We Did It- Thank you so much!

Crankin' it up another notch

Well..... here we go. Ready or not! We, as a group have started turning it up to the next level of training, and soon to be in the highest, heaviest training mode that we will reach. As we are EXACTLY 7 weeks from leaving for Africa from the 'states'; all of you who have shown your care and support (both encouragement and financial) of Brad, Kirk and I over all or part of the last 5 1/2 months DESERVE to know what we are up to, and to see that we are so very serious about our training efforts to achieve our goal on Mt. Kilimanjaro (IF YOU DON'T BELIEVE ME, JUST CLICK ON EITHER OF KIRK'S OR BRAD'S PHOTO TO SEE THE DETERMINATION AND PHYSICAL EXERTION THAT IS OCCURRING, OR IN BRAD'S CASE- OCCURRED).

Our current plan is to start our highest level of training next week. We want to be at this max level of effort and training for a month, but we want it to cease about two weeks before our departure. Then those last two weeks, we will 'kick it back' several levels.... we what to continue to be active and keep our fitness, but we really NEED our bodies to heal and for our muscles to recover to the maximum extent possible prior to starting up the mtn. So... this means that from June 15 - July 12, we will be in high-gear.

As a group, we will be going to Denver in late June to climb and hike in the 13000-14000 elevation range for 3 days. Also, in early July, Brad and I will hopefully be going to upstate New York to climb some mtns in the 5000-6000 ft elevation range (FYI- that's SUPER high for the east coast). Currently, we are already 'upping' our efforts....Last weekend, Kirk climbed Crazy Woman again, but this time it was with a whopping 85# backback! As I spoke to Kirk, who has alway been very active and inshape through his life, he said, "I can certainly say it was one, if not the toughest thing I have ever done physically." Brad has been advancing his training in leaps and bounds also. Several weeks ago, he and I climbed the Appalachian Trail on the section leaving Port Clinton heading south. This stretch is very steep and has large rocks and roots to maneuver around; which he had almost perfected negotiating trail conditions such as these. He has really worked hard on the hiking techinique of the 'rest-step'; which allows the body a micro- rest between each step (the key is the body is resting on it's full-frame, e.g. both legs). This techniques help regulate pace of steps and pace of breathing. Just this last weekend, he bumped his backpack weight up to 40#. His first trip out with the new weight really put brad's legs and lungs to the test. As you can see by his photo he needed a bit of rest at the top. As for me, i have upped the weight in my pack also from 35 # up to 45#; and i also wear ankle weights when training. I also am lengthening the time and distance of each workout i do, whether it be the jogging (cardio), the stairs at the Cathedral of Learning, or hiking up the mtns of Chestnut ridge and Ohiopyle State Park.

We all have gotten our Passports, and we will all have our immunization shots by the end of the week. We have now passed the $27,500 mark on our fundraising efforts (see chart to the right of the blogsite), and feel very confident from the letters that we have recently sent and the contacts that we have made that by the end of June we will have reached our minimum goal of $30,000 for sight-saving surgeries for infants and children through VOSH/PA.

We are grateful for each and every one of your thoughts, prayers and donations. We could not be achieving any of this without each and every one of you. We are positively-impacted daily in some form or fashion by our friends and family regarding this trip. All I have left to say is... keep posted, it is only going to get better!

Petzl supports our trip by donating headlamps

I just wanted to let everyone know that we received a sponsorship from Petzl recently. They donated two of their 'top of the line' headlamps for brad to use on the trip. As you may or may not know yet, on summit day, we will be starting to hike around mid-night; with the goal of reaching Uhuru peak around sunrise. If brad were 100% blind- he would have no illumination needs at all, but since he has only 5% remaining, and has no night vision, his illumination needs are that much greater and that much more critical. I had solicited several companies about possible donations of gear for the trip, and PETZL was the only company to respond at all, let alone positively! Just wanted to send a HUGE thanks to Petzl for their generosity, and to ask anyone who has a headlamp need, to purchase a Petzl headlamp. They are the world-wide leader in quality of headlamps, and obviously will be helping Brad in summiting Mt. Kilimanjaro. Petzl is supporting us, so please support Petzl!