The spark for our trip to Tanzania began in November 2018 when my oldest daughter reminded of the time I told her I would climb Mt. Kilimanjaro with her when she could afford to pay her own way. I did remember what I told her – vaguely! That is when the year-long quest for planning, gaining knowledge, losing weight, getting in shape, researching and purchasing goods, and pursuing tickets began. I enjoyed the planning and preparation for the trip almost as much as the trip itself!
“The Snows of Kilimanjaro,” by Ernest Hemingway was about all I knew of Mt. Kilimanjaro, and it doesn’t reveal much information about this mountain. Several years earlier I had read an article about climbing it, but it was a vanishing thought that had once crossed my mind, but never achieved any traction. But now, now was an opportunity of a lifetime1
Over the years I had gained quite a bit of weight and really wasn’t in any shape to climb one of the “Seven Summits of the World!” I had committed, but still hadn’t put any money down on this adventure. My commitment was in telling people what I had planned on doing. I wonder how many thought I would actually go through with this wild-haired scheme? We looked at the calendar and determined we would climb in October 2019. My major concern at the time was fitness. I joined Weight Watchers (WW), and the journey was underway.
At one of the first WW meetings I attended, they asked the question of purpose. Most people wanted to lose weight because of health purposes or to feel better about themselves, but I told them I wanted to lose weight so I could climb Mt. Kilimanjaro! It was quite the shocker. The WW group was real supportive, and I kept them interested and entertained in my quest for this climb.
A work trip took me to Phoenix, Arizona, in December 2018 where I climbed Camelback Mountain. It was quite the challenge, but I completed it. Soon afterwards, I bought an annual pass to Shenandoah National Park (SNP) where I had done a lot of hiking in the past. For the next 10 months, I found my way over to SNP every week or so for a hike. Most of my hikes averaged 8 – 10 miles, with a 14+ miler being the longest. Over this time I also lost 50+ pounds thanks to WW and SNP!
We ended up booking our adventure through Fair Voyage who used Pristine Trails Adventures & Safari Company as our outfitter. It was a good company and we were well pleased with them. Once we knew what to expect, it was time to purchase our gear, and we needed a lot of gear! Delivery drivers frequented our house regularly during the few months leading up to our departure.
It was an exciting time. I was learning and hiking and telling everyone about my upcoming adventure. The more I talked about it, the more exciting I became. We had decided to go on safari at the end of the climb, so now we had even more to become excited about. Imagine that, a little ole boy from Johnsonville going to climb the highest mountain in Africa at 19,341 feet above sea level – the highest free-standing mountain in the world!