The CancerClimber Association (CCA) offers hope through inspiration. Our mission is to help those touched by cancer by focusing on living an active, healthy lifestyle. CCA will serve its mission through inspirational stories, adventure grants, a mobile camp, and personal visits to patients by survivors. CCA was founded in 2001 by two-time terminal cancer survivor and elite mountaineer, Sean Swarner and his brother Seth, CCA is headquartered in Boulder, Colorado.
So as I’m sitting here trying to come up with the words to express how disappointing the last trip to
While I was in Indonesia, I started a list of “things that went wrong” and started to get depressed, but I’m glad I did, because now I can type it out and laugh at everything because I had absolutely no control over all of these things and it’s only something that could have happened in a movie.
After booking the original trip of trekking to Base Camp (BC), it was cancelled because the villages we were going to trek through wanted more money and wouldn’t let anyone through. A week later, I was told we couldn’t trek in and had to go via helicopter, requiring more money (fuel for those things isn’t cheap), and a change in flights from
So when I arrived in
It’s expensive in
While in
So I took off from Bali to Makassar, but in Makassar, I was told that all flights were booked to
Getting into
So after the fuel was “found” and after we could use the Kamov, they decide that the Kamov needed some sort of “anti-freezing” instrument placed on the blades because of the altitude. Great. Another part. Well that part was ordered, got there quickly (quick enough) but they didn’t have the tools to put it on either. Wonderful.
Back in
So back to the Kamov… fuel is there, crew is ready, we’re ready, part is finally on… we still can’t take the other heli, so we head up in the Kamov. After about an hour of flying up to base camp, we see it, but can’t land because the clouds are too thick and it’s too dangerous to land. We discussed us jumping out and the crew tossing us our climbing gear, but they weren’t too keen on that idea. So it’s back to Nabire.
Weather the next day wasn’t great, so we didn’t go anywhere and enjoyed the 103 temps with 100% humidity. I think one of my ears is a little lower because it melted a little and slid down my head.
The next day we attempted the base camp again. No dice. Back to Nabire again. We figured we’d try again tomorrow, but guess what… no fuel. We’re out. By this time the “inspector” for the smaller heli showed up and looked at the “part” they put on only to say, “great. Looks wonderful. Now take it off and put it back on in front of me so I know you did it right.” Sigh. Another 2 days of playing around in the jungle heat waiting on something that might not happen. In the mean time, we wanted to meet with the pilot because we heard he was going to be back on the island. We were told he was, we went to meet with him (but he was actually the co-pilot – pilot was in
The next day I took off from Biak back to Jakarta, changed my flight out of Jakarta to a few days later (when I thought I’d actually get back to Jakarta), and spent nearly 10 hours in the airport trying to fly standby to get to Seoul to Chicago. Midnight comes rolling around, I sleep in the airport for a while, finally find a hotel, take a taxi there, check in, sleep for an hour or so, and get ready to head back to the airport again and fly home. That worked, and 2 days later I landed in
Looking back at it, it’s one frustrating trip to say the least and I didn’t even cover everything that went wrong because this novella has gone on long enough. I did, however, get the opportunity to meet some incredible people and they have become some good friends...
Windy, Windy, Windy... That describes how last night was.Thank god for
earplugs, that's all I can say. Up early at 6:30am, breakfast, then we hit
the trail for a 7 hour day. The only way to really describe this hike, is
to step on a treadmill at the incline on the steepest setting, do it at a
walk for 7 hours, only stopping to pee and have a 30 minute lunch. We did
manage to get up to the lava tower at 15,000 ft for some great acclamation.
Tonight, we are sleeping at 13,000 ft and hoping to get some rest before
heading to 16,000 ft and the last camp. Tomorrow night, we head up to the
summit God willing. One of the Climbers is doing a short guest blog and I
would like to share that with you now...
Jeff Dalpoggetto --
This has been the greatest challenge of my life. It has also been the
greatest experience of my life. There is no better way to celebrate 20
years of testicular cancer to be free and living life by challenging
yourself to do heights, experiences and adventures.
Sean --
Thank you all for the sat messages, please keep them coming and don't stop.
Peace out from the Baranco camp everyone is in great spirits and is excited
about tomorrow.
Keep Climbing,
Sean
Morning came early today because not many people slept well. Everyone woke up around 2am and couldn't get back to sleep. Kris even stayed up till 4am reading. Jeff ran to the toilet in his scibbies while Ursula and Deb were kept up by a snorting wild boar... May be that is what was shot and would explain the bullet hole in my meat last night. Breakfast was scrambled eggs and toast, Followed by some type of cream of wheat. Good way to start our day. After a looooong way up steep hills, we had lunch. However, on our way I chatted with another cancer survivor. Victor form Toronto, was hiking up and we chatted about hope and why each were doing the mountain. Tomorrow, you will get a guest blogger and understand more about our quest to reach around the world and help through inspiration, hope and a never say die attitude. Upon arriving Shira Camp we were all exhausted from the 6 hour trek and nearly 3000ft increase in altitude. After getting some rest, a few people went to a really cool cave while others went and flew a fighter kite. Good times had by all. We just had dinner and are now snug in our sleeping bags and ready for bed. Its not even 8pm and we are all ready to call it a night. Tuto anana kesho and asante sana from the CancerClimber Kili family. Thank you for the texts, please keep them coming... And always, Keep Climbing.
If you would like to sent the CancerClimber Team a text:
Go to www.iridium.com
Click send a satellite text (upper right corner)
881632511299 enter this number and write your text message to me and the CancerClimber Team.
Sean Swarner
Day 3 -- Kilimanjaro Climb
Communication made possible by www.mvsusa.com
Day started off on a wonderful note and we all packed up the van and headed to the Mountain's gate. I have been fighting a cold and the higher we went the more my ears clogged. Higher and higher my ears got more clogged. Now I can't even hear very well. The Machame gate was wonderful and after signing in we took off on the trail and headed up onto the mountain. The rain forest was absolutely beautiful and the trek was fantastic. Very difficult day and very steep. It was amazing none the less. About six hours later we rolled into camp and ate some snacks. All the porters had the tents set up and ready for us. Dinner was meat... Not sure what kind, but I swear my piece had a bullet hole in it. Now its off to bed and we wake up at 6:30am and go from the Macheme camp to the Shira plateau. Five hour hike and we get to rest. Got the text messages- awesome. Thank so much and keep them coming.
If you would like to send me a text:
Go to www.iridium.com
Click send a satellite text (upper right corner)
881632511299 enter this number and write your text message to me and the CancerClimber Team.
Keep Climbing,
Sean
July 26th -- Kilimanjaro Climb
Communication made possible by http://www.mvsusa.com/
Yesterday had a great time with Theo, my friend, and his family. A couple of beers, some good laughs, a prayer for the trip (his brother is a pastor) and some great food his wife made.
Lincoln - his 14 month old son - was walking around, playing with the people there, until he dropped a bottle cap into Teel's glass. He shoved his entire hand into the beer, grabbed the cap and licked his hands clean. I mean slurping them. Like father like son I guess.
Then it was off to the airport to pick up the group. 7 of them came in last night. All looking pretty good considering they just had an 8 hour flight from Amsterdam. Gathered luggage, loaded up the bus and took off to Moshi. all were chatting until about 15 min into the trip when the entire bus went quiet. they all checked in, had some snacks, and crashed hard.
I got up for breakfast, waited for everyone else to get up. We have 2 more coming in later today.
I'm also heading to the local hospital today to visit the cancer patients and a radiologist I met yesterday. should be a great trip....
Keep Climbing,
Sean Swarner
July 25th -- Kilimanjaro Climb
Communication made possible by http://www.mvsusa.com/
Teel and I made it in just fine... tired, but just fine. Slept about 1 hour on our 30 hour trip but both doing well today. Jeff just got here about 1pm local time, nine hour difference from Colorado. He was looking good considering he was coming from California. The mountain just poked her head out for us to see and its just beautiful.
Wonderful to be back here. My buddy, Theophil, came off the mountain today and he is going to be our guide on Tuesday.
Thanks for the messages always wonderful.
Keep Climbing,
Sean Swaner
