One last Himalayan trek

seeahill · Post by **seeahill** » Sun Oct 07, 2018 11:07 pm

My last Himalayan hoorah. Leave Tues, trekking in Mustang, near the Tibetan border. Will report on my return in early November.

Fat Cat · Post by **Fat Cat** » Mon Oct 08, 2018 4:47 am

Meeting your Chinese handler? Again?

nafod · Post by **nafod** » Mon Oct 08, 2018 12:31 pm

Shave your back so you don't get confused for a Yeti. And send pix!

Shapecharge · Post by **Shapecharge** » Mon Oct 08, 2018 1:27 pm

Fat Cat wrote: ↑Mon Oct 08, 2018 4:47 am Meeting your Chinese handler? Again?

Hilarious!!

It's either that or the thin air allows him to last longer when he gets his super gay on with his fellow trekkers.

seeahill · Post by **seeahill** » Mon Oct 08, 2018 10:48 pm

Fat Cat wrote: ↑Mon Oct 08, 2018 4:47 am Meeting your Chinese handler? Again?

I'm not a spy. Ha ha ha. Whatever made you think that? (Reply in code.)

Grandpa's Spells · Post by **Grandpa's Spells** » Tue Oct 09, 2018 1:51 am

Safe travels. Don't get kilt

Fat Cat · Post by **Fat Cat** » Tue Oct 09, 2018 2:51 am

Try not to drown or have heart attack. And stay away from sherpa boys.

Sangoma · Post by **Sangoma** » Tue Oct 09, 2018 10:06 pm

I am full of envy. Have a great trip, Seahill.

Fat Cat · Post by **Fat Cat** » Tue Oct 09, 2018 10:49 pm

Alexa, search for avalanche cannons.

baffled · Post by **baffled** » Tue Oct 09, 2018 11:27 pm

Fat Cat wrote: ↑Tue Oct 09, 2018 2:51 am Try not to drown or have heart attack. And stay away from sherpa boys.

Way to tie his hands.

syaigh · Post by **syaigh** » Wed Oct 10, 2018 7:09 am

I hear there is a lot of poop up there. Try not to step in any.

seeahill · Post by **seeahill** » Sun Oct 14, 2018 2:26 am

Am going to the Mustang district. Will offer up appropriate prayers for you all at Lo Monthang. Chanting, butter lamps and a few spins of the prayet wheel

seeahill · Post by **seeahill** » Thu Nov 01, 2018 10:36 pm

Well, this didn't go so well. It was exceedingly steep and on trails built by folks with no concept of the conservation of altitude. I fell far behind my trekking group the first day and by noon on the second, I elected to ride a horse. So I made it to Lo Mothang, but on what amounts to a Sherpa sag wagon.

This was a 75th birthday present to myself and I guess it's a present in more ways than one. I have done treks like this for 40 years. Never failed, never expected to this time. I trained just like I trained for Everest Base Camp trek which I made 6 years ago. But I fell behind the group and held them back waiting for me. It's a startling experience to be the weakest one in a trekking group. Yes, there were guys in their 20s, 30s. The second oldest was 56. But still.

So the present I got out of this is that I finally have to start admitting to myself that I can't physically do all the things I could do some decades ago. It was a lesson I had to learn the hard way.

No, I'm not giving up my way of life, but I have to be more conscious of my age. It seemed a bitter pill at the time, but I'm coming to grips with it. I am no longer able to do extreme treks. Doesn't mean I can't do other, less challenging hikes. Or maybe I'll just buy a cardigan, sit on a rocking chair and drink sherry while reading insipid poetry about kittens and trees.

Fat Cat · Post by **Fat Cat** » Thu Nov 01, 2018 10:42 pm

seeahill wrote: ↑Thu Nov 01, 2018 10:36 pmIt was exceedingly steep

There's really no way you could have anticipated that.

syaigh · Post by **syaigh** » Thu Nov 01, 2018 10:47 pm

Well, at least you didn't die.

Fat Cat · Post by **Fat Cat** » Thu Nov 01, 2018 10:49 pm

syaigh wrote: ↑Thu Nov 01, 2018 10:47 pm Well, at least you didn't die.

Don't focus on the negatives.

seeahill · Post by **seeahill** » Thu Nov 01, 2018 10:56 pm

Fat Cat wrote: ↑Thu Nov 01, 2018 10:42 pm
seeahill wrote: ↑Thu Nov 01, 2018 10:36 pmIt was exceedingly steep
There's really no way you could have anticipated that.

Correct.

Here's an email exchange that shines a brighter light on it. Here I am, asking the organizer about the trek:
Thanks for the invitation, John.

I like the idea, but I need to think about it pretty seriously. I'm 74 and will be looking at 75 just after the trip. I don't want to be a hindrance. I'm pretty sure I can handle the walking and altitude. But if there's much climbing, well, my balance has gone all to hell. If there is something like a rock slide we have to climb over, I could do it. But if there is a lot of stuff like that, ---- or if it's mostly like that --- then it would be a problem for me.

And here's his reply:

Hey Tim,

From what I know, this is all on well-graded trails.

Dunno how much walking you've done in this part of the world, but the trails are essentially the interstate highway system -- they're how all goods, from harvested apples to billiard tables, move in this region, either on the backs of humans, yaks or horses. So the trails tend to be smooth and gently angled. That's not to say there couldn't be a landslide blocking the trail, but in 10 previous Himalayan treks I've never encountered one.

And here's what happened:
Our guide, Jamling Norgay (the son of Tensing Norgay), had his own trails avoiding the new Jeep road to Lo Mothang. The jeep road is well graded, but to avoid it, you are on other trails which are, as I say, exceedingly steep. Given my info before the trip, yeah, there was no way I could have predicted this.

seeahill · Post by **seeahill** » Thu Nov 01, 2018 10:59 pm

syaigh wrote: ↑Thu Nov 01, 2018 10:47 pm Well, at least you didn't die.

Yeah, but dying makes for a great story. Bitching about steep trails is a snoozer.

syaigh · Post by **syaigh** » Fri Nov 02, 2018 12:09 am

seeahill wrote: ↑Thu Nov 01, 2018 10:59 pm
syaigh wrote: ↑Thu Nov 01, 2018 10:47 pm Well, at least you didn't die.
Yeah, but dying makes for a great story. Bitching about steep trails is a snoozer.

True enough. Unless they don't resuscitate you.

I'm glad you're not dead. Drinking tea and doing reading weird shit about kittens and trees is pretty cool. For the record, I know an 81 year old who still takes care of 35 horses all by himself. He needs someone to clean stalls.

nafod · Post by **nafod** » Fri Nov 02, 2018 12:51 am

seeahill wrote: ↑Thu Nov 01, 2018 10:36 pm Well, this didn't go so well. It was exceedingly steep and on trails built by folks with no concept of the conservation of altitude. I fell far behind my trekking group the first day and by noon on the second, I elected to ride a horse. So I made it to Lo Mothang, but on what amounts to a Sherpa sag wagon.

This was a 75th birthday present to myself and I guess it's a present in more ways than one. I have done treks like this for 40 years. Never failed, never expected to this time. I trained just like I trained for Everest Base Camp trek which I made 6 years ago. But I fell behind the group and held them back waiting for me. It's a startling experience to be the weakest one in a trekking group. Yes, there were guys in their 20s, 30s. The second oldest was 56. But still.

So the present I got out of this is that I finally have to start admitting to myself that I can't physically do all the things I could do some decades ago. It was a lesson I had to learn the hard way.

No, I'm not giving up my way of life, but I have to be more conscious of my age. It seemed a bitter pill at the time, but I'm coming to grips with it. I am no longer able to do extreme treks. Doesn't mean I can't do other, less challenging hikes. Or maybe I'll just buy a cardigan, sit on a rocking chair and drink sherry while reading insipid poetry about kittens and trees.

Go on a horseback trek next time. Bring a nurse to rub your saddle sores at night.

You think John Wayne would have walked? Oh heck no....

Fat Cat · Post by **Fat Cat** » Fri Nov 02, 2018 1:09 am

seeahill wrote: ↑Thu Nov 01, 2018 10:56 pm
Fat Cat wrote: ↑Thu Nov 01, 2018 10:42 pm
seeahill wrote: ↑Thu Nov 01, 2018 10:36 pmIt was exceedingly steep
There's really no way you could have anticipated that.
Correct.

Here's an email exchange that shines a brighter light on it. Here I am, asking the organizer about the trek:
Thanks for the invitation, John.

I like the idea, but I need to think about it pretty seriously. I'm 74 and will be looking at 75 just after the trip. I don't want to be a hindrance. I'm pretty sure I can handle the walking and altitude. But if there's much climbing, well, my balance has gone all to hell. If there is something like a rock slide we have to climb over, I could do it. But if there is a lot of stuff like that, ---- or if it's mostly like that --- then it would be a problem for me.

And here's his reply:

Hey Tim,

From what I know, this is all on well-graded trails.

Dunno how much walking you've done in this part of the world, but the trails are essentially the interstate highway system -- they're how all goods, from harvested apples to billiard tables, move in this region, either on the backs of humans, yaks or horses. So the trails tend to be smooth and gently angled. That's not to say there couldn't be a landslide blocking the trail, but in 10 previous Himalayan treks I've never encountered one.

And here's what happened:
Our guide, Jamling Norgay (the son of Tensing Norgay), had his own trails avoiding the new Jeep road to Lo Mothang. The jeep road is well graded, but to avoid it, you are on other trails which are, as I say, exceedingly steep. Given my info before the trip, yeah, there was no way I could have predicted this.

You can't believe everything you read, timmah. Your books for instance.

IGX

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