Nina's Blog

Postscript: Mount Kilimanjaro Climb

Tue, 15 Mar 2011 00:54:00 -0400

Dear Readers:

As you now know, I summitted Mt. Kilimanjaro Jan. 26th...I thank-you for the many emails you've sent wishing me well, cheering me on and supporting the cause for which I climbed.

My January 15th departure for Africa, and summit day arrival on the 26th, may have come and gone, but I invite you to review my experiences as I pushed for the summit, by reading my BLOG.

So that these entries are more than just personal journals at which you can peek, I endeavoured to ensure there was, "something in it for you", every time out...some insight which transferred to the workplace or personal life that you can use and apply for yourself...a parallel, a metaphor, a bonk on the side of the head, an inspirational quote provoked by my day's experience; whatever.

I hope you get good value from my entries. I welcome your responses, too. Let's talk!

Sending you my kindest regards, always,

Nina

Nina on Safari in Kenya

Sat, 05 Feb 2011 16:00:00 -0400

Back in Kenya now. Last night, while still in Nairobi, we were taken out to a restaurant named Carnivore, where, you guessed it, pretty much nothin' but meat was served. A little reluctantly I tried camel, ostrich, crocodile and oxen heart. A little bit "yucky," but at least I tried the "when in Rome" perspective.

This morning it was off to Masai Mara via a little DeHaviland Twin Otter plane. Great fun flying over the spectacular Great Rift Valley! No sooner were we picked up, right off the tarmack, we went off on a first safari, on our way to the Masai Mara Serena Lodge. We saw giraffes, hyenas, antelope, hippos and crocs and more in the natural habitats, all mere feet from our jeep!

Later this afternoon we went out again. In short order we saw a lioness and lion sleeping about 40' from our jeep! We were enthralled, especially when our driver told us these two we actively mating and while in this "zone" the pattern is to mate three times an hour. With a little arithmetic we ten women figured they'd be up and at it again the in about 15 minutes! Maybe we've been gone to long from home???...but we asked to wait it out. We waited the next forty-five minutes but all the lion did was get up once and nudge his lioness. She just lifted her head up and flopped back as if to say, "are you kiddin' me!?" Our driver told us the lioness gets to say when...and she wasn't "buyin'". And so we left. Little did we know what rare "treat we were in for next!

We saw it...a kill! Not that I'm blood thirsty, but apparently it's quite rare to spot a leopard and with his kill, too--an antelope. Turns out this was just a young leopard and we spotted its mother in the background observing her offspring's efforts. One couldn't help but think this sight was similar to an enlightened manager letting a developing employee "do his thing" on his own terms, without the "boss's interference and meddling. She watched carefully but hung back. That cub hauled the antelope up into a tree, for his best bet at an undisturbed feed. More "yuck", but fascinating, too. It was the 1960s Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom come to life!

The accompanying pics are, of course, the two lionsn, and the other is the leopard in the tree with his kill dinner hanging down on the right.

Lessons from today? #1. Some times we hang around waiting, waiting for things to improve, change or get more exciting, at work or in life, and things never really shift at all (the lions just kept sleeping, three times longer than they were supposed to, and, #2. Sometimes if you are willing to give up on something that's not paying off, and move on, you end up getting the BIG, elusive reward further down the road!

As for now? It's midnight Fri. Up at 5:30 am for a 6:30 am Sat. Morning safari. Must get to bed now...hoping to see zebras and elephants tomorrow! Signing off now from Kenya's spectacular Masai Mara reserve. I welcome your own metaphoric insights on my experiences and contemplations of this day. Night night now,

Nina

Lessons & Reflections from Zanzibar

Thu, 03 Feb 2011 01:37:00 -0400

Well all this hydrotherapy I've been getting, between the Indian Ocean and the salt water pool, has pretty much healed my elbow injury received when I fell during the last few moments of my nine day hike last week. It's incredible to me to comprehend that one week has already passed since last Wednesday's Kili summit.

Among the many lessons I learned on the mountain was the one of working hard to be "in the present"...to be fully "in the moment."

So much of the time during those nine days all of us so easily and unconsciously lived in the past, remembering the previous day's adventures, or in the future, trading off the present. Some listened to music on i-pods, but mostly we were out of step with the moment at hand because we were hungry, or cold or needed a pit stop break.

How many times did I either actually ask, or at the very least repeatedly wonder, "Are we there yet???" Not only did losing the present take away from the beauty in front of me, on occasion, concentrating more on a future moment made me misstep and stumble in the present.

Every thoughtless trip over a rock or root or whatever turned into a karmic tap on the shoulder to learn the lesson of focusing on the here and now (and trust that I'd get lunch, or dinner or whatever, when I get it).

This lesson is so applicable in day to day work life, too, whether we're jumping ahead in what day we wish it was, or whether we're jumping ahead to complete a project or get to the next professional level, etc. Dorothy Gale from the Wizard of Oz chanted, "There's no place like home. There's no place like home.", but I've come to realize this past week--as challenging as it is to do--"There's no moment like the present. There's no moment like the present."

Let's face it, we all understand and appreciate this lesson philosophically but, in reality, it's a bit trickier. But still, perhaps a good reminder? And so, embracing my own lesson from my own Kili insight about being present, I'm signing off now to snuggle into my lovely mosquito-netted bed and listen, in the dark, to the sound of noisy, clucking Zanzibar monkies right outside my window, until I drift off. Day is done here now. Goodnight.

Nina

Relaxing in Zanzibar

Wed, 02 Feb 2011 19:57:00 -0400

Well it's hard to believe that it was a week ago that the 13 of us summitted Kili, for as hard as we worked at it for seven days of ascent, that's how lazy we're being now, lolling about at a lovely resort in Zanzibar (healing our wounds and minor injuries).

So surreal. Early morning here in Zanzibar and I'm now sitting on a rope swing above the shore rocks over looking the still, aqua, Indian Ocean, watching four men with cloth bags, wade through the low tide, picking up seaweed to sell to Japanese merchants to make Sushi rolls! Ah the bliss of the reward (for sore muscles) after "The Long Walk"!

Ha! Some long walk! Summit day was a 12 all up hill trek, with the almost unheard of 55 minutes on top, followed by a two hour "sand and boot skiing" descent! We stayed atop so long because the day was extraordinarily warm for the summit--only about minus 5 C. Heck, that day I think it was colder in Toronto than it was on top of Kili!!! So much for all that money I spent on minus 30 gear, eh?

The glory of summiting got momentarily doused, however, because we stayed on top a little too long and, therefore, on the descent, we ran out of daylight. Night really "falls" fast at the equator. 7 pm and thud! By the time of the "thud" we still had a whole hour left to gingerly climb down rocks in the dark (thank goodness for headlights but they weren't really good enough). Anyway looking back I see how treacherous it was but we made it to camp and when we did 15 straight hours on our feet, hiking, was under our weary belts. We flopped into chairs in the dining tent (Ruth and I), really took a moment to "get it" about the whole ordeal, and just put our arms around one another and had a little cry. But you know, this is a bad news/goods news story, for if nothing unusual happened, it would have been just your typical story of up and down the summit. This way I have great story fodder to share...and we made it unscathed, despite the real danger.

But speaking of "making it unscathed...I did end up injuring myself, you'll never guess when! On the very, very last 30 minutes of the whole experience...on the flattest, widest part of the route, right near the finish line and gate! Seemingly out of nowhere we heard and then saw the shock of a small truck on our road. Such an affront after 9 days of virtually no signs of the outside world! We all scampered quickly to the road's edge to let the "lorry" pass and when ascending the embankment--tired legs, I guess--I stumbled and fell hard on my right elbow and leg. Two nasty bruises on my leg and an elbow that took a blow so hard it took days for me to raise my arm (even to hold a glass of water) securely. All's well now, however. Nothing a few days of seawater and R and R couldn't fix, eh? And the moral of this little last day of climb story??? It ain't over 'till it's over!!! And, one must continue to hold conscious intention on important tasks and projects to the very end for, just like car crashes, most "accidents" happen within a mile of "home".

Hope you enjoy these pics of my cottage in Zanzibar, the lovely view from my porch, last night's sunset and the men picking seaweed at low tide. Going to go have breakfast now and then a swim in the Indian Ocean--strictly for medical reasons, to further heal my arm. Ha ha ha!

Wish you were here,

Nina

Nina summits the tallest free standing mountain in the world!

Sat, 29 Jan 2011 20:42:00 -0400

Nina is about to embark on a journey of a lifetime!

After 4 gruelling days of hiking and climbing the world's tallest free standing mountain, Nina, on her fifth day of the climb, will make her final summit push. You can see the summit in the distance.

That little dot at the top of the rise in this pic is the coveted sign everyone who climbs Kili wants to see! When I caught this far off glimpse of it we'd already been climbing for 11 hours! The very sight of it made choke back tears of joy and relief; funny how this goes (but isn't it true???), when we finally see our goal is within reach, we reach in and sprint for that last required bit of energy and motivation. That's what happened for me!

This is what the summit sign looks like up close and me with the sign--proof on a glorious Jan. 26 late afternoon at exactly 5pm. And it was only about minus 5 C, allowing us to stay on the peak for 55 minutes! We figure that's got to be some sort of record!

Another vantage point from the top of Africa, Nina celebrates at 20,000 ft!

Nina summits Mount Kilimanjaro!!!

Wed, 26 Jan 2011 15:51:00 -0400

The Summit Push

Tue, 25 Jan 2011 23:06:00 -0400

It's now 8pm on day 6 and I'm at 16,000 feet. This is my last ascent camp, known as Barafu Camp. Summit day is tomorrow and we start out at 3am in the morning with our target to summit at noon or 1pm. Wish me luck!!! Here's is a pic from our camp. See the summit off in the distance?

Day 5: The Wall

Mon, 24 Jan 2011 15:34:00 -0400

Today is the 5th morning of my 7 day ascent of Mt. Kili and on my trek to the summit, I faced a daunting 800 foot vertical climb of what is known as, the Great Barranco Wall. "Pole pole" (slowly, slowly) does it. Onwards and upwards I trekked finally reaching the top. I'm having to be very conservative about battery power for my blackberry and camera. I'm saving it for the summit day push. I will have more for you soon.

XO Nina

This is it!

Wed, 19 Jan 2011 18:21:00 -0400

Well I had a poor night's sleep last Night. Awoke at 4:20 to the sound of a rooster crowing (that then continued on and off til sundown!) A few minutes later the sounds of faithful Muslims' calling prayers, then, shortly afterwards, the repetitive striking of a nearby Hindu temple bell. I surrendered to the dual faiths' morning call to order and crept out of bed, so not to disturb my roommate, by 5:00 am. and did a little meditation of my own.

Now that you know what a spectacular view of Kili from my balcony (last blog), you'll understand why I took it outside!

I dragged a patio chair up the stairs and watched the shadowy outline of Kili lighten. While it was still dark I was tickled pink to see three separate campfire twinkles at various points on the mountain! Silly me. It was THEN that I had the conscious thought that there are lots of people there RIGHT NOW!!! Made me all the more excited to be one of them Thursday! I took a series of the progressing dawn on Kili. See?

Orientation was this morning. Kembo is our main guide and he went room to room inspecting our gear. I wondered if I would pass muster (he smiled and said my collection gets A+!). Big smile and big whew, from me.

Lots of packing and repacking and grunting and pushing and pulling to get our gear (my roommate susan and me) to fit in the required Tusker Trails bags. We managed.

So "This is it. Don't get scared", as McCauley Culkin's character says in the movie, Home Alone.

Everything's fine. We're ready. I'll try to blog each day but Kembo says don't bet on reception until Sunday--high up then. My friend Victoria, who climbed last year got a signal everyday.

This is a very humbling experience and I'm just popping with insights to share, but that will have to wait another day.

Signing off now. To bed with her!

XO Nina

The Eve of Ascent!

Tue, 18 Jan 2011 22:22:00 -0400

Seven hour bus ride today from Nairobi, Kenya to Moshi, Tanzania, crossing rural Africa in a way classic to what you might see on a travel or history tv channel or read in a magazine, e.g National Geographic. We experienced moments of adventure and uncertainty at the border and that's all I have to say about that (as Forest Gump would say) for now. All turned out well.

When time for our on-the-bus-bag- lunch our organizer keenly declared she had ordered peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for all--a classic hiking sandwich and we were pleased. When we opened our bags, however, it was "lunch bag let down.". Why? The cook thought we'd all asked for peanut butter and DELI and therefore, slapped between two slices of toasted white bread was...wait for it: peanut butter and Baloney! Yup, a new sandwich is born (the cook must have thought we Canadians a bit odd!). Still, it was sustenance and we gladly ate it, as we jostled and bounced along with such force, across incredibly rough roads that it is. Amazing we didn't all "lose" our lunch an hour later! All fodder for the adventure.

About an hour later Kerry was the first to spot Kili in the distance, then another and another and another saw it too. I couldn't see it and felt so sorry for myself but everyone kept trying to explain to me where to look. Finally I saw it!!! "Oh my God, oh my God is all I could say, in an utterly THRILLED and GIDDY way. Was truly a rush. WE are going to the top of THERE!!! There was so much noise and laughter and excitement on the bus, followed by a quick turn around of quiet. It was sinking in. It's not talk or fantasy anymore; we're rely DOING this! I can just imagine some may have felt, "stop the bus, I want to get off"--but we are ready for this and it's full speed ahead!

Arrived at our hotel in Moshi, Tanzania -- the Parkview. The whole mountain top was disappointingly shrouded in cloud. As I went to walk away and try later for a picture, I met Jopsef Seitl from Bavaria/Munich, Germany. A nice man of 52 who just returned from the summit yesterday!!! I have chatted with people who summitted five, three and one year ago, and even another from December, but never someone who just came back YESTERDAY! He was positively glowing and I could not contain my excitement at having the chance to talk with him. This is him with his summit pic on his camera (you'll just have to trust me). Bed now. Orientation tomorrow at 9 and then I'm just going to lie low before going high. I'm going to organize and pack my ascent duffel bag. I like to be quiet (ha ha ha) the day before any big day, speaking engagement or otherwise. No gallivanting on Moshi for me. Wish me luck, my friends, for it's now officially "Ascent Eve!"

XO Nina

Out of Africa - Kenya

Tue, 18 Jan 2011 02:21:00 -0400

A picture perfect Kenyan morning breakfasting in the cafe and strolling the university grounds, noting all kinds of birds and trees, including a fan shaped one called an East West tree, for no matter how this tree's seed is planted it will only spread east west. interesting, eh?

Afterwards, we visited a children 's school on the university and then on to a chapel service for the ground breaking ceremony for the Women's Leadership Centre. An amazing and touching service of eloquent speeches and songs by Masi women's choir. My best friend of 30 years so wanted to come to Africa one day top be of service but she never made it for she died two years ago of Breast Cancer. I swear I felt Dianna's spirit with me today. Dianna Barrett was there and I brimmed with joy. I am now more inspired than ever to climb Kili after meeting so many of the good people responsible for making this dream a reality! The actual ground breaking with hoes, on the centre's future site, was a metaphorical and literal colourful site, indeed.

After festivities and lunch it was on to the giraffe sanctuary where giraffes licked the food right out of my hand and, yes, once even from between my teeth! Yuck, but we all had a willing go at it!

Next-- boy we sure put a lot in a day!--it was on to The Karen Blixen Musuem/house (who, under her pen name, Isak Dinisen, wrote, among other stories, Out of Africa, upon which the Streep Redford film was based). For those who know me well, this was truly blissful!

A lovely twilight patio dinner at an elegant county restaurant in the town of Karen and now day is done.

Much laughter on the return bus ride (like kids at camp), but behind the laughter I believe there is a funny little mix of nerves and anticipation, for tomorrow morning we head for Tanzania via a five hour riggly bus ride. We'll glimpse our first view of Mt. Kilimanjaro around 3pm (7am Toronto time). I feel my heart pounding even typing this...but in a good way!

So the orientation day of "The Main Event" starts after this sleep. So good night now. Blog again soon. Wish me luck sleeping with the howling dogs in the distance once again.

Toronto Departure and Arrival in Africa

Sun, 16 Jan 2011 22:31:00 -0400

Sunday Night, Jan. 16, great flight(s)!

Twenty-two hours of travel but here now.

Second leg was spectacular from the clear blue and sunny sky that I saw from my window--second of two seven hour flights. Saw from my window Paris, the Italian and French Alps, the entire sunny west coast of Italy--the whole length...Genoa, Naples, Capri, Sicily and even Malta! Then the treat of the Sahara from 39000 feet, too! Am now in the town from Out of Africa--Karen Blixen's place (author Isak Dinesen who wrote Out of Africa)!!!

Sat in the dark in the university's garden at 10 p.m. having samosas, apple juice and chatting with fellow climbers. We're all pretty much saying, OH MY GOD I CAN'T BELIEVE I'M HERE!!! Now near two am. Two lizards in our room. We'll have to get used to loving THAT! Sounds of Africa outside in the dark...lots and lots of howling wild dogs, tree frogs and interesting night birds I can't yet identify but soon will. Ground breaking ceremonies in the morning (for the centre we're helping to fund).

Good night now, For the Love of Africa.

Nina

Maximizing the Probability of Reaching Your 5,882 Metre/19,298 Foot "Summit"

Tue, 11 Jan 2011 16:50:00 -0400

Saturday, January 8th to Thursday, January 13th, inclusive

Well this is it my friends, the metaphoric 11th hour. And as for me? I've completely scaled back any walking or hiking now. Months ago I read that this is the advice offered up by modern-day coaches of elite athletes. Sounds good to me! However, I'm not on the couch eating bonbons, yet. As mentioned in my last blog, starting last Saturday I began six days of Dr. Greg Gannon's hypoxic training. This training has me hooked up to a depleting oxygen machine while pedaling pretty much non-stop for an hour on a stationery bike.

Little by little my body is learning how to work and recognize less and less oxygen. So far, so good. I seem to be doing well. Despite having as much as 25% less oxygen with which to physically work, I don't seem to be feeling it...at all. Weird, a bit, to me, but there you go. Apparently about 50% will feel the effects immediately and consciously learn the cues, thereby altering their breathing techniques accordingly; the other half won't "clue in" that their oxygen has been reduced (even if their body knows it). That second half will keep merrily going along as if they have access to the same 100% amount of oxygen normally available.

I'm in this latter category. The good news about THAT is, based on this technique, I should be fine, breathing-wise, at the Kilimanjaro summit. The potential BAD news, is my body doesn't seem to register that it's working with less oxygen and therefore, potentially, may disrespect the need to breath deeper and go slower.

Never mind. I'm okay with this. I'll work hard to be ever-mindful and apply all the meditative breathing techniques I've learned and championed through the years, to compensate. I'll be sure to go slooooooowly, even if I feel I can move along at a faster clip, and, as well, will breath deeeeeply, using diaphragmatic breathing techniques learned from both meditation and also from a few singing lessons I took along the way.

Actually, this last minute training has only fuelled my confidence and positive energy, but rest assured, has NOT made me cocky or arrogant about that which I'm about to embark. I'm ready. That's all. Ready. You know that feeling...when there's nothing else to be done but let the day arrive?

One again, I remind myself (and even you, for some of the professional and/or personal challenges you may be facing these days), take it "pole, pole" (Swahili, pronounced this way: "polee-polee", meaning: slowly, slowly). Slow and steady wins the "race".

And one last point to remind myself of, and perhaps you too:

Despite the philosophy that, "Slow and steady wins the race", some things really aren't a race at all, are they. And, yeah, it's about the journey (and not the destination, as the saying goes), for sure but, if you ARE interested in reaching the "destination", too, maximize your probability of success by pacing yourself and listening to your intuition regarding the timing that will work best for you...work with your own rhythm to get where you want to go.

A Blustery New Year's Walk and Huge Excitement in the Air...

Thu, 06 Jan 2011 20:32:00 -0400

...or, it Ain't Over 'Til the Climbing Lady Sings (from the top of the world)

On Monday, Janaury 3rd, we Kili women walked from High Park's Grenadier Restaurant (in the west end of Toronto) down to Lake Ontario and the Martin Goodman Trail, and all the way over to Queen's Quay, stopping at William's Coffee Pub a the half way point. And then all the way back. Whew! 14 K in all/9 miles. Such a civilized urban hike this day. So civilized, dogs were allowed in. That's my kind of coffee house! One of our climbing buddies bought along her darling dog-a 4 year old golden retriever; she's been our mascot on many a hike over the months. Was a long, long walk along the waterfront this day; and cold and windy, too. Tested out my new "kick-ass" summit day gloves...which were waaaay tooo hot for the day., despite the subzero temps with wind chill added in. Guess Toronto on a cold and blustery day just doesn't compete with the blast at the top of Kili. My hands were sweating inside these mammoth gloves, which needed to be turned inside out and aired once home. But, hey, now I know they'll be toasty warm when it counts the most-right? My hands ought to be fine on summit day, Jan. 27th and that's good, because numb fingers hands can be one heck of a nasty distraction from the task at hand (no pun intended!).

I'm now backing-off hike-training, with a stepped-up desire to preserve my physical health, however, I'll be taking six days of Hypoxic Training with Dr. Greg Gannon (http://www.sportscience.ca/about) January 8th through the 13th. This is a wonderful bit of indoors training to get used to exercising/walking with increasingly less oxygen, ultimately, at training's end on January 13th, simulating the amount of oxygen I'll have to work with on Summit Day/at nearly 20,000 feet).

Another type of workout I've been getting lately is packing! Man, oh, man...I've been packing two hours every night for the past four nights and I'm not finished yet! Impossible sounding, eh? But that's the case (again, no pun intended-ugh) because there are so many medicines, ointments, pills, clothing, accessories, and incidentals to strategically pack and bring as carry on luggage-for one can't climb at all if some of these things are lost in checked luggage. So they've just got to be carried on. It's going to be some piece of packing mastery to get it all in a backpack and underweight, too. What I can't fit in my backpack, I'll wear on my body. I may be HOT!!! , but, hey, I'll have all my essential stuff, like my hiking boots, warmest socks, down coat, wind jacket and pants, sunglasses, camera, Blackberry-must carry-on my Blackberry, otherwise there'll be no blogging to you from the mountain! And another thing, I just bought a portable recharger. So now I can blog on the mountain until my BB runs out, and once it does, with my portable charger (ramped up while still in Toronto), I can juice up my dead BB and blog some more! Technology is amazing, huh?

So that's what's keeping me busy now, dear reader. One last Working Wisdom coming down the pike next week, hopefully. I know what I want to write, it's just a matter of getting to it in between my "one last trips" to Shoppers Drugmart for yet one more "oh yeah!" purchase. Big sigh just here.

And I've totally invaded our library, sorting out all my stuff-I just bet my family can't wait to see me go, so our upstairs can get back to a bit of visual normalcy).

As far as pledges go, I'm somewhat close to my original target of $10,000. Currently at $6600 and, although it is a long shot, it's still possible that I'll reach the $10,000 mark because, hey, "It ain't over 'til the climbing lady sings!"-- that's me, by the way-and I'll be doing THAT from the top of the world on January 27th.

Did you know the top of Mt. Kilimanjaro is the closest anyone can get to the sun??? Even including Mt. Everest? That's because Mt Kili is at the equator, while Everest is much further north. So, indeed, I'll be singing at the top of my lungs, at the top of the world, come January 27th at noon, Tanzanian time (meaning 4 a.m., January 27th, Toronto time--wonder if you'll hear me?). On that morning, I'll try to remember to start my blog with a variation of the Irish morning greeting, by writing, "Top 'o the World to ya"!

So now, back to it...to the "chop wood and carry water" of continuing to prep, pack and last minute shop, with the exception of one last speaking engagement this coming Tuesday evening. After that, I'm on a speaking sabbatical until mid-Feb. So wish me luck, send me energy if you would please (I'm sure to need it!), and if you're still so inclined and yet to do so, please consider donating to this worthy cause for which I'm climbing Kili. I'd very much appreciate your pledge.

While on the mountain my husband will receive my blog entries and pics and post them to my website, and he'll also gladly send me notice of new donations, to help continue to inspire me to keep putting one foot in front of the other (which I understand gets harder and a LOT slower with each day-pole, pole/polee, polee, as they say in Swahili). I know that it will be hard, and I'm "doin' it anyway"!

My great thanks to you for following along and sending your emails and phone calls of cheer and support. It's been so lovely to hear from you all over the past seven months. As overly familiar as it may be or sound for me to say so-let's just put it down to my giddy excitement and mushy, mush feelings at this point...maybe I'm already working on reduced oxygen????...hyperventilating??? -- I send along to you a BIG farewell hug! I'm waaay excited now and can't seem to help myself. Take care out there, through this long-haul part of winter.

Until we meet again, Nina

A Trail To Remember,...

Mon, 13 Dec 2010 00:54:00 -0400

or, How I Almost Got Caught "With My Pants Down"!

Because I was so cold last time I hiked Hockley, this day I decided to dress extra warmly. I pretty much threw on every winter hiking garment I owned! For some strange reason we all compare notes before we start off on our hikes, while still in the parking lot. "I've got three layers on today". "Oh, I only have two layers on." "I wore thin socks...I wore thick ones." And so on. What I've come to realize is this: it doesn't matter what, "the other guy" decides to wear or do...it's what works best for you! And some people feel the cold more than others. That's me. I find that ironic because of all those teen-aged years I was a serious figure skating-that I skated around in a little skirt, thin stockings, oftentimes no gloves and hatless, in all those sub-zero winter arenas.

So it was another "Goldilocks" experiment for me once again this week. Would I be too warm or too cold? This time, however, I ended up being "just right", despite my four layers of leggings (long johns, light weight fleece spandex hiking pants, mid-weight waterproof hiking pants and a windbreak layer of shell pants (and gaitors, to boot-no pun intended!). And off we went...on what turned out to be our five hour, 20 K hike in -14 degree C (with wind chill) temps. All went well for the first hour or so.

At this point, I must digress. Three days earlier I talked with a man who climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro earlier this year. It's a modus-operandi of mine, I've noticed, to take lots of surveys and notes, and canvass for opinions and interviews of people whom have knowledge or subject-matter-expertise on this topic or that. "Enquiring minds want to know!" For me, for these past six months, the topic top-of-mind has been climbing Kili. At this point, I'm starting to lose count how many people I've talked with since June (who have done the climb), but it must be at least ten by now. Let's see, Michael, Hazel, Vicky, Cheryl, Mark, Mai, Sylvie, Judy, Delaney, Alison, Elaine and I think there are a couple more, too. Climbing Kili is getting popular. The gentleman from last Thursday's conversation was now the second to mention that a fellow climber's water hose froze on summit day (this is the hose attached to their camel bak; "camel bak" being the 3 Litre plastic bladder that sits inside one's backpack, with a connecting hose that pokes out of the backpack at the shoulder and loops around to the front of one's body, to reach one's mouth via a nozzle, allowing for hands-free hydration). I listened intently and made a note to self: remember to bring a couple of pairs of thermal socks with the toes cut out, to wrap around the exposed length of my water hose (for having a stunted, or no, water supply on summit day is very, very bad news). But who would have thought I'd need it here...just one hour and fifteen minutes north of Toronto, in early December?

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An hour into our December 5th hike, it happened. My water hose froze! Mildly panicked (for continued hydration is one of the many secrets to endurance and a clear head on long hikes), I sucked harder and harder, thinking that that inward force would dislodge the ice build up. No luck, at first, but then my warm breath did have an effect. First a couple of drops, then maybe a teaspoon, then full flow. Whew! But my anxiety continued, as I figured it would happen again. What to do? Answer: Keep drinking. Just as with house pipes you keep dripping a little, when fearful they'll freeze, I figured if I kept drinking a teaspoon every minute or two my hose would keep flowing. It was a good idea, and it worked...until it didn't. Another hour passed. Not even noon yet, and I seemed to have yet another blockage! How could that have happened, I kept drinking, didn't I? Well it can happen easily enough when you're so neurotic about your frozen water hose that you drink 2 Litres of water in less than two hours! I'd sucked that bladder dry. Up until this day, I'd always returned home from hikes with water to spare, and so, since a 3Litre camel back is pretty heavy on one's back, I'd taken to filling my camel bak with only 2 litres. Mistake. Now I was O-U-T and it wasn't even lunchtime yet! Well at least now I wouldn't need to worry about a frozen hose. But what about a source of water for the afternoon? New note to self: Remember that extra bottle of water you took out of your backpack, to lighten your load? The one that's in the back seat of your car right now? Well never do that again! How many times do we all do that sort of thing...eliminate something, or throw something seemingly useless or unimportant away, e.g. an old document, an email, a letter, a book, particular notes, an outfit, a tool, etc., only to need it the very next day (or next hour, for that matter)?

Well I was so super-hydrated, thirst was not an issue for a while. But, of course, being "super-hydrated" meant, in short order, I had to super-void! Not wanting to hold up our bunch, and because lunchtime was only about 30 minutes off, I held on as long as possible but, consider Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs. Despite will-power and mind-over-matter, there comes a point for us all where we cannot focus on Maslow's lofty higher plateaus of self-actualization, esteem needs, belongingness and love needs, nor even safety needs, when the biological/physiological ones insist on having their way. And so I held everyone up while I "took care of business". Funny thing about that...three others were glad I spoke up, for they, too, needed to "go" and didn't want to hold up the others, either! Reminds me of a Abilene Paradox (in reverse):

The Abilene Paradox was introduced by management expert Jerry B. Harvey, in his article, The Abilene Paradox and other Meditations on Management.[4] The name of this phenomenon comes from an anecdote in the article Harvey shares to illustrate the paradox:

On a hot afternoon visiting in Coleman, Texas, the family is comfortably playing dominoes on a porch, until the father-in-law suggests that they take a trip to Abilene [53 miles north] for dinner. The wife says, "Sounds like a great idea." The husband, despite having reservations because the drive is long and hot, thinks that his preferences must be out-of-step with the group and says, "Sounds good to me. I just hope your mother wants to go." The mother-in-law then says, "Of course I want to go. I haven't been to Abilene in a long time." The drive is hot, dusty, and long. When they arrive at the cafeteria, the food is as bad as the drive. They arrive back home four hours later, exhausted. One of them dishonestly says, "It was a great trip, wasn't it?" The mother-in-law says, actually, she would rather have stayed home, but went along since the other three were so enthusiastic. The husband says, "I wasn't delighted to be doing what we were doing. I only went to satisfy the rest of you." The wife says, "I just went along to keep you happy. I would have had to be crazy to want to go out in the heat like that." The father-in-law then says that he only suggested it because he thought the others might be bored. The group sits back, perplexed that they together decided to take a trip-they "went to Abilene"--when none of them wanted. They each would have preferred to sit comfortably at home, but dare not admit to it when they still had time to enjoy the afternoon.

So when was the last time you, "went to Abilene" at work or elsewhere in your life? Sooner or later we all periodically travel that road. Let's hope it's only on the "small stuff", mostly, and not the really big or important "stuff" in life.

So back to the hike.After about 10K we lunched at the bottom of a lovely deep valley, well shielded from the cold and wind, and once again, the snowy forest scenery was Christmas Card perfect. Onward for the second half of our hike, where we got a bit lost. Sometimes trail maps are tricky to read, but we never really fretted, for we knew that sooner or later something would look familiar, or we'd eventually bump up against a sign, and we'd be on track again. And if all else failed, we could always look for the sun (just kidding but, after lunch at least it does tell us where west is, provided it's not snowing!). Because we'd gone off track a bit, the afternoon was wearing longer than expected (20K wasn't really the plan). And because it was now December, many of our group had other places to go and people to see, post-trek, causing mild concern about our additional time on the trail. So, once again, I felt the need to stay "mum" and not ask everyone to wait for me while I made yet another pit stop (after all, 2 litres is a lot of water!). I held on as long as I could, once again...until Dr. Maslow's most basic of identified needs ruled and I could barely take another step. By this point, some of us had chosen one route and some the other. There were just three in my group now. My two fellow hikers had evening commitments to attend and were hurrying along at an impressive pace, considering we'd already been at it for four hours. Isn't it amazing what extra physical (and emotional) stores of energy we can find when the chips are down and the motivation high? They were pressed for time. I wasn't.

When I could no longer stand it, I declared my need for a "pit stop". I knew they'd feel obliged to wait for me but secretly feel they couldn't afford the time. I knew the way out. I'd hiked this trail once before just two weeks ago. There was enough daylight still and so I begged them to carry on and leave me to myself...that I'd be fine, take care of my business and find my way along easily enough. Reluctantly they agreed. Off they scooted down a hill and around a bend, out of sight, with the sound of their voices fading surprisingly fast. In only a few moments, I could no longer hear them.

Almost immediately I felt it. Alone. Alone in the forest. The wind was picking up and the daylight slipping, but still bright enough not to worry, for the moment at least. Never-the-less, it immediately occurred to me that this was the first time ever I was alone on a forest hiking trail and that, although the idea of that always sounded kind of romantic/poetic--so, "Jeremiah Johnson--the reality was different. I was scared, but didn't want to admit it; sort of like whistling in a graveyard at midnight. Since my discomfort with my aloneness was brewing, I quickly looked for a discreet spot to yank down four pairs of pants, to get it over with. At first I thought I'd go far off the trail, to guarantee privacy, but then that seemed dangerous to me. Then I thought, "We haven't seen another soul all day long. There's no one else here today except us crazies. I won't bump into anyone. Take a chance Nina...don't go so far off the trail." I listened to that voice, took my chances just off the trail's edge, yanked down my first pants, then my second, then third and even the forth, and then my last layer, too-my goodness, it was like a Babushka Doll! "Assumed the position" and then...."What was that???" The sound of two men's voices coming closer! Can you believe it??? What were the odds? OMG! Was I going to be literally, "caught with my pants down"? Well you never saw anyone go as fast as I did in those few seconds. If this scene were a movie, it would have definitely appeared "fast-forwarded"! You know how the movies take you down to the very last second when, e.g. James Bond is defusing a bomb? Well that's how it was for me. Up I pulled all five layers, composed myself for a split-second and around the corner these two men came, as I feigned looking for something in my backpack. Surprised, too, to see someone else on the trail, they politely greeted me, exchanged a few sentences of small talk and away they went. Fortunate and face-saving timing for us all, indeed. Is there a patron saint for women hikers? There just might be.

Okay, two little pieces of drama for Nina down from this hike, and surely no more to go. Funny, earlier in the hike, all was going so well that I actually had the conscious thought, "Gee, if nothing eventful happens, what will I blog for this hike?" Ha! Famous last thoughts, eh?

By now, the sunlight was dwindling evermore and I was back to my original thought, "I'm alone in the woods. Must hurry along now." And so I did. Since "things" always seem to happen in threes, I shoulda known one more thing might pop up! I thought I knew the way out, but I was wrong. I'd forgotten about a fork in the trail. A choice to be made. Although again a bit unnerved, I was amused and humoured enough to think: "This is so Robert Frost!", and actually started to say the words to the poem aloud:

The Road Not Taken

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood (okay, this time snowy wood!),
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim
Because it was grassy and wanted wear,
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I marked the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I,
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

Indeed, that is exactly what I did. Long I stood, looking down one way as far as I could and then the other. For no logical reason, I chose the path to the right. I walked several hundred feet in that direction and then began to doubt. I stopped. Looked around 360 and turned back. Back to the fork and stood still a minute or so. Trying to use logic. Nothing brilliant came to mind. Then I went to the left several hundred feet. This felt even more wrong and so back to the right I went and traveled even further along than the first time, up over a hill, down into a valley and around a corner. And then I saw it: a huge boulder smack-dab in the middle of the path, which beautifully landmarked the trailhead. I remembered that! All was well, and with some daylight left, to boot! And there, on the other side of the road was one lovely-to-see, lonely car. Mine. I made it. What a relief! No big bad wolf, no lost in the wilderness, no broken bones. But, I think...I'll not do that again. Some things should be done at least "two-by-two". Do you agree?

P. S. And let me tell you, heated seats, after such an adventure, never felt so gooooood. I sang Beatle songs the whole way home.

P. P. S. On Sunday, December 12th it was so very miserable and cold and rainy and windy that, despite that we should have practiced and hiked-because Mt. Kilimanjaro is less than four weeks away now--who wanted to??? Not I!