Mont Tremblant - Photos

By André Lachapelle

Here are a few photos of our climb up Mont Tremblant last weekend.

Click on: ce lien


As you can see, our training has really started and this, our first excursion, helped to make it all seem real.


Thanks to our project leader, Mathieu, from  Ex-Pé,  for the photos.


Translated by Pamela Gauvin

Breaking the Ice

By Andre Lachapelle 

It was our ice breaker this weekend. We faced Mont-Tremblant. For me, the day before I finally committed. I went to buy a pair of boots and walking sticks. Voila! I have some of my equipment now.

Then we hit the road. We were at Sylvain's by 9:00am. Then, in three cars, we left for Mont-Tremblant.

We met our guide Mathieu in the parking lot. Mathieu is The Main One who will take us to the summit of Kilimanjaro. He made a short presentation on the essential material to have when mountain hiking.

First stage, going through the village. Nothing too difficult there if it wasn't for the delicious smell of the restaurants. Good steaks cooking on the grills, I thought of the meager sandwich in my bag ... Oh well! It's for a good cause.

We took four hours to reach the top. And two hours to descend. We took our time. We wanted to stay together. A united group. And that's what struck me. Complete agreement, without talking about it beforehand. We all conveyed a sense of community. It was really inspiring. I didn't expect this kind of team behavior on our first outing. This is something that normally develops over time I think. However we had it - straight away. What a great team we are!

And what to say about the ascent. Laughter at every turn! Really, we laughed ourselves to tears.

It is often said that walking the path is as important as achieving the goal. While our goal is to climb Kilimanjaro, our training (such as Mont Tremblant) is the path that leads towards this goal. I already learnt a lesson on Mont-Tremblant walking the path. You see, I'm the kind of person who will try once. 

If I fail, I will try again.  If I fail again, I'll say "the hell with it" and I'll move on.

But not Carmen. Carmen never flinched on Saturday. In any case, if she thought about quitting, it didn't show. What strength of character! What struck me most was that, at the top, she arrived at the cottage ... with a big smile! Against all the odds and the elements (it was raining cats and dogs on our heads), Carmen arrived smiling! She was smiling!

Well, what a lesson! In life, in the face of adversity. Again and again to continue without flinching. And in silence. And above all. With a smile!

Carmen thank you for this wonderful lesson of life. I will remember it.

Translated by Pamela Gauvin

Mont Tremblant Tomorrow...

By André Lachapelle

Tomorrow's the big day - our first team excursion.
On the menu: Mont Tremblant.

Although I've been there often, this is the first time I've faced the mountain in trekking mode.
I've got somewhat mixed feelings - some excitement and some apprehension. As usual, I'm not ready. I still haven't bought my boots, I have no suitable clothing and no walking poles. Nothing!


If Manon was here, she'd be sure to have something to say about it. She's gets so exasperated by my procrastinating tendencies ...... Happy Holidays, Manon......looking forward to seeing you soon....:-)
As for me, I'll manage somehow....




Translated by Pamela Gauvin

We are in Shakespeare's Mother Tongue now!

By André Lachapelle

Hello people!

We are a group of 22 ordinary people with extra ordinary dreams.  And we are committed to making them happen.

Our objective: Climb Mount Kilimanjaro in September 2012.

We had the idea back in October 2010, we started the project officially in March 2011.  And here we are now, a tightly woven group.

We're going to relate our journey to the Kilimanjaro in this blog.  Not only the trip itself.  But the details of how to get there.  We hope that you will enjoy reading us.  And we specially hope that our action may inspire someone somewhere to take action and make his dream come true.
You can also follow our blog in French by following this link.

Stay tuned!

Voluntary Activities - Update

By Isabelle Privé

On May 16, we published an article about our intention to do voluntary work for different charitable causes. (See Team Kili-2012 now has a cause .....or several....)

How's it going 3 months later?

Well, Team Kili members have been very busy! We walked to support a team at Relais pour la Vie, we manned the phones for Opération Enfant Soleil and we participated in the Grande Corvée in Monterégie.

And that's just for starters!

The autumn is going to be busy for Team Kili-2012 volunteers. Several have decided to get personally involved with children at Sainte-Justine Hospital. They'll spend time each week with "their" children, keeping them company, playing with them and listening to them. This in turn gives the parents a badly needed break.

Others are going to help out at Accueil Bonneau, starting on September 10. Helpers are in demand constantly, to prepare and serve meals to the needy. This will be a regular activity for us.

We're preparing a Kili team to participate in the Course à la Vie on October 2. Together we hope to contribute at least $400.00 to the fight against breast cancer.

Again, this is only a beginning, as our volunteers are always looking for more ways to get involved.

A different choice

Many groups decide to finance their Kilimanjaro ascent collecting funds by associating with a particular cause.

Our decision to finance ourselves separately and to involve ourselves voluntarily in different causes has sometimes led to misunderstanding and reticence.

However, we are really proud of our choice. Even if it's longer, more difficult and les popular, we have no regrets. We are living the most extraordinary human experiences and our team has been strengthened and united by the feeling of personal accomplishment that comes with the gift of self. Maybe our way's not "in", but it's Team Kili-2012's trade mark. A team that dares to be different!

Translated by Pamela Gauvin

Here's to the Journey!

By Isabelle Privé

I'd like to tell you a bit about myself.  I signed on for the Kilimanjaro project without really knowing what I was letting myself in for. Since I said "yes" to my Kili colleague André's message last December, a lot has happened.

I've rediscovered the pleasure of writing through this blog. I've organised a fund-raising event. I've discovered the satisfaction of giving. I wasn't really the sort to do voluntary work but I've discovered the immense joy, the pride and the feeling of duty fulfilled that accompany the gift of self.

I found a rôle in the team by helping to look after communications. Inform the members about future events, send reminders and invitations, discuss future activities...dream...plan.

I've discovered that getting special shirts made is more complicated than you'd think!

Since the beginning of this crazy adventure, I'm discovering strengths I didn't even know I had. Or maybe I've uncovered forgotten sides of myself. Buried under all the responsibilities of everyday life and the trials of adulthood, these strengths were just waiting for an excuse to resurface.

  

At the same time........ the fear of the upcoming challenge is always present. How many times have I asked myself -  "What on earth have you got yourself into?"

I'm not too keen on trekking as such. I don't even know what sort of equipment is needed. The one and only mountain I've ever climbed is Mont Tremblant last year. I walked on the mountain for the whole of 2 hours!

And now, we're talking about an expedition, about walking for 4 - 7 hours a day for 10 days. I'm hearing about mountain sickness, pills, vaccinations, passport, travel insurance (MAXIMUM), backpack weighing 35 liters, towelettes for washing in the absence of showers on the mountain. Sleeping in my winter jacket in a tent for two... Sure,  I've been camping before - in a trailer-tent - in summer!

Then there's the journey. The only time I've ever been on a plane was from Sept-Iles to Montreal when I was 4! .....  And now I'm going to Africa? 24 hours on the plane? And the safari? In a tent next to the lions and the giraffes?

It seems more like science fiction than a wonderful dream. You ask me if I'm afraid?

YES, I'M SCARED STIFF!!!

 So why go, in that case?  Because, at the end of the adventure, I'll have lived to the full and survived a 24 hour journey, an expedition up Africa's highest mountain and a safari. And, last but not least, I'll have overcome my fears!

Who knows what other strengths I'll discover along the way!

Translated by Pamela Gauvin 

Meet Nathalie

By Nathalie Roussin

A drastic change in my life 2 years ago - everything was going   too fast - much too fast.....

WHOA, I said to myself, or you're going to lose it big time....

           So, how about the gym to get fit and have a badly needed change of ideas.

So, GO - GO - GO ....off to the gym.
 

And then comes the big idea on the notice board from André and his gang...

Kilimanjaro....... 

WHOA , I told myself again - you there - you're really not up to it.
 
Anyway, why not do something different from the gym, and try a few mountains in the meantime - just enough to give you the taste for more....
 
I'll tell you the rest of the story after September 2012. I'm just off to start getting ready and, especially, to get fit so that I can realize a dream that mustn't pass me by.

Thank you to life for having given me this opportunity!!!!


Translated by Pamela Gauvin