Brian's message from Africa: Alive and Well I couldn't possibly explain the climb in sufficient detail in one blog post. We were in a group of 12 very pleasant people, from the UK, Ireland, and Holland. Kilimanjaro is an incredibly difficult climb; one that can not easily be conveyed in text. Simply getting off the mountain healthy i...

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As Brian is able to get updates out to his blog from Africa, I'll repost them here so we can keep track of our Mount Kilimanjaro trekers! Here is his first update from today: hello from africa We're alive and well. Four days of safari in Tarangire National Park. Lots and lots of wild animals and birds (elephant, zebra, giraffe,...

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John, his sister Cecilia, his son Brian, and Brian's wife Leanne, are all on their way to the Mount Kilimanjaro summit! They departed late this afternoon from Toronto on their way to Africa! For those of you following their trip, here is their itinerary as I know it: Sat 08-Oct-05: Arrival at the Kilimanjaro airport. By car, they will tra...

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As reported this week in the news, Chronic Wasting Disease has now been found in moose. An archer killed the moose in northern Colorado. Testing two days later confirmed that the moose was suffering from Chronic Wasting Disease. Colorado has screened 288 moose for chronic wasting disease in the past three years before getting a positive result...

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Why I want to climb Kilimanjaro This is one of the hardest questions for me to answer. Ask me about how to create world peace or how to solve world hunger and I can go on for hours about where to start and what each of us can do, but ask me about why I chose Kilimanjaro for a summer vacation and you’ll find me deep in thought. It isn’t because...

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Duck numbers look up this fall in the Dakotas and in the prairie provinces of Canada. An increase in the spring rains seems to be the reason the duck numbers are looking good. More water in the ponds and water holes resulted in an increase in duck production. According to the Star Tribune, "The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service reports that both ...

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There are a number of tasks you should be sure to remember as your winterize your RV for winter. If you are storing your RV in a below freezing climate, then your number one most important task is to protect your RV's plumbing from frost damage. To do this you need to: -empty water tanks -drain your water heater -drain your water pipes -f...

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What is Giardia? Giardia lamblia is a microscopic parasite, also known as Giardiasis or Beaver fever. The parasite causes an intestinal infection in people and animals. Tens of thousands of Americans get sick each year from Giardia. The giardia parasite is found in the gut of infected beavers, muskrats, or other wild or domestic animals. W...

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Not only coffee, but John gave up beer for Mount Kilimanjaro! When I asked him why, he said "I gave up coffee and beer because they are a diuretics and they are drugs in a way. I wanted to have a pure body system so I would be able to complete the climb. I was lucky I didn't get the headaches from coffee withdrawal, as for the beer or alcohol yah ...

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When I was growing up, every summer our family went on a 7-10 day camping trip. While other children our age were taking family trips to Disneyworld or Texas, my brother, sister and I were stretched out (brother more so as he got his own bench seat!) in our full sized van, stuffed to the top of the back seat with supplies. I would wager a bet t...

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My brother, sister-in-law, my father, and my aunt are planning to climb Mount Kilimanjaro this fall. I hope to highlight their trip here so those who never plan to make the climb can still experience the adventure. Leanne, my sister-in-law, age 27, is my first interviewee. I asked Leanne why she wants to climb Mount Kilimanjaro, as this is...

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