Wednesday, September 18, 2013
Monday, June 24, 2013
Heading out to the hills!
After two days of team discussion, safety and weather briefings and final gear checking, we are leaving Anchorage. Its about a three hour drive to Talkeetna, and we hope to be met there with good flying weather so we can fly up onto the glacier and begin our climb. Mix of excitement and nervousness throughout the group. So far, an impressive group of soulfull people who i am confident will support, encourage and inspire each other. Climb on!
Wednesday, June 12, 2013
Lorne's Denali climb fundraising site now live - join us!
Please consider joining me in supporting amazing first generation college students - http://www.firstgiving.com/fundraiser/lorne-adrain/lorneadrainmtdenaliclimb
Tuesday, June 11, 2013
Countdown! - one week of training remains - and almost went to jail instead of Alaska!
Many adventures since i last posted....i have been training quite consistently and quite hard. I don't think i have done more hard or consistent training since my high school wrestling days in 1970. And although i ache a lot more in the aftermath of workouts than i did then, i am really quite lucky to be healthy and strong enough to do this - and for this, i am quite thankful and happy.
In the nice Spring weather we have had, I have enjoyed being out on the hills of Providence just about every day with my pack full of 50 lbs of rice. On weekends, i have changed it up a bit by heading out to my old Boy Scout Camp, Yawgoog Scout Reservation in southwestern Rhode Island, bumping around the old trails that i used to scramble with my buddies on the camp staff.
It has been fun to see the faces of people as i walk about the neighborhood - "Lorne, what the hell are you doing?", "What's in the pack", "Don't you have better things to do?" Perhaps the most interesting adventure i have had is the experience of a couple weeks ago on a Saturday afternoon. On weekends, i have been taking my 9 year old daughter Annabelle out in my pack in place of the rice. She weighs about the same as the rice and is a lot more fun. She hunkers down in the pack with her flashlight, closes the top flap and has herself a party. Very inventive and imaginative daughter I have! That afternoon, after doing hills with her for an hour or so, i went to the bottom of the hill down by the river and the RISD auditorium, as is my custom. I do my sit-ups, pushups, stretches and yoga stuff at this point. I noticed a young woman who was looking at me a bit strangely as Annabelle complained about some discomfort in the pack and i closed the lid on her to head back up the hill to the Hope Club where i would end the workout and take a shower. I thought it a bit odd that she looked at us that way, but i guess i thought it was reasonable to see our activity as a bit odd. So we get to the club and i take a shower and Annabelle hides herself in one of the lockers planning to make me find her when i have finished shower/shave. I finish my shower and am standing butt-naked in front of the mirror with my head and face covered in shaving cream, mid-shave process, when several fully uniformed Providence policemen burst into the room. "what is your name?" (Lorne Adrain), "do you have an id?" (Uhhh yes, but not on me at the moment, can you spot me a few minutes?), "someone reported a suspicious character with a kid tied in his backpack and it must be you" (OH! yes, that would be me - I am training for a big climb and my daughter rides in my pack on weekends...."Annabelle, are you there?") Annabelle bursts out of a locker to the amazement of the officers. They sort of believe me, but an officer stays watching me (still naked) while other officers go upstairs to check with the staff of the club on this preposterous story i am telling. the officers come back down and confer and then realize there is nothing to do but share a laugh. At this point, i ask,"Officer, is this an official sort of thing, or can we keep this to ourselves? I am considering running for Mayor of Providence next year and this story might be a bit distracting to the voters of the city." Officer asks, "you are really running for Mayor?" (yes) and then offers this wisdom... "Well we've had some nutty ones before, why not one more?"
On to the final push of training!
see my fundraising site at - http://www.firstgiving.com/fundraiser/lorne-adrain/lorneadrainmtdenaliclimb
In the nice Spring weather we have had, I have enjoyed being out on the hills of Providence just about every day with my pack full of 50 lbs of rice. On weekends, i have changed it up a bit by heading out to my old Boy Scout Camp, Yawgoog Scout Reservation in southwestern Rhode Island, bumping around the old trails that i used to scramble with my buddies on the camp staff.
It has been fun to see the faces of people as i walk about the neighborhood - "Lorne, what the hell are you doing?", "What's in the pack", "Don't you have better things to do?" Perhaps the most interesting adventure i have had is the experience of a couple weeks ago on a Saturday afternoon. On weekends, i have been taking my 9 year old daughter Annabelle out in my pack in place of the rice. She weighs about the same as the rice and is a lot more fun. She hunkers down in the pack with her flashlight, closes the top flap and has herself a party. Very inventive and imaginative daughter I have! That afternoon, after doing hills with her for an hour or so, i went to the bottom of the hill down by the river and the RISD auditorium, as is my custom. I do my sit-ups, pushups, stretches and yoga stuff at this point. I noticed a young woman who was looking at me a bit strangely as Annabelle complained about some discomfort in the pack and i closed the lid on her to head back up the hill to the Hope Club where i would end the workout and take a shower. I thought it a bit odd that she looked at us that way, but i guess i thought it was reasonable to see our activity as a bit odd. So we get to the club and i take a shower and Annabelle hides herself in one of the lockers planning to make me find her when i have finished shower/shave. I finish my shower and am standing butt-naked in front of the mirror with my head and face covered in shaving cream, mid-shave process, when several fully uniformed Providence policemen burst into the room. "what is your name?" (Lorne Adrain), "do you have an id?" (Uhhh yes, but not on me at the moment, can you spot me a few minutes?), "someone reported a suspicious character with a kid tied in his backpack and it must be you" (OH! yes, that would be me - I am training for a big climb and my daughter rides in my pack on weekends...."Annabelle, are you there?") Annabelle bursts out of a locker to the amazement of the officers. They sort of believe me, but an officer stays watching me (still naked) while other officers go upstairs to check with the staff of the club on this preposterous story i am telling. the officers come back down and confer and then realize there is nothing to do but share a laugh. At this point, i ask,"Officer, is this an official sort of thing, or can we keep this to ourselves? I am considering running for Mayor of Providence next year and this story might be a bit distracting to the voters of the city." Officer asks, "you are really running for Mayor?" (yes) and then offers this wisdom... "Well we've had some nutty ones before, why not one more?"
On to the final push of training!
see my fundraising site at - http://www.firstgiving.com/fundraiser/lorne-adrain/lorneadrainmtdenaliclimb
Thursday, May 9, 2013
Jim Meegan helps me up the hills
my good buddy Jim joined me for a couple hours of hill climbing - what a friend! we have been friends since 5th grade i think - joined Troop I Warwick BSA in 1965 and got in lots of trouble together. have been sending the same birthday card back and forth every year for 40 years now (much to Hallmark's dismay) That kind of friend! Thanks Jim
Jim Meegan joins me for some training - video
Jim Meegan joins me for some training - video
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