With the holidays upon us, I wanted to send out a greeting along with a Road Back to Mount Everest: Memories are Everything update.
I leave for Aconcagua in a couple of weeks. This will be my second climb of the highest mountain outside the Himalayas. I summited back in 2005. I will be going with Ryan Waters and Dave Elmore of Mountain Professionals, the same team that I will go with to Orizaba and Everest. So it will be a great chance to get to know each other better, get some training in and practice some skills at high altitude.
I will try to post some dispatches but it is more difficult from South America than in Asia due to having to use the Iridium satellite system.
As I reflect on my Journey I want to share some more personal thoughts with you, my subscribers and as always, thank you for your continued support.
I am not a professional fund raiser or mountain climber for that fact. I am just a 50 something guy trying to combine two passions in my life: family and climbing.
Earlier this year when Cathy and I discussed me trying to return to Everest something gnawed at me. Climbing is an intensely selfish sport that usually benefits only the person who does it. When I think back to my second attempt on Everest, I think I was guilty as charged. Maybe that is why I didn’t summit. Who really knows?
As the raw seriousness of my Mother’s situation set in, I saw her disease – Alzheimer’s – like I never had. She was losing everything that she had experienced over a lifetime. And it would get worse.
As I deeply considered tying my climbing with fund raising, I didn’t want to take advantage of my Mother’s situation. I didn’t want to take advantage of friendships. I didn’t want to be that person everyone avoids.
I did want to be a champion for raising awareness of Alzheimer’s. I did want to be that person who took risks and accepted hard challenges for a good cause. I did want to help millions who would suffer from this horrible disease.
Thus The Road Back to Mount Everest: Memories are Everything was born.
With two climbs completed and two more ahead before Everest, I want to thank everyone who has donated or sent me encouragement.
I spent some time with my Mom this past week. She is doing well. Her physical health is holding and she has recovered from her broken leg a few months ago. Her mind continues to slip and she knows it. In her words she tells me, “it is all washed away” as she rubs her forehead.
I am grateful that I was able to video her remembering her childhood and life. It seems that her oldest memories are the easiest to recall. I am also grateful to the staff that takes care of her on a daily basis.
I am told if I don’t ask, then people don’t know so once again I am asking for your donation to the Cure Alzheimer’s Fund. Remember that 100% of your money goes to research with the highest probability of slowing, stopping or reversing Alzheimer's disease. No monies go to me, my climbing expenses or the Fund’s overhead.
My Everest 2008 climb has been finalized and I will share the details when I get back from Aconcagua and Orizaba. Again, please check the dispatch page for updates directly from the climbs.
Until then, I want to wish everyone a great holiday season. Please enjoy the time with your friends and family and make lots of new memories.
Please remember: Memories are Everything.
Climb On!
Alan
