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Canada AM from Washington DC...
Hmmmm...these are hectic times. Indeed. =^]
We're on the verge of Secret Spot Denali...but I had to make a 'quick' trip to Washington D.C. to accept a Citizen's Award for Bravery from Secretary Kempthrone of the US Department of the Interior. It was an inspirational ceremony honouring many acts of valour. (Yes...I'm Canadian...so that's how we spell 'honouring' and 'valour'!)
US Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne and Phill
Washington DC is a fast paced city where things are definitely happening. My experience here has been purely positive. =^)
I flew here, from Seattle, on Monday and took a shuttle straight to the infamous Mayflower Hotel. Said establishment is where the ex-Governor of New York, Eliot Spitzer, managed to meet the untimely demise of his political career. My visit has been much more positive than his. =^]
Mike 'Gator' Gauthier, Director of Climbing Program and Search and Rescue Operations at Mount Rainier National Park, was good enough to meet me at the hotel...and we proceeded to take in a few sights and sounds of this nation's capital.
Phill and Mike Gauthier
Mike is not only an all around great guy, but he is also the Founder and Moderator of the Mount Rainier Climbing Blogspot. Apparently, he nominated me for the Award for Bravery. Thanks Mike! =^]
I expect that we will be seeing each other again...and possibly collaborating on some future wilderness river trips. B^)
Phill and Greg Lawler
I also had the pleasure of connecting with Greg Lawler, National Staff Ranger of the US National Park Service (Division of Law Enforcement). He's a super, well organized person and an excellent communicator...as well as a recipient of a Gold Medal for Valour for a rescue he participated in while working as a Ranger in Yosemite.
Greg is also responsible for making a White House tour happen on Wednesday. I'm looking forward to it!
Phill at CTV News in Washington D.C.
The Washington Bureau of CTV News Net(CTV.ca) was good enough to include me in their programming today. I went straight from the DOI (Department of the Interior) ceremony to the CTV studio...so I was a little over dressed. Que sera sera.
I'll post the brief CTV interview in a later blog entry. It looks like I'll be on Canada AM on the morn of Wednesday, May 14th too. Fun stuff!
Wednesday is go...go...go...until I eventually fly into Seattle and re-unite with the Secret Spot Denali Team. By late Wednesday night, we will all be in the same place at the same time...for the first time! Que bueno!
Soon it will all happen!
Until Soon
Phill =^)
PHILL MICHAEL | Expedition Leader and Summit Climber
Everest Freestyle Expedition/Secret Spot Seven Summits
We're on the verge of Secret Spot Denali...but I had to make a 'quick' trip to Washington D.C. to accept a Citizen's Award for Bravery from Secretary Kempthrone of the US Department of the Interior. It was an inspirational ceremony honouring many acts of valour. (Yes...I'm Canadian...so that's how we spell 'honouring' and 'valour'!)
US Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne and Phill
Washington DC is a fast paced city where things are definitely happening. My experience here has been purely positive. =^)
I flew here, from Seattle, on Monday and took a shuttle straight to the infamous Mayflower Hotel. Said establishment is where the ex-Governor of New York, Eliot Spitzer, managed to meet the untimely demise of his political career. My visit has been much more positive than his. =^]
Mike 'Gator' Gauthier, Director of Climbing Program and Search and Rescue Operations at Mount Rainier National Park, was good enough to meet me at the hotel...and we proceeded to take in a few sights and sounds of this nation's capital.
Phill and Mike Gauthier
Mike is not only an all around great guy, but he is also the Founder and Moderator of the Mount Rainier Climbing Blogspot. Apparently, he nominated me for the Award for Bravery. Thanks Mike! =^]
I expect that we will be seeing each other again...and possibly collaborating on some future wilderness river trips. B^)
Phill and Greg Lawler
I also had the pleasure of connecting with Greg Lawler, National Staff Ranger of the US National Park Service (Division of Law Enforcement). He's a super, well organized person and an excellent communicator...as well as a recipient of a Gold Medal for Valour for a rescue he participated in while working as a Ranger in Yosemite.
Greg is also responsible for making a White House tour happen on Wednesday. I'm looking forward to it!
Phill at CTV News in Washington D.C.
The Washington Bureau of CTV News Net(CTV.ca) was good enough to include me in their programming today. I went straight from the DOI (Department of the Interior) ceremony to the CTV studio...so I was a little over dressed. Que sera sera.
I'll post the brief CTV interview in a later blog entry. It looks like I'll be on Canada AM on the morn of Wednesday, May 14th too. Fun stuff!
Wednesday is go...go...go...until I eventually fly into Seattle and re-unite with the Secret Spot Denali Team. By late Wednesday night, we will all be in the same place at the same time...for the first time! Que bueno!
Soon it will all happen!
Until Soon
Phill =^)
PHILL MICHAEL | Expedition Leader and Summit Climber
Everest Freestyle Expedition/Secret Spot Seven Summits
Phill on CTV.ca
Phill on CTV.ca
You can catch Phill if you look at www.ctv.ca during the 3 o'clock hour Eastern Time today (May 5th, 2008). You can watch him discuss the Award for Bravery that was presented to him by Senator Dirk Kempthorne (US Secretary of the Interior). This award was for his involvement in a rescue on Mount Rainier in Sept 2007, and was presented at the 65th US Department of the Interior Honor Awards Convocation in Washington DC.
To view more about the Rainier incident, please refer to Episode 4 of SecretSpot.TV .
Until Soon!
Chris 8^)
CHRIS STANKO | Base Camp Manager
Everest Freestyle Expedition/Secret Spot Seven Summits
Shooting Episode 6...
Okeeedokee...it's been a very hectic weekend!
Somewhere along the line...I am going to need some sleeeeep! %^O zzzzzzzz
There is a cacophony of snores coming from Chris, Jeremy and Dawa as I type. =^]
I flew into Seattle on Saturday...from snowy Calgary...saw folks I hadn't seen for soooo long (too long)...and proceeded to shoot images and video. Gigabytes of images and hours of video!
Dawa is in Seattle!
Having Dawa here is like a dream. I specifically remember taking a break from walking through remote and leech infested parts of Nepal on July 23rd, 2007...and saying to Dawa that he would be seeing North America in 2008...somehow?! He just smiled and said, 'That sounds good, Phill Sir.'
Dreams, once again, become reality! =^]
Smiling about North American Dreams
So we switched our Everest Traverse to Spring 2009...instead of 2008. We weren't given much choice. The mountain was closed for traverses for this season...thanks to the Olympic Torch parade. I completely understand the need for the Chinese government to keep tight security in Tibet. I think we all do.
When things don't work out...make even better plans...as EVERYTHING happens for a reason.
Denali...here we come! B^)
Some of this is explained in the SecretSpot.TV Episode 6 teaser that can be viewed by pressing the play button below.
I suggest you check it out...right now!
I'm off to Washington D.C.------->
Until Soon
Phill =^)
PHILL MICHAEL | Expedition Leader and Summit Climber
Everest Freestyle Expedition/Secret Spot Seven Summits
Somewhere along the line...I am going to need some sleeeeep! %^O zzzzzzzz
There is a cacophony of snores coming from Chris, Jeremy and Dawa as I type. =^]
I flew into Seattle on Saturday...from snowy Calgary...saw folks I hadn't seen for soooo long (too long)...and proceeded to shoot images and video. Gigabytes of images and hours of video!
Dawa is in Seattle!
Having Dawa here is like a dream. I specifically remember taking a break from walking through remote and leech infested parts of Nepal on July 23rd, 2007...and saying to Dawa that he would be seeing North America in 2008...somehow?! He just smiled and said, 'That sounds good, Phill Sir.'
Dreams, once again, become reality! =^]
Smiling about North American Dreams
So we switched our Everest Traverse to Spring 2009...instead of 2008. We weren't given much choice. The mountain was closed for traverses for this season...thanks to the Olympic Torch parade. I completely understand the need for the Chinese government to keep tight security in Tibet. I think we all do.
When things don't work out...make even better plans...as EVERYTHING happens for a reason.
Denali...here we come! B^)
Some of this is explained in the SecretSpot.TV Episode 6 teaser that can be viewed by pressing the play button below.
I suggest you check it out...right now!
I'm off to Washington D.C.------->
Until Soon
Phill =^)
PHILL MICHAEL | Expedition Leader and Summit Climber
Everest Freestyle Expedition/Secret Spot Seven Summits
Played: 19 | Download | Duration: 00:03:38
Downpours, Dawa, DC and Denali!
My trip to Washington DC is coming up quickly!
You can read a bit about that in The News Tribune by clicking here.
You can also listen to an interview that I did on the Kevin James Show last Friday by pressing the play button at the bottom of this blog entry.
What a ride to Calgary, from Edmonton, on Wednesday night/Thursday Morn!
I can still feel the driving sleet and winds that were making their way past the Time Machine's force field.
Snowy Time Machine
Alberta received buckets of rain and snow over the last 36 hours.
Welcome to Alberta! If you don't like the weather here...come back in 5 minutes!
It's sunny and warm now...but I'm not sure about riding though the Rockies any time soon?!
The roads through the mountains are apparently hideous at present.
Mmmmm...sunshine. B^)
I certainly got my share of it while I was Californicating earlier this week.
Chris and I usually spend a few minutes running around on the rooftops in Irvine...in search of Sushi to slay...
Sushi Slayer
...but we eventually had to settle for a Newport Beach Venue.
Chris had 'a few' margaritas at a Cinco de Mayo party prior to Sushi...so he needed plenty of water by the time the raw fish was presented to us.
Chris Hydrates
The Claimjumper Tea Party 4.0 helped us train for Denali.
Tea Party 4.0
I did many repetitions of the 'Long Island Iced Tea Curl'...and managed to finish a 'Widow Maker'...for the first time ever! Yum. =^P
Tackling a Window Maker
I had to make a quick stop in Edmonton...before coming to Calgary. I always try and make time to see my Mom...as well as El Franko...for some scrabbulations.
No trip to Edmonton would be complete without a visit with one of the World's Greatest Barbers: Haymour Haymour at XL!
Haymour and the Time Machine
Haymour and Phill
Wow...Friday already?! Where does the time go?! It's been a TOTALLY AWESOME day...on all fronts!
The beginning of Dawa's long road to the Seven Summits
One of the greatest things about today is that Dawa and Alex land in Seattle! There will be very few days(like 6 days out of the next 66) that Dawa won't be right by my side.
It looks like the Olympic Torch Parade made its way to the summit of Everest. Que bueno! It will be interesting to see what happens next on the 'Big E'. We're going to watch what happens via our satellite equipment...probably while feasting on a leg of lamb at our Denali Base Camp.
Chris flies into Seattle tomorrow...as do I...so we're going to bring in a Guest Director for our SecretSpot.TV Episode 6 shoot. Hopefully said Guest Director will live through the experience. More about that in a future blog entry.
Secret Spot Denali is coming up quickly...so I had better get to Seattle..then Washington DC. We've got a few things to do before heading to Alaska to climb to the top of the highest peak in North America!
The whole Denali team will be together by the middle of next week...and we are all excited about living in the wilderness for the better part of month! B^)
We are well equipped:
-Brian at Drop Zone has outfitted us with some custom cold weather Zulu 9 gear.
-Surefire has got us rigged for illumination tools.
Lunch with Surefire's Chief Engineer Willie
-Hooah has got us set up with mountains of energy bars.
-Virgo Moon has provided Dawa and I with some amulets that really express the soul of the journey.
The Eyes of the Buddha
...and I've organized some pretty Skookum communication devices so that we can communicate with the rest of the World from the slopes of Denali.
If you are subscribed to this blog, you'll be able to virtually climb Mount McKinley with us! We'll be doing near daily dispatches from various points on the mountain. I love technology...when it works. =^]
Until Soon
Phill =^)
PHILL MICHAEL | Expedition Leader and Summit Climber
Everest Freestyle Expedition/Secret Spot Seven Summits
You can read a bit about that in The News Tribune by clicking here.
You can also listen to an interview that I did on the Kevin James Show last Friday by pressing the play button at the bottom of this blog entry.
What a ride to Calgary, from Edmonton, on Wednesday night/Thursday Morn!
I can still feel the driving sleet and winds that were making their way past the Time Machine's force field.
Snowy Time Machine
Alberta received buckets of rain and snow over the last 36 hours.
Welcome to Alberta! If you don't like the weather here...come back in 5 minutes!
It's sunny and warm now...but I'm not sure about riding though the Rockies any time soon?!
The roads through the mountains are apparently hideous at present.
Mmmmm...sunshine. B^)
I certainly got my share of it while I was Californicating earlier this week.
Chris and I usually spend a few minutes running around on the rooftops in Irvine...in search of Sushi to slay...
Sushi Slayer
...but we eventually had to settle for a Newport Beach Venue.
Chris had 'a few' margaritas at a Cinco de Mayo party prior to Sushi...so he needed plenty of water by the time the raw fish was presented to us.
Chris Hydrates
The Claimjumper Tea Party 4.0 helped us train for Denali.
Tea Party 4.0
I did many repetitions of the 'Long Island Iced Tea Curl'...and managed to finish a 'Widow Maker'...for the first time ever! Yum. =^P
Tackling a Window Maker
I had to make a quick stop in Edmonton...before coming to Calgary. I always try and make time to see my Mom...as well as El Franko...for some scrabbulations.
No trip to Edmonton would be complete without a visit with one of the World's Greatest Barbers: Haymour Haymour at XL!
Haymour and the Time Machine
Haymour and Phill
Wow...Friday already?! Where does the time go?! It's been a TOTALLY AWESOME day...on all fronts!
The beginning of Dawa's long road to the Seven Summits
One of the greatest things about today is that Dawa and Alex land in Seattle! There will be very few days(like 6 days out of the next 66) that Dawa won't be right by my side.
It looks like the Olympic Torch Parade made its way to the summit of Everest. Que bueno! It will be interesting to see what happens next on the 'Big E'. We're going to watch what happens via our satellite equipment...probably while feasting on a leg of lamb at our Denali Base Camp.
Chris flies into Seattle tomorrow...as do I...so we're going to bring in a Guest Director for our SecretSpot.TV Episode 6 shoot. Hopefully said Guest Director will live through the experience. More about that in a future blog entry.
Secret Spot Denali is coming up quickly...so I had better get to Seattle..then Washington DC. We've got a few things to do before heading to Alaska to climb to the top of the highest peak in North America!
The whole Denali team will be together by the middle of next week...and we are all excited about living in the wilderness for the better part of month! B^)
We are well equipped:
-Brian at Drop Zone has outfitted us with some custom cold weather Zulu 9 gear.
-Surefire has got us rigged for illumination tools.
Lunch with Surefire's Chief Engineer Willie
-Hooah has got us set up with mountains of energy bars.
-Virgo Moon has provided Dawa and I with some amulets that really express the soul of the journey.
The Eyes of the Buddha
...and I've organized some pretty Skookum communication devices so that we can communicate with the rest of the World from the slopes of Denali.
If you are subscribed to this blog, you'll be able to virtually climb Mount McKinley with us! We'll be doing near daily dispatches from various points on the mountain. I love technology...when it works. =^]
Until Soon
Phill =^)
PHILL MICHAEL | Expedition Leader and Summit Climber
Everest Freestyle Expedition/Secret Spot Seven Summits
Played: 17 | Download | Duration: 00:12:06
Loose Cannons in Seattle?!
Well...the Loose Cannons weren't physically in Seattle, but I did manage to visit with the stars of www.am570radio.com after a quick pass through the Seattle/Tacoma area. You can check out the 'in studio' interview that Chris and I did (that happened in Burbank on Friday)...at the end of this blog entry.
Seattle's Space Needle Stan
Seattle is lovely in the Springtime...let...me...tell..YOU! I landed in Seattle early Tuesday morn....slid into Alaina's car...and headed over to Mick's to jump on Stan. Stan is a vintage 90's BMW R100GS that will help me roll all over the planet in a year or two...kind of a off road Time Machine.
The sun was shining, birds were chirping and the recent rains brought a blooming world into view. Que bueno!
There was also some good food to be enjoyed with some new friends on Wednesday night...as well as a mellow cruise through the deserted streets of Seattle in Mick's new rocket ship. Some cars go faster than others.
Bick's on a Wednesday night
Mick and Phill
A few members of our Secret Spot Seven Summits Team enjoyed some Doyle's Dip in Tacoma...while Mount Rainier presided. It's amazing how spectacular Rainier looks from Tacoma on a clear day!
I felt blessed to be laughing and enjoying, in relative comfort, while some frustrated mutants I know are busy whining about politics...while in the shadow of another equally impressive peak called Mount Everest.
Que sera sera. =^]
The Olympic Torch Parade, up the Tibetan side of Mount Everest, is happening as I type. I've been continuing to watch what is happening over there...with some interest.
While sipping some soda water, ice and lime...my brain floated off to our September 2007 trip to Rainier's summit. It seems like yesterday...and it seems like a lifetime ago. Life is funny that way.
Phill, Joe and Alaina
Rainier from Tacoma
Regrettably, all good things come to and end...but the 'up side' of that is we can make more (equally) good things happen in our respective futures...and nurture our current relationships. It's just a matter of choice! =^]
Chris 'Knocks off the Dirt'
I like to just knock off the negative dirt and move forward. That's not to say we shouldn't learn from our mistakes. If we ignore our mistakes, we are doomed to repeat them.
Friday dawned Lovvvvely and I managed to get a few winks on the plane to LAX. Chris rolled up a few minutes after I collected my luggage...and the hot Southern Californicating Sun beat down on our heads as we looked forward to our post-interview wings with Sonn.
Sonn, Phill and Chris
Secret Spot Denali is coming up quickly. We had better keep slaving away at our grindstones to make that happen as it should.
Kindly take a few moments to listen to yesterday's interview with the Loose Cannons by pressing the play button below. You might learn a thing or two...
Until Soon
Phill =^)
PHILL MICHAEL | Expedition Leader and Summit Climber
Everest Freestyle Expedition/Secret Spot Seven Summits
Seattle's Space Needle Stan
Seattle is lovely in the Springtime...let...me...tell..YOU! I landed in Seattle early Tuesday morn....slid into Alaina's car...and headed over to Mick's to jump on Stan. Stan is a vintage 90's BMW R100GS that will help me roll all over the planet in a year or two...kind of a off road Time Machine.
The sun was shining, birds were chirping and the recent rains brought a blooming world into view. Que bueno!
There was also some good food to be enjoyed with some new friends on Wednesday night...as well as a mellow cruise through the deserted streets of Seattle in Mick's new rocket ship. Some cars go faster than others.
Bick's on a Wednesday night
Mick and Phill
A few members of our Secret Spot Seven Summits Team enjoyed some Doyle's Dip in Tacoma...while Mount Rainier presided. It's amazing how spectacular Rainier looks from Tacoma on a clear day!
I felt blessed to be laughing and enjoying, in relative comfort, while some frustrated mutants I know are busy whining about politics...while in the shadow of another equally impressive peak called Mount Everest.
Que sera sera. =^]
The Olympic Torch Parade, up the Tibetan side of Mount Everest, is happening as I type. I've been continuing to watch what is happening over there...with some interest.
While sipping some soda water, ice and lime...my brain floated off to our September 2007 trip to Rainier's summit. It seems like yesterday...and it seems like a lifetime ago. Life is funny that way.
Phill, Joe and Alaina
Rainier from Tacoma
Regrettably, all good things come to and end...but the 'up side' of that is we can make more (equally) good things happen in our respective futures...and nurture our current relationships. It's just a matter of choice! =^]
Chris 'Knocks off the Dirt'
I like to just knock off the negative dirt and move forward. That's not to say we shouldn't learn from our mistakes. If we ignore our mistakes, we are doomed to repeat them.
Friday dawned Lovvvvely and I managed to get a few winks on the plane to LAX. Chris rolled up a few minutes after I collected my luggage...and the hot Southern Californicating Sun beat down on our heads as we looked forward to our post-interview wings with Sonn.
Sonn, Phill and Chris
Secret Spot Denali is coming up quickly. We had better keep slaving away at our grindstones to make that happen as it should.
Kindly take a few moments to listen to yesterday's interview with the Loose Cannons by pressing the play button below. You might learn a thing or two...
Played: 27 | Download | Duration: 00:00:00
Until Soon
Phill =^)
PHILL MICHAEL | Expedition Leader and Summit Climber
Everest Freestyle Expedition/Secret Spot Seven Summits
Sherpas on Denali?!...part 2
Ahmed and Phill
At this moment, I am enjoying Snowy Calgary...home of personal trainer extraordinaire Ahmed Marshall.
I've been training for Denali by eating my weight in ribs and my 72 hour pasta sauce on whole wheat pasta.
If any of you have ever had the displeasure of watching me eat, you know that I almost burn more calories in the process...than the amount of calories I consume. %^]
I've been watching the Spring 2008 'Everest Show' via the internet and television.
Ridiculous!
I'm glad we chose to postpone our Everest Traverse until Spring 2009.
Well well...we are spread out all over the planet....but soon we'll be converging in Seattle for Secret Spot Denali !
Currently, I'm cruising around North America...Chris is Irvine...Alex and Dawa are in Nepal...and Carsten is fuming in Indonesia about politics foiling his Carstensz Pyramid Trip! =^(
You would think they would let him climb a Mountain simply because it shares his name...huh?!
I guess he will have to wait until the war in New Guinea calms down?!
I plan on doing said peak in 2011...so maybe Carsten will wait until then?!
Time will tell...as it always does. =^]
Who the heck are these people I am referring to?!
Please check out our Team page at Secret Spot Denali...and then you be in the know.
Despite power outages in KTM...and feeling a little under the weather, Alex managed to squeak out an email dispatch before heading into the Himalayas, and out of communication, until May 3rd.
Here's what he had to say:
>>>>>>>>>>
Kathmandu is where the action is in terms of organizing, purchasing and executing plans... but it's not why you come to Nepal. It is where Nepal comes to greet the world. The time you remain here is determined by the luck in assembling your forward travels, your patience for hustle and bustle, and how much you have convinced yourself you need to 'get done,' get ready, or buy.
This past weekend we escaped to the river for white water rafting and kayaking. I found out just how intense a small plastic boat can make class 2 or 3 rapids compared to the relative comfort of the big rubber raft. We lived like kings on safari with our river camp in the sand, multiple course meals and a nice camp fire brought us into our full moon night. Our guides were locals of the river, with each rapid named accordingly, from Landslide to Ladies Delight. More than a few times I had to bail out of the kayak, or torture chamber as I like to call it, to be swiftly saved by my paddler Maila. I did learn to roll on my own, and this kept me out of harms way more than a few times. As I noted to Joe, I've never learned more about a sport in a single day, or anything really, and mostly by necessity.
Our return trip taught me a few more things, such as the best way to transport kayaks is on the top of a oil or cotton truck, and of course if you need to bring a goat to the city, well it will have to sit on top of the bus as well, and don't mind if it naps on your knee for a couple hours.
After another blitz of action in Kathmandu, the standard food poisoning and struggle to get straight answers on pricing we are off again. I successfully made it in and out of the US Embassy while negotiating Visa issues for Dawa, and even ended up at the home of the Facilities Manager for coffee! Now Dawa and I depart on an adventure into the Lang Tang region of the mountains.
Ang Dawa and I will be attempting to cross the Gangja La Pass and cross into the Helambu valley in ten days time. Back with more stories and perhaps the earlier promised images on or around May 3rd!
Ciao!
ALEX MONDAU | Logistics Manager | Everest Freestyle Expedition/Secret Spot Seven Summits
>>>>>>>>>>
Soooo...I'll get some images and such into this blog once Alex sends them. I know, from my own experience in KTM, the local 'internets' (I've been dying to use that word in this blog since it was coined by a prominent world leader) can be sketchy.
Fortunately, I work closely with Eric at the Satellite Phone Store...so I'm almost always connected.
Eric is a person who is an expert in his field of endeavor...and I appreciate that...more than he knows! =^]
We will be beaming text and audio dispatches from Denali EVERY SINGLE DAY WE ARE THERE...or so we think. =^]
YOU will have to check it out!
Secret Spot Denali
Until Soon
Phill =^)
PHILL MICHAEL | Expedition Leader and Summit Climber
Everest Freestyle Expedition/Secret Spot Seven Summits 
Sherpas on Denali?!
Alex, Dawa,Chandra,Little Buddha,Rambally and Friend
I just got a dispatch from Alex...from Kathmandu! He's over there for another couple of weeks:
- helping the Social Development Centre of Nepal
- working out paperwork issues with Dawa so we can host our Sherpa friend in the USA...and have him climb Denali with us
- exploring the New Nepal
Here's what Alex had to say:
>>>>>>>>>>
Alex Mondau checking in from Kathmandu, Nepal.
A long awaited return to Nepal is finally happening and it's good to be back. Visiting friends and getting re-orientated has filled our first few days. The mood in the city is one of relief... and anticipation. The elections happened without too much turmoil or violence and unexpectedly the Maoist Party has taken many of the seats. As a big change in government is looming, everyone now waits to see if the promised changes can be realized and at what costs will those currently in power try to remain. There continue to be rolling power outages and fuel is more expensive here than in the US, even so: The New Nepal is coming!
The climbing world is also on hold as the thousands of people involved in Everest climbing season are currently reduced to 'Advanced Trekking.' With no one above Camp 2 on the South Side, the intermediate climbers and adventurous trekkers are actually higher in the Himalayas as they attempt peaks such as nearby Island and Mera Peaks.
Secret Spot Everest Climbing Sirdar Ang Dawa Sherpa is returning from guiding just such a climb and will be able to pass along the latest news gained from the Sherpa Pipeline (the local version of the BBC by word of mouth). From chatting with camera toting trekkers, it seems the standard visits to Kala Patar and EBC are happening, but with a few extra Nepali Army and Police personnel in the photos.
The Kathmandu Post today ran an article stating they had permission to 'open fire' if anyone gets unruly or sneaky.
My uncle Joe Mondau and I have passed our days working at the Social Development Center of Nepal, the orphanage here in Kathmandu I work to support. Lots of progress being made there, so future news of projects should be forthcoming. The children started a new year at their school, the Darwin Academy a few minutes walk from the home. We have a great volunteer on site long term at the moment and all the children are healthy and happy, so things really couldn't be better on that front.
A long awaited return to Nepal is finally happening and it's good to be back. Visiting friends and getting re-orientated has filled our first few days. The mood in the city is one of relief... and anticipation. The elections happened without too much turmoil or violence and unexpectedly the Maoist Party has taken many of the seats. As a big change in government is looming, everyone now waits to see if the promised changes can be realized and at what costs will those currently in power try to remain. There continue to be rolling power outages and fuel is more expensive here than in the US, even so: The New Nepal is coming!
The climbing world is also on hold as the thousands of people involved in Everest climbing season are currently reduced to 'Advanced Trekking.' With no one above Camp 2 on the South Side, the intermediate climbers and adventurous trekkers are actually higher in the Himalayas as they attempt peaks such as nearby Island and Mera Peaks.
Secret Spot Everest Climbing Sirdar Ang Dawa Sherpa is returning from guiding just such a climb and will be able to pass along the latest news gained from the Sherpa Pipeline (the local version of the BBC by word of mouth). From chatting with camera toting trekkers, it seems the standard visits to Kala Patar and EBC are happening, but with a few extra Nepali Army and Police personnel in the photos.
The Kathmandu Post today ran an article stating they had permission to 'open fire' if anyone gets unruly or sneaky.
My uncle Joe Mondau and I have passed our days working at the Social Development Center of Nepal, the orphanage here in Kathmandu I work to support. Lots of progress being made there, so future news of projects should be forthcoming. The children started a new year at their school, the Darwin Academy a few minutes walk from the home. We have a great volunteer on site long term at the moment and all the children are healthy and happy, so things really couldn't be better on that front.
New friends and adventures come our way every day here and I hope to provide images and another dispatch very soon!
ALEX MONDAU | Logistics Manager | Everest Freestyle Expedition/Secret Spot Seven Summits
>>>>>>>>>>
Alex and Joe just got back from a quick white water rafting trip. Alex will be sending another dispatch and images about that soon.
We will also have a Social Development Centre of Nepal (SDCN) website launched soon. I'll announce that via a future blog entry. It's an ongoing, charitable project that Alex has 'spearheaded' and is very passionate about. Awesome!
I'm glad to hear that things are going well for Alex in Nepal...despite all the politics and protests surrounding the Olympic Torch Parade. It sounds like the folks who are attempting Everest from the south side, this Spring season, are running into all sorts of obstacles regarding communications, and freedom of movement, etc. This was expected...so they shouldn't be surprised. It also sounds like the Olympic Torch Parade is on it's way up the Tibetan side of Mount Everest. I've been watching that with some interest. =^]
Hopefully everything is back to normal (politically or otherwise) for our Everest Traverse in Spring 2009!? Time will tell...as it always does.
Dana and Phill
I'm going to be back in Nepal, retracing Tilman's steps, in October/November 2008...with some great people...including Dana Engler. Dana is also going to be part of the Secret Spot Seven Summits team for Mount Elbrus in 2011.
We've got Secret Spot Denali coming up in less than a month...and YOU will be able to virtually climb with us via the internet! We're looking forward to virtually having YOU on our support team!
Until Soon
Phill =^)
PHILL MICHAEL | Expedition Leader and Summit Climber
Everest Freestyle Expedition/Secret Spot Seven Summits
>>>>>>>>>>
Alex and Joe just got back from a quick white water rafting trip. Alex will be sending another dispatch and images about that soon.
We will also have a Social Development Centre of Nepal (SDCN) website launched soon. I'll announce that via a future blog entry. It's an ongoing, charitable project that Alex has 'spearheaded' and is very passionate about. Awesome!
I'm glad to hear that things are going well for Alex in Nepal...despite all the politics and protests surrounding the Olympic Torch Parade. It sounds like the folks who are attempting Everest from the south side, this Spring season, are running into all sorts of obstacles regarding communications, and freedom of movement, etc. This was expected...so they shouldn't be surprised. It also sounds like the Olympic Torch Parade is on it's way up the Tibetan side of Mount Everest. I've been watching that with some interest. =^]
Hopefully everything is back to normal (politically or otherwise) for our Everest Traverse in Spring 2009!? Time will tell...as it always does.
Dana and Phill
I'm going to be back in Nepal, retracing Tilman's steps, in October/November 2008...with some great people...including Dana Engler. Dana is also going to be part of the Secret Spot Seven Summits team for Mount Elbrus in 2011.
We've got Secret Spot Denali coming up in less than a month...and YOU will be able to virtually climb with us via the internet! We're looking forward to virtually having YOU on our support team!
Until Soon
Phill =^)
PHILL MICHAEL | Expedition Leader and Summit Climber
Everest Freestyle Expedition/Secret Spot Seven Summits
Alaska via Washington D.C.!
The West Buttress Route on Denali (Mount McKinley)...the highest peak in North America!
We have the West Buttress of DENALI in our near future. You can check into our plans at Secret Spot Denali .
Our EVEREST TRAVERSE has been postponed until Spring 2009! The Tibetan side of Mount Everest is still closed. People who are trying to climb the tallest mountain in the world this Spring, from the Nepalese side, are presently experiencing major communications problems...due to politics...just as predicted.
Alex, Chris, Carsten, Dawa and myself are converging in Seattle in mid-May and we fly to Denali, from Talkeekna, Alaska, on May 19th. We should be standing on the summit of North America's highest peak by mid-June. You can virtually climb with us via our daily dispatches, by satellite phone/modem, at Secret Spot Denali .
I've got to do a little side trip to accept an award, in Washington, D.C., just prior to leaving for Denali. More on that in a later blog entry.
Grizzlies in Alaska
Back to Alaska!
More Fun is to be had in the 'Midnight Sun' in later July and early August of 2008. My good friend and cetacean appreciator, Michael Fishbach, will be cavorting with the largest creatures on earth, as well as some bears, while floating in the waters near Haines, Alaska.
Humpback Whales of Alaska
If you think you are worthy of getting 'up close' and personal with these magnificent creatures...email us at alaska@secretspot.net . We invite you to join us.
Until Soon
Phill =^)
PHILL MICHAEL | Expedition Leader and Summit Climber
Everest Freestyle Expedition/Secret Spot Seven Summits
Frankly Physical...Displacement and Density
Regarding my discussion with El Franko about displacement of water in an April 8th blog entry i.e.
>>>>>>>>>>
Phill has met up with icebergs at some 'high up' lakes at the foot of glaciers, and so have I for that matter. During one of our regular 'scrabbulations'...Phill floated the question:
As the ice melts, what does that do to the water level in the lake?
Does it go up, down, sideways or what?
Are you willing to stick your neck out and make a prediction?
Please do give reasons for your answers!
I'll post my own thoughts regarding this question in a week.
Frank Weichman | Resident Mathematical Mind at SecretSpot.net
>>>>>>>>>>
...here are some musings from Frank:
>>>>>>>>>>
Start with the basic facts
1. Ice floats
2. Ice turns into water
3. How much water does ice turn into?
4. How much water does ice, or any other material, displace when put in the water?
5. What if there are bubbles (or salt) in the ice?
Instead of ice, let us start with a solid hunk of iron and a pail of water. It has a volume which we will call V. Iron is denser than water, therefore it will sink and the height of the water in the pail will rise exactly as much as it would if we had poured in a volume V of water.
Iron can be shaped. Suppose we made a cup out of the hunk of iron. That cup, if carefully placed in the water, would float. Why? An object floats when it can displace more weight of the liquid (water in our case) than the weight of the object itself. By clever shape change you can even push down on the cup, say by putting lead pellets into it, and it will still float. The rise in water level will correspond exactly to the volume of water pushed aside, and, according to Archimedes's Principle, the weight of that volume of water is exactly equal to the weight of the iron cup, with or without the lead pellets. Before we shaped the hunk of iron, its volume was too small to push aside ('displace') its total weight.
What about ice? Ice is less dense than water, so it will float by displacing just enough water. Specifically, one kilogram of ice will displace one kilogram of water as it floats. The rest of the ice, roughly 1/10th, will stick up above the surface (FYI, the density of ice is 0.917 compared to water as 1.000). Suppose now that half the ice melts. We need to displace only half a kilogram of water to keep the rest afloat. We have half a kilogram of volume to spare, and the water level could go down by half a kilogram's worth of water. Isn't it strange that just that half a kilogram's worth of water has just melted and kept the level the same. The remaining half kilogram of water would do the exact same thing as it melts.
Do the test. Put some ice cubes in a glass and then fill the glass to the top with water. Will the water dribble over the edge as the ice melts?
>>>>>>>>>>
If a person was dull...they might ask , 'Who cares?!".
To learn at least a new thing every single day is vital.
Enough said.
The next question that Frank posed is along the same lines and deals with density:
>>>>>>>>>>
Phill has met up with icebergs at some 'high up' lakes at the foot of glaciers, and so have I for that matter. During one of our regular 'scrabbulations'...Phill floated the question:
As the ice melts, what does that do to the water level in the lake?
Does it go up, down, sideways or what?
Are you willing to stick your neck out and make a prediction?
Please do give reasons for your answers!
I'll post my own thoughts regarding this question in a week.
Frank Weichman | Resident Mathematical Mind at SecretSpot.net
>>>>>>>>>>
...here are some musings from Frank:
>>>>>>>>>>
Start with the basic facts
1. Ice floats
2. Ice turns into water
3. How much water does ice turn into?
4. How much water does ice, or any other material, displace when put in the water?
5. What if there are bubbles (or salt) in the ice?
Instead of ice, let us start with a solid hunk of iron and a pail of water. It has a volume which we will call V. Iron is denser than water, therefore it will sink and the height of the water in the pail will rise exactly as much as it would if we had poured in a volume V of water.
Iron can be shaped. Suppose we made a cup out of the hunk of iron. That cup, if carefully placed in the water, would float. Why? An object floats when it can displace more weight of the liquid (water in our case) than the weight of the object itself. By clever shape change you can even push down on the cup, say by putting lead pellets into it, and it will still float. The rise in water level will correspond exactly to the volume of water pushed aside, and, according to Archimedes's Principle, the weight of that volume of water is exactly equal to the weight of the iron cup, with or without the lead pellets. Before we shaped the hunk of iron, its volume was too small to push aside ('displace') its total weight.
What about ice? Ice is less dense than water, so it will float by displacing just enough water. Specifically, one kilogram of ice will displace one kilogram of water as it floats. The rest of the ice, roughly 1/10th, will stick up above the surface (FYI, the density of ice is 0.917 compared to water as 1.000). Suppose now that half the ice melts. We need to displace only half a kilogram of water to keep the rest afloat. We have half a kilogram of volume to spare, and the water level could go down by half a kilogram's worth of water. Isn't it strange that just that half a kilogram's worth of water has just melted and kept the level the same. The remaining half kilogram of water would do the exact same thing as it melts.
Do the test. Put some ice cubes in a glass and then fill the glass to the top with water. Will the water dribble over the edge as the ice melts?
>>>>>>>>>>
If a person was dull...they might ask , 'Who cares?!".
To learn at least a new thing every single day is vital.
Enough said.
The next question that Frank posed is along the same lines and deals with density:
Based on the above arguments, would you care to predict what would happen if you poured Khukri Rum, instead of water, in the glass with ice cubes, or, for that matter, if you poured in very salty water? Alcohol is less dense than water, and salt water is more dense that water.
Dawa knows the answers to those questions! =^P
Do you?!
Until Soon
Phill =^)
PHILL MICHAEL | Expedition Leader and Summit Climber
Everest Freestyle Expedition/Secret Spot Seven Summits
Dawa knows the answers to those questions! =^P
Do you?!
Until Soon
Phill =^)
PHILL MICHAEL | Expedition Leader and Summit Climber
Everest Freestyle Expedition/Secret Spot Seven Summits
Loose Cannons in Tibet?!
I had a little chat with the Loose Cannons of am570radio.com on April 10, 2008. We talked about the 'Free Tibet' protests that have turned the Olympic Torch Parade into a circus...and how they have affected the climbing schedule of Secret Spot Seven Summits and our Everest Traverse.
You can listen to us flap our gums in a number of ways:
-click the play button below...and sit back, relax and listen...for less than five minutes
-click on the Loose Cannons interview banner (above) and access all of the chats we have had with the Loose Cannons
-go to am570radio.com and try and find some of our interviews there
It's nice to have options...isn't it?!
Until Soon
Phill =^)
PHILL MICHAEL | Expedition Leader and Summit Climber
Everest Freestyle Expedition/Secret Spot Seven Summits
Played: 23 | Download | Duration: 00:04:02