Dry Land Training

Mount Longonot, Kenya

Looking into the 2 km wide crater, from the serrated rim of Mt. Longonot

Over the March break, we are planning on a four day camping trip to climb Mount Kenya with a group of friends. To help prepare ourselves, we've been making 5km hikes every second, or third, day over the past few weeks (after school or early morning on the local nature trails mostly). But on Monday we took "dry land training" seriously, as we finished up work with the Guardians of Hope in Mai Mahiu just past noon and headed up the 1000 m climb on Mt. Longonot, a dormant volcano that rises from the dusty floor of the Great Rift Valley.

Views across the dry valley from Longonot

Atalie and Erica on the hike up

Our pal Atalie joined us for the field visits in the morning and for the afternoon hike. She is also a member of our six person Mt. Kenya ascent. After the brutal heat and heavy sand track of Longonot, we are all looking forward to the cool breezes and firm footing of Mt. Kenya. Please keep us in your prayers as we begin our trek this Saturday. Our children will be staying with our friend Wendy during the four days that we are gone. We are looking forward to the week's vacation on the mountain and with our kids when we return.

Erica and Atalie on the rim!