Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board Everest Presentation at Tustin REI

Hi Jeff,
When is your next review for your raise? I accept 10% commission. Just a joke!! I'll bring my back up microspike and extra clothing including wool socks for him.

Mark A. will join us tomorrow.

See you.

here's a list for the 6am climb this Saturday:

Cindy and Larry
Shin
Bob(JustBob)
Richard P
Jeff S & coworker Eagle from Wuxi, China
Jimbozoom
Tracie B
Ron Case
Dont = Don Terres
Patrick
Mark(CookieMark)
Doug?
Curt and Stacy?

? = tentative

Okay, I am putting you all on notice! No one can make fun of my "winter gear" I will be wearing tomorrow. I have not had time to which boots and crampons - so I will be extra perpared for a storm

Just got home from the group hike and you will never, ever guess what happened at the summit!!!!!

I cannot say but it was very . . . . romantic

P.S. Sorry I ran off the summit and left everyone. It was soooo much fun today. But I needed to get home a take a nap before the presentation in a few hours. You know I am almost 52 - we old folks need our naps

The Group:

Cindy and Larry (he had to take is class scuba diving)
Shin
Bob(JustBob)(missing)
Richard P
Jeff S & coworker Eagle from Wuxi, China
Jimbozoom
Tracie B
Ron Case
Dont = Don Terres
Patrick
Mark(CookieMark)
Doug
Curt and Stacy

Cindy I'm truly sorry that I'm going to miss your presentation but I hope to catch the next one. I had such a good time today! It was great to be a part of such a wonderful group of folks and always a treat to see old friends and meet new ones. Yeti, thank you for organizing this hike!

Thanks for coming last night. Between the hike and the presentation - it was a great day

Someone PMed me with some good questions so I thought I would post my reply:

Hi,

I am glad to enjoyed the presentation. I relive the experience each time I tell it. I wish REI's techical equipment worked better but they had just got it in that day.

1. Would you do it again?
If someone paid my expenses and for my husband to come to base camp - I might do it again. The worse thing was being away from my family for two months.
2.What time did you summit?
We left Camp 4 at 9 PM and I stepped onto the summit at 9:02 AM.
3. What percentage of your trip self funded vs. sponsored?
My paid my expenses by taking out loans. I tried to get a sponsor but I guess I didn't fit into their corperate plan. Family and freinds did donate some money which helped buy the
expensive Everest gear (boots, down suit, etc...).
4. Where did you use crampons for the first time? Since you only started climbing 3 years ago.
In 2005 we spent 2 hours in rented crampons on a glcier in Norway (does not really qualify). The first real time I used crampons was during the 3-day ice climbing course in Lee Vining.

These are great questions. As you can tell, the story is full of details which is why I have decided to write a book. Not the typical Everest climb - if there is such a thing. Crazy stuff!

Thanks for coming!
Cindy

Thanks for your presentation last night Cindy, awesome pictures!

Great hike at Baldy with some new friends(dont,eagle)putting names on faces.. another lunch at Baldy lodge with my hiking friends...thanks everybody for a nice day and evening...

mark

Cindy, I did not attend your presentation but I am really impressed by your story and accomplishment of climbing Mt. Everest. Knowing that you financed the trip with just the help of family and friends shows just how dedicated to this life journey you were!

I am always amazed at the power of the call of the mountains, I have a friend that is on this board that has more metal in her back & neck then a 56 Chevy (sorry for the reference Carole) and she still climbs every chance she gets and pretty damn well if I may say so, it's very motivating to me to hear these great stories.

Stormin' Norman

Saturday's Baldy hike was one for the ages. Any minute, someone will post pictures of the surprise at the summit. It was amazing!

Cindy's REI presentation was superb. Talk about motivation!

Stromin' Norman, thanks for your kind words I will try and get down to your area and see if I can do a presentation. I am in San Diego for every Charger Game (sad one today).

I can't manage to post photos but if you know how I have two on my website under "Everest Blog".

Jim, It has been a pleasure to get to know you and everyone else. The more people from the boards I meet - the better it gets.

See the December 4 Group Climb thread...

Sorry I missed out on what was probably a very good show. The climb in the morning was a lot of fun. Amazing what happens to this mountain is such a short period of time. From (scary) varied conditions in hurricane force winds on Thanksgiving to moderate weather conditions with gear being optional, except for a few short, steep sections of the route.

When we doing it again?

My photos.

Cindy here's 2 questions I wanted to ask you but REI kicked us out, booooo!

#1 Why did you chose the south route? Just curious because if I would do it, and Yeti never will I would choose the North.

#2 At any point in your 3 month journey were you sitting alone in your tent thinking what you could have done for the money you committed to doing Everest? LOL Just saying I might be thinking I could have gone to Hawaii for 3 years for this amount of money...

Great slide show, it was an honor being apart of your special day. It was also so cool to see so many friends there....

yeti

Jeff,

Q1.I was orginially scheduled to do the North but when China became "iffy" about issuing permits everyone changed to the more danerous and expensive South side.

Q2. After I was diagnosed with Wegener's and we did not know how long I would be around I had to move my climb date up by two years. This, along with the increased cost of the south side, caused my finicial shortage. I had a retirement account with just enough to cover the north's cost for climbing in 2012 but could risk waiting. So my wonderful husband said "OK" take that money and follow your dream. It still wasn't enough not we agreed life is about living.

At no point then or now do either of us regret the choice but I have to say that it was extremely difficult to leave my family and be alone for so long. I almost started to cry Saturday night when I said the words "and we made our last climb together - I have to leave."

I think I was given this disease because I have the power within me to show others the importance of living life and all of you who climb into the mountains can relate!

Hi Cindy,
I enjoyed the presentation very much. Everyone was impressed with your determination and courage on not only Mt. Everest climb but also other adventures with Larry. Since we met many times on Mt. Baldy before and after the Everest climb,I feel very happy and proud of your accomplishment like our family events.
You are the inspiration to many people. You didn't forget your root and came back to Mt Baldy, our local mountain, for training when you ran out funds. We are honored that you included our picture in your presentation.

Thank you very much for sharing your life time experience with us.

Shin
PS. Larry, I can tell you are a very good husband. Thank you again.

To Shin's point, exactly it was an honor you included us in your slide show! and we can tell you and Larry have a speical Marriage.

Larry is a very good husband......We can tell your daughter is very proud of you to by her facebook posts and smile!!

Thanks guys for all the nice comments

Yes, I have a great family and the best husband

I group Baldy pictures had to be included in the presentation because are guys (and gals) are part of the story

I may have a very bad disease but I am the luckiest person on the planet!