Starved Rock Morning

We were getting a little stir crazy here at my parents so last Friday we decided to get out and do a little hiking.  Josh and I were married at a local state park called Starved Rock.  It is right on the Illinois river and has beautiful canyons and hiking trails.

It had been a few years since we went hiking there and were not able to see all the canyons.  On this trip we decided to take it easy and just stick to the trail headed to St. Louis Canyon.  It was only 1.5 miles out and a fairly easy hike.

Unfortunately the area received a lot of rain recently and the trail was pretty saturated.  We were still  able to hike but the mosquitoes were pretty bad.

Despite that, Mara was a trouper.  She insisted on walking most of the way and probably hiked about a mile.  Once we made it to the canyon Mara and Josh got in the water.  She loved it almost as much as playing in the sand next to it!

After hiking we stopped at the restaurant on the veranda for lunch.  It was the perfect ending to the morning.  I love hiking at Starved Rock and am looking forward to more visits in the future!

Raven Rock State Park

This weekend we got a group of our friends together and headed up to Raven Rock State Park in Lillington, North Carolina.  The park is about thirty minutes from our home and we have been meaning to do some hiking for awhile.  It was beautiful today so we decided to take full advantage and headed up north.

The main trail in the park weaves down to the river and leads to the main attraction Raven Rock.  It was a fairly easy hike and we were able to stop along the way at an outlook for a nice view of the river.  After stopping at the viewpoint we headed down the steps to the rock.  It reminded me a lot of the canyons at Starved Rock, a state park near my hometown in Illinois.

From the view point

We stopped for a quick break and snack along the water then headed back around the trail loop.  It only took about an hour and a half to do the entire three miles with our break and leisurely pace.

Mara did amazing just taking it all in from her perch in the ergo.  We have a little hiker on our hands!

Overall it was a great half a day.  We got to get outside and check out a nice little state park that's practically in our backyard.  We also got to spend some good time with friends.  Now if we could fit in a little afternoon nap, I'd say that would be just about perfect.  :)

Hiking with my girl

A Morning Hike

Last weekend Josh and I went out to one of our favorite hiking spots around Kisumu to get a little exercise and enjoy the spot one last time before leaving.  We had convinced a few of our friends to come with us and were excited to show them the spot.  Unfortunately when we pulled up to the water treatment plant we were greeted by large bulldozers and excavators.  Construction had started in hopes of expanding the plant and in doing so had destroyed the start of the trail.

Determined not to let this ruin our morning we set off to find the trail head and were able to pick up a little of the path as it weaved alongside the waterfall.  With Josh in the lead, we made our way along the narrowing trail and climbing up the steep ravine.  I think at some point we took a wrong turn as the path basically disappeared into the bush.  Luckily we made our way back to the main trail minus a few cuts and scrapes along the way.

I have so many pictures of him on this rock

Now I've been working out a bit and we had just got back from playing Frisbee on the beach.  I thought what's a little hike...Wow was I ever wrong.  I was so out of breath.  Guess it was this whole breathing for two thing.  On top of being out of breath I was lucky enough to also swallow a fly.  Yes a fly.  Flew right into my wide open mouth while I was gasping for air.  Luck of the draw, eh?

After a little coughing and lots of water, I shook it off to a bit of extra protein and we made it to the top.  Thankfully the trip down was a little less adventurous.

Josh on the way down overlooking Kisumu

Overall it was a great morning.  Despite being a bit out of shape it was nice to get out and get some fresh air.  I was glad we were able to visit the falls one last time and enjoy some great views of Kisumu and the lake.

Kakamega

A few weekends ago, Josh and I went to Kakamega forest with a few friends from work to explore a little bit more of the rain forest.  Both of us had been there multiple times but were excited for a little exercise.

The falls

We decided to go into the actual forest instead of the reserve we had always visited before.  I'm glad we decided to change it up as the usual paths were getting a little old.  From the gate we headed down to the falls and took a few photographs before heading back up the trail.  The sky was starting to look a little dark but we had hopes of getting to the look out point and decided to test our luck.

The forest canopy

I was amazed how the forest transformed instantly when we hit the higher area.  Dense rain forest opened up to conifer forests with large rocky out crops.  I felt like I was in the US!  After a steep climb up the stairs we enjoyed the spectacular view of the forest canopy. The clouds seemed to be at bay so we spent some time up there relaxing and taking photographs.

Josh on his way up the long flight of stairs

The hike back to the vehicle was uneventful and we managed to make it before the rain started.  Overall it was a fun day.  We didn't do anything too exciting but got to spend a few hours hiking and enjoying the amazing scenery this country has to offer.    

Monkey Rock...again

So I recall saying climbing Monkey rock was one experience I didn't want to have anytime in the near future.  BUT well Josh promised we'd take the actual trail this time so I couldn't really say no.

A month ago (yes I know I'm behind but I honestly forgot about this little trip) we headed up to monkey rock to try to make it to the top.  If you don't remember our first attempt you can read a little more about it here: http://kenyadreamit.blogspot.com/2011/09/monkey-rockan-adventure-im-not-sure-i.html 

This time we marked the trail head and found a guide willing to take us up to the top.  I don't know much else to say about the trip other than it was a long and difficult hike.  The climb was mostly uphill with many large steps carved out of the mountain side.  It was embarrassing to get passed by little kids scrambling easily over the large rocks. 

The kids beat us

We were greeted to amazing views of Kisumu and got to enjoy some wonderful small waterfalls.  At the top Josh tried his hand at a little grappling and actually got to the top of monkey rock.  With the difficulty of the climb and the little fact of no safety net I decided I was better off on the ground. 

Encountering a little road block along the way

Overall it was a good day.  We got to do a little hiking (not to mention exercising) while enjoying the views from the top.  Again I'm not sure I would do the hike again.  Although nice it was very long and difficult and I'm not sure I could find my way up to the top again.  BUT I did say never again before and look where that got me :)

Josh at the top of Monkey Rock

Kakamega for a day

A few weeks ago, yes its taken me this long to get around to blogging about it, we headed up to Kakamega Forest for a day trip.  It was kind of a last minute thing but what's nice about the forest is its near enough that it can be a last minute type of thing.  This is especially true as they have finally fixed the road between here and there so what was a long 2.5 hour bumpy ride now is a 1.5 hour smooth trip. 

Some of the beautiful roses in the gardens of Rondo Retreat

We got to Rondo Retreat, a Christian hotel in the forest, at about noon and decided to get a bite to eat before hitting the trails.  They didn't have much selection (cough cough we didn't get to choose our lunch) and it was a bit over priced but nice.  The retreat has its own set of maintained trails which are very nice compared to Kenya Forestry Service's trails.  They are much wider and don't have as many tripping hazards.  We chose the 4 hour path and decided to see where it took us.

The trail

Walking in Kakamega is like walking back in time.  It makes you wonder what it was like back when all of Kenya looked like this.  It even takes you further back and makes you think this has to be close to what Adam and Eve experienced in Eden.  Your senses are just overwhelmed with the sounds of the forests from the insects to the birds to the occasional monkey swinging through the trees.  Its just breathtaking. 

We didn't see too many animals but probably saw about 100 horn bills.  The horn bill is this huge bird with a really deep beak.  Its really neat to see them soaring across the sky.  A few monkeys swung their way across our path and we, maybe not so gladly, saw a few insects as well. 

A slug on branch

Overall it was a great day.  We got back to the retreat after a few hours and spent some time in the gardens testing out a new set of Frisbee golf disks.  It was definitely worth the drive and better then just being lazy around home!

Monkey rock...an adventure I'm not sure I want to repeat

This weekend we were invited to go hiking with friends in the hills around Kisumu.  Instead of our usual trail we were going to tackle Monkey rock.  We were excited as we had wanted to do this trail before but didn't know where it started exactly.  So we took off from Kisumu and after a little driving came to a small road that we thought was the start of the trail.

Getting out of the car, I looked over to the rock and questioned our ability to get there in one day.  It just looked too far, but alas I trusted our friends who had done it before and we were off.  Right away I realized this wasn't going to be the normal hike.  There was virtually no trail and more often than not we spent our time searching for anything that resembled one. 

After one steep hand and feet assent and some ducking under brush, we arrived at a large boulder overlooking the valley below.  From here we assessed where to go.  Half of us thought that maybe it was best to hike high and walk along the ridge line.  Josh, I and another one of our friends thought going low was the way to go as to better cross the rivers and gorges. 

I'm not sure we ever found out who was right.  The next 4 hours were spent blazing trail, tripping over vines, getting scratched a 100 times with thorns and even a really bad run in with some ants.  Needless to say I was getting frustrated.  We weren't making any progress toward monkey rock and looking back on it now, I'm not sure we even make it to the start of the true trail. 

We gave up and coordinated to meet at a compound we saw below in the valley.  Slowly we made our way down, sometimes sliding ok mainly sliding, till we eventually got there.  Little did I know but the adventure didn't stop there.  Instead of walking along the road to get back to our car, the group decided to cut through a sugarcane field instead.  Sure it was faster but for those of you that know what it feels like to walk through high corn, it wasn't a pleasant experience. 

I can't say what a relief it was to see the car and to know that we were headed home.  As I stood in the shower that afternoon, the water stinging every cut and thorn, I thought well I can finally say that was a wash.  Sure I'd still love to climb to monkey rock.  The actual monkey rock.  But I will never do that hike again. 

Kilimanjaro!!

Sorry its taken so long to post about my recent Mt. Kilimanjaro trip. Its definitely taken a week to recover from the mountain and then another few days just to get my thoughts together. I don't know how to adequately describe the 6 day adventure but to say it was by far one of the hardest things I've done physically. The first day of the trip was spent traveling from Nairobi to Moshi, the town at the base of the mountain. Although seemly not difficult it proved to be a challenge in of itself. With little sleep the night before, we stayed up late repacking our bags, we took off in a 20 seat passenger bus for the border. No surprises there as we tried to grab a few minutes of rest. The border of Tanzania was no problem for me as I had already secured my visa before hand and quickly got my exit Kenya stamp and entry Tanzania stamp. The boys had a little more trouble as they have both tourist and diplomatic passports with stamps in both. Luckily we had no major issues and it was back on the bus. We got to Moshi later that evening and had a quick bite to eat. Mainly we were exhausted and just wanted to get up to the hotel room for some sleep, our last on a real bed in awhile.


Machame Gate

The next morning we piled in another van and took off for the mountain. At this point we still hadn't actually seen the mountain as it was covered by a thick haze and even after the hour drive to the park gate were still not seeing any true "mountain". Formalities at the gate took longer than we expected as the park rangers take their jobs very seriously. Every hiker must sign in at each camp so that they can be tracked along the way. A few hours later we were finally off! The first day consisted of a mainly uphill climb through the rain forest. Luckily the mist quickly burned off and we didn't have to deal with any rain. The first day set the tone of the trip as two of the boys quickly forgot the climbing motto of "pole pole" (slowly slowly) and rushed to keep up with the twice as fast porters. Me, I took my sweet time as I knew we had 5 more days of this and there was no reason to get burned out now. By the end of day 1 we were above the cloud line which made for some amazing pictures of the summit and clouds from machame camp.

Machame Camp. Our Guide Vinncent.


Our first sighting of the peak from Machame camp.

The second day started with a very steep climb followed by a short decline. This day was spent getting out of the way of the porters and trying to get to camp at a reasonable hour for lunch. Again two of the boys went ahead and paid for it later!! What took us an hour took them 35 minutes. They were exhausted for the short acclimatization hike our guides wanted to do that evening. Shira camp was lively into the night as hikers celebrated their first day with songs and chatter. I went to bed early as I had a hard time adjusting to the camping the first night.

Apparently you can still get phone service on the mountain!

Day 3 we started to finally experience some real altitude. During the day we hiked up to lava tower which sites at about 4,600 meters above sea level. Here we ate lunch, or what we could make of it. At this point my appetite was gone. That's usually one of the first signs of altitude sickness and was luckily the only one I had! Every bite was a testament to how much I knew my body needed the fuel despite not wanting to eat. I think the guides were a bit grateful that I was willing to share part of my uneaten lunch too! From the lava tower we hiked down to camp. This hike was relaxing despite falling on my butt a few times. The point in going down to camp refers to the old motto, "walk high, sleep low" and just helps hikers get better used to the altitude. At the end of day 3 I was feeling tired but still had energy. Jin, one of the boys with us, started to feel the altitude and decided to forgo dinner for a rest.

The taller is the peak covered by clouds. The shorter in the front is lava tower where we stopped for lunch.

The fourth day started with a challenge as we were asked to scale the 1000 meter wall. Luckily for me I was too focused in each step that I forgot to look down. This was good as there were a few times we were too close to the edge for comfort. I was amazed that the porters managed to balance 50-60 lbs of equipment (sometimes on their heads!) and scale this wall. I barely got up it without anything!! After the wall it was about 2 more hours till lunch. Normally campers would stay here for the night but we pushed on to base camp after lunch arriving at approximately 5pm. This is when my body started to give out on me. I was utterly exhausted and promptly lost my lunch upon arriving to base camp. That night I managed to put down some soup and fruit but was seriously doubting the summit attempt that was schedule for 5 hours later.


My home away from home for 6 days.

We got to bed at about 7pm only to be woken up at 11pm. After layering up we were off. I was apparently not going fast enough as the guides decided an hour and a half into the hike to split me from the group. The boys took off for the summit and I kept trying to put one foot in front of the other. The hours past as I tried to make it up (sometimes being dragged) the mountain. Luckily the dark conceals the very steep trail. At about 5300 meters I started having chest pains and notified the guides once they moved to both lungs. In concern of a possible pulmonary edema (fluid in the lungs) the guides thought it best we descend. At this point I was approximately 3 hours from Stella point then another hour from the peak. I knew my body was giving out and although I was disappointed knew going down was the best course of action.

The wall that we climbed. You can barely make out the peak in the clouds.

The boys summited Mt. Kilimanjaro at about 8am and were back down to camp by 11. After getting a quick nap we headed back down the mountain. It may seem harsh to hike that much in one day but the guides are quick to tell you that they want you out of base camp as soon as possible. The hike down was almost harder than up and I found myself wishing for some incline as my toes jammed up into my shoes. I had carefully avoided any blisters until this day where my toes rubbed on just about everything in my shoe.


The peak from base camp at 4,000 meters.

That night we celebrated with a Mt. Kilimanjaro beer and as the saying goes if you can't climb it, drink it! The next morning we woke early, thanked our group and headed the remaining 3 hours down the mountain. We were in high spirits as we crossed the park gate and signed out one last time. From there we headed back down to Moshi, quickly showered, and piled back on a bus to Nairobi.

That night in Nairobi, the mountain seemed like a mile away instead of being on it just that morning. It was a good time to eat some great food (now that my appetite had returned) and rest. The next morning Josh and I woke early as we still had a 5 hour drive ahead of us back to Kisumu. 5 hours later we were safely back home unpacking all the dirt and wet clothes that were the remaining reminder of the mountain.

Yes I am disappointed that I didn't reach the top but at the same time I am so proud of what I was able to do. It was the hardest thing I have asked my body to do thus far and I did make it higher than any other peak in Africa! Will I do it again? I'm not sure. It definitely is a serious undertaking but I would like to make it to the top. I guess only time will tell!

T-minus 2 days till Mt. Kilmanjaro

Its almost time for our climb and the nerves definitely haven't subsided. I keep thinking in the back of my mind that I have plenty of time left to prepare when I am really leaving tonight for Nairobi. I guess it will all become reality when we strap on our packs and head out. I thought it might be of interest to some to have a detailed version of the hike day by day. Our hike officially begins Sunday which corresponds to Day 1 on this schedule. Pictures and memories from the experience to come!

Day 1
Machame Gate (1490m) to Machame Camp (2980m)
Distance: 18 kms
Time: 7 hours

The day starts early with a 45 minute drive from Moshi to the Machame Gate at Kilimanjaro National Park. After registering you will enter the forest almost immediately. Rain is likely and the trails can be very muddy at times. Meals and overnight at the camp.

Day 2 Machame Camp (2980m) to Shira camp (3840m)
Distance: 9kms
Time: 6 hours

You rise early from Machame Camp and climb an hour or two out of the forest. From here you hit moorlands and the route becomes much more gentler. From here you will be able to see east and the glaciers along the Western Breach. Meals and overnight at the camp with temperatures dropping well below freezing.

Day 3 Shira camp (3840m) to Barranco camp (3950m)
Distance: 15kms
Time: 7 hours

The route turns east into semi desert with a rocky landscape. You will hit 4630 m elevation at Lava tower where some climbers will begin to feel the symptoms of altitude. From here you will descend to camp following the climbing motto of climb high sleep low. Expect a beautiful sunset in the valley as you arrive at camp.

Day 4 Barranco camp (3950m) to Barafu camp (4550m)
Distance: 13kms
Time: 7 hours

After spending the night at the Great Barranco wall, you will make you way up this expanse which proves easier than it sounds. At the top of the wall enjoy views of the glaciers. The last stop for water is at the Karranga Valley as Barafu means "ice" in Swahili and there is no water to be found at this campsite. The campsite isn't for the weak of heart as it is situated on an exposed ridge. Be careful to scope out the site before dark to avoid dangerous falls during the night. Bed will be early as the summit attempt begins at midnight.

Day 5 Barafu camp (4550m) to Uhuru peak (5895m) to Mweke camp (3100m)
Distance: 7kms ascent 23 kms descent
Time: 8 hours to Uhuru and 8 hours to Mweke

After waking at midnight you will ascend into heavy screened terrain towards Stella point. From Stella point it is approximately another hour till summit. Depending on weather and conditions you will spend a limited amount of time here. The walk back to Barafu camp takes about 3 hours and you can "ski" down the rock screen if you like. At camp enjoy a short nap and then lunch. After lunch set off to Mweke camp which is located just inside the forest. Expect mist and light rain overnight.

Day 6 Mweke camp (3100m) to Mweke gate (1980m)
Distance: 15ks
Time: 3 hours

Its a short morning hike to the gate followed by a drive to Arusha. At the gate hikers that summit receive a certificate and must sign in the official register. Overnight will be in Arusha followed by a drive to Nairobi the following day.

Preparing for Kilmanjaro

We're now 9 days out until the start of our trek. I am starting to feel a little better about the hike although I am still very nervous. I have been trying to workout every night to increase my endurance level. I have never walked for 8 plus hours straight so I do not know what to expect.

This past weekend I was able to try out some of my new (borrowed) gear. I loaded down my back with sleeping bag and sleeping pad and we set off for the hills around Kisumu. This time we managed to find the correct route (On my birthday we veered off trail a bit) and made it up to the top in little over 2 hours. Coming back down was much quicker and a bit drier as it did not rain on us this time.

A few things I've learned on this hike:

1. Hiking packs are amazing and meant for hiking! Don't be cheap and use a regular backpack. You just can't beat the waist strap that elimates most of the pressure off of your back.

2. A basic first aid kit is key. I managed to slip going up and banged up my knee pretty bad. We had a first aid kit yes but it was this fancy army one. No I do not need an IV thank you. A basic alcohol wipe will do.

3. Treking poles are my new best friend. I always thought these were a little stupid until this weekend. They relieve so much stress on your joints, especially going down. I think they are going to be key on summit day when I'm trying to traverse the rock screen.

Overall it was a good test run. Sure we only climbed 1,000 feet and Mt. Kilimanjaro is 19,341 feet but it was good practice. We also made a gear run to the local market. I didn't really think I would be able to find what I needed but only after 30 minutes of searching, sucess!! 2 pairs of under armor pants, 1 pair of hiking pants, and a down coat. Only $15 for all too!!

My loot!

Preparing for.....Mt. Kilimanjaro

Yep that's right. I'm going to do it (or at least attempt to). We're climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro at the end of this month and I'm pretty much terrified. Let me clarify. In no way do I feel I am in any danger or have not taken adequate precautions in attempting this climb. Mt. Kilimanjaro for being the tallest free-standing mountain in the world and the tallest on the African continent, is generally an easy hike. No its no way a walk in the park, but there is not technical climbing required to summit. I am basically just afraid I will not make it to the top.

On August 21st we will begin our four day assent followed by a two day descent of the mountain. Each day we will be hiking on average five and a half hours with our longest hike being summit day. (6 hours up and 5 hours down) To prepare we've started running aiming on endurance rather than speed. I've been also doing some workout DVDs that I brought with me. They say that you do not have to be in peek fitness to summit the mountain. In fact they claim that working out before hand doesn't really improve your chances. It only makes the climb more comfortable. The real test here will be the altitude. Altitude sickness is the main reasons climbers do not make it to the top. At nearly 6,000 meters above sea level, its high and our bodies are definitely not used to breathing yet alone walking at that hike. We will take altitude medicine as a prophylaxis but the key is to take it slow and steady. And I have absolutely no problem with this philosophy!

I've also been trying to accumulate as much hiking gear as possible for the trip so that I don't have to rent next to par equipment at the base camp of the mountain. I'm so grateful that another American here is very well prepared. Below look at all the goodies she let me borrow!

Turning 24 in Kenya

This was the second year in the row that I spent my birthday overseas. Although I miss celebrating with friends and family back home I had a great time here as well. This year was pretty quiet. No rain forest adventures or world cup games watched just some quality time in Kisumu. Josh took me out for lunch at one of my favorite places, Green Garden where we split two really good dishes. After that we headed out to the outskirts of town to do a little hiking on some hills. Its a pretty easy climb and there are some great views of Kisumu once you get to the top. We were just toasting my birthday on a boulder near the top when we heard the thunder rumbling in. Sure enough ten minutes later we found ourselves in a downpour. Hey whats Kenya without getting trapped in a rainstorm! Needless to say we packed up our things and headed back down. What's a little rain?

Below is the only picture I took of the hike. Too bad I don't have an image of us after the rain :) (Also my eyes may or may not be shut....oh well)

Its a miracle

They came clean!!

I guess this would be a better picture if I had a before, but lets just say the white tennis shoes were black and had a slight mildew odor. Yeah the laundry women worked their miracles.

That's deadly....literally

This weekend I climbed a mountain or at least attempted to. Alone that presents a pretty interesting challenge. It was a hard climb with narrow trails plus the whole climbing altitude thing. But Mount Elgon proved to take this to another extreme.

Mount Elgon is in north west Kenya on the boarder between Kenya and Uganda. Actually the peak of the mountain lies in the Uganda side and with permission beforehand you can climb down into the country. It is an extinct volcano with very distinct wildlife and vegetation. The park itself is beautiful but has the nickname of the 'loneliest park' in Kenya. After visiting I can see why. The entire time we were there we did not encounter any other humans just wildlife and the park rangers!

The plan for the weekend was to camp in the park, hike the mountain, and explore some of the caves. Did we do all three.....I'd say about 1.5 things were accomplished on this list. The camping, no. And why did we not camp when both of our cars were loaded down with camping supplies? Because it rained, no poured, the entire weekend. This made camping very unappealing. You can see from the pictures that the rain caught most of my attention over the weekend.

The mountain. This qualifies as the 0.5 because yes we did climb. We did not make it to the top and some of us didn't even make it to the base camp (i.e. me). I blame this on many factors mainly the altitude and poorly marked trails. The trails were nonexistent. In fact there were many times where I just stopped and looked around hoping to find some kind of marker or footprint. I also managed to roll my ankles at least 50 times on the way up. Its wet up on the mountain and wet translates to potholes and mud. The combination will of course soak your pants and shoes. I was lucky. I managed to make it pretty far, turn around, and get to the car before the rain hit. Everyone else came back soaked.

Overall the hike was an experience. I'll have to say though the trip up the mountain is one I'll remember more though. Its a 30km drive up to the peak and then a 6km walk to the summit from there. 30km not bad right or so I thought. At the time I was just thankful that I wouldn't have to walk it. But it turned out to be 30 kms of hairpin turns and muddy ditches. There were times where we slid sideways both up and down the mountain! Which I didn't think was possible. There were times where figuring out how to cross a downed tree was necessary and of course we had to get out and push at one point. Sometimes I'm thankful for 4WD and a little prayer doesn't hurt either.

The one thing that I can definitely say we did was explore the caves. We went to Kitim cave which is famous from the book the Hot Zone where is is reported that two tourists visited the cave and then came down with Ebola, a very deadly virus. And yes we actually wanted to go visit this place! The hike was semi easy. Only about a mile of sink holes to avoid and a river to cross but the view was worth it. Both caves boasted waterfalls and a resident bat population. They didn't take kindly to us waking them up but it was an awesome site to see them take flight.

To cap off the weekend it poured the whole way home as well. Normally not a big deal in America right. Well Kenya roads aren't set up for monsoons surprisingly enough. Add in the already poor road between the park and Kisumu and its a recipe for disaster. Think rivers and lakes instead of roads and you have the gist. Again thank god for 4WD and an awesome driver! The fourth of July was definitely one to remember this year. Another adventure and great memories to go along with it!