The Squash Chronicles

Last summer I was going to Mt. Whitney. Everything was setup and ready to go. I had my new gear, friends to accompany me, and the permits in hand. Unfortunately work changed all of that and I was not able to go. The permits were thrown away, but I decided I would try again next year.

Next year is now upon us all and my eye is set on Mt. Whitney. I just called today and purchased our permits. Currently the team size includes 7 people. Both friends and family are planning on going with me.

One thing different this year occurred when purchasing the permits. Unlike last year, I was able to reserve the exact day to summit Mt. Whitney. There was no shifting of dates because other people took it! I woke up early and everything to make sure we got the dates and it has paid off :).

Now begins round 2 of summiting Mt. Whitney. I have been keeping in shape since last year with my cardio and plan to kick it up a notch as the summer gets closer. I don't see why I wouldn't be going this year and I plan on keeping it that way. There will be no "third times a charm" on this end :).

With just a little over two weeks away, I am getting the last few supplies for my trip. One of those supply items was a new camera. I usually use the Nikon D70 for some top notch photos, but it is bulky and heavy for a 9 day backpacking trip. I was originally going to buy the Canon PowerShot G10. It is a beautiful point and shoot camera. I consider it the top of the line "point and shoot" camera or a basic digital SLR. Even though it was a much smaller camera, it was almost 1 pound in weight for the body alone. Still too much weight.

After some research and shopping around I picked up the Canon PowerShot SD900 on eBay. It is a used camera, but for a 1/3 of the price I was willing to take the risk. The camera body and functions are practically brand new. It came with a case, 2gb chip, battery, and micro USB cable. No scratches on the lens either. I am very satisfied and look forward to taking some test photos to fine tune it. I just need another SD card so I can make a video documentary of the trip :) I think that will be a cool feature to have.

Exercise is going to be a major part of the PCT and Mt. Whitney trip I have coming up in about 7 weeks. I cannot believe it is just around the corner! Just thinking about the 70 mile trek into the wild only makes me smile :) So far there are four people going for sure. There are two other people who still need to get back with me on whether or not they can come along. Anyway, I have been exercising regularly. I head over to the gym to use the bicycle and weights. I know I will need to take breaks on the trip, but the whole point is the recovery time. I am hoping to build up enough endurance and muscle strength to push through obstacles and keep to the schedule. I don't like dragging myself into camp and just wanting to sleep. I would like to still have plenty of energy when entering camp to enjoy the evening. Cardio and muscle training should help me achieve that goal!