Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Mt. Everest: Confessions of an Amateur Peak Bagger, by Kevin Flynn; page 181

(This book begins here.)

Kevin Flynn's attitude hasn't quite been right from the onset and a year's hard physical training wasn't enough to help him over the fragile balance point between mind and matter, so he gives up his climb at the South Col, despite 80 others summitting the mountain the following day---a new record. He does fill you in on many of the Everest climbing experiences, and even survives a storm during a descent and the re-ascent of the Lhotse Face. Like so many before him, he vows never to return...only to return two years later for another try, this time with a bigger iPod. He feels much more comfortable in the country, and has a much better trek to base camp, feeling stronger and making better time. He has also had an attitude adjustment. Alas, the iPod breaks on his trek in! Through the magic of global delivery service and the modernization of the mountain, he has a new one with all his tunes within a week...which also breaks. Thank goodness he still has his sturdy 5 gig back-up, though! I might have been kept awake on more that a few occasions by mp3 players on my trek up the Appalachian Trial . . . I might be slightly biased against them. (Flynn continues here.)

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