaugural RMI Carstensz Pyramid Expedition team.

Alex Van Steen Checks in From Gamagai Village

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Leave a Comment For the Team (2)

Your adventure sounds like a movie! Many thanks for the blog posts since they make it real. Much love to Bill, Katie and Sara.

Posted by: Mom/Grandma on 6/29/2012 at 7:01 am

101 in Atlanta today and no rain. We want to hear from all of you whne possible.

Posted by: Henry on 6/29/2012 at 5:39 am

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Entries By mark tucker

Kilimanjaro: Tucker & Team Ready for Mountain

Carstensz Pyramid: Team arrives back in Timika

On The Map

Carstensz Pyramid: Summit!

On The Map

Carstensz Pyramid: Team Readies for Summit Attempt

Carstensz Pyramid: Team Arrives Basecamp and Preps for Climb

On The Map

Carstensz Pyramid: Team Almost to Basecamp

Carstensz Pyramid: Team Checks in after Their Hike

On The Map

Carstensz Pyramid: Team Checks in from Putigapa

On The Map

Carstensz Pyramid: Team Meets the Moni Tribe

On The Map

Carstensz Pyramid: Team Takes First Trek Through the Jungle

On The Map

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