Trail Snippets

[elsietee]

Did you ever read the story of Beck Weathers - tried to climb Mt Everest the year it all went to hell and a handbasket? (1996). (Jon Krakauer, "Into Thin Air")

Beck had had eye surgery prior to leaving on his trip - got up to 30 million thousand feet (or whatever it was) and the altitude started messing with his sight - to the point where he could no longer continue because he couldn't see.

He ended up stopping (I believe, below the Hillary Step) and the expedition leader told him to stay there, not move, and he'd pick him up on the way down.

Unfortunately, the expedition leader stayed too long on the summit with a third-try client and they both perished. He never came back for Beck.

Beck ended up in a group of climbers who made it back down to the saddle where they were supposed to camp, but in white out conditions couldn't find the tents. They ended up sheltering in place until Anatoly Boukreev (sp?) came to fetch them one by one. By then, a japanese climber had already perished and Beck was considered too far gone to be able to be helped, so was left.

The following day he made it back to the tents, horribly frostbit - they said he looked like a zombie.

Expecting to never be able to get him off the mtn, they were actually successful enough to get him to the top of the Khumbu Icefall (complicated technical area that has to be traversed in part on ladders lashed together over crevasses). They couldn't get him any further and figured, once again, he was done for.

Beck's wife, Peach - back in TX - got on the phone and arranged for a never-before-tried helicopter rescue with someone from the Nepali air force. They had to take all the seats out of the helicopter to make it light enough that it could still take off again when it landed to pick him up.

Beck survived - losing a hand, fingers, toes, and his nose (they grew him a new one on his forehead). Lucky man. All because of eye surgery.

[elsietee]

Interesting.

It's 2:45 (race time) and Wade is still resting as he's supposed to be at mile 451 (for at least another 30 minutes) and Dallas went on by (as expected).

But Dallas then stopped at mile 458. (prior to this he stopped at Mile 415 for three hours, setting off again at 8:30 am, so 6.5 hours ago).
If he stays longer than 3 hours, then it suggests that his idea of running two 70 mile runs didn't work out as he hoped, and his dogs need more rest.

(Joar is resting at mile 452, just past Wade, since 2:15 this afternoon).

3:45 (race time) and Wade is on the move again, after a four hour break. Good man.

4:45 (race time) and Dallas is on the move again, after a two hour break... uh... not good for Dallas. Not long enough to continue past Huslia.

[Eggs]

Beck survived - losing a hand, fingers, toes, and his nose (they grew him a new one on his forehead). Lucky man. All because of eye surgery.

Ack. I made the mistake of looking up images of him.
Btw, thanks for your take on energy drinks. I have a Red Bull in my fridge (belonged to my nephew) that I eyeball from time to time and then go... nah.... Have been reluctant to try even one of those things and I see now why: )

[tanglefoot]

https://www.adn.com/outdoors-adventure/ ... ade-marrs/

interesting.......

[fladogfan]

Very interesting tangles. Wade left Huslia 34 minutes before Dallas with Joar on their tails about 1 1/2 hour later.
None of them wasted time in the CP, Joar and Wade only there 8 minutes and Dallas 27 minutes. ( Do you think Dallas ticked it took him sooo long )

[fladogfan]

Been following the Iditabuds forum! , thanks all, I enjoy reading all the posts. My only input is I am still hoping Aily wins, and also hope Jason Mackey is in the top 5 .

Bad year for me, but I am not changing my Screen name, now I have 3 Siberians.....one of my Siberians, Alaska , is 19 years old! Slim, my avatar Siberian, passed away last September.

Best to all.

Good to see you 7Sibs and to know you are following along. So sorry for the loss of your Slim, what a cute pic of him for your avatar. It's never easy when they leave our sight and touch but their spirits are still with us and in our memories too.

19 years for your Alaska !!! Wonderful

[fladogfan]

Beck had had eye surgery prior to leaving on his trip - got up to 30 million thousand feet (or whatever it was) and the altitude started messing with his sight - to the point where he could no longer continue because he couldn't see.

elsietee what had the eye doc told him about doing the trip? eggs, don't think I want to see the pics

30 million thousand feet

[7 Siberians]

Not to stray from the race, but something interesting happened to me about a month ago.

One of my doctors noticed my Iditarod cap. We got to talking and I told her of my interest in Alaska, Mushing, and Siberian Huskies.

I was surprised when she told me she had spent a long time in Talkeetna ( my favorite place in Alaska), with one of her friends who was tied in with a musher.( I won't mention names,) the doctor sat down and we talked a long time about mushing and Alaska.

I told her, I hoped so much this was Aily's year to win, and I sent her some Iditarod decals I had, and......

One of this years Iditabuds patches!! (Iditarod Air Force).

Of course, I told her she should visit this forum and gave her the URL!

[fladogfan]

Spreading the word!

This is the best place for race info that I know about. Of course I don't know that much but that is why I come here for info.

[flowerpower]

Small world, isn't it?