Where are you going.. (Travel Thread)

[Whensthepaintdry?]

That is awesome! I can’t imagine doing that. I’m flying into Lisbon this weekend and driving/cycling to picos de Europa. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. 

[nwoodman]

1 hour ago, Luca said:

Wow man absolutely stunning, i have been a silent observer of 8000er expeditions and consumer of hours over hours and books over books of content about this stuff. I dont think i am that good with heights unfortunately (going above 3200m at Skiing already gives me Stress even after few days of acclimatization) but i am happy for you to have been at these amazing mountains  How did you cope with the heights? How was the cold? Are you planning to do one of the smaller peaks at some time there? 

Hey Luca, toughest hit out of my 52 years .  I trained pretty hard and got to a level of fitness that was the best since pre-COVID.    I acclimatised well, thanks to our guides but I was only two out of 17 who didn’t end taking Diamox for Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS). However, what I underestimated was the various bugs percolating in the tea houses.We had three out of our 17 person group helicoptered out because of AMS/bugs.  The group I went with were mostly younger and fitter than me but we only had 7 out of 14 reach the summit of Island Peak which I was one

 

The coldest temperatures I had experienced before this was around -5C skiing so this was something new.  I got into difficulties on one of the acclimatisation climbs due to the cold (-10C).  So for Island Peak I took no chances and rugged up for the -15C so no issues.  We started the climb at 1am and summited around 8:30am just before the wind picked up, so windchill wasn’t an issue.

 

I am taking my boys back in April next year to do another of the trekking peaks (Mera) which is around 6400m but much easier than Island Peak.   I am no mountaineer, more hiker than climber.  However, like yourself love watching mountaineering docos.  My desire to do this trip was purely to give me some empathy for what the big boys are doing.  I got that in spades and it only makes me marvel at their fitness and mental strength even more.  It also reinforced the fact that on the big climbs very few would be there if it weren’t for the Nepalese People who support annd facilitate  our Western aspirations.

 

 

[Luca]

32 minutes ago, nwoodman said:

Hey Luca, toughest hit out of my 52 years .  I trained pretty hard and got to a level of fitness that was the best since pre-COVID.    I acclimatised well, thanks to our guides but I was only two out of 17 who didn’t end taking Diamox for Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS). However, what I underestimated was the various bugs percolating in the tea houses.We had three out of our 17 person group helicoptered out because of AMS/bugs.  The group I went with were mostly younger and fitter than me but we only had 7 out of 14 reach the summit of Island Peak which I was one

 

The coldest temperatures I had experienced before this was around -5C skiing so this was something new.  I got into difficulties on one of the acclimatisation climbs due to the cold (-10C).  So for Island Peak I took no chances and rugged up for the -15C so no issues.  We started the climb at 1am and summited around 8:30am just before the wind picked up, so windchill wasn’t an issue.

 

I am taking my boys back in April next year to do another of the trekking peaks (Mera) which is around 6400m but much easier than Island Peak.   I am no mountaineer, more hiker than climber.  However, like yourself love watching mountaineering docos.  My desire to do this trip was purely to give me some empathy for what the big boys are doing.  I got that in spades and it only makes me marvel at their fitness and mental strength even more.  It also reinforced the fact that on the big climbs very few would be there if it weren’t for the Nepalese People who support annd facilitate  our Western aspirations.

 

 

Wow man, just wow. I am impressed and so happy for you, i mean those are the most giant peaks on earth and with so many legends and stories. The legends messner and habeler without oxygen  Did you know that shortly before the peak at their attempt, habeler because of severe weakness, just made a snow sign he wants to turn down because he was afraid for his life and his wife and kids? But messner knew he could do it and they succeeded...i cant imagine being at base camp and being there. So happy for your success. Also at 52 its a very very good job and also without taking any meds. 3 Persons helicoptered out wow, yeah this is really not an easy trip...!! And interesting to hear with the bugs, i never experienced that anywhere in the world, must be annoying. and you even made the peak wow. I have no one to share the fascination for these mountains, great stuff man! 6200meters is already so high...What difficulties did you experience due to the cold? I can imagine that breathing is difficult, on the videos i always here the coughing, the cold air literally goes through my monitor. Primal! 1am start of climb and summiting after 7.5 hours, what a ride :D! 

And another trip planned, dont get addicted :D! Yeah, after watching the 14x 8000er in one season by Nirmal Purja i couldnt even imagine what a machine he is. The nepalese are really one of a kind, heard so many great stories and they go to great lenghts to enable climbs. They are built different...

 

 

[Luca]

I regularly watch the Eiger 2008 record of ueli steck, especially the part from 1:07 gives me goose bumps, when the music slowly starts and he just races the mountain. 

 

 

 

Climbing in the himalayas is just something for itself i think, some sort of primitive experience, the community, the friendships made, the trust needed for the climbing. Goes a long way back into our DNA  

 

Of course dont push your luck too much and maybe stay below 7000 meters :D! 

 

Which other mountains did you climb already? 

 

Thank you so much for sharing the pics @nwoodman

Edited May 11, 2023 by Luca

[Vish_ram]

Doing Laugavegur trail in Iceland this july with my son

[nwoodman]

1 hour ago, Vish_ram said:

Doing Laugavegur trail in Iceland this july with my son

Awesome, that is the stuff of bucket lists.  Doing these types of adventures with your kids is ultimately what it is all about, but I suspect I would be preaching to the converted  

[nwoodman]

1 hour ago, Luca said:

Which other mountains did you climb already? 

Unfortunately not much of note, hard to find elevation in Australia.  As I implied earlier my background is more hiking/trekking. This trip was an eye-opener, though and I have a growing list of some of the less technical peaks around the world to add to a rather long list of hikes.   The key insight for me was if I take it slow, and I mean really slow,  I seem to acclimatise OK.  

 

Also, this trip was a stark reminder to try and stay fit and healthy so you can keep chipping away at that bucket list.   Thanks for the link to the Eiger video, Ueli Steck was an absolute beast, such a great loss.  However, the video also brings back some fond memories of doing a section of the Alpine Pass Route many years ago,  we camped overlooking the Jungfrau and the Eiger, one of the most beautiful camp spots of my life 

[Gamecock-YT]

15 hours ago, Whensthepaintdry? said:

That is awesome! I can’t imagine doing that. I’m flying into Lisbon this weekend and driving/cycling to picos de Europa. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. 

 

The time out market lisboa is great. I ate there multiple times during my time there.

[Vish_ram]

@nwoodmancongratulations on your EBC adventure. 

 

I had planned a similar thing, a climb to Lobuche and EBC. I could finish the EBC and then settled in Lobuche base camp. The weather turned so nasty that we had to scrap it. My only great memory of that was the pic I took of the Lobuche base camp.

 

Ama Dablam is in the backdrop

 

 

Edited May 11, 2023 by Vish_ram

[texual]

I'm heading to Miami for Bitcoin 2023 which is from May 18-20.

Anyone else going? Hit me up. Would love to meet others who are going to be there. 

[nwoodman]

Beautiful photos @Vish_ram.  Weather is one of those “not negotiables” at the best of times but goes to next level in the Himalayas.  We count ourselves incredibly lucky to have fluked near perfect conditions.  However, as we were leaving our minor summit the wind picked up considerably and I don’t envy the climbers on the their way up that we passed on out way down.  You made a wise decision to scrap it .  Plenty of digits and more importantly lives lost due to summit fever. Margin of safety resonates across so many disciplines

 

Edit:  Damn straight Ama Dablam is without a doubt one of the most beautiful mountains in the region even though it is “only” 6812m.

Edited May 12, 2023 by nwoodman

[dealraker]

South west England coastal path this and last year.  Best photo though was from last year.   Somehow we keep getting near ideal weather with just a couple of days with drizzle - the rest partly sunny as high 40's to low 70's F temps.  

 

 

[Charlie]

Rhodos, Greece. The landscape, swimming in the Mediterranean Sea, the weather and the mediterranean diet with red wine are fantastic. 

[John Hjorth]

On 5/16/2023 at 3:35 PM, dealraker said:

South west England coastal path this and last year.  Best photo though was from last year.   Somehow we keep getting near ideal weather with just a couple of days with drizzle - the rest partly sunny as high 40's to low 70's F temps.  

 

@dealraker,

 

Your apperance from that particular photo is like you are approaching seniority, not the age have informed CoBF is actually yours. You look like a sea eagle in refreshing headwind.

[dealraker]

Just now, John Hjorth said:

 

@dealraker,

 

Your apperance from that particular photo is like you are approaching seniority, not the age have informed CoBF is actually yours. You look like a sea eagle in refreshing headwind.

Angela is quite good, I think, in photoshopping the wrinkles...particularly with herself and sometimes even with me!  I am the age I am, I promise.  She spent some time with this photo because it was sent to all her social media places. 

 

Working on the big 70 now.  Ouch!

[John Hjorth]

14 minutes ago, dealraker said:

... Working on the big 70 now.  Ouch!

 

@dealraker,

 

To me personally, on the photo, you appear to me to be a fairly fit man, perhaps and likely in the early fifties. Motion, fresh air and all such good habits means a lot.

Edited May 17, 2023 by John Hjorth

[dealraker]

23 minutes ago, John Hjorth said:

 

@dealraker,

 

To me personally, on the photo, you appear to me to be a fairly fit man, perhaps and likely in the early fifties. Motion, fresh air and all such good habits means a lot.

We've survived Waldenstrom's thus far and other health excitements what would have ended us long ago without the evolution of science.  To say the least I differ from my favorite poster on COBF, that's Greg, as to the Covid vaccines.  I'm first in line, I probably would last all of 1 day if I got Covid w/o the vac.  

[John Hjorth]

@dealraker,

 

Thank you for sharing a great photo!

[cubsfan]

On 5/16/2023 at 8:35 AM, dealraker said:

South west England coastal path this and last year.  Best photo though was from last year.   Somehow we keep getting near ideal weather with just a couple of days with drizzle - the rest partly sunny as high 40's to low 70's F temps.  

 

 

yup - looking real good and really fit!

[Parsad]

On 5/17/2023 at 8:13 AM, John Hjorth said:

 

@dealraker,

 

To me personally, on the photo, you appear to me to be a fairly fit man, perhaps and likely in the early fifties. Motion, fresh air and all such good habits means a lot.

 

Agree!  You look like you are in fantastic shape.  I wish I was you!  Cheers!

[Whensthepaintdry?]

On 5/11/2023 at 4:35 PM, Gamecock-YT said:

 

The time out market lisboa is great. I ate there multiple times during my time there.

We went to the time out market. That place was intense! Food court on steroids. This is my third trip to Spain and probably my favorite. We have spent most the time in the Asturias. Somiedo national park has been our favorite place so far. 

[Jaygo]

3 hours ago, Whensthepaintdry? said:

We went to the time out market. That place was intense! Food court on steroids. This is my third trip to Spain and probably my favorite. We have spent most the time in the Asturias. Somiedo national park has been our favorite place so far. 

Looks amazing

[Saluki]

My better half has a business trip to Stockholm and I am meeting her there afterwards and seeing a few places in Scandinavia.  Planning to visit a few cities in Sweden and Norway, and see the place in Norway where her ancestors likely came from.

 

Tickets booked for Stockholm, still figuring out the itinerary.  I'm sure the countries will be beautiful, but I'll probably have reverse price shock after visiting Portugal last summer.  

[Gamecock-YT]

Bring some eyeshades if you are going in the summer. Between the jet lag and the sun only setting for a couple of hours, sleep comes at a premium. I'm heading to Norway next week myself.

[Parsad]

For those that have climbed to EBC, you know how dangerous the climb is.  This Vancouver physician just passed away coming down from Camp 4.  12 climbers have passed away just since April 12th!

 

https://globalnews.ca/news/9726831/vancouver-doctor-dies-mount-everest/