MARCH 2005--It was a great idea back then when I decided to climb Everest, and I had a year to get organized. Where did those 51 weeks go?

I’m staring transfixed at my gear list. Almost everything has a green line beside it, my cryptic mark signifying that I’ve had it in my hands and it is currently somewhere in the “gear room.”

Making a list and checking it twice
Just a few lines still show a blank space beside them, but they are almost all minor things—elastic cords, batteries and film. Unfortunately, even the items with a green line beside them are still open to scrutiny as I begin to suspect that everything I have could be just a little lighter, a little better quality or a little more efficient.

A pair of aluminum crampons have been added to the steel ones I already had; a slightly higher quality sleeping bag has replaced one of the ones I was taking. I have another list, a list of things to consider—these are the same things that I’ve been considering for three months, and they’re not likely to change now.

My last list is a list of things to do—add a pocket to my down suit, check my goggles fit over my glacier glasses and replace a tent pole that I just found a crack in. In just another week, the passage of time will have forced me to complete these lists. Everything will be packed, and I should be arguing with the check-in clerk over how much excess baggage I have. It will be a pleasure to check those bags and relax into an airline seat.

Shop ’til you drop
After 24 hours of R & R on the flight, (we are flying Thai airlines, which still have a reputation for good service) we’ll arrive in Katmandu in Nepal. We’re only scheduled for two days there, and it will be a hectic time. We have to get the climbing permit and visas for Tibet, which will probably entail a visit to a government office, a long wait and perhaps a cup of tea with the visa officer.

Our oxygen equipment has been shipped to Nepal, and we will meet with the local agent to pick it up and get final instructions. There are a few bulky items of equipment that we will have to find, a snow shovel for instance. Finally we need to buy a huge amount of food to build into our daily rations.

When you’re packing for six weeks, you need a lot of supplies. And once we have dashed around town in motorized three-wheel rickshaws to collect them, they have to be hoisted in the back of a truck for the trip to China. I fully expect to leave Katmandu exhausted!

Fragile political climate
To add spice to the excitement of a short stay in Katmandu is the knowledge that the political situation in the country is, to say the least, fragile. The democratic party are protesting the Kings take over of the country, and the Maoists are threatening to blockade the city. Since we will only be in the country for a couple of days before crossing the border to China, we are hoping that we will skip any difficulties. We received word that we should bring an extra $200 to cover a ride in an old Russian military helicopter in case the road is “blocked.” Should we have taken the hint?

Once we get through the border, perhaps then we can relax. For a few nights after the border, we will be traveling slowly and staying in small towns as the road climbs to 17,000 feet onto the Tibetan Plateau. During this time, we will acclimatize, perhaps take a few gentle hikes in the surrounding hills and think of all the things we forgot to bring. In these towns, we may be able to buy cookies, soap and plastic dishes, but not much else. I’m told the food is good and a meal comes with one can of soda or beer.

Astonishingly enough, this route seems well known to me. My brother rode a bicycle up it in 1985 while I rode a bicycle down it just five years ago. It is here that I feel I will make the transition from preparing for the expedition to actually being there. I’m looking forward to it. At the end of this journey is base camp.

Base camp--an oasis of warmth
Base camp will be cold and windy. Early April is hardly the beginning of spring, and we can expect snow squalls and cold winds. It is here that we begin six weeks of sleeping in a tent— even the thought brings a grin to my face! Base camp is no longer pristine wilderness.

Its accessibility by vehicle means there is some traffic in and out. Both climbers and hikers will congregate here before heading toward the mountain.

While base camp will probably seem a bleak and lonely place on our arrival, I have no doubt that after several weeks high on the mountain, it will appear to be an oasis of warmth and humanity when we return!

If I’m fortunate enough to successfully summit the mountain, I’d dearly like to ride a bicycle from base camp down to India and sea level. On several other mountains, I’ve completed the descent to the ocean under my own power, and it would be wonderful to be able to do that here.

My sister, Gwen, and her son, Adrian, plan to visit base camp in late May, and I have to convince them that a bicycle is a perfectly sensible item to bring with them. If all goes to plan, I can look forward to a 150-mile ride across the cold, high-altitude plains of Tibet before beginning a 15,000-foot descent to Nepal.

Unfortunately there will still be 500 miles of Nepal and northern India to cross before I’m within sight of any ocean. I will cross that bridge when I come to it.

A hearty ‘thank you’
Let me get personal here and thank everyone for a tremendous outpouring of support. It will be a great advantage to know that so many are following my travels and hoping for my success. Thanks to you all. And remember that whatever the outcome, as Frank said, “It’s the journey.”

To contact Crane, e-mail him at info@teamkarma.com.

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