Stepping up the training...Sunday January 24

Hello everyone: Exactly 2 weeks from today (Superbowl Sunday!) we will be departing from Los Angeles to Kilimanjaro. We are having t-shirts made saying "KiliKrew"...place your orders now!

Early this morning we drove over the valley to Newbury Park for a 7 hour climb up Boney Mountain. The beginning was on a dirt road where all around us were fields and fields of green grass sprinkled with raindrops from last week's huge storm. Two coyotes roamed in the distance. The snow-capped Ojai mountains were behind us. The road led to a narrow path where we paused at a beautiful waterfall - another fellow passing by said he's been hiking this trail for 10 years and never saw the waterfall so powerful! The path turned narrow and soon we were walking on either side of a deep gulch. The rain last week had been so strong and constant, that it caused the path to collapse in the middle. Sometimes we had to walk with one foot on the right ledge and the other on the left. And in some parts we had to walk IN the gulch where the ledges were as high as our shoulders!

On either side of us, the native grasses which blew in the cool wind were taller than we were. We were glad we had hiking poles which helped us navigate over stones, creeks and slushy mud.

After what seemed forever we broke into the sunshine and headed up to the top where the huge boulders made a nice seating area for our lunch of "Donna's best" PBJ's.

After a full week of dark clouds, thunderstorms, and heavy rain, today was a crystal clear one of blue skies and wispy clouds. The view across the valley - across Camarillo and way beyond, was amazing. AND the evening was capped off with delicious dinner at Stacy's where she served us her homemade Turkey Chili. What a day!!!