Trail notes from Kilimanjaro Machame Route – Day 6 - 7

Trail notes from Kilimanjaro Machame Route – Day 6 -7

by Kathleen Lisson

I climbed Mt.Kilimanjaro with Serengeti Pride Safari in July 2014. Here are some tips from my hiking experience.

After a nap and meal, we set off from Barafu to hike past Millenium to Mweka camp for our last night. The hike took us back into the land of plants and thicker air. I didn't know how I was going to hike for four more hours when I first returned from the summit, but a nap and meal made everything feel possible.

I luckily had no knee pain.

We traded email addresses over dinner and enjoyed sharing our plans for the first things we would do when we returned to Arusha. 

On the last day, we got up extra early and hiked 3 1/2 hours to the Mweka gate. It started raining halfway through the hike, so we used raingear and pack covers.

Porters will be RUNNING down this section of the mountain, so be careful and stay left.

The entire hiking party must be present when signing out, so make sure you know where all your hiking mates are. The line can get quite long mid-morning.

There are people who will sell you soft drinks and beer as well as clean your boots and gaiters.

There is a wait for the official certificates, so make sure you have snacks if you get hungry before lunch.

Everyone was happy, even with the rain! Watching the trucks maneuver around the parking lot reminded me of India.

We tipped the porters before we left Mweka camp and I tipped my guide when I got my certificate.

Trail notes from Kilimanjaro Machame Route – Day 6

Trail notes from Kilimanjaro Machame Route – Day 6

by Kathleen Lisson

I climbed Mt.Kilimanjaro with Serengeti Pride Safari in July 2014. Here are some tips from my hiking experience.

Summit night: Barafu to Uhuru

I woke up before midnight and it took a full half hour to put on my hiking gear and get ready before breakfast. Do not let yourself be rushed! 

No one had much of an appetite but I appreciated the hot food. 

We started off very slowly walking through camp. The sight of headlamps snaking their way up the mountain let me know that it was our summit night and made me feel like a part of a larger group. Later on in the hike, I looked back down and saw the headlamps below us. I used the headlamp line to get a sense of where our hike was going throughout the night.

The middle hours of the hike were discouraging. I felt exhausted and my heart was pounding. My thoughts and interior monologue were dulled and I felt like I was barely surviving. I decided to never hike again in those hours, until I remembered the Star Trek TNG episode ‘Tapestry,’ where Jean Luc Picard sees how his life would have ended up if he hadn’t gotten into a bar fight when he was young. I decided that this climb was my bar fight, and I summiting would be my success.

I was dressed well and didn’t feel cold. In fact, my face was exposed and event my nose never felt cold. I would pull my balaclava up over my chin when it got windy.

I never had a headache or nausea and never breathed too fast or shallow. 

Once the sun came up, I was amazed to see the number of hikers that were clearly suffering along the side of the trail. I never felt any sickness from the altitude.

I used 2 liters of water on summit night. I put one liter in my Camelback and kept drinking every few minutes until the tube froze a few hours into the hike. I knew the tube would freeze, but having constant access to water during the first part of the hike was important. I switched to Nalgene bottles covered with insulators. Our guide recommended that we carry our bottles upside down in our packs so the ‘bottom’ of the water bottle would freeze and we would still be able to drink water from the top. Because of the insulator, my bottles never froze.

Urinating and drinking water at a rest break is exhausting. I concentrating on just resting on our third break of the hike and felt better when I resumed hiking.

Listening to empowering fast paced music really changed my attitude and unlocked energy.

Concentrating on holding on until the dawn helped me through the night. The sunrise raised my spirits and I knew that the summit was near, even though I had an hour and a half of hiking left.

Trail notes from Kilimanjaro Machame Route – Day 5

Trail notes from Kilimanjaro Machame Route – Day 5

 by Kathleen Lisson

I climbed Mt.Kilimanjaro with Serengeti Pride Safari in July 2014. Here are some tips from my hiking experience.

Karanga to Barafu

My temper got short and I had easily hurt feelings. Luckily, I had my husband to listen to my troubles and I realized it was a combination of altitude and being far away from home with new people around. 

The trail was hot and dusty. I took my time and made the final ascent quite slowly to not overwhelm myself. 

The mountaintop seems close from here! 

We slept and had dinner and tried to sleep again. I have been having vivid nightmares for a few nights now and sleep felt like a drug-induced state. 

We camped right at the end of the trail. The camp itself is long and uphill from the end of the trail. The hikers that made the trek to sign in at the rangers station found the additional walking quite discouraging, likely due to the altitude. 

Trail notes from Kilimanjaro Machame Route – Day 4

Trail notes from Kilimanjaro Machame Route – Day 4

by Kathleen Lisson

I climbed Mt.Kilimanjaro with Serengeti Pride Safari in July 2014. Here are some tips from my hiking experience.

Barranco to Karanga

 

By the time we got to Barranco camp, my nose was sunburnt and my nails were dirty. 

I wore pantyliners and changed them daily and took a baby wipe with me to the restroom. I used the water we were given in the morning and evening to wash my face. I even put my feet in the bowl a few times! I used baby wipes to wash my body. 

I started to feel sensitivity where my sports bra covered the side of my body because I wasn’t used to wearing a sports bra 24 hours a day, but I didn’t have any redness or rash. 

I stored my toothbrush and toothpaste with my pills in my “pharmacy” bag and took it to breakfast and dinner. I used a cup of warm water to brush my teeth after dinner and my fellow hikers quickly followed suit. The other option was to brush our teeth in the cold darkness outside our tent. 

My gaiters did an excellent job of keeping stones out of my boots and keeping the bottoms of my pants clean through multiple wearings.  

I took some napkins from the Zoey’s Double Hex in Manchester, VT and put one in my pocket each day for blowing my nose. The napkins worked well but my nose was getting raw from all the blowing.

Trail notes from Kilimanjaro Machame Route – Day 3

Trail notes from Kilimanjaro Machame Route – Day 3

by Kathleen Lisson

I climbed Mt.Kilimanjaro with Serengeti Pride Safari in July 2014. Here are some tips from my hiking experience. 

Shira Camp to Lava Tower and Barranco Camp

It was a windy night at Shira camp. I saw the glaciers glowing in the moonlight.

I tried a new technique for handling peeing at night – I stayed awake for an hour in my tent, then went to the bathroom and was able to sleep through the rest of the night.

Due to the decrease in temperature, I wore an extra layer to bed. I wore a Buff over my ears.

I found peeing to be exhausting. I felt like I had to ‘push’ more to urinate.

Next time, I would pack more pairs of lightweight gloves and an absorbent hand towel. I was using my sleeping gloves during the daytime and would have been more comfortable with separate pairs to keep my sleeping kit clean.

The Pimsleur tapes have really helped with my Swahili. My nickname on the mountain was ‘Swahili Woman’ and my porter's nickname was ‘Pombe Tatu’ after my recurrent joke about wanting three beers.

Our cook ‘Frank the Tank’ is amazing! The food is plentiful, delicious and there are different dishes for those with food allergies. The soup is the best!

Trail notes from Kilimanjaro Machame Route – Day 2

Trail notes from Kilimanjaro Machame Route – Day 2

by Kathleen Lisson

I climbed Mt.Kilimanjaro with Serengeti Pride Safari in July 2014. Here are some tips from my hiking experience.

Machame Camp to Shira Camp

The plant life is amazing and the night sky was incredible. I saw the Milky Way!

I discovered my new favorite drink on the mountain – Milo, sugar and hot milk. A porter would come and serve us tea or coffee in our tent shortly after the wake up call.

I had to adjust to drinking plenty of water – I got a slight headache in the afternoon but it went away after I focused on drinking and had lunch.

Trail notes from Kilimanjaro Machame Route - Day 1

Trail notes from Kilimanjaro Machame Route Day 1

My gear spread out for gear check at the hotel

by Kathleen Lisson

I climbed Mt.Kilimanjaro with Serengeti Pride Safari in July 2014. Here are some tips from my hiking experience.

Machame Gate to Machame Camp

Keep your passport handy at Machame Gate – the officials need to see it and they will place a Kilimanjaro stamp on one of your pages upon request.

The weather stayed cool and the cloud forest kept our packs damp on the outside. It would be a good idea to put a raincover on your backpack if you want to keep it absolutely dry.

The trail was steep in parts, but there was excellent trail work throughout the route. Hiking poles were needed when the trail got slippery and slightly muddy.

The latrines are well spaced. If you have to pee, ask your guide how far away the latrine is – you might be able to make it to the next latrine instead of having to pee in the forest.

Earplugs came in handy on the first night. I didn’t really feel the altitude until I tried blowing up my sleeping pad. I had my porter blow up my sleeping pad on subsequent nights.

The personal toilet was well worth the additional cost.

I bought a money belt to keep my cash and passport. I wore it during the day and even at dinner. I placed it in my sleeping bag at night.

Throw back Thursday - Mount Marshall

Throw back Thursday - Marshall 

by Kathleen Lisson

For Throwback Thursday, I'm sharing a Hiking Mates hike up Mount Marshall from July 19, 2008. I remember being coated in sweat, which made my pink tank top very sheer. Even a sports bra couldn't help this wardrobe malfunction.

TBT - Cycling Across the Golden Gate Bridge

Cycling Across the Golden Gate Bridge

by Kathleen Lisson

Here is a photo taken of Arun and me in 2012 before cycling across the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, Ca. We rented bicycles from a local shop and rode to Sausalito before taking the ferry back to the City.

Information on how to cycle across the Golden Gate Bridge from Tripadvisor: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Travel-g60713-c134705/San-Francisco:California:Biking.The.Golden.Gate.html

Runners - Where to focus attention while running

What Should Runners Think About While Running?

by Kathleen Lisson

What goes through your mind when these are on your feet?

In Runners World article titled 'Where To Focus Your Attention While Running,' Amby Burfoot shares information on the best way to calm your mind in a race. He shares differences between "associative thinking," "disassociative thinking" and the "constrained action hypothesis." 

The latest research shows that focusing on feelings or thinking of whatever comes to mind uses up less oxygen than thinking about breathing or form.

Read the article here: http://www.runnersworld.com/sports-psychology/where-to-focus-your-attention-while-running

New Hampshire Presidential Range

Hiking Mount Washington and Mount Eisenhower - Presidential Range New Hampshire Hike Report

by Kathleen Lisson

We chose to hike Mount Washington in New Hampshire as our last prep hike before the Kilimanjaro trip. Arun and I stayed at Carlson's Lodge in Twin Mountain, NH because we wouldn't make it to NH until well past quiet time at the local campgrounds. I enjoyed the 'grandma's house' feel of the lodge. They serve cereal, toast, milk juice and coffe for breakfast. 

 Sign along the Mount Washington trail

Sign along the Mount Eisenhower trail

I relied on the AMC White Mountain Guide for trail information for both hikes. The highlight of the Mount Washington hike was eating soup at the AMC Lakes of the Clouds hut in the middle of the hike. We started by hiking the Ammonoosuc Ravine Trail from the entrance behind the Cog Railway building off of Base Road. 

We hiked Mount Eisenhower using Edmans Path. Eisenhower was a good second day hike, providing a steady climb and views of Mount Washington at the summit. 

Lessons Learned:

• Mid hike soup tastes amazing.

• Krummholz is a name for the trees that grow near treeline.

• The Mount Washington summit is a zoo, due to a road and a cog railway taking non-hikers to the summit. They do have a gift shop with some hiking-related trinkets. 

• Bring cash for the soup and for any purchases at the summit gift shop. 

Rachel Cushing's Trip up Kilimanjaro

Rachel Cushing's Trip up Kilimanjaro

by Kathleen Lisson

Watching Rachel Cushing's video diary of her ascent up Kilimanjaro makes me feel excited for my upcoming trip to Africa! It is empowering to see other American women taking this journey and enjoying everything that comes with climbing the tallest freestanding mountain in the world.

Part one is here: http://youtu.be/7bksHGHvEYo

Part two is here: http://youtu.be/Z_xFjX5l25Q

Arusha, Tanzania today and British East India a Century Ago

Arusha, Tanzania today and British East India a Century Ago

By Kathleen Lisson

The first day of our trip to Tanzania will be spend discovering Arusha before we pack up to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro. I wonder what we will find?

Here is a video of the modern day streets of Arusha: http://youtu.be/yDfwmCRmhkE

This video reminds me a lot of my husband’s city in Kerala, India.

Here is mesmerizing video of Theodore Roosevelt's trip to British East India in 1909. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJ_QeeHHEZw

Running Tips from Fleet Feet Albany's Charlie Woodruff

Running Tips from Charlie Woodruff

by Kathleen Lisson

Running in Washington DC

Benita Zahn interviewed Charlie Woodruff, owner of Fleet Feet Albany. He gives tips on couch to 5K programs, how to breathe properly and what to eat before a race. I was most surprised by one fact that Zahn shared - 26.5 million people in America run at least 50 days per year. That's a lot of runners!

Benita Zahn's story is here: http://wnyt.com/article/stories/S3481350.shtml?cat=12404

“Endurance Sports are About Not Quitting”

“Endurance Sports are about Not Quitting”

By Kathleen Lisson

I was reading 'Mastering the Marathon, Time Efficient Training Secrets for the 40 – plus Athlete' by Don Fink and the following sentence captured my interest – “Endurance sports are about not quitting.” Fink has written an excellent chapter on mental training for endurance sports titled ‘Racing Strategies and Mental Approaches.’ He shares that a famous athlete once told him that if a runner doesn’t think about quitting at least three times during a race, they are not running hard enough. Fink also explains his “humble happy warrior” approach, the “relaxation – focus – competitive” approach and tips on using the posting of goals to increase confidence.

My goal isn’t to achieve a certain time, it is to summit Mt. Kilimanjaro, so I am using this poster as a way to ‘post my goals.’

Though I will not be using the strategy of running at different paces during my hike and will have to accommodate the change in altitude, I will definitely use Fink’s top strategy of not going out too fast. I will be excited on the first day of the hike, and will have to remember to hike slowly so I am able to hike, over a series of days, all the way to the top.

Peekamoose and Table Mountains Catskills hike report

Peekamoose and Table - Catskills Hike Report

by Kathleen Lisson

Arun and I hiked Peekamoose and Table Mountains. This time Arun came down with 'summit fever,' the irresistible urge to hike past overlooks in search of the summit before stopping for a break. We ended up enjoying the overlooks on the trip back to the trailhead.

Lessons Learned:

• Camping is better than dayhiking - we didn't start hiking until the afternoon because we could lounge around our house. Waking up in a tent ensures we get an early start.

• There are several parking lots on the way to the trailhead. Luckily we asked a local for directions and she pointed us further down the road. 

• The DEC didn't put enough sheets in the trail register! Arun had to sign us in on the back cover. When we signed out, we found that other hikers had followed our lead and signed in below us. Signing in at the trail register ensures that rescuers have basic information about you and your planned hike in the event you get lost. It also helps the DEC allocated funding for trail upkeep.

Peekamoose and Table Mountain hike information from New York New Jersey Trail Conference:  http://www.nynjtc.org/hike/peekamoos-and-table-mountains

How to Increase Pain Tolerance for Endurance Athletes

How to Increase Pain Tolerance for Endurance Athletes

By Kathleen Lisson

In the Runner's World article ‘Three Workouts to Increase Pain Tolerance,’ Alex Hutchinson writes about a TransEurope study which found that “athletes can endure the discomfort at higher levels and for longer times than nonathletes. They have a higher pain tolerance. And it's a learned skill: Research suggests that the harder you train, the higher your tolerance rises.” 

Hutchinson goes on to profile three workouts that increase pain tolerance for long distance running.

Much is made of altitude sickness as a factor in summiting Mount Kilimanjaro. I will be taking medication and understand that I have no control over how my body will react to the altitude. I do have control over how I react to the hikes each day. Hopefully increasing my pain tolerance will make the trek less unpleasant.

Check out the 'Three Workouts to Increase Pain Tolerance' article here:

http://www.runnersworld.com/workouts/three-workouts-to-increase-pain-tolerance?cm_mmc=Facebook-_-RunnersWorld-_-Content-Training-_-IncreasePainTolerance

Outdoor Leadership Quiz

Outdoor Leadership Quiz

by Kathleen Lisson

As I have spent more time in the backcountry preparing for my hike up Mt. Kilimanjaro, I have become more interested in the skills needed to be a great hike leader. 

I came across this webpage from the Appalachian Mountain Club titled 'What Would You Do?' The page outlines to hiking scenarios and asks the reader to put him/herself in the hike leader's shoes and make a decision that will ensure the group's safety while keeping the hike fun and rewarding for everyone.

Try out your Outdoor Leadership skills here: https://www.outdoors.org/publications/outdoors/web/what-would-you-do.cfm

Altitude Acclimatization Advice from Princeton University

Altitude Acclimatization Advice from Princeton University

 By Kathleen Lisson

In the publication ‘Princeton University's Outdoor Action Guide to High Altitude: Acclimatization and Illnesses,’ Rick Curtis, Director, Outdoor Action Program offers recommendations for trekkers climbing at altitude.

His most valuable tips for me were to engage in light activity during the day. Light activity is “better than sleeping because respiration decreases during sleep, exacerbating the symptoms.”
Curtis also recommends “eating a high carbohydrate diet (more than 70% of your calories from carbohydrates) while at altitude.”

Curtis also shared a test for moderate Acute Mountain sickness (AMS) – “have the person ‘walk a straight line’ heel to toe. Just like a sobriety test, a person with ataxia will be unable to walk a straight line. This is a clear indication that immediate descent is required. It is important to get the person to descend before the ataxia reaches the point where they cannot walk on their own.”

I did not know that above 10,000 feet most trekkers experience Cheyne-Stokes Respirations. I think that my altitude sickness prescription should ensure that this does not happen to me.

Read the Princeton University's Outdoor Action Guide to High Altitude: Acclimatization and Illnesses report at
http://www.princeton.edu/~oa/safety/altitude.html

Do You Hike Just for the Summit?

Do You Hike Just for the Summit?

Map of Mount Kilimanjaro

 By Kathleen Lisson

In the article ‘5 Training tips to climb Kilimanjaro,’ Daniel Dorr of Kilimanjaro Adventures has some wise words about training to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro. He shares a quote, “enjoy your suffering, that’s what alpinism is all about.” Dorr cautions that trekkers “can’t spend 7 days climbing a mountain if you only enjoy standing at the top.”

This advice really hit home. When I was training for my half marathon I read post after post from non-athletes that wanted to know the bare minimum training regimen that would help them stand at the finish line of a race. I want my week on Kilimanjaro to be meaningful, not just the handful of minutes on the summit.

Read ‘5 Training tips to climb Kilimanjaro’ here:

http://www.kiliadventures.com/planning-travel/5-training-tips-to-climb-kilimanjaro/