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
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
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.
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
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
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
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
Hello from Shira Camp,
When we woke up this morning, it was crystal clear and the mountain was completely visible. The group wasted no time packing up camp and we were walking by 8:00. With the early start we completely avoided all the trail traffic and pretty much had it to ourselves for most of the day. We gained about 2,500' total, reaching our high point at 12,500'. Everyone did extremely well today with both the terrain and the altitude. We stopped en route for a nice lunch before traversing up to the west to gain the Shira Plateau. We were in camp by 1:00 and had the whole afternoon to enjoy our new camp. We mostly sat around the dining tent talking about past adventures and tried our best to keep up with the tea and snacks that were being delivered non-stop. We'll head back to the dining tent around 6:00 for dinner and then settle into our tents for the evening.
Tomorrow is going to be a big day for us as we are trekking to almost 15,000'. Lava Tower will be the high point for tomorrow, and then we will begin our descent to Barranco Camp. Even though we are gaining almost 2,500' in the morning, we will be back to almost the same altitude that we are right now. And this is exactly what our bodies need and is key for proper acclimatization. We are ready for the challenge!
Best regards,
RMI Guide Jeff Martin
Greetings from Machame Camp,
We could not have had a better day today! This was the first day on the trail and the group did great. We had the trail to ourselves and perfect weather. We heard some very distant thunder but made it to camp without any rain. It was barely an hour later when some light rain started to fall, but fortunately we were already warm and dry in our dining tent, snacking on some tea and popcorn.
We started the day at 6,000' and made it up to camp in just under 4 1/2 hours, a solid pace. We are now settled in at camp and the mountain is teasing us with grand views as the clouds roll in and out. The team is feeling really strong and happy to finally be on the mountain.
Best regards,
RMI Guide Jeff Martin
I am so excited to relive my Kilo moments through you and Jeff. Behind every successful team is a very successful woman! Cheers to all the team. Elsie Bemiss
Posted by: Elsie Bemiss on 1/29/2014 at 6:58 pm
Cheers to Barrie on hanging with what looks to be like a lot of testosterone. Wish you all the best and enjoy each day of the hike as they are all so different.
Jambo,
We are now a full team. Our last climber was delayed in getting here last night but was able to re-route through Nairobi and arrived here by mid-day.
This morning we focused on getting ready to leave for the mountain tomorrow. Everybody went through their gear one last time to ensure that nothing was missed and more importantly, to make sure that the kitchen sink was not thrown in by accident. We enjoyed the rest of the day hanging out at the pool and exploring the area around our hotel. We just finished an incredible five-course meal, and are frantically writing a few last emails before going to bed.
We head to the Machame Gate (6,000') in the morning and will be checking in from Machame Camp (10,000') tomorrow night. Now with the months of training and planning behind us, we are just a few hours from starting our climb. Everybody is excited to get on the trail tomorrow and ready for the challenge that lies ahead.
Best regards,
RMI Guide Jeff Martin
Greetings from Arusha, Tanzania,
Our Kilimanjaro climb has officially started! After some quick introductions and a champagne toast, it was time to complete the very last leg of our long travels - a short drive to our hotel.
We had a nice three-course meal waiting for us when we arrived and we sat out on the patio enjoying the fine dining and the sights and sounds of a new destination.
We are waiting for one more climber to join the team later tonight, and then we will start tomorrow with a team meeting after breakfast, discussing all the details of our climb.
La la salama (good night),
RMI Guide Jeff Martin
Robert, So excited for you and your team. Missing you and looking forward to more updates!
Love Shelley
Posted by: Shelley on 1/27/2014 at 9:11 am
LOVE seeing this photo of the beloved Dik Dik. Best wishes to Barrie on this wonderful adventure ahead. Jeff is the man! Am so excited to read your blog and think of you all.
Conor has the best hat!
Posted by: Carlisle on 2/6/2014 at 1:56 pm
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