Jambo Sana Kilimanjaro! ‘Coming home to a place where I have never been before’. Perhaps I am not exercising too much poetic license in quoting John Denver, who lived in the mountain enclave of Aspen Colorado where I reside. Home to my fellow trekkers and to Tanzania, a country whose inhabitants are beyond kind and generous. I feel the familiar peace that always come to me when I return to my heart.

After 2 days at a base camp to acclimatize (not such a hardship with whiskey at sundown, guitars and voices ringing, not only with our beloved musicians, but also with the harmonies of our new African friends, while looking into the distance at the mountain looming largely), we take our final showers and in the morning,.. drive three hours and trek 3 hours.

The evening provided more joyful music with dancing among the trekkers and our wonderful African Environments team, we then proceeded to dinner where the mood was to change. Karen, an experienced mountaineer, admonished us as to quickly abdicate prior indulgences, and prepare for the perils of potential risks of our journey up the mountain. Having been on our 1st big trek to Kala Pattar above Everest I know all to well the lottery of altitude as we came to call it. A somber but necessary conversation…Shannon adds that it will be freezing the next night and to fill our water bottles before 6 and to put all of our batteries in our sleeping bags, as it would be freezing temperatures the next evening.

This morning we commence our trek with Mike, Brien, and Glenn singing ‘Hot Love’. Groupie heaven. We begin our first earnest trek where we cross through an enchanted forest and then proceed above treeline. Finally I feel as though I deserve our gourmet lunch. As Karen has advised a diet high in carbohydrates, we forage like mice for bread in a pantry. We spend the afternoon discussing how dirty we already are and when we might start taking Diamox among other more interesting conversations. We arrive at our camp of 11,000 feet just beating the rain!

Once again I am overwhelmed by the overall unity of our group, with an undercurrent of music and adventure but as always, cancer our underlying premise. We have survivors among us, trekkers recognizing anniversaries of the loss of family or friends, and those nervously anticipating scans of those whom they love. Speaking of anniversaries, today we remember the beautiful mother of one of trekkers, as you will hear in today’s podcast, Karen Brooks lost her mom, Bonnie Brooks, to brain cancer 6 years ago today. Tonight we sit around the mess as Nick Harper shares the his incredibly emotional song that he wrote to his own mother that was sadly taken 9 years ago by the very same disease. “Imaginary Friend” has become a personal song to all of us within the Love Hope Strength family and we all readily await the day on the mountain each year that it will be sung, yet know that the tears will flow and the emotion of the memories of those we have lost will run high.

On this trip I marvel at the intelligence and proficiency of our lovely African team of nearly 125 crewmen, who tend to our every need, from carrying our huge bags, to helping us put on our gear, to blowing up our mattress pad, their innate kindness shines.

Finally my accolades to our amazing Mike Peters whose decision to turn his cancer into good for the world has affected the lives of so many. If one reads our mission statement he will understand the magnitude of our foundation. We are growing exponentially with cancer centers, mobile cancer units, and bone marrow drives at major music festivals. Mike blesses us all with his beatific countenance and ever-positive attitude. He and his beautiful wife of 21 years, Jules share 2 beautiful children and the same heart and mission. He will have his new Album with his band released in January. A busy man with a big dream that is coming true with his Love, Hope, and Strength. I am so proud to call Mike and Jules friends and to quote another musician, to have the privilege of ‘ Walking in the Presence of Love”

To end, Karen would like her friends and family to know, especially her father and sister, that she is thinking of them on this saddest of days and loves you all.

ps. Kris…Matt finally got his gear!
Pps. Hard to believe I am typing while Glenn Tilbrook, Slim Jim, Brien McVernon, Cy Curnin, Robin Wilson, Nick Harper and Mike Peters are playing “Hey Jude” 2 feet away. Yeah, I am luckiest woman on Earth right now!

Julie Lampton
Shira Plateau Camp
11,417 feet
Tanzania

A note from camp…all are well so far, we will start feeling the effects of altitude as of now so please wish us luck. And, to the family of Kelly Carpenter, we received the news of Grandma “Toots” passing today. We send you our deepest condolences and love, hope and strength. We promise to give Kelly a little extra support along the trail.

And, as in past tradition, we will end with the quote of the day…

Kelly Carpenter arrives in camp at 11,417 feet after hiking for 7 hours and 2,000 vertical feet and looks up at Kilimanjaro and says “Great, we are almost at the bottom”.

 

Click on the yellow flags to see where the team is today!