Community Forums

Bowser · 02-28-2013, 11:37 PM

RVBaby - I planned the Kili and Serengeti trip for a friend and myself, and 19 of us went. All 13 who tried to summit made it. I planned it as a 7 day trip, 5 for the approach, 1 to summit and come partway down, and the last out.
I carried a full pack up and spent the night on top. Days 4 and 5 were shorter, and I combined them to get a day ahead and then meet them the next day. When I left them I climbed a steep baranca wall, up about 700 feet, blew a whistle and waved to the folks below. I had a hard time turning away, I felt so alone.
I spent the night of July 3-4 on the summit in 1996, exactly 20 years after you. Once I stopped hiking I started to get cold in a way I never had before - from the inside. Hadn't acclimatized enough to supply enough oxygen to my body to stay warm. It was fine after I got into my sleeping bag, but I had been kneeling to pack and re-pack things, and the Diamox went to work on my legs. Miserable, took about 20 minutes to work it out, then turned around and did it again. Mind was gone. Woke up in the middle of the night and couldn't see anything. There was supposed to be a full moon, so I knew I was blind, had a stroke, and was going to have to go down alone and sightless. Decided I was in my sleeping bag, poked my head out, still blind. Found a flashlight and was fine. The moon had simply gone down, but I was so goofy I thought I'd head down by myself.
A Brit came up the next morning, asked a friend of mine who had carried up that tent and my friend pointed me out. The guy looked at me, and vomited. Nothing personal, he was just as sick as could be from the altitude.
There wasn't any real night view because of the smoke. Everywhere. Could see where Arusha was, couldn't see it.
I asked a Tanzanian from whom they had freed themselves, he said the British. I told him that we had had a similar problem.
Anyway, that was my trip, how about yours? Did you "do" the Coca-Cola route to the summit or Gilman's point? Trying to do that in 3 days is gutsy, I know I couldn't have done it.
And Maggie, thanks for the good wishes.

RVBaby · 03-02-2013, 06:48 AM

"Back in the day" when few people climbed we did not see another party. There were 5 of us and 13 porters and guides (all barefoot until we reached the "saddle"). We departed from Marangu choosing to hike the additional 7 or so miles to the park entrance. After crossing the saddle on day 3 we camped at the Kibo Huts. I completely understand that bone chilling cold. My sleeping bag did little to keep me warm so it was a sleepless night. The guide got us up at 1 am and we were ready for the final assent at 2. It was necessary to depart at this time as the skree was still frozen making the footing safer. It took me 8 hours to get to Gilman's! The altitude worked itself into every fiber of my being! But nausea and a splitting headache did not damper my desire to fly that kite. Not a good flight as the buffeting winds kept trying to knock her out of the sky but we managed to get her up at long last. We came down riding the now loose skree. One hour to return to the spot it took 8 hours to ascent from! We continued on to the second huts and the next day return to Marangu totally 76 miles of this journey! Appropriately accomplished as the Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776!! I have many memories of those days and am so happy to share a small part of them with a fellow climber!

Dawn309 · 03-02-2013, 04:58 PM

Hi y'all. Haven't posted in a while as I have been getting settled into this new full timing life. I will re-post my intro.

My name is Dawn. I am 59 years old and I was married to the most wonderful man for 33 years. He passed away last May. Since then I have sold our farm, purchased my MH and hit the road in August. I went back and forth across Texas for a few months. Attended Boot Camp in Livingston in November and then started east. Spent a month in MS. It was a miserable month. I think it rained all but about 4 days I was there. Left there and headed to Florida the middle of January. Have had a wonderful time in FL. Met up with a lot of friends from a Women's RV forum I also belong to. Tonight will be my last night in FL for a while. Am now making my way to OK for a Workamping position at Lake Murray State Park for the summer, via New Orleans for a week. Since I am from North Central Texas, the heat of the summer in OK won't be anything new to me. Anyone in the neighborhood this summer, Lake Murray State Park is a great place to stop for a day, a week or two. It is the perfect place for me to start Workamping as this was our go to park for my husband and me. We loved it there. It was also the first place I headed after I got my MH.

I look forward to meeting with fellow solo's somewhere on the road.

RVBaby · 03-03-2013, 04:35 AM

Inadvertently I hit the "delete me from this thread" sentence so I am posting to re-establish my membership to the forum....

Gypsy Jane · 03-03-2013, 07:21 AM

I'm in Georgia currently

Gypsy Jane · 03-03-2013, 07:26 AM

Darlene, I have been looking with no success - do they even have RV parks in western Ohio? I have friends in the Dayton area and would like to find a workamping position up there, but none ever seem to be listed. I'm in Georgia these days.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ghoststories

Well here goes:
My name is Darlene, For now, I am in NW Ohio and dreaming of the day when I can be in FL.

Gypsy Jane · 03-03-2013, 07:44 AM

OK, found the thread, tried to catch up, overwhelmed... Anyway, I'm Gypsy Jane, full timer, and solo most of that time, since 1995. Started in 21' Class C, then a 23' TT, then another 21' C, then a 26' C, now a 32' Class A. I never did anything I could retire from, so SS, which just started last fall, is it. Traveling reset merchandiser for the past 8 or so years, taking a break from that, camp hosting in Georgia since mid January.
I love the outdoors and travel, and would happily be a van dweller, except that I also love to have musical instruments and beadwork supplies and room to stand up - so instead I'm trying to weed extra stuff out of the 32' so it's not so cluttered and heavy. Whoever said a rolling stone gathers no moss: they lied.

Maggie8 · 03-03-2013, 05:55 PM

Back when this thread first started, some solos said they were looking for a used RV... for most budget was the main consideration. Be sure to check the iRV2 Classifieds.

okmunky · 03-03-2013, 09:52 PM

[QUOTE=Gypsy Jane ... Whoever said a rolling stone gathers no moss: they lied.[/QUOTE]

Boy, do I know that one. I cleaned out the cabinet under my kitchen sink today. There was more than 50# in there, mostly canned goods. First purge and I'm down to 35#. My goal is 25#.

One down, 15 to go.

ghoststories · 03-09-2013, 04:30 PM

Hello all, I haven't been online for awhile,my laptop died..lol. One of my sisters has a internet Tablet and gave to me,Bless her heart. Took my awhile to figure it out. :-) My divorce was final in January,so I am officially a solo RVer. :-) I am getting Spring fever...lol. I have been out looking at TT. I want one without a slide out, and less than 30 ft. long. I have seen a couple that I really like. At the moment I am still in NW Ohio. My plan is still to move to Florida as soon as I can. Hopefully within a year or less. Hope everyone is having a great time RVing.

Lee jr · 04-27-2013, 03:50 PM

Hi all.been divorced since 2010..full timer solo,spend the winters at crystal lake rv resort in Florida. am now at wilderness resort in fredericksburg va. have a 35 ft. bounder ...sold my home and do not mow grass anymore ...lol..but would like to fine a travel companion...my name is Lee...safe traveling ...

nwcountry · 05-15-2013, 10:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lee jr

Hi all.been divorced since 2010..full timer solo,spend the winters at crystal lake rv resort in Florida. am now at wilderness resort in fredericksburg va. have a 35 ft. bounder ...sold my home and do not mow grass anymore ...lol..but would like to fine a travel companion...my name is Lee...safe traveling ...

Hi Lee, I don't know if they moved this post but I hope someone welcomed you. I'm Denise and very new here. Just want to say welcome and there are some good peeps around

Lee jr · 05-16-2013, 07:01 PM

Thanks for the welcome Denise ...have not found a peep yet ...lol..

nwcountry · 05-17-2013, 07:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lee jr

Thanks for the welcome Denise ...have not found a peep yet ...lol..

Maybe you'd enjoy the Mutants, http://www.irv2.com/forums/f64/r-u-a...oo-157739.html The thread seems pretty active, and some funny stuff to read. Right now they are talking about some "green" monster RV someone found on Ebay.

I won't be around much anymore since I'm not going to be able to RV, not for some time anyway, Denise