Nesting for Everest

I was thinking about the term “nesting” today.  Mother’s do it before the birth of their children.  Flight attendants use the term as passengers get settled into their seats before a long flight.  And climbers do it as a mental and physical form of preparation for a big mountain.

As I start the countdown to Everest, the same kind of thought processes and procedure start to kick in as they did for Denali, Aconcagua, Elbrus etc.  It usually goes like this:

You start thinking of the mountain and confirm that it’s “a go”.

Dates get finalized and you start looking for guide or expedition services.

Some evaluation takes place that involves talking to the company and eventually sending in the big down payment that means commitment.

Once you know the dates, then a training schedule gets published and you know that you have to keep with the plan and start documenting.

Airline flights get booked and the other logisitics get taken care of, hotels included.

Books are digested on the mountain coming up and you read everything there is to know.

The gear list is scrutinized a thousand times and lots of agony on what to bring and what not to.

Since Paula and I have done six mountains together, we have this routine down pat and remotely we push each other on training, motivation and gear.  Since we are far down the path now, everything gets really real.  We’ve each talked to the head guide for Everest, Dan Mazur, and I found him to be simply authentic and inspiring.  When I talked to him last week before he was going to Nepal for a few months, we discussed humor on the mountain, teammates, a little bit about gear, sherpas, and the possibility of success.

I was in REI today (which like Whole Foods can consume a Whole Paycheck) and the cashier and I were talking about guide services (he knows Todd Burleson and Vern Tejas) and the quest coming up.  With my purchases in tow, including a book on Hillary and another on Everst adventures, I left thinking it was getting very real.

Even though it is still 241 days away from departure, my training has picked up a lot (I think it is fear!) – but it’s still a long way off.  Funny how from all the previous climbs, the days just go by so fast and you look up and you’re on a plane to Kathmandu (just flashed on to Bob Seger) and … it’s done.

So the nesting has begun, bring it on big!