Cool, I get it now. So anyway, I've been training for about six weeks now I guess, maybe a little more. I've been doing about 4-6 miles at Town Lake 2-5x per week with weight training at the gym mixed in. From watching the DVD tonight I realize that I need to step up my weekly mileage in the next month, ramping up to an eventual 50 miles per week, which is what I'll be doing on the climb but uphill in high altitude with a 30 lb. backpack and no comforts of home.

I am sad to report that all the research I've done points to the fact that there are no shower facilities in the huts along the Kili route. I've never not showered for that long. Oh sure, I've gone the occassional 3 days w/out bathing when I've been super sick with the flu and could barely move from the couch or bed, but never anything like I will experience on Kili. Gross.
It sucks to think that while I'm reaching the pinnacle of my physical, emotional, and spiritual life experience I will look and smell my personal worst! Maybe I'll learn a valuable lesson about my own vanity and finally be able to break free from the chains of beauty-as-self-worth perceptions that choke young women in America. Or maybe I'll just look and smell bad for six days and then come home and get a mani/pedi and fresh highlights.

I need to get going but will post updates soon on climbing gear. A coworker of mine brought in an awesome backpack for me to borrow, but we think it might be too big for me. Apparently there are special sizes that when fitted properly distribute the weight to your hip bones instead of your shoulders and back. He also says I should select boots that have good tread but that are VERY light. From that convo I caught the "gear bug" and will be geeking out soon at REI. Stay tuned for the exciting conclusion of Which Boots and Backpack to Buy!!!

Hi, I'm back! That was cool... I just posted my first blog. I feel like such a techie! Now I'm going to post this just to make sure I'm doing it right. Be back in a minute. sooz2kili

This is my first blog ever. Feels kinda weird, like I'm writing in a diary. The primary purpose is to capture the research I'm doing in preparation for climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro July 17-22, 2006 and to journal my training and preparation for the trip and climb. Then it will be cool to be able to look back and read this after I've done it. Or, if I die on the climb it will be nice for family and friends to be able to read. I know that sounds morbid but I'm only partially kidding.

Tonight I finally watched the DVD on Mt. Kilimanjaro that I bought about a month ago. Matt set up my DVD player which hadn't been done sinced I moved in a few months ago. This video followed a group of climbers as they ascended to the 19,340 ft. summit through 45 miles of rough but beautiful terrain over the course of five or six days. I didn't realize how major this climb is and that only 50% of people who set out to climb it actually make it to the summit.