Victory For All!

Congratulations to all of the "Sweet 16" team members that reached the top of the worlds tallest free standing mountain, KILIMINJARO!

More Importantly, Congratulations to everyone who even dared to partake in this monumentous event! I am proud of each and every one of you for even attempting a feat so great. Few people have even tried, and even fewer have accomplished what each and everyone of you have accomplished. Whether you made it to the summit or not, you pushed yourself beyond rediculous,excruciating, and painfull limits and conquered them all! I am humbled and proud of the pain and suffering that each of you went through.

Life takes on a whole new meaning when you break yourself, enjoy it!

Robert

SUMMIT!!!

Success!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

First every one is safre
If you would of told me I would have stood on top of the hightest mountain summit in Africa a year ago I would have told you are crazy!  Let me go back over the lasr 36 hours. We started to high camp 2 days ago. Less than 1 hour into the journey up one of our  strongest members developed Acute Mountain Sickeness and had to head down. We all cried as we said good bye to Tom Woods. Physically he was strong but Tim had been monitoring his Oxygen Saturation and it had become dangrously low and unsafe. We reaced Barfu our highest camp early afternoon. We began the Summit assault at 10;30 PM. I felt good but the climb was so steep and I knew I had 9 hours of solid cliimbing ahead of me. We slowly grinded up the mountain  under the full moon.  Tim was not able to accompnay us as he was in the baackm making sure others were OK. All through the night I climbed I can tell you CHILD BIRTH  is easier! The only thought in my head was a Rotary District Govenor said if I made he would give 100 dollars to my cause . I climbed on for Clean water in my mind ONE family would have clean water if I made it was my montray so sorry for the bad spellingf . But I climbed on and we ccryed at the summit more to come! thanks for your suport!! African keyboard doesn't work well

Next Stop; Summit!

It appears that our crack team of mountain climbers have reached Barafu Camp located at 15,500 feet. Temperatures there can dip down to 15 degrees. This is the last camp before the the Summit. Melinda sent a challenge via text that every rotary president in Ruth Allens District donate $20 to clean water in Belize. I encourage all of Sweet 16's fans and followers to donate to this worthy cause as well.

Wish them luck and God Speed as they head for the Summit.

Way to go Sweet 16!

Robert

News from 15,000 Feet!

Our happy hikers have made it to Branco Valley and to 15,000 feet. This is no easy feat, as trees do not grow past 11,000. It seems that oxygen is necessary to life, but this does not affect our hardened crew, for they have super human abilities developed from hours spent in some mystery tent located at La Hacienda Osburn. Stay tuned as they ascend to altitudes never reached by mere mortals..............

Quote of the day..." Everyone is Strong and the Pictures Loom Amazing. We are Lucky to Have Kind Easy Going Porters!"  Elissa

Be sure to check their progress on the Spot GPS Tracker @

http://share.findmespot.com/shared/faces/viewspots.jsp?glId=0CL5DdbQGzaIsMRoBc0TU8i5SBWGALFln

--Robert--

Upadate From Afar...............

Day 2 Update....The "Sweet 16" Clan is alive and well! The last text intel from Melinda said that they were at 11,100 feet and that everyone was doing well. "The plant life here is amazing and the sun just appeared for the first time", says Melinda. GPS Spot has them moving along at record pace for adventurers of their tremendous stature. Stay tuned for more updates........... Robert

Time to Fly

We are at Dulles airport in DC and are about to fly over the pond. Today our travels have gone well and we should be in Tanzania in around 24hours. We visited the Smithsonian air space museum today. The Enola Gay seats inside of the building which is a very sobering sight. Just another reason to raise awareness for Rotary. Peace, Polio and Clean water are three big goals that Rotary is striving to achieve. Thanks for all the support.  The" Texas Sweet 16" is spread all over the Atlantic the Devino's have flown ahead of us and should be flying out of London as we speak. Molly Cummings should be also arriving ahead of us also via Amsterdam. One benefit of preparing for this trip is that I just feel great.
In that sense the trip has already been a success. Thanks for the messages of support. Also thanks to the Lakeway/Lake Travis Rotary Club the "best Rotary club on the planet"

Love Melinda

Spot GPS Tracker

Our good friend Robert Leonard has loaned his Spot GPS tracker for our Kilimanjaro trip. You can follow us at the attached link. We will start up the mountain Tuesday night Texas time.

Thanks for all the support we are now up to 6 family water filter systems. Hug a Rotarian today!
Let's wipe out dirty drinking water in Belize.

http://share.findmespot.com/shared/faces/viewspots.jsp?glId=0CL5DdbQGzaIsMRoBc0TU8i5SBWGALFln

God Bless
Melinda

Packing and Tapering Down

With just a couple of days left till we leave my packing has reached a frenzy level. Our house looks like an REI store has exploded inside of it. My training has tapered way down as it is time to rest up for the climb. I am excited about getting going and starting the climb. Margarita our dog knows something is going on. She understands one of her favorite friends Barbara will be staying with her to keep her company. Thanks for supporting the Clean Water for Belize campaign.

ESPN RADIO and POLL

I will be talking on ESPN 104.9FM Outdoors America Radio show between 8:30 am to 10:00 am this Sunday. The other guest is Richard Garriott a gentleman whom was one of the handful of space tourist to stay on the Space Station. In addition he has also been down to the Titanic and hunted for meteorites in Antarctica. Imagine little old me on ESPN Radio!
Am I becoming an athlete?  


Poll:


Is Melinda becoming an athlete?


YES


NO


Please vote in comment field.

The Tent

Pictured above is Erich Schlegel, Molly Cummings, Tom and Kim Woods in the tent.
Tim and I have a lot of visitors coming and going which is really cool. The tent can simulate altitudes up to 13,000 feet. The tent is being used nearly 24 hours a day by one of the "Sweet 16".  We are not going to Disney World but to an environment that can be very harsh on ones body. The purpose of the tent is to give our team an advantage of some pre-acclimatization before we start up the mountain.
 Our goal is to be as safe as we can but there really are no guarantees. Besides it looks really nice in the living room.

Love to all
Melinda

Kilimanjaro Expedition only 2 Weeks till we leave.

Happy 4th of July!! I started my day by doing 2,500 feet on the stairclimber. I just walked straight into the pool afterwards clothes and all. I had to cool down. Our Expedition named the "Sweet 16" leaves on the 18th for Tanzania. We will arrive at Kilimanjaro Airport on the 20th then start up the mountain on the 21st. The "Sweet 16' consist of 16 wonderful people who are all training hard and looking forward to a slow climb up the mountain. In addition we could not even attempt without the 35 Porters, Cook, 5 Assistant Guides and our Head Guide John. All together the "Sweet 16" Expedition will consist of nearly 60 people. Expedition member Steve Dailey and I are climbing for the Belize City Rotary's Club Clean Water Project. To see more about Steve's efforts go to http://betterhalfliving.org/    The photo of my new monogramed dufflebag.

More Training

It has been raining non-stop for the last few days here in Texas.  That doesn't stop the training. Have been really hitting the gym and the stairclimber. I use to hate the stairclimber but now it is not so bad. A month ago I did a little stress test on the treadmill. Today I took the stress test again and my heart rate was some 30 beats per minute lower to perform the same task. I am starting to feel stronger and that the summit is actually possible.

It will be great thrill to stand on the summit of Kilimanjaro with my Rotary flag in hand!!  A lot of people have stepped forward with encouragement it is my hope to make them proud.  Rotary does such great things for so many people all over the world.