another big hurdle

06Oct09

early registration is officially over for the 2010 summit for someone climbs.  it kind of snuck up on me, and i didn’t make it to my $1000 goal.

…yet.

here’s where i stand now.

i am on a layaway plan.  their description is this:

“This option is best if you don’t want to put down an additional deposit. You won’t have a secure spot on a 2010 climb until you reach $1250 in funds raised, but you can also see how your fundraising is going, and you can also defer until 2011.”

so i guess if i don’t meet my next goal of $3,000, i can always put it off another year and hope a rich cougar finds me.

in the mean time, i found this site that sells personalized raffle tickets.  that site looks a little sketchy, but i’ve heard from people who have used them that they’re pretty decent tickets.  i’m thinking about selling tickets for $5 a piece with a $500 prize.

here’s a sample.

it’s gonna be a little awkward going door to door trying to sell these things, but it can’t be any more awkward than just straight up asking for cash.

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Tags: big city mountaineers, climbing, summit for someone

2010 climbs announced

25Sep09

big news with summit for someone.
they have decided on the climbs for their 2010 season.

check ‘em out here.

i’m thinking up a way i can bid my decision out…maybe whoever donates the largest amount in the next two weeks gets to decide which climb i do?

hmmm…sounds like fun to me.

make a donation here.

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Tags: climb, summit for someone

laughter

30Aug09

more contagious than swine flu

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Tags: laughter, swine flu

nevermind…

27Aug09

we got her back!
a neighbor had her. she just couldn’t call b/c she didn’t have a phone last night.

i can’t tell if the other dogs are happy she’s home, or if they’re just pissed.
they seem to have shunned her.

shun her. shun her hard.

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please help find our dog

27Aug09

last night, our dogs got out.

i caught mac right away, but no one has seen trin.

if you anyone can help, we would be eternally grateful.

here is a pdf you anyone can print off and hang wherever you see fit.

thanks in advance for anyone willing to help.  we’re kind of in panic mode right now.  she’s been missing for over 12 hours.

lostrin

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Tags: peoria, lost dog, hanssler, bigelow, husky, siberian, trinity, trin

a visual

20Aug09

one of the questions i get asked the most since i announced my summit for someone goals is, “so…what will you be doing?”  i’ve likened summit for someone to running a marathon and raising money for a charity, but pretty much everyone knows what a marathon looks like.  but climbing a mountain?  what’s that look like?

this video from backpacker magazine pretty much sums it up.

i can tell you, “oh, i’m climbing a mountain,” but that conjurs up too many visuals and stories to be accurate.

the climb spotlighted in this clip is one of the options (and probably my first choice) for the summit for someone climbs, so it’s really cool to get an arial view of what i might be getting myself into.

the term “mountain clmbing” sort of lends itself to a broad definition.  “mountaineering” is a little more accurate.  it’s pretty much just a really serious hike.  you’ve got a pack on probably weighing around 50 pounds and that has to include safety ropes, snoeshoes/skis, and crampons (i smell a footwear gear post coming up in the near future).

so, i think i’ll send this to my favorites on my iphone so when someone asks me, “what are you doing???”  i can just say, “this!” and show them.

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Tags: backpacker, long's peak, summit for someone

2nd hurdle jumped!

03Aug09

i’ve got an SFS page now!

the pre-season application went through, and i can now accept donations!

check it out!

this is pretty exciting.  it’s really starting to feel like it’s taking off after dreaming about it for so long.

it feels good to be part of something that will help hundreds of kids get out of a potentially dangerous environment, and into the wilderness.

…cuz that’s not potentially dangerous!  ha!

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Tags: donation, personal page, summit for someone

hurdles

29Jul09

as with anything in life, there are going to be hurdles and speedbumps and potholes and other cliche’ things that get in your path that want to trip you up.

the summit for someone path is going to have quite a few.  i can tell already.

right now, it’s mostly paperwork hurdles.  the pre-application wasn’t working exactly right.  they’re doing some work on the backend of their website so things weren’t where they were supposed to be.

the good news is that the biggest hurdle has been pushed back.  and it’s been pushed back by months.

i only had to put down a $50 deposit rather than a $1,000 deposit since i got in on the 2010 early applications.

1 hurdle down, dozens to go.

here’s a list in no particular order of things i can foresee right now that could be hurdles:

1.  fund-raising (probably going to be on the top of every list i make from now on, so i guess this spot is in a particular order).

2.  training – gotta get in shape and somehow figure out how to train for high altitude at sea level.

3.  convincing my boss to let me off for a week and not cut into my vacation time.

4.  more paperwork.

5.  deciding which climb

6.  deciding what time of year i can go.

7.  how am i gonna get to the climb?  probably depends on number 5.

8.  not spending money on things that aren’t related to the climb

9.  what’s sarah gonna do?

10.  working up the guts to ask people and businesses for cash money!

ok…less list-making and blogging and more sleep.

good night!

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Tags: list, summit for someone

testing, testing

20Jul09

just checking out how this whole facebook/wordpress/twitter integration works…

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hello, old blog

20Jul09

i’ve been pre-occupied with facebook and neglecting the blog (and twitter, but i never used to update my twitter anyway).

but now i think i have a use for this thing again.

…maybe.

let me start at the beginning…

last month, i started a workout routine.  it consists of running one day, biking the next, then taking every wednesday and sunday off to let my body rejuvinate.

this is in preperation for two big events coming up in my life next year.

1.  i’m copying my friend jamin and running this triathlon.  he’s trying to get in this year with a friend who’s running, but i’m aiming for 2010.

it’s an off-road triathlon.  so, no swimming…kayaking instead.  there’s biking, but it’s montain biking.  and the running is off the beaten path, too.

2.  the big BIG event next year for me is not the triathlon, but rather summit for someone.

each year, big city mountaineers organizes several summit attempts and expeditions across the country.  each person on the summit/expedition raises funds for BCM to help get at-risk teens out of the inner city and out into the wild.

think of it as race for the cure in the mountains.

so why am i blogging this?

not to toot my own horn.  but that is an unavoidable byprodcut of what i’m about to announce next.

i need your help.

each climber is responsible for raising a set goal.  the goals range anywhere from $2,400 to $7,500 (i plan on doing one less than $4,000 but the cheap ones always fill up first).

there will be a few hurdles coming up even though the climbs are a year away, but i will keep them updated on this blog.

if this sounds like something you can get behind, you can find more information here and check back often.  i’ll be keeping an update on my training and fund-raising on this blog, and on my facebook page.

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Tags: big city mountaineers, summit for someone, wolfman traithlon