Kilimanjaro Gear

My son David has signed up for a trek to the top of Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, Africa. We had been putting it off, but we could put it off no longer. We had to buy gear for his trip up the mountain. Here in sunny California, winter gear is often only available during the winter months, and we were running out of time. So, Saturday was spent at the local REI getting the things he will need to climb the mountain. The bottom of the mountain is arid, but he will be climbing through tropical forest with daily rainfall until he reaches the top which is covered in an ice cap. He will need to be prepared to travel through all the environments.

His gear includes a thick pair of thermal underwear designed to wick moisture away from his body so that he stays dry and warm. The next layer is a set of insulating jacket and pants. For additional warmth, he will have a vest that he can add over the jacket. Finally he has a set of rain gear - jacket and pants. For his head, he will have a balaclava and a beanie to put over it. He will have liner socks and three thickness of hiking socks, so he can move to thicker layers as he moves up. His gloves have a liner so that he can take them off and do tasks without completely exposing his hands.

While trekking during the day, he will probably get warm and remove layers as he goes, but as they stop to camp each night, he will have to add a number of layers to stay warm. We are hoping he adds the layers before he actually starts to get cold.

We have other gear he will be taking, and some of it we can purchase later. Not pictured is a zero degree sleeping bag.

We have a lot of concerns about his trip and neither of us will be with him. We will be relying on the adult scout leaders to ensure his safely and comfort. I'm sure I'll be blogging more as his departure nears.

See my wife's entry on the subject.

11 Mile Skyline Hike

I went on an 11 mile hike on Saturday. We met at 6:00 a.m., so I had to get up at 5:00 a.m. to get ready. We drove to the location of the hike, registered and had our photo taken, then sat in a bus for about 30 minutes to be taken up to the trail head.

Our hike was along the Skyline trail starting just above Rio Hondo College. Some of our group went 6 miles, but I chose to do 11 miles with my son. The hike follows a line of local foothills and had a number of ascents and descents. The last mile or two was a nice downhill slope.

The day was very overcast with occasional light sprinkles here and there. Never any real downpours. Wonderful for hiking. We even had a touch of sun come out a few times.

I was pretty tired by the time I was done. Stiffened up on the ride home. I had some errands that I had hoped to run in the afternoon, but decided it would be best for me to cancel them. I lounged about most of the day, nodding off regularly in front of the TV or computer. Finally I gave in and went to bed at 8:00 p.m. Today, I am still sore, but getting better. I even managed to hobble after my wife when we went Christmas shopping.

Hiking in the Olden Days

I've been exchanging e-mail with Sonia for a while now. We haven't managed to connect on the phone yet, but hopefully soon. She posted a YouTube video from back when a gang of us from Gemco used to hang out. It was pretty amazing looking back at all those old photos. I thought I'd share her entry so that others can see. Enjoy!