Melancholy has set in with several members of the expedition. Although we are sponsored by Kraft Foods and have literally hundreds of their very delectable Mozartkugeln (chocolate-covered hazelnut and pistachio marzipan truffles) at our fingertips, as well as plenty of Country Time lemonade, the team members are bored out of their minds. Sick of waiting around Base Camp, where every move takes an extra effort; where basic things like going to the toilet are so cumbersome that we all hope for indigestion; and where the temperature fluctuations are so severe -within minutes- that we are mostly either shivering or sweating, the team is longing for a summit window.
We need good weather on our side, otherwise the expedition will have to be scrapped without another summit attempt. In 2005, it wasn’t until the second week of June that climbers returned to Kathmandu. We’re hopeful that our expedition won’t suffer the same fate. We have already have had a number of mishaps and nuiscences on this trip. Anita, who is now finally feeling better and strong again, had been ill with altitude sickness on three separate occasions. Kenton Cool had a big problem with his wisdom tooth, which got worse with altitude. (Luckily, Pittsburgh’s Dr. Piccolo and his assistant Anita took great care of all my dental issues before we left the U.S., but Kenton decided to delay dealing with his aching wisdom tooth until his return to England.) All of us have had gastro-internal problems, which have been more severe this year than in previous years that we’ve been on the mountain. After reaching Camp II, I began suffering from high altitude bronchitis, which is a condition that can easily spell the end for any climber’s ambitions. To boot, one of our Sherpa had to be evacuated after he suffered Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS).
There is not much to report on a daily basis from Base Camp, other than that one or two climbers are evacuated by helicopter ever day (due to broken limbs, etc.), expedition organizer and “big boss” Henry Todd repeatedly wins at Monopoly no matter how poor his odds, and that I have organized a cooking competition at Camp II with two of our cooks. Very trivial, downright boring facts, so nothing to write home about. We do, however, recognize the importance of writing something at least every few days, so that our loves ones at home don’t think something terrible happened to us.
The biggest problem with sitting around Base Camp for so long is that we become weaker over time. Week after week, our muscle mass shrinks, our athletic condition worsens, and we stand less of a chance at reaching the summit. However, most of the effort required to reach the summit of Mt. Everest is of the mental kind, which is why we spend a lot of time trying to keep each other motivated. Perhaps the ever-inventive Dr. Richard Fuisz (www.fuisz.com), one of our sponsors and the man who made last year’s expedition possible, could come up with a novel method to beat high-altitude blues. In the meantime, we’re reading, playing cards, losing at Monopoly, telling tall tales of taller mountains, and eating horrendous food (aside from those Mozartkugeln) made better only by a generous portion of Heinz ketchup.
Chocolate is one of the few things that help keep the blues at bay.
Mike and Crew,
Sounds like you all are itching to hit the summit but the boring days are taking a big toll. You are correct, the waiting at basecamp is bleeding you out physically and mentaly. The best thing that you and the crew can do is keep busy and maintain focus on the top. That window is going to open up when you are losing at Monopoly or organizing “Iron Chef Katmandu”….Just be ready.
Kick that hill in the ass and get back home so we can get some Yougurt Escape (Nicole is buying as she owes you a few Lbs of dessert after eating your Mortons dessert….She still feels bad).
All of us back here in Coronado are pulling for you, brother.
BTW: Nicole said, “If Mike wants to win every time at Monopoly…do what I do, make sure you are the banker!”
So that’s how she wins all the time.
I can definitely come up with something. I just came back from Santa Barbara on the Pacific Coast Highway with my Porsche. The top was down. The sun is hot like hell. Now I am back in Beverly Hills. It is hot here too! I would love to be with you guys. Nice and cool and mountain views too! Kind of cheeky to complain Brother! Richard Fuisz
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