Denali Update!

Todd and crew are heading to the summit today!  The group is super strong and weather has been good!  Wish them luck as they take on the big one with the summer solstice on their side! 

Posted via web from itcog's posterous

The Alps summer season begins...

After a tumultuous winter season of late snow falls, consulate visits and shattered elbows I have made it on and through the spring of healing and learning to begin the summer season here in Chamonix ,France.



Eating well

and reeducating the limb and mind have been my priorities these last months and it seems to have paid off well with my french language skills not so very bad and my arm being able to extend to at least 20% off of full extension --- remember my full arm span now.. it's almost like I have a normal ape index now!!



I've been able to get back to a reasonable 6a grade in rock climbing and the legs can still carry me on a consistent 500m ascent rate; not bad for a 3 month hiatus from much physical activity!!

Good attitude and inspiring friends go a long way let me tell you.







And so tomorrow I start my first guiding trip into the hills for the season... let it begin!!!!

Well, actually, THEY WON!!

After an action packed day, 350 +kms of driving, wasp attacks, rain showers, a re-count, blazing sweat drenching sun, 16 climbing routes ranging from 5 to 6c, another recount, a night of celebrating as second placers and then yet another recount!!! Lucas and Tim were in fact hailed as the victors of the 09 Maxi Dash with 440 points with Alex and Marcos (the local and favourite contingency) viaing for 2nd with 417.5 points.

Pre dawn start at Lukenia. 0515

Starting in Lukenia with head torches on their helmets they quickly despensed with 3 high point climbs on a piece of rock named Edinburgh castle while some morning mists made the runout climbs even more problematic

Lucas topping out on the first climb, 'the Keep', as the sun rises. 0620


Driving quickly away as the other teams struggled with the damp rock, Tim and Lucas headed to Ndaiya a 2 hour drive away and climbed 2 more routes there. (They later heard that Michele had taken a ground fall off of 'the keep' and had pulled out of the comp and made his way to the hospital; sprains and a cracked vertibrey but living to tell the tale are the latest words on that.)

Lucas, warmed up now, sends 'fingers' at Ndaiya. 1030

On to the area Frog a short distance away where the days sun was now blazing and where water, hand chalk and running shoes helped them race around and complete another 7 routes. Wasps still plagued the 'unlawfull entry' route and sun and dirt threatened to slow them down on 'calling elvis' but they persivered.


Ooo, that smarts! The wasp bitten ear from 'Unlawfull entry' 1200.

Back in the car and racing on dirt roads, through the small town of Ngong, on through their newly discovered short cut towards the Rift vally and our final stop of Hell's gate NP

Negotiating traffic down into the Rift valley on the way to Hell's gate. 1630.

They actually arrived at the gate of Hell's gate shortly after the other teams, the short cut working out sooo well, and so the final hours of the day found the three remaining teams all climbing on Fishers tower... wondering ' how many points had the other teams tallied during the day'???

Alex finishing up on Fishers tower, 'coniving stratigist to the bitter end'. 1840

The race ended as the daylight shut down as it does on the equator, fast. All partisipants and many members of the Mountain club drove up to the camp site where great feasting, libations and story telling ran on into the night and of course the all important tallying of points.

A count and then a recount revealed that Alex and Marcos had won with a 2.5 point lead. Well, that's the way it goes. Alex has probably won the comp 6 or 7 times in as many years and competed hard, with all the slyness that is worthy of this race...



the final tally sheet for our winners..............

.... but Elena (Lucas's wife) woke just not accepting this outcome and even though her recount in the following morning revieled nothing new it did jog Tim's memory and they found that' unlawfull entry' that fatefull wasp inhabited climb had not in fact been included in the tally; there was to be another 25 points awarded to the contenders!!!
-- yes, yet another recount was made.. and another until there was no denying it. Tim and Lucas had indeed won the 2009 Maxi Dash.


The final recount on the morning after....


So that was that. We'd like to congratulate all who participated. Alex and Marcos for giving some real competition and the Wonder women team of Geraldine and Paula for really stepping up to the plate. A quick recovery to Michele is hoped for and a nice try for his partner Steve. Our team of Tim and Lucas wants to thank five ten for supporting them with the best shoes and rubber in the world, to both Alex and Iain of Tropical Ice for their historical input and insight and to Elena for her never tireing belief and support.

...... now go take a shower lads!!!!!!!



Well used 'Marvels' , part of the winning strategy

All is set for Maxi Dash

After an excellent week of training both Lucas Gonzales and Tim Connelly feel good about their challenge for the Maxi dash title.

Alot of the strategy is based on how to drive between the areas in the most efficient way possible trying to allow for the unexpected which is allways present here in east Africa so a few hours here and there were just checking out dirt roads and trying to link up known thourough fares.

cross training at the MCK club house


The rest of the time was just plain climbing in all the areas which was great. A few times the barking baboons got a little close and on one climb, 'unlawfull entry' both Tim and Lucas were attacked by wasps which made them climb the 10c route in record time , with minimal gear!!

Lucas onsighting one of the harder routes of the Dash - Lie of the Mind


Now the car is packed and the plan layed out (as well as the contingency plan of the rainy routes!!)

Patching up a few spots on their five10s with the great 'Stealth paint kit' and paring down their rack to 'only essentials' the team is now in racing shape ... Wish them luck, Saterday is race day, all day!!