This is my first blog ever. Feels kinda weird, like I'm writing in a diary. The primary purpose is to capture the research I'm doing in preparation for climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro July 17-22, 2006 and to journal my training and preparation for the trip and climb. Then it will be cool to be able to look back and read this after I've done it. Or, if I die on the climb it will be nice for family and friends to be able to read. I know that sounds morbid but I'm only partially kidding.

Tonight I finally watched the DVD on Mt. Kilimanjaro that I bought about a month ago. Matt set up my DVD player which hadn't been done sinced I moved in a few months ago. This video followed a group of climbers as they ascended to the 19,340 ft. summit through 45 miles of rough but beautiful terrain over the course of five or six days. I didn't realize how major this climb is and that only 50% of people who set out to climb it actually make it to the summit.