Kicking Some Mt Fuji Butt

As Dora would say "We did it!  We did it!" Matt, Emily, Chris and I, along with 16 other people, climbed and conquered Mt Fuji. What an amazing experience.

We left on the "Team Caterpillar" bus around 11 am. We stopped several times along the way for food and bathroom breaks before finally arriving at the 5th station around 7:15 pm.

My family at the rest area

It was recommended to be at the 5th station (2,305m) to get your body adjusted to the elevation change for at least an hour before starting. So we all grabbed some noodles, drinks, got all our gear ready to go and took lots of pictures. You could feel the adrenaline pumping through the 20 of us, and the other hundreds of people there.

My family at the starting point.

Our crew of 20!

 Our plan was to hike the Fujinomiya route, but somehow we wound up at the Fujiyoshida route instead. Little did we know that this was the most popular, most crowded, most steep route. We had figured 5 hours to the top. It took us 8 hours.

There were little stations several places along the way. At these stations you can sit and rest and at some of them there are people stamping walking sticks and selling food. Some had sleeping mats. Each of these places were so crowded.

Man stamping walking sticks at one of the stopping stations.

The 7th station. Only 1076m to go!

We climbed through the night. At the bottom it was a very comfortable mid 70s temperature. The higher we went the colder and windier to became. By the time we reached the top it was freezing. I am very glad we hiked at night because we had no idea what was next and what we were in for. It was pitch black besides the light from people's headlamps. Of the 8 hours, probably at least 3 of them were scaling up different rocks and boulders. It was hard. One of the coolest parts of hiking at night was looking ahead  or behind you and seeing nothing but lights and the outline of people. It was like a scene from the kids movie Antz.

Hundreds and hundreds of people hiking the Fujiyoshida trail.

At the 7th station Matt and the kids wound up in a different group than me. This was probably around 11 pm. In one way it was nice because I only had to worry about myself, but on the other hand I was always worried how the kids were doing, especially as you saw people throwing up along the way.

The part I was most worried about was the altitude. You hear horror stories of how sick people get from it. Surprisingly I never had an issue and I never needed to use my asthma inhaler or the oxygen we brought. The group I hiked with was very cautious though and when we started to get a headache or our hearts raced we would stop to adjust.

The whole goal of hiking through the night is to arrive at the top by sunrise. Sadly all the other thousands of people have the same idea. It was like being at a rock concert at the end trying to get through the trail to reach the top.

Almost to the top

Matt took this awesome picture at sunrise.

Sunrise at Mt Fuji

As we got closer to reaching the top, our group really thinned out. By the end I was just hiking with Mary Gail and I felt bad for her as I kept whining how I hiked all that way to not find my family for sunrise. The ironic part was we busted our tails to make it to the top to find Matt and the kids, to only have him stopped just below us. But it was okay, because Mary Gail is pretty cool to share the sunrise with too.

Just after sunrise I found Matt and the kids and boy was Emily and Chris tired. I really am so proud of them. How many 11 and 14 year olds can say they climbed all night long to the top of Mt Fuji?

Chris & I at the top

My family at the crater of Mt Fuji

O-H-I-O

The decent down took just under 3.5 hours. The ground was very sandy and rocky. It was killer on the knees, but the views were breathtaking.

Our decent down

The top is very bare and sandy. Once you hit about station 6, there is more trees and such.

All in all we climbed for 12.5 hours. It was a long, hard climb. People asked me if I thought this was harder than that blasted 56k hike. At first I said no, but the more I think about it, it is just different. They really can't compare as the surroundings for both are just so different.  I am glad I did it. I am glad my kids did it. It was an experience of a lifetime. But I will say this... NEVER AGAIN. 

You can see many more pictures here.

Couldn't she wait just 6 more days?

Sami fell asleep in my lap during Emily's gymnastics practice tonight, then decided to start puking. Luckily she made it to the bathroom. Then the poor thing fell asleep with her head in the bucket when we got home as she said she still had "more puking to do".

Six days and the kids are all Matt's. Maybe I will book myself on a plane to las vegas nv. (A girl can dream, right?) In the meantime, I just pray Emily and Chris do not get it. And even more so myself. I don't know how I would manage to drive down the street with a bucket in my lap.

A bit of a story...

Last week I flew to Illinois for a quick trip to meet my new boss and to connect with the team I contract with before the move. The main purpose of the trip was to confirm and work out details that will keep me working part time while I am in Japan. Even though I didn't really have the time to go, it was well worth it.

So my quick trip to Illinois was not without drama. I mean come on. Alexis go somewhere and drama not happen? As much as I anticipate it, I did not think the drama will start right at the beginning of my trip.

My flight left at 6:30 am and connected through Atlanta. As I may have mentioned my laptop had been acting funny a few weeks prior and then stopped. The screen would fade or the computer would just shut off. So I had backed up my system (or so I thought) just in case. So while I saw sitting in Atlanta for a 3 hours layover my computer started flipping in and out of sleep mode. And then suddenly turned off. Then if I got it back on the battery would not charge and then turn off right away.

So there I was. In Atlanta, on my way to a huge meeting and my computer wasn't working. Oh and did I mention, I didn't pull any of the files I was going to need to a flash drive. And I definitely would NOT bring the external hard drive with me.

During this moment in time, my lovely husband called me to inform me that his blood work from a routine physical required by his company prior to our move came back showing that he was one Lonestar Steakhouse visit shy of a heart attack. That is right. My 33 year old husband has extremely high cholesterol. And of course right at that moment in time his chest started hurting. Yep. I was in the Atlanta airport, with a broken laptop, on the way to an important meeting and my husband was clutching his check back in NC. Needless to say I found myself having a beverage with a bite at 9:30am.

So off the plane I stepped and went right to a Best Buy who luckily was back in the Apple computer business. I needed to get a new laptop prior to going to Japan, so I just got it a few months early. Merry freaking Christmas Alexis.

Now let me stop and say that I love getting a new computer. I love running my hands across the keyboard and looking into the shiny screen. I can't wait to see the set up assistant dance across my screen. However this situation denied me any of that joy. Luckily the people I met with at work were understanding and managed to find all but one of the files I needed for the meeting.

But alas! This wasn't the only drama of the trip. Even though I could have carried all my belongings on the plane in a Trader Joes sack (not that I would have done that) I packed one of my super huge new suitcases in anticipation of my hand me downs for Sami from Jamie and of course any shopping goodies I may have found. The suitcase was empty on my way there.

We really didn't have much time to hit the stores, but we managed to find a few good deals and some resale shops. My main goal for myself was to find some "dressier" type shirts and some killer shoes. My flips just won't cut it in Japan. I managed to find 3 pairs, two with ankle breaking heels. Somehow my empty suitcase became packed with clothes, shoes and books that I had lent to Jamie.

We were running late to the airport so I was rushed to check in and make sure my bag made it back to NC. Now let me remind you that at this point I am now carrying my laptop backpack, the box to my new laptop with my old broken down laptop in it and my huge suitcase (I had shoved my purse in the suitcase so I would have one less thing to carry). I rush to check in, throw up my bag and reach for my ID.

Just then the ever so pleasant lady informs me that my bag was 10 pounds overweight and she doubts would make the dimensions limit either. I could either pay $50 or take some stuff out. So I ripped open the suitcase, pull out the purse stick the books Jamie returned inside, switch off my shoes and grab one of the killer ankle heel shoes and stick the suitcase back on the scale. Nope. Still 1 pound and 1 inch over. One. Freaking. Pound. Regardless that the flight was barely 1/2 full, if they make an exception for my 1 pound than they need to make an exception to all the luggage (or so the pleasant check-in lady told me with a smile). I ripped back open the bag, pull out a few more items, stick them in my backpack and cross my fingers. Still half inch over. By this time I am ready to wring the lady's neck with her tape measure. You would think I was begging her to stick exercise equipment on the plane or something. I take the bag, smash it up against the scale and tell her to measure it. Finally it passes.

I run down the airport with no shoes on, carrying the killer ankle heels, backpack on and laptop box in hand. The security guys were laughing so hard at me as I ran up to them. I get through security, just as they were getting ready to board. Needless to say I got one of the non-free plane beverages for my choice.

But hey. On a good note. My laptop was fixable, for only $104, and all my information was intact. Miracles do happen.

Operation Press Conference a Success

And I can breathe again. All of the media relations and press kit and magazine writing over the past 3 months led up to today –– The launch of X's new poultry division. I have been the person in charge of the PR, which all became unveiled to the media at a press luncheon today. And I am very, very very excited to say it went over better than I hoped. The media were very receptive, the clients were extremely happy and the press materials were awesome.

I left the house early yesterday and drove with 3 people from the marketing agency I am working with to Atlanta for the 2008 International Poultry Expo. We helped with a few things for the trade show booth and then headed to our hotel in downtown Atlanta. It was definitely different from the plain old Hampton's I usually stay at when traveling. We then met one of our clients from Pfizer and went to dinner at Trader Vics. If you ever have a chance to eat at a Trader Vics it is a MUST. It has to be one of the best meals I have eaten. They cooked my steak in a big basket! Drinks, an awesome dinner and a nightcap –– I could get used to this treatment.

Today we made our way to the Expo early and while the others set up the room I made my way to "smooze" with the media. Then came the big press conference. The food was perfect, the speakers did awesome (with the outline I provided of course) and we have already gotten interviews completed and more scheduled. We also have several requests for some prewritten articles. So between that and some other PR work it looks like I will be playing with chickens and eggs a bit longer. That's okay. I've missed the ag market.

No sooner did I get in the car to head towards Greensboro, NC for the evening I started to sneeze. And sneeze and sneeze. I went through 2 travel packs of Kleenex in the past 6 hours and now I can't get my nose to stop dripping. So I am at a hotel and sick and on the verge of a migraine. I really shouldn't be surprised. Between getting all the work done for this project, some Cat work, the holidays and my trip to Vegas I have been asking for it.

So tomorrow I should take it easy and just relax until I have to meet Kate and Matty at the airport and then make the 90 minute drive back to Fuquay. Maybe hit the bookstore. Maybe hit a few stores and play with some cameras. Maybe grab some lunch and just veg out. Yeah... wishful thinking. After not checking my email for 36 hours I fired up the computer to find 4 (yes FOUR) projects for Cat (including a conference call for tomorrow morning) and an email asking for a new business proposal for a company in California. **thud** This weekend is booked full with Kate and Matty visiting, Matt leaves Monday for a week and I have those frightening 6 shots. I'm not complaining. Really I am not. I'm just for once, well, tired. Not physically because we all know I don't sleep, but mentally I am just exhausted.

Thanks for all the well wishes for this Atlanta project. I know the big man upstairs was listening.

Saying "Hi"

Well I made it back about 2 am Friday from Illinois, after being delayed and then sitting over an hour in the plane while we were being deiced. (Note to self: Try to plan Cat meetings in non-snowy seasons only) Luckily I came back to some awesome weather to make up for it (74 degrees today and high 70s all this week).

I have been busy hanging with the kids and Matt and just doing some family stuff together. The kids begged me not to leave them for 4 days again with dad. Makes me feel loved. But seriously Matt did awesome with the kids. So what if Chris drank 10 juice boxes in a matter of four days and the kids ate Papa Johns pizza every night.

I am swamped with work right now. While it is a good thing, it is also a bit stressful, considering it seems to all be due yesterday. So between my projects, the holidays, the last few weeks of the kids school and some other things my head is going to spin off.

I have a bunch of pictures to post from this weekend. Hopefully I will manage to get that done in the next few days. After all, I would much rather blog than write about chicken vaccinations, mining trucks and Wilmington NC real estate.