Wishing Big T good luck.

[bazz20]

heres big t last atempt

[dragonworld.]

Remember the Chant mate. "I know I can, I know I can , I know I can."

[Dockstrada]

heres big t last atempt

We are all glad Trev's only riding 20mtrs

But just in case Trev do you want me 2 look after you Monster while you are away 

[Betty]

Geez this one dropped pretty quickly down the list.

I know a couple of you guys are being kept up to date with Trev's little adventure, but I haven't seen it discussed on here. Anyway (very, very briefly) Trev is in full acclimatisation mode, this has involved:

- days in a bus travelling treacherous mountain passes
- crazy drivers on even crazier roads with crazier still conditions
- belly bugs (majority of the team including Trev effected)
- first trek and climb and camp-out

S'pose I could post up the full update from Trev's sister if anyone is interested in all the detail.

[bazz20]

Geez this one dropped pretty quickly down the list.

I know a couple of you guys are being kept up to date with Trev's little adventure, but I haven't seen it discussed on here. Anyway (very, very briefly) Trev is in full acclimatisation mode, this has involved:

- days in a bus travelling treacherous mountain passes
- crazy drivers on even crazier roads with crazier still conditions
- belly bugs (majority of the team including Trev effected)
- first trek and climb and camp-out

S'pose I could post up the full update from Trev's sister if anyone is interested in all the detail.

blood oth

[roy-nexus-6]

Good luck, man.

Don't forget the key for your bike lock. 

[Betty]

OK guys I have had an email from Trev's sister and she is happy for me to post up her email updates. I have just received her 5th one, so I will post them all up. They are quite long, but read them if you are interested.

[Betty]

UPDATE No. 1 (Wed. 23rd July)

Hi All,

First exciting phone call came late last night with the great news that all Trev’s gear turned up on the same conveyor belt in Islamabad - not bad given the combined hazards of hordes of pilgrims + the Pakistani baggage retrieval system!

The 10 hour flight Sydney to Bangkok had its moments – pilgrims’ elation and singing caused another passenger to lose it (shouting obscenities, giving a piece of his mind about Catholic priest activities); flight attendants earned their keep in calming him down.  Then Trev began to go from feeling queasy to quite ill by the end of the flight.  Thankfully 2 hours in Bangkok alleviated that.

Next leg of B’k to Islamabad was only 4 and a half hours and uneventful.

The team: 6 flew in from Sydney; 4 had already been in Isl for a few days.

Composition 3 females, 7 males.

Extremely fit Sydney Margaret (from Ama Dablam trip with Trev) on this climb too.

After getting to bed in the early hours of Tues morning, they were all pretty zonked yesterday.

Tues morning – gear check, then briefing.  All went very well.

Apparently Soren is confident of a generator at base camp and a shower… “we’ll believe it when we see it” sprang to mind for Trev & Co.

Islamabad (I)

Arvo exploring I.  Built 1960s by Greek architect; made up of 16 or so squares, each a community within itself, shops etc. so no real centre of I.

Trev and others went to market in their quadrant.  They were the only Westerners!  Felt quite safe.  One of the team is very blonde so rather a

centre of attention…   

Then went to lookout in mountain range behind I.  Overlooks a massive mosque.

When building of the 4 big towers of the mosque commenced, the good old CIA thought they were missile silos… 

Weather is hi 30s and very humid, so they can’t wait for the mountain cool.

Head off at 5am by bus today on the Karakoram Highway. It’s their bus exclusively so guess they won’t break the local record for people+luggage, even with Trev’s gear!  12 of them in a 24 seater (and theoretically with air con) should mean a modicum of comfort to catch up on a bit of sleep.  12 hour trip today, then 8 hours tomorrow, then a 2 day side trip of acclimatisation trek to 4500m… but more on that later.

[Betty]

UPDATE No. 2 (Fri. 25th July)

Phone call last night, after 2 days of bus travel on the Karakorem highway. 

16 hours on Wednesday - 450ish km through gorges, dodging huge trucks, avalanches, potholes; tyres on the very edge of the road, looking down at the swirling river below.  Last couple of hours were in the dark - the team debated for quite some time whether this was in fact a good thing or a bad thing!

8 hours on Thursday - more down in the valley this time.  Still steep, but more open - very green, irrigation, corn crops.  Quite a few stops.  One unscheduled, when a bag fell off the bus roof - can you believe someone actually noticed it at the time??  And it didn't fall over the cliff.  And they managed to retrieve it.  Favoured by fortune today, that's for sure.

Delhi belly has hit (or should that be Karakorem c--ps?)  4 people so far.  Trev is suitably accepting that it will hit them all at some stage.  Pretty hot still, but less humid.  Mornings and afternoons nicely cool.  Getting familiar with their luggage routines, and getting used to food.

They're very happy about the next 2 days of stretching their legs, going up the valley and into the mountains, camping in tents overnight, walking out next day – their first acclimatisation exercise. 

At the end of the weekend they should reach Muztagh Ata, so excitement about that is blossoming.

Cheers,
Sandy

STOP PRESS:  SMS very early this morning  “I spoke too soon.  Me and another have been hit by the bug.  That now makes 6 out of 10 who have been hit in 2 days.  Sick Trev.”

[Betty]

UPDATE No. 3 (Mon. 28th July)

Great to hear Trevor sounding bright last night, despite 2 very torrid days and nights.  8 out of 10 of them have now been hit with the bug.  Pakistani minder got it too, so not just reserved for foreigners!  Trev got the nasty version; some others the mild one.  He hit the antibiotics but still had to face the two days of trekking and climbing, including some serious bonding with the “loo”, no eating, plenty of aching joints.  Amazingly he and Malcolm (similarly ill) managed to reach the 3,900m point of the team goal of 4,200m, but they passed on the afternoon mountain climb!  Next day’s descent was 1,700m in one day – certainly all about acclimatisation.   Trev resumed eating gingerly on Sat night.  Now at Sust and “living in luxury” – a hot shower and shave for the second time in a week.  Feeling stronger every day.

Next BIG hurdle has been overcome – they were permitted to pass from Pakistan into China - though not without drama.  3-fold Chinese check-point process by army personnel, many quite young kids. 
First checkpoint: Unload everything off top of bus.  32 duffel bags of equipment – half opened and searched thoroughly.  Fine tooth comb of all printed material.
Second one: Everything out of the bus.  They pulled panels off the bus, checked underneath it, scoured the engine bay, even ripped one woman’s pillow apart just in case...
Third one:  Unload ALL bags… again… this time the Geiger counter was set to work.  Trev’s bike box (suitably battered by now) put through an X-ray machine.  At one point they proceeded to pile bags on top of Trev’s bike box, so he gingerly asked them to stand it up.  They did so, but with the UP arrows pointing DOWN – he quietly demurred!   
The group all succeeded on Rule Number One: maintain patience and sense of humour through all this… unlike the bus of American tourists behind...

“Welcome to China, Land of Opportunity” greeted their Chinese minder who will accompany them for all the rest of the trip.  Noticeable difference - excellent roads and infrastructure compared to Pakistan.  Chinese treat Pakistanis like dirt.  Trev found P a beautiful country, lovely friendly people, will do anything for you.

To get there they crossed the very high Khunjerab Pass, deemed one of the most impressive engineering feats in history, taking 20 years to complete.  They walked one kilometre along this pass.  Now they are into huge sweeping valleys, with small plots, buildings, and traffic dropped off to about a third of before (left behind most of the huge trucks of felled timber headed for Islamabad).
Mountain cool now.  Weather has been fantastic to them.  No heavy rain or wind.

Next update hopefully from Muztagh Ata!!!!

Cheers,
Sandy

[Betty]

UPDATE No. 4 (Wed. 30th July)

Somewhat breathy call from Camp 1 just now.  Trev has today taken his bike up there – to 5,300m – so needless to say he was pretty knackered. 

Back-tracking to Monday: arrived at the turn-off from the highway to base camp; then a 12k hike in, while elevating 700m. 

The usual funny-buggers with the bureaucracy – “your paperwork is not correct”; Soren sweet talking big chief didn’t seem to work; finally late afternoon the group decided to set off together with the two Pakistanis high altitude porters, leaving Soren (together with all their passports!!! – a big no, no, but what choice do you have??).  A distance into the walk, a motorbike and 4 wheel drive came screaming across the plain, throwing the 2 porters in the back. 

Short story is that after the big boys had satisfied their power trip that day, the group+Soren+porters were all reunited and finally reached base camp.

Tuesday: up to 5,000m on an acclimatisation climb then back to base camp.

Trev unpacked his bike box that day!!!!  Very battered exterior, but amazingly bike was all OK so he had his first ride at 4,430m but “I didn’t ride very far”!

Phone line was a bit erratic, but I’m pretty sure he said he did wonder at times what on earth he was doing with a bike up there…!!

At least it provided much spectacle for the locals – on bringing it out, he’d have 10 porters holding it up for him…

One guy, John, who had been doing poorly, took a turn for the worse.  Putting him in the gamma bag (portable decompression chamber) improved his condition, which indicated he had AMS (Acute Mountain Sickness) or altitude sickness.  Definitely no risks to be taken there, so his climb is over.

Today, Wednesday, was their first load carry day. 

So we leave Trev with his bike, sitting in the sunshine with hardly a cloud in the sky… a very well-earned break.  Then down again to base camp later today.

Tomorrow up again and stay the night. 

[Betty]

UPDATE No. 5 (Fri. 1st August)

Weariness setting in.  Only Marg (from previous Ama Dablam climb with Trev) has avoided the bug – go the cast-iron stomach!

Yesterday (Thursday) up to Camp 1 and spent the night there at 5,400m.  All gear outside; 3 people squeezed into each tent; that plus higher altitude meant not much sleep at all.  Today’s aim was load-carry up to Camp 2 at 6,100m.  Trev only managed to carry the bike to 5,800m – well when I say “only” it sounds like a mammoth undertaking to me. Altitude effects setting in - headaches, loss of appetite, burnt to a crisp (despite sunscreen), Trev’s hands have swelled, eyes blown up…

Up-side (you’d surely need one!): magnificent panorama from that vantage point; weather holding up very well so far.

Arriving at Camp 1 yesterday, one of those double-take moments: Trev noticed about 20 metres downhill a guy carrying a bike!!!  He’s Lithuanian, has a specially-built ALL titanium Russian-a-la-aerospace-built bike weighing 7kg.  Talk about the push/pull of camaraderie/competition!!  They had a great chat, many pics – he carries the bike frame strapped to his backpack, and uses the two wheels as walking poles - neat.  Turns out he’s there with his girlfriend, but she has altitude sickness so she won’t be able to be the required witness of his record attempt, which he plans to do tomorrow (if I heard correctly) given that the weather is predicted to change on Sunday.  This is the 5th time on the mountain for this guy, but he’s never yet summitted.  Glug - bit of a reality check.

Landscape: steep, rocky ascent from Base Camp to Camp 1, which is on the edge of the glaciers that blanket the upper 2,000m of the mountain.   From Camp 1 they commenced climbing in the shadow of the mountain – rock and ice; very, very steep; crampons working well in solid ice; very cold.  Then once into sunshine and slightly less steep, beautifully warm but snow and ice turned to mush and very hard going in a different sort of way!

Current plan: tomorrow (Saturday) a rest day, then a couple up the mountain, couple of rest days, possibly push for summit.  Strategy now becoming increasingly critical.  Exhaustion = rest day/s.  But not too many, or lose momentum and fitness/acclimatisation.  Weather obviously also the big unknown. 

The magnitude of the task Trev has set is hitting.  He and Soren have decided the best strategy seems to be to aim for breaking the record on the same day as summit day.  The record is 7,008m currently, so aim is 7,100m - that’s THREE times to repeat what he achieved today, and at increasing altitude, and trying to ride at the end!!! 

[I presume this means that riding on the summit has now wafted up to a ‘cloud dream’.]  If and when Trev+team+bike reach 7,100m the others will try to pad a 20 metre bike path in the snow and Trev will do even more panting.  Don’t miss the movie… 

Summit day at this stage is possibly around a week’s time.  Trev is certainly one fit and determined person!

Have a great weekend everyone, and rest up for the next week’s gruelling read…

[bazz20]

thanks betty for the updates  you should  write the book 

[Betty]

Bazz, Trev's sister Sandy has done all the hard work (well, Trev has been doing a bit too). I just copy and pasted.

Thanks Sandy

[Betty]

UPDATE No. 6 (Sun 3rd August)

LATEST UPDATE FROM SANDY:

Last time – Friday - we left the bike on the side of the track at 5,800m and Trev about to head down to Camp 1 (5,400m).

The next 24 hours Trev said he ‘crashed and burned’ and was virtually ready to come home...  The cumulative effect of exhaustion, hugely tired legs, his hands & face peeling, even the inside of his lips were peeling, making eating and drinking horrendous.  So lack of food, drink and sleep (last night’s 4 hours he described as good) finally took their toll.  He said he had expected it to happen at some stage.  So the rest day yesterday was extremely timely.

He had a good session with (leader) Soren discussing strategy.  Tomorrow they head to Camp 2 (6,100m) through ice falls which are heavily crevassed.  For Trev, the physiological toll was also reflected in a psychological one.  Since he climbs behind the rest because of carrying the bike, his mind was playing havoc with the thought of him being stuck on the mountain on his own overnight.  He will now carry a radio for any necessary contact, plus a GPS to track the route, in the event of heavy snow or a white out, in which case he will ditch the bike.  There will also be an emergency tent left at each camp from now on, for Trev or others to use as necessary. 

The next day they plan to climb as high as they can – aim 6,800m Camp 3.  Then descend to Base Camp, a mere 2,000m, where the first 1,000m is snow and ice, and the second 1,000m is scree [small, loose, broken rock at the foot of a high cliff or glacier – hard work and, because of the incline, a risk of further landsliding].  Trev should be feeling fine after this moderate day!!!!

Then 2 days rest, followed by a night at each of  Camp 1, 2 & 3.  Then a summit attempt …  weather permitting…  [That’s about a week from now; just thinking about it is exhausting…]

So after the big downer, Trev said he felt physically good now – still some headaches, but not too bad.  Rest of the team?  Deb is suffering from quite severe headaches, and Jamie is not good, seemingly a chest infection.  John has picked up since last bad report. 

[Must be so hard to retain an accurate assessment of things – the old tricks of altitude.

I saw a program recently where they studied how climbers could function at a level of oxygen considerably BELOW that for patients in intensive care on ventilators, who were close to death.  Apparently the acclimatisation process allows/’trains’ cells in climbers’ bodies to operate on those much lower amounts of oxygen.  But there’s no guarantee… This expedition is also a fascinating study of limits.  Trev hits what he thinks is his limit, is knocked down, then blasts through it… to face the next one...]   

It had just started snowing before Trev rang - light, gentle flakes...

PS  Trev said that every few days seems he can get mobile reception, so SMSes are welcome.