Backpacking/Mt. Massive

Last weekend was Labor Day weekend and also the weekend before my birthday and what better way to celebrate a birthday then by hiking into the wilderness, camping, then taking on the 2nd highest 14'er in Colorado!  The entire week before was filled with anticipation as we backed our packs and figured out exactly where we were going.  Mt. Massive actually was our third choice behind Holy Cross and Snowmass but due to circumstances out of our control we ended up at Massive.  We loaded up the car early Saturday morning and began our drive to Leadville where our hike would begin.  Loading the 30lbs packs onto our back we began walking.  I have been backpacking before but the views in the Mt. Massive wilderness are breathtaking!  The trail followed a stream almost the entire way and every turn lead to even more beautiful views.  The peaks of Mt. Massive and Mt. Elbert loomed over us, almost like guards of the wilderness we were entering.  I felt truly at home here and sharing it with my girlfriend Jess and my good friends Brandon, Erick and Ashley made it even better!  We hiked for several hours back into the bowl the mountains formed, searching for the half-moon lakes.  We reached the end of the trail, but no lakes.  Brandon, Erick and I then decided to explore the area to see if we could spot anything.  We climbed higher and higher until finally we could see a magnificent turquoise lake tucked into the base of the mountains.  That's where we would camp!

A perfect area for a camp was located on the edge of the lake and a huge boulder sat on the opposite side that gave an expansive view of the entire valley.  I could've sat on that boulder for hours and hours looking at the beauty laid out before me.  We got camp set up and began cooking dinner which was a great learning opportunity.  Guess how much Mac & Cheese five people can eat?  I'll give you a hint, not a full gallon bag worth of it!  I guess having too much food is a okay problem to have and not the other way around.  After stuffing as much Mac & Cheese as possible, Jess gave me a amazing birthday surprise!  She packed Swiss Cake rolls and candles with her and then stacked them up so I would have a birthday cake!  It was awesome!  We were all pretty exhausted so once the sun went down we all went to sleep, excited for our summit attempt on Mt. Massive that would begin tomorrow.


We survived the night at 12,000ft...barely.  Temperatures plunged well below freezing and besides almost freezing during the night I was very excited in the morning.  Watching the sun rise over mountain peaks, lighting up the clearest lake I have ever seen is the best way to start off a day.  Breakfast consisted of a little oatmeal and hot water.  Not much but enough to get us energized.  We packed up camp and head to the Mt. Massive trailhead for our summit attempt.  The air was crisp and chilly but hiking through this beautiful country was amazing.






We dropped off our large backpacks at the trailhead for Mt. Massive, grabbed what gear we did need and head up.  The trail was quite steep and rocky!  Once we cleared treeline the views were incredible!  We could finally see the expansive valley below and even spot a few lakes we didn't see before.  We were also visited by several critters on the way up.  One quite large marmot seemed to lazy to move when Ashley and Jess approached so of course they had to see how close they could get to it! We also heard some talkative pikas along the way but the coolest animal was at the top! We saw three mountain goats hanging out at the summit!  We were all exhausted but seeing these animals and the view from the top made it completely worthwhile!  The day was so perfect, we stayed on top for awhile and ate our lunches and relaxed.  What a great birthday!

Downhill Mountain Biking!!!!

So on Sunday August 21st I finally got to try downhill mountain biking at Keystone! I have wanted to try this for years and years and I finally got enough courage up to try it and it was more fun then I could even imagine! I met my Uncle Dave at his condo and proceeded to get "geared" up, which basically meant strapping pads all over my body and hoping that would prevent anything to bad from happening. The chair life ride up the mountain was very strange since this was the first time I've rode one without skis on and once I reached the top a huge knot in my stomach developed and I thought I may throw up I was so nervous! We got on our bikes and Dave says, "Lets start of easy on a green run." All I have to say is WHAT A BLAST! We fly down the green run and about half way down the mountain we stop and Dave says "now its time for a blue!". I thought the green run was fun but the blue was even better! The speeds picked up more and more and the trail got smaller and smaller. I loved it! Just when I thought I was getting the hang of the blue, Dave thinks its about time for a black run. This is where it went from fun to borderline terrifying! I had no idea you could ride a bike down something that steep! There were a few parts I wasn't ready for, but for the most part I made it down everything and then I got cocky. Finishing up the run I spotted a nice easy looking wood box you could ride on. Nothing to bad so I went full speed at it! Before I knew it I had rode off the side of it, off the trail and desperately tried to hang on. Then came the large rock. My front tire smashed into the rock, wrenching my handle bars sideways and I proceeded to fly forward over them. I tucked and rolled and hoped nothing to solid got in my way and thankfully nothing did! We finished the run and I was completely exhausted, arms and legs shaking, so excited and ready to do it again! I couldn't stop smiling as we rode the chairlift to the top of the mountain again. I love downhilling! When we reach the top we head straight for another black run and unlike the first black, I was much more excited then scared! Dave took of down the mountain with myself following closely behind. I was really starting to get a hang of this! I watched Dave catch a little air of a small jump and followed him off of it! What a blast! We continued down the mountain where I spotted a much larger jump and thought, "what the hell" and went full speed at it. Needless to say, hitting huge jumps the first time downhilling might not be the best idea. After take-off, one of my feet promptly fell from the pedal as I careened through the air completely out of control. Somehow I managed to land mostly on the bike and ride it out! The adrenaline was really pumping at this point and I made the decision to not hit anymore jumps today. I was pushing my luck already. The rest of the run was excellent and we rode down what would become my favorite run on the mountain, Money. The rest of the ride was uneventful but still extremely fun but I was wiped. That would be the last run of the day. I wish my helmet cam had been working so I could post a video of the runs but I couldn't get it to work so I posted a link to a video below of the Keystone Bike Park. The guys in the video are so much better then I am but you can get the idea of what the downhill course looks like. I will be downhilling again in the near future so a video will be posted then! Has anyone else tried this yet? I would love to hear others stories about downhilling especially your reaction to your first runs!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GgC9-LGYK08

More about Africa!

For those of you interested in my African trip I will be posting more soon! Still to come will be more about the Symposium in Eldoret, Kenya, meeting with Maureen Miruka, setting up a laboratory, and climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro! I look forward to hearing your comments and about any experiences you have had!

Rockin' it Out!

So it took until August but I finally got out rock climbing! One of my favorite places to climb is up near keystone called Haus Rock. Now, I would've liked to start out on an easier climb but my girlfriend Jess had other plans and thought the 5.10 face climb would be a good idea. Let me tell you now, it wasn't! She went first and technically made it...with the aid of some bolts. I on the other hand wanted to climb it legit. This didn't work out so well. I made it through part of the crux but man was it thin! There was literally nothing to grab onto so I understood why Jess used the bolts to help her. After struggling awhile and popping of the rock a few time I decided that I should just traverse over and finish on the 5.8. That worked much better! I felt really good on my first few climbs so I thought it was time to do my first lead of the year and only my second ever. For those of you that aren't climbers, lead climbing is a bit more dangerous. Most of our climbs are usually top-roped which means the rope is fixed at the top of the climb and you can only fall the stretch of the rope. With a lead climb, I would be bringing the rope up with me and clipping into bolts along the way. Once I clip into a bolt, I climb above it until the next bolt. Once above a bolt if you fall, you fall the distance above your last bolt times TWO! Its a little nerve racking but fun. I started on the climb and about 15ft up was a significant bulge. After some maneuvering and thinking I was able to clear the bulge without any falls! I was so excited! The rest of the climb consisted of a large crack all the way to the bolts on top. I made it without any falls! I lead my first 5.8! The pictures to the right are of my lead climb and I cannot wait to do another one!

Hemophilia Camp

This past week was Hemophilia Camp and unfortunately I wasn't able to help out for the entire week since I used most of my vacation time on my Africa trip. This dang job thing keeps getting in the way of all my fun lol. Even though I didn't get to go for the entire week I was able to make it for two of my favorite things; infusion training and the leadership peak climb! I woke up early Wednesday morning, packed up the last few things I needed for backpacking, and headed out the door for camp. I got there just in time for infusions and got to help teach some of the younger kids how to infuse. I once again volunteered my arm for practice even though I didn't need my infusion that day. Having an 8 year old go for your arm with a needle is a bit nerve racking but the look on their face when they nail it is awesome! So glad I made it for that.

After infusions we loaded up the BOEC vans and head for our destination; Jacques Peak, a 13,000ft peak just outside of Leadville, CO. Nothing is quite as cool as seeing a big group of hemophiliacs hiking into the wilderness with huge packs on their back! The hike was an arduous one but the views were spectacular! We walked through fields of wild flowers and over streams and even saw a few elk roaming about. Camp was set up with the sun beginning to set and dinner was cooked. My good friend Sean and I decided not to sleep under or tents and hiked up the hill to find a good place to sleep. Laying out under the stars in the middle of the wilderness with all of hemophilia friends was epic!

We woke up early the next morning, about 3:30AM to get ready for our climb. It was my day to infuse and let me tell you, finding a vein with only light from a headlamp and freezing temperatures is not fun! Even with the terrible conditions I let our camp director Amy Board give it a try. I thought it was a bit ridiculous that she spent all this time with hemophiliacs and never infused anyone! Turns out, maybe we should've tried another time cause my veins were not cooperating. I ended up having to infuse my hand but I can't blame Amy for the conditions, she did great. After infusions, we began the hike. Watching the sun come up while climbing was amazing! The hike was fairly easy with just a few rock parts near the summit and everyone did great! We reached the summit around 8:00AM and rested for awhile. I was so proud of everyone for making it and will never forget the experience!

The picture included is of the 3 leadership counselors; Sean, Carlos, and myself and camp director Amy!

Day 1 May 16, 2011 Eldoret, Kenya

After days of travel and watching every movie on the plane we finally reached Kenya. Our last flight was a small jump from Nairobi to Eldoret, our final destination. Exhaustion should've been setting in at this point but sure excitement flowed through my body. Staring out of the window of our plane, the expanse of Africa lay out before us. Beautiful lush forests passed below us with small volcanic mountain protruding every so often. Small until Mt. Kenya, the second tallest peak in Africa, revealed itself outside the windows along the right side of our plane. This massive 18,000ft peak towered above everything and served as a glimpse of what was to come, our climb of the taller Mt. Kilimanjaro. My uncle Dave and I sat in awe. The mountains in Colorado are significantly shorter then Mt. Kenya and Kilimanjaro anyway, but the fact that these mountains start at a much lower elevation make them even more daunting. I would have to say that even though our climb was still weeks away, a slight tinge of anxiety began to build about our upcoming climb.

Luckily for me, life in Eldoret would keep me occupied from the moment we landed and almost all thoughts of Kilimanjaro left my mind. As we collected our massive piles of baggage containing medical instruments and supplies from the airport, our entire crew piled into vans that would take us to the Indiana University house (aka. IU House). If anyone was tired at this point the drive from the airport should've cured that! I thought driving in the states could be scary but I was sadly mistaken. I'm pretty sure there are no traffic laws or no one follows them! Whoever is the most aggressive wins! In between the moments of shear terror on the roads I was able to look around and catch my first glimpses of real African life. Huts lined the road. Bikes road perilously along the side of the dangerous roads. Children seemed to wander without supervision. I can still clearly picture one boy sitting along the side of road, covered in dirt, no shoes, no adult insight. We're definitely not in the states anymore.

Once we pulled in the "the compound" where the IU house is, the chaos of the African streets subsided. Dave and I were shown to our room which was very nice, two twin beds with mosquito nets. After getting settled we met Dr. Chite Asirwa who is from Kenya and the man responsible for this collaboration. He is a very enthusiastic and determined person and instead of resting the first day he decided we should take a tour of the facilities which included the hospital, AMPATH, Moi University Teaching and Referral Hospital and the Blood Center. In all reality, I expected that the hospital would be much different to what we have in the states but the difference was absolutely shocking. As we entered the adult ward of the hospital, the smell was indescribable. I keep thinking of that smell, trying to figure out what it was, and the only possible description is of decay and filth. We turned the corner to enter where the patients actually stay, a hallway leading to open rooms on either side with 6 to 8 beds with a total of four sets of rooms. Unthinkable amounts of patients were strung about. Most beds contained at least two patients and countless others lay or sat on the floor in between. I wish I could describe the conditions, the smells. Overloaded senses prevented me from being able to focus on the specifics of the hospital but as I looked around I spotted a man lying, screaming in agony, a pile of mucous pooling beside his mouth, flies circling. This man was dying, quickly, and there was nothing that could be done. I felt so hopeless. I never could’ve imagined a place like this before, where humans, people just like me, suffered so much. All I wanted to do was help but there was nothing I could do. Our tour from that point forward was a blur. I could barely tell you what we saw, all I could see in my mind was the ward. Of those on the ward, 80% had HIV and 40% tuberculosis. I couldn’t bare to ask how many ever made it out of there. I’m sure it wasn’t many.

We returned to the IU house after our tour and had some time to reflect upon what we had seen that day. I have to say that experience will stick with me the rest of my life. To bring the situation even closer to home, Dr. Ann Griest, an adult hematologist from IU, had seen a 15 year old boy with hemophilia. He had been admitted to the hospital with abdominal pain several weeks before our arrival and the first thing done was an appendectomy. Unknown to anyone, including the patient, was the fact he had hemophilia. As one may suspect, abdominal surgery without factor is not a good thing. Dr. Griest found him in the surgical ward bleeding everywhere. He was lying on blood covered sheets, his bandages completely soaked through, barely hanging on to life. Dr. Griest took a gamble with some expired factor she had brought with her. She injected this young boy with FVIII, having no clear diagnosis for hemophilia A but knowing that some kind of action needed to be taken to save his life. The gamble worked. His bandages had been changed after Dr. Griest infused him and little bleeding continued. He was getting better. He by no means was out of the woods but he now had a chance. This really hit home for me. What if I wasn’t born where I was? I could easily have been the one lying there, dying. I felt guilty. I was planning on climbing Kilimanjaro for fun and this young boy with the same condition, that lives only hours from the mountain, is just struggling to survive.

My first day in Kenya was a huge wake up call. I had been so naïve to others struggles around the world especially those with hemophilia. The pictures below are of the patient with hemophilia I described above. I apologize for their graphic nature but I think it is important to show them and the importance of factor, especially in life or death situations. The first picture (left) is what he looked like when we arrived in Kenya. He was struggling to live and you can visible see the amount of blood loss. He didn’t have much time to live. The next picture is after his first infusion of factor (middle). The bandages were finally changed and it is easy to tell the improvement in bleeding. The final picture is out last day in Kenya (right) and he is almost fully recovered and ready to leave the hospital! Dr. Griest gave him several doses of factor over the two weeks we were there and this truly saved his life!

Success in Africa

Long time no blog. Well my plan to blog about my Africa trip was thwarted by a lack of consistent internet connection in Eldoret so I will be updating my blog post trip. I did journal alot about my experiences so I will just post once a day from my journal to update everyone. The one spoiler I will divulge is that I made it to the top of Africa!!! At 6:00 A.M. on June 3, 2011 I successfully made it to Uhuru peak (19,340ft) and the top of Kilimanjaro becoming the first hemophiliac from the United States to accomplish this. It was an incredible feeling and can't wait to share it with you all as well as all the rest of my great experiences in Kenya and Tanzania!!!