This week TAs pesky urinary tract infection forced her to seek refuge at lower elevation in the village of Pheriche. But now, feeling better TA is back at base camp and is preparing to head back into the ice fall. As always these updates are being brought to you by Applecore Interactive, RJG Construction, the Newfoundland and Labrador Credit union, School Sport Newfoundland and Labrador, and the Egg Producers of Newfoundland and Labrador all proud sponsors of TA’s Everest 2010 expedition. Enjoy!
April 28 – Seeds of Possibility
Hi this is TA calling in from the village of Pheriche again. A wonderfully deluxe, rest, and relaxation day, a little stroll through town, did some email. Its so wonderful to read all of the encouragement posted on the various places my blog gets published, so thank you so much for your kind words and encouragement. I had a delicious amazing shower, good food, and a big nap this afternoon. So it feels as if the universe is sowing the seeds of possibility in me once again. I spent some time watching yaks, finished a book about a women who is a Buddhist, who recovered from a bus accident, so that provided some inspiration. I was just sitting with two women climbers from the IMG team, so that is interesting to get to share experiences, and trials, and tribulations. So a very good day here in Pheriche, feeling a little strength coming back into my bones and muscles. Thanks again for following along, for being there for me, sending encouragement, it has been great to get an outside perspective, outside of base camp, outside of me, so I’m having a good day. Thanks so much, talk to you tomorrow, bye
April 29 – Intermediary Goals
Hi this is TA calling in from the village of Pheriche. Pretty good day here, I decided to spend some of the day going on a walk about, I hiked down to the temporary bridge, which has been temporary for about a year and a half since the other one washed away. I then climbed up the very steep hill on the far side of the river to over look Pheriche and Island Peak, and eventually got a look up over memorial Hill into Louboche and all the way to Kala Patter. So I figure I gained some where in the vicinity of 800 or 900m, very, very nice and slowly, not pushing myself too hard and I defiantly felt a little more life in my quads then the last time I tried to go uphill a couple of days ago. So I think I’m on the mend, we will see what the energy is like tomorrow to decided if I will start heading back to base camp tomorrow or the next day, but I will play it by ear. I finished my antibiotics today and I’m hoping that the strength continues to come. As I climbed the big hill I was reminded of the importance of intermediary goals. I often say if you look at the whole mountain its overwhelming, or if you try to eat the whole elephant in one bit you cant do it, but you can if you take it step by step. There where times today when I would see a rock cairn on the horizon and would make the commitment to walking there. Some times it was about walking 50 steps at a time and then resting, and then 50 more steps and then resting, but eventually after about 2 hours I was able to get all that elevation gain in. Intermediary goals, I’m not looking at the whole mountain at this point, I’m just thinking about getting well enough to head back up to base camp. Once I’m at base camp I will just be looking for the circumstances and conditions to allow me to get through the ice fall as the next step, and I will take it from there. I’m keeping and eye on the intermediary goals, and the big goal at the end, but step by step is where it is at for me today. Thanks again for all of your support, I love reading all the emails since I have been here in Pheriche. Very good luck to my friends Leslie and Dan who are leaving in 2 days to fly to Nepal to try to get up to Everest base camp, so I’m very eager to see them. I hope it all works out so that I do get to see them, either I’m up to the mountain or down from the mountain, or wherever I might end up being. Thanks again to RJG Construction, and Applecore Interactive for their sponsorship of these updates, they let you follow along we me, and I appreciate having you all along. Take care; catch you from tomorrow, bye
April 30 – 1,2,3,4
Hi this is TA calling in from Lobouche at 4910m. I had forgotten to mention last week that I had reached a milestone, as you probably know Signal Hill is the centre of my training activities and that 60 Signal Hills equals Everest elevation 8848m. So last week given the disappointment of 2 bladder infections I failed to celebrate with you that I have gained the equivalent of 60 Signal Hills since beginning the trekking on March 27th. Thanks to the past few days the total is now 71 Signal Hills, I’m hoping all of you “Step up to the Summit Challenge” folks are making good progress towards your own physical activity summits. Remember day by day, step by step gets you there, couple hours here, a half hour there, get out there get those steps in, get them recorded and climb the mountain with me. My watch alarm went off today at 1,2,3,4 or 12:34 as it does everyday, I said Hi dad as I always do and promptly burst into tears. As I grieved the loss of my physical strength these last weeks due to infections, my grief for my dad has risen sharply like the jagged peaks that surround me. In their sharp brilliance the intense pain thunders onto my shoulders like seracs falling from Nuptese. I wonder if I will be buried alive, but then the spin drift passes over and I can breath again, acknowledge my lose and go on. The other day I admitted to myself the extra weight of grief that I’m carrying in my backpack. I miss my dad. I worry about how my family is dealing with their grief. I feel close to him sometimes and other times I wish he could say just exactly what I needed to hear, “leave her to it, she can do it.” So Flat Stanley and I are in Lobouche for the night, I decided to break the walk back to base camp into two smaller chunks to allow for some rest and arrive at base camp in good form. I’m moving decently well, and am looking forward to seeing the team tomorrow. I’ve been racking my brain about how to get a rotation in while the team is resting from their last rotation, but haven’t sorted out all the logistics. Perhaps a few nights at Pumori camp 2 might work. I will chat with Tim as soon as I get back to base camp about the possibilities. Thanks again for all of your support, get out there get active, I’ll check in again tomorrow, thanks so much, bye.
May 1 – Game 4
Hi this is TA calling in from Everest base camp, I got here just before noon after about 3 hours and 45 minutes of walking. It was good timing because I saw the rest of the team that is heading down to Pheriche to rest, so I got to say goodbye to them, the other half of the team is staying here. I did ok on the walk, I was about ½ hour faster then when I came in here the first time, but we will see if my body has really recovered when I start doing something steep. Speaking of which Tim does have a plan for me, so that was great to hear. I will probably try to head up through the ice fall the day after next, but I will learn more about that tomorrow, he enlighten me a bit today but in my post walk haze I didn’t quite catch it all. As I was walking today I was thinking back in Canada its probably playoff hockey time and I was thinking that I am in some ways in a best of 7 series. I don’t usually like to set myself up in competition with the mountain but that was the analogy or metaphor, sorry to all my English teachers at the moment, I cant remember which it is. But here we are in the playoffs, best of 7 series, and I feel like I’m down 3 games to none and I’m in the other teams home building for the forth game. But what can I say there is always hope, I think there has been some teams that has come back from being 3 down, I’m looking for some coaches speeches, what would you say to your team if you were down 3 – 0, one game away from elimination and needing 4 really good games in a row to make it happen. So that’s my analogy, I’m not sure if its helpful or not, but it gave me a good chuckle as I walked along today. Its great to be back here where water doesn’t cost anything to drink and the popcorn is free. I’m listening to all the stories from up along, its great to have folks to share tea and meals with. That’s the scoop from today, I’m back at base camp, and I’m trying to gear up for game 4 of a seven game series, take care, and again thanks to all my sponsor for helping me be here.
Thanks so much.
TA
TA Loeffler's Adventures that Move 