OK "Tuttle" boys listen up, competition is still alive an well even while I am in Kenya. Yes old Elder Tuttle climbed Mt. Kenya. I know I know but it's not the highest mountain in Kenya but at least I did it? I figure I am at least one up on you guys now. I know it won't be for long cause your minds are working to see how you can top that.
Well let me tell the story. This
picture is the back side of Mt. Kenya for a little preview of what is to come - not the route we took. The hike and climb was as beautiful and challenging as the picture looks. This was a 6-day adventure, I was picked up at our flat by Kyolo (Cholo) the guide and the two other hikers from France, a mother (Leann) and son ( Taubo). They spoke a little English and I spoke exactly NO French. WE WE Monsueor . "See what I mean" The ride to the park was eventful to say the least. Four and one-half hrs. to get to a town where we tried to exchange vehicles from a van to a range rover. Well not so, the range rover didn't show up...so, up the dirt road we went in the van. In case your wondering this road is the road from H---. The van was struggling to say the least. We only had 32 kilometers to go. About 23 klicks up the road the range rover met us so the two vehicles both did 15 point turns to about face. Now 9 Kenyan porters and 2 French hikers and one Farmington boy jumped into the 1945 vintage rangerover, held together with, I was going to say held together with duct tape and tie wire but they don't have either one here so I don't know what it was held together with. So up the road we go trying to hold on, by this time it is 9:30 PM ( in the jungle). The driver was pushing the rover pretty hard and I can tell its too old to treat that way so my fingers are crossed and I guess I did say a little prayer. By now we are about a hour from our first base camp. (10:00) PM. Now have you ever seen a bull elephant in the middle of the road in the jungle with his ears flared coming full steam for a head on? And have you ever heard 9 Kenyans yaking in Swahili, two Frenchmen yelling French and one Farmington white
boy talking to the man above? It was not a pretty sight. Well at least someone heard my voice because the Monster stopped short and held his ground, as we backed up he would advance - all of this happening at night. This was the case for 50 minutes after which Big Daddy decided to hightail it to the bushes. The big boy in the picture is a little smaller than the one we had the stand off with, and that's not a fish story!
To continue, we bounced up the road toward camp only to hear the sound I didn't want to hear. Do you know what the sound of the drive line spinning the gear teeth of the rear differential sounds like? I do, ( not good) Sooo we got out to watch the Kenya team extract the crackerjack box size toolbox from under the seat and say "No Problem", Yes you heard it right No Problem. I explained to the two French people to get there packs and bags cause we are going to walk the rest of the way to camp at 11:00 o'clock in the middle of the jungle. The Kenya team placed rocks under the wheels and away we went to the base camp arriving about 11:45 pm. We had hot soup and a roll then went to bed only to freeze to death because we were soaked with sweat.
The next day was a nice sunny day as we packed for our first 7 to 8 hour hike to another camp. The hike passed through jungle then to sparce trees to beautiful tall grass and boulder fields. We also crossed many fresh water springs that looked like they had fish in. We were pretty tired when we arrived at the next camp.
The porters were no bigger than a cub scout but don't let that full you, they could carry way more than I could and track twice as fast as I could. Maybe it was the worn out running shoes and the church pants they wore that made them faster. No it must be the small bowl of ugali they ate every day. Never the less they were awesome!
Well this camp was at about 14,000 feet and this is where you don't sleep at night, something to do with the altitude, you rest but don't get into a deep sleep. I guess your brain doesn't want to go night night if it doesn't have enough oxygen. And the other reason you don't sleep is you're freezing to death. This is the macho guy stuff I love. I keep waiting to grow hair on my chest... maybe on the next climb. The springs we crossed were clear and clean, everyone filled up there water bottles and washed face and hands ( thank goodness).
The flora and fauna was very different but very beautiful, I kept picking some kind of sage, rubbing it in my fingers and smelling it. I think it is addicting. I did it for three days. It sure had a good smell. I will bring some home on the next hike and sell it, for cooking of course. Notice the big nobby plants, they sure were an addition to the landscape. They looked like green lollypops at a distance.
One thing I liked was the fresh mountain air. Nothing like that to clear a man's head after six months of smog in Nairobi. I didn't have to hack or blow my nose once while in the clean air.
The picture below is a mountain troll I found. I never could see the whites of her eyes because of the long hair .... but she said some nice things in troll talk!!!!!
Have you ever seen shag carpet on a stick? Well that is what I found growing in this mountain in Africa. Yes lime green shag carpet, and just as soft too. I wished I knew the name of the plants but I don't. So I would appreciate any help in the Horticulture Dept. ( Donna Minch) Help.
There was always plenty to look at and take pictures of on these nine hour hikes.
The guide and porters worked hard to fix our meals and serve it hot which was nice because it was so cold when the wind was blowing.
We always had a red table cloth for dinning. With hot water for tea or hot chocolate. Sometimes the birds got the biscuit before we did.
The Shipton Peak is in the background. To be conquered the next morning. (No Problem)!
Up at 2:00 am and on the trail to Shipton by 3:00 am to make it before sunrise. This is a (I want to use the word extremely) hard and challenging hike/ climb. At the 16,000 foot level, my lungs were expanding but no air was going in. This wasen't very comforting because we still had more than a 1,000 feet to go. We passed a few people on the trail that didn't make it. I wanted to stop and help but I was worried a little about myself. The key to forward movement is to put the right foot in front of the left foot and so on, this leads you to the summit.(eventually).
SEE I told you so! Me at the top.
( Piece of Cake) but a frozen piece of cake!!! I was totally not geared up for the challenge, but I made due with what I had, Sunday School shoes and all.
Kenya flag... me above the clouds and the sunrise! Great Morning. Glad I had the opportunity to do this great adventure. The only thing that could of made it better is my four boys standing on the top with me.
Not a problem just a little bouldering to get to the top.
Back side of Mt. Kenya. Took three hours to get down to this point where it was a little easier to breath and a lot warmer.
The mountain is alot more majestic from this side than the acsent side. You can see places where old glaciers have scraped the sides of the mountain and left it smooth. Wonder who lived here at that time.
It is amazing the beauty you find above 15,000 feet it was all over, you just had to open your eyes. Alot of my 150 pictures were of the beauty and creation we are all blessed with. I did feel privledge to see this part of the world.
This is a lodge on the decending side we just had some breakfest there and move on down the mountain cause we had another 6 hrs. to go and we had been up since 2 am .
Hiking down hill makes a whole new set of muscles wake up and wonder what in the .... is going on. I was digging in my pack for the Ibuprofin 800's.
Hiking in a wonderland isn't very hard to do. We went from one end of the spectrum to the other...scenery doesn't get much better than this.
Now let me tell you about this little bad boy. Lets call him Ruffis. This little teenager decided to enter my cabin while I was recovering on my bunk in never never land. I heard some commotion next to me and Ruffis is on the table throwing my noodle soup in the air with one of my bread rolls in his mouth and one hand in the butter container. I will repent later for the outbust... some of my construction language slipped out. Ruffis now has a #10EE boot print some where
on his teenage body. Well the night was finally a good one and I slept because we're down to 10,000 feet again. Now just one more get up and another 4 1/2 hr. hike down hill and will be to the park entrance. I feel this was a good challange for me at my age and abilities. I would do it again only if my boys were able to be here to kid and have fun. That makes it all worth it! Well that's my story of the Mt Kenya hike. Hope you liked it? Old Elder Tuttle.
