BikerZ goes to ... NEPAL!

[bikerz]

Hey everyone -

I haven't been on the forum for a while, since my training focus over the last few months shifted from cycling to hiking, in preparation for a 2 week trek I'm going on in Nepal! I'm very excited and very nervous!

I leave this Friday via Delhi for Kathmandu, and meet up with my pal Mary and the small group we're traveling with on Monday (I get a day to explore Kathmandu on my own before the formal trip starts).

On Wednesday, we fly to Lukla (8700 ft), in NE Nepal, and begin our trek up into the Himalayas on the same trail that leads ultimately to Everest Base camp (but we're not going that far!) The whole trek is about 50 miles and 10,000+ feet of climbing over 8 days of trekking, and the highest elevation we sleep at is 12,900 ft. (For anyone who's really interested, this is the full trek itinerary)

Apparently the flight from Kathmandu to Lukla is a real "experience" - they sound a horn to clear the "landing strip" of grazing yaks and goats when the planes full of trekkers come in, and due to the surrounding peaks, the planes land uphill and takeoff downhill. As a nervous flier, I'll have a pocket full of Xanax!

I've done plenty of hiking down here at sea level to prepare, and some last weekend at 10,000 ft up in the eastern Sierras near Bishop, but there's no doubt it will be a challenging trip. I'm a little worried about injury avoidance - over the last few months, I've battled a sprained ankle (twice!), as well as tendonitis in one foot and plantar fasciitis in the other. But I'm bringing lots of Aleve, and tape and a good ankle brace, and my traveling buddy Mary is good at teasing me, taping up ankles. and reminding me to eat (those of you who have ridden with me know how hard it is for me to keep myself fueled on long rides - turns out it's even harder when hiking at altitude!)

I get back on October 21st, and I'll check in to let you know how it went! I've read that there is an internet cafe in Namche, where we spend a few days to acclimatize, and I imagine any communication from me at the point would just be a quote from Monty Python's "Holy Grail": "I'm not dead yet!"

As a student of Buddhism, it is an incredible thrill to visit this part of the world, and as an amateur photographer, the chance to see and photograph the landscapes and people there is really going to be a treat. And mostly, just walking along these trails, meeting the people and (hopefully talking to them, if I can improve my Nepali!) will be something I'll never forget.

Oh, and I'm taking my AV buff along, and I'll get a shot of the Amici Veloci colors flying with Mt. Everest in the background, in honor of all you guys who have climbed virtual "Mt. Everests" on your bikes!

So - has anyone done anything like this before? Any tips for a newbie trekker?

[jobob]

Have a great time Ann, and do the AV colors proud !!!

[Veronica]

Have a fantastic time! I'm really looking forward to the pictures when you get back.

Veronica

[maillotpois]

wow! I am so jealous !!! I have wanted to do a trip like that for years, and one of my riding partners did this last year and loved it.

I have to remind you about DVT risk - please be sure to hydrate and move around on the plane both going and coming!

[bikerz]

Thanks Jo and V - I'll do my best not to let my team down!

And Sarah, thanks for the DVT reminder - hydrating is a big deal for combating altitude issues, and for the DVT risk, so I will be drinking water non-stop both ways. I'm going business class (thanks to years and years of saving up AA miles - I figured I'd better use them before they completely lose their value) so moving around should be easier than wedged in back in coach.

[Aggie_Ama]

Oh my gosh what an amazing experience!

The only thing I can relate to is hiking at altitude but never that extremely long of a hike. I get altitude sickness so hiking around a mountain of 11,000 feet was pretty tough for me. But you may experience nada.

Can't wait to hear about the journey!

[DrBadger]

Have a wonderful time Ann! And post photos when you get back!

I am assuming that the drs gave you a prescription for Diamox when you went in for all the pre-travel stuff....another thing that I used (never used the Diamox) in Peru was I took Ginkgo. There have been a few studies that show it may help with the altitude... I figured it couldn't really hurt, and I felt great up in Cuzco, so who knows. Here are a couple of reputable links: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/d...nt-ginkgo.html
http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/g...oba-000247.htm
http://www.healthline.com/blogs/outd...-of-acute.html

Have a great and safe trip!
Ellen

[bikerz]

Hi Ellen -

Thanks for the tip about the Gingko and the links - I had just read about that in one of my books and I'm going to pick some up this afternoon. I have Diamox also, but am hoping I won't need to use it. We also have some tea from Peru with coca leaves and yerba buena, which we drank in Bishop, and I think it helped.

Also, glad you made it thought he big storm!

And Amanda, thanks for the good wishes!

[snapdragen]

Woo hoo! This is going to be such an adventure, I envy you Ann!

[andtckrtoo]

Oh man! I'm so envious of you! I'm another one who has dreamed of doing something like that for years. DH and I talk about it when we retire and get the kids through college (7 more years!!!).

I have done a lot of hiking at higher altitudes and it is interesting until you get settled. I'm sure you know this, but pay attention to your heart rate, not your breathing as you'll be huffing and puffing no matter what you do. It's a little alarming at first, but you'll get used to it. If you start to feel panicky and have trouble breathing, stop. Stand still for a moment and do whatever you do to relax yourself. It's a very typical response, actually. Know that just because you have issues breathing at say 13,000 feet, it doesn't mean you will at 14,000 feet. Weird, I know, but I always know when I'm at 12,500 feet on a hike - I get whiney, miserable and lose all motivation. If if push past that, I'm fine. But, do thoroughly know the signs of altitude sickness. It can come on fast and without warning. We climbed Mt. Whitney, and knew we had to "rabbit down" when our friend, a very intelligent computer scientist, could not figure out how to tie his shoes.

Sorry, I tend to ramble. Just have fun!!!

[maillotpois]

Business class will be good. On the hydration, there was a Japanese study that seemed to indicate that hydrating with an electrolyte beverage was better than just water.

[jobob]

You mean, like a margarita with salt?

[maillotpois]

So resourceful, that one...

[bikerz]

MP - electrolytes - good idea! I'll be bringing my hammer electrolyte capsules along - I'll be sure to bring some on the plane.

And Jo, margaritas sound good! I might have a drink on the way over there because (a) I hate flying and (b) I have an overnight in Delhi before going on to Kathmandu, and (c) we don't even go up to altitude until Wednesday... But I'll drink lots of water too.

andtckrtoo - Thanks for all the advice - I will be taking my HRM. I've gotten very used to hiking with it, and checking to see when to stop and take a break. It's not so different from cycling - my HR gets up there, and I can stay pretty high for a while, and I'm breathing heavily for sure, but when I stop I recover within 30-60 seconds. I noticed at over 10k ft that it took another 30 seconds or so to come down, and when it came down, it wasn't as far down.

I really noticed a wall last weekend at about 10,600. I was fine (relatively speaking) schlepping up 1600 ft of steep rocky switchbacks, and when all the hard stuff was over, and it was just a very gentle grade between 10,600 and 10,800, I felt so bad, nauseous, legs of lead, totally down on myself, wondering how I could be so crazy as to think I could do something like this, etc... and that's when I lost focus and stumbled and turned my ankle. What was disconcerting was that I never considered that all that it could be altitude. (Part of it was not enough food too).

The leaders of this group have an excellent rep for carefully managing the group's capabilities and status, plus Mary and I have sworn that we will each check on the other and not hesitate to check and take action on any signs of serious altitude sickness.

Ack! 3.5 days!

[aka_kim]

I know that you will have an amazing and wonderful time, Ann. I can't wait to see your pictures and hear all about it. I don't have any advice, except "Keep calm and carry on."