Elbrus to Kentucky Last post from Elbrus15

Gorgeous sunrise coming up over one shoulder and disgusting outhouse over the other

I had 3 contingency days for weather or illness that I didn't use so the last last few days in Russia were spent looking around I had a day in Moscow, Mineralnyye Vody and the town at the base of the mountain. I finally got real food I was with my friends Eugene from Portugal and Monique from India that followed me down the mountain both very sick from the altitude.  They were able to make it through Kilimanjaro sick and had a lot of help.  Not the case here we had 2 guides for 8 people and they couldn't keep up with the group when they became scattered. It is also very dangerous we saw the weather go from clear and comfortable to blizzard conditions and poor visibility in hours.  If you go straight down and end up off the normal route your will die the other faces were full of deep crevasses hidden by deep snow. I was glad for their company we were suppose to stay on the mountain another night, I hated leaving the group but I had done everything I had come here to do and the kabobs and beer, hot shower, bed and full night sleep were worth the extra pain to continue walking with my full pack to catch the last lift.  My legs were shot, Eugene helped with my heavy bag loading the 3 lifts to get to the bottom then a short walk to the hotel that was empty with no elevator they give us rooms on the 5 floor again and climbed the five flights with my 56 lb bag and pack.  5 people stayed in the barrel an extra night the three that submitted with me, and Fred and Tony that on the next day they reached the summit with the snow cat.  Eugene and Monique were relieved to be down and a little disappointed it was over and no summit.  I told them the stories about Aconcagua where groups of friends were pushed by their peers to their death. They both had families and I told them my definition of a successful climb is to go as high and hard as you can and then getting back to their families, that is exactly what they did.  

I say goodbye to the cook which beside Sultan was the only person that got a tip.  I thought about the day and what I would do different.  I am getting better each mountain I climb this trip I used everything in my pack nothing wasted. I didn't bring enough snacks but we had a good kitchen on the mountain and were able to get my favorite mountain food cookies and lemon tea.  I had a frost bite on my uvula caused by breathing hard without my mask my throat started swelling wasn’t painful but made me sound like my pug after it runs 100 yards.

I started my zpack and steroids and was fine in a few days, I am in much better shape than the other to post summit days with only a slight high alt hack and small spots of wind burn on my face.  

Elbrus fell in the middle of Kilimanjaro and Aconcagua on difficulty level. Crampons and Ice ax were easy to get use to.  Training in Colorado before the trip paid dividends thanks to my training partners Lisa, Jurgen and Andee.  Only thing I forgot about was a flag or something to leave on top.  I saw others pulling flags and signs from their packs and I felt bad I had not dedicated this to anyone or anything but me.  I thought about it a few minutes thanked god he got me here and thought about the last summit day in South America and thought about Maddie S so I carved her initials into the ice with my ax and that was the only thing I left up there. 

I leave the next morning at 8am and have an 8pm flight to Moscow so I download trip advisers top 10 things to see in each town.  I was looking forward to the drive it was dark when I arrived and saw nothing.

I went to a Russian orthodox cathedral that had the remains of St. Theodosius the Greater Caucasus miracle worker that was canonized in 1995. Unlike most of the people I met on this trip the people at the churches were very nice and helpful, thanks for Google translate.  I ran across a fur market bought some gifts that luckily made it through customs arrived in Moscow at 10pm with my next flight departing 12 hours later my plans were to use Uber to visit the Kremlin and see the city.  I get access to a club room and choose to make a bed in a dark corner and get some sleep on a pile of my dirty clothes.  My sleeping bag and pad were in my big bag that I checked and may never see again.  I also had a visa expert that played games with my visa listing Moscow as my destination due to a travel warning this is the reason for the overnight.  I didn't want close inspection of my paperwork so I stayed inside the international terminal in the club room where I made a nest, found potato chips and red wine got some sleep.  This climb unlike other climbs I had very little down time so I used the time to write my notes and consolidate my pictures.  Plus everything will be closed but the bars and so far the people I met were not very welcoming.  The rest of the trip was uneventful and to my surprise my bags made it to Evansville Indiana on my flight.

Life cycle reset

I was at a conference with a group of programmers and heard someone ask a panelist if it was time for a "life cycle reset"  which is a term used when you evaluate the effectiveness of your systems, and make a decision, do I start a painful process of change or leave things as they are.  I am sure it is part of the reason I have been successful in the technology driven business it is constant change and reevaluation.  Sometime I wish for a simpler life and calm, but that only lasts a few days.  I hit 58 this year and maybe it’s made me more impatient. 

I am still intrigued by why now that I have thought of every reason possible I have asked other climbers.  They all have a quick answer to “Why".  

Heidi turned 50 her husband left her for a younger woman, she did it to restore her self esteem.

Monique said his example he leaves for his kids and how he wants them to remember him.  

Tony preparing to get married and looking for time to think.  

Illian 3 weeks from having his first child wanting to do one last adventure.  

Christian was a downhill ski racer that had a bad accident and couldn't compete any longer 

I understand their reasons completely and at the end of the day I leave Russia with 8 new friends that most likely will never see again but will be remembered forever.  

What’s next???  
Everest16.blogspot

April 7th 2016