My hearty congrats to the 8 runners that towed the line for this years edition of Mikies Masochistic Trail Fun Run/Walk/Hike.  It was a beautiful
day for Mikes.  All had fun and again no WIMPS showed up.  Missed a lot of you veterans that have run Mikies.  See ya next year.

We had 64 total entered and 52 started.  Humans and Dawgs had a wonderful time it was heard at the finish of this our 6th year.  A great array of Dawgs were out this year.  We had about half as many participants as last year but it was still lots of fun being out there on a beautiful day. Many thanks to all the volunteers and GREAT sponsors of this year’s event.  Plus special thanks of course to all the participants.  We will look forward to having you and your friends out again next year. Hope you liked the neat T-shirt design, thanks Paul of Outrage’N.

5K Run w/Dawg 1. David Boaz   55 2. Michael Ortiz   41 3. Cassie Norris (F)  32 4. Susan Farris (F)   38 5. Lisa Bennett (F)  39 6. Don Snyder   50 7. Travis Turner   13 8. Kathleen Hawkins (F)  8  9. Thomas Koontz  10   22:40  25:21  25:58 ?  30:20  33:04 37:15 42:53 1:02:14 5K Run w/o Dawg 1. Brian Bunce  45 2. Laurrie Polluck (F) 42 3. Richard Keating 47

5K Walk w/Dawg 1. Randy Klassen  49  2. Rose Cano (F)  15  3. Lynn Boaz (F)  54  4. Kelly Ambrecht (F) 40  5. Jim Murray  67  6. Brad Harlow  39  7. Ian Skerritt   60  8. Kathy Martin (F) 54  9. Dell Braun  69  10. Lyn Wagner (F) 64  11. Kristy Martinez (F) 25  12. Holly Ambrecht (F) 14  13. Misty Armstrong (F) 24  14. Kelly Gunn (F) 25  15. Nila Gunn (F)  48  16. Sam Woodman 7  17. Susan Moore (F) 47  18. Michael Greenwood  54  19. Logan Martinez  5  20. Peter Martinez   30  38:34 40:25 41:47 42:13 44:53 47:20 47:24 27:21 49:02 50:02 50:26 51:24 52:55  53:04 53:10 53:12 53:15 53:16 53:41 53:41 21. Marion Harvey (F) 58  22. Victoria Schroeder (F) 36  23. Lisa Dracahia (F) 45  24. Gordon Turner 39  25. Samantha Parsons (F) 61  26. Theresa Wood (F) 36  27. Marla Varela (F) 28  28. Ann Carta-Combee (F) 61  29. Susan Hanes (F) 49  30. Imelda Nee (F) 47  31. Bruce Hornburger  40  32. Alison Hornburger 49  33. Brian Wolfe  38  34. Carol Wolfe (F) 41  35. Wanda Church (F) 67  36. Steve Church  68  37. Sherry Licklider (F) 48  38.Laura Miller (F) 39  39. Elaine Samson (F)  34  40. John Poole  60  53:42 53:43 55:13 55:14 58:59 58:59 59:00 59:00 59:01 1:03:11 1:03:11 1:03:11 1:03:25 1:03:25 1:04:59 1:05:52 1:02:02  1:10:02 1:10:02 1:12:51

The early days of February 2002 found Bob Rockwell (CLMRG), Dennis Burge (CLMRG, OTHTC) and me (CLMRG, OTHTC) on a guided climb of Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, Africa.  We left Ridgecrest on 2 February and returned on 19 February.

Kilimanjaro, the highest free-standing mountain in the world, comprises three volcano cones: Shira, Mawenzi, and Kibo—the youngest of the three.  Uhuru Peak on Kibo, at 19,340 feet (5895 meters), is the highest point in Africa.  Kili is a popular destination because it is the easiest climb of the Seven Summits—the highest points in the seven continents.

The expedition consisted of conditioning climbs of Little Meru (12,470 feet) and Meru (14,950 feet), the climb of Kili itself, and a three-day safari, which included a spectacular day in Ngorongoro Crater.

Bob, Dennis, and I all climbed Little Meru.  Up at midnight, our team of 13 started for Meru the next morning.  Bob and I had contracted some form of food poisoning and had to turn back early.  We spent the rest of the day (mostly) in our bunks.  The rest of the team reached the summit.

Bob, not recovered from his illness, turned back from the climb of Kili.  I had recovered sufficiently to press on.  Summit day was brutal.  It was a 3600-foot climb up the difficult Umbwe Route starting at midnight, but the worst part for me was the 9000-foot descent of the new variation of the Mweka Route to our campsite.  The remainder of our team made it to the summit.  Bob was represented well by his son, Bruce, who was first to the summit.