Healthy Yak in Kathmandu and Rum Doodle

The Vet team is on the ground in Kathmandu and ready to fly up to Lukla April 7 to begin a 15 day journey through the Khumbu. Today we had lunch at the Rum Doodle Restaurant in the Thamel District where I was fortunate enough to receive my own "yeti footprint" to place on the wall. For successful Everest Summiteers, my footprint was placed just a couple meters away from the signatures of Everest icons Sir Edmund Hillary and Ed Viesturs. Unfortunately the technology is not working out very well this trip and I am unable to attach pictures today of the Rum Doodle or of the Healthy Yak team. Today we purchased 'team t-shirts' with yaks on them so I am a bit disappointed that you cannot see the photo. A big thank you again to Claire, Kristen, and Andy for participating in this project. Namaste from Kathmandu as I hope to post in a couple of days from Namche Bazaar.

Healthy Yak team in Kathmandu and Rum Doodle

After 36 hours of airplanes, airports, and the standard exciting taxi ride from the KTM airport to the hotel I finally made it to sunny and warm Kathmandu. Andy and Kristen arrived several hours later and today we met up with the fourth member of our Healthy Yak team, Claire Windeyer. After a brief meeting to review the logistics of the next two weeks high in the Khumbu Valley, we headed to the Thamel District to do some bartering and have lunch at the world famous Rum Doodle restaurant. I presented the store owner with a copy of my Nepal certificate for climbing Everest in 2009 and in exchange was given the opportunity to have my own yeti footprint placed on one of the establishment's walls, next to legendary climbers Sir Edmund Hillary and others. It is certainly an honor to be in such company...and not just at the Rum Doodle. The technology is allowing the text to post but not the pictures for some reason so I will try again later (sorry). Tomorrow we'll fly up to Lukla via helicopter to begin our trek. Stay tuned for more posts. Namaste from Kathmandu.

Where in the world is Healthy Yak?

In less then one week now the Healthy Yak (HY) project for 2011 will commence upon an April 5, 2011 arrival into Kathmandu, Nepal. After reorganizing our gear the HY Veterinary Team (members include Dr. Kristen Obbink, Dr. Claire Windeyer, Dr. Andrew Skidmore, and myself) will participate in an interview conducted by Kathmandu branch of the news agency Reuters. On April 7th the team will board helicopters for a quick flight up to the village of Lukla at 9,380 feet above sea level. From there it will be a ten-day trek up to the Himalayan Experience Ltd Everest Base Camp at ~17,500 feet. Along the route in, as well as back out, the HY team will conduct eight yak clinics in various villages. I hope to be able to send an occasional blog and maybe even a picture during this 3-week long trip to help the Sherpa people and their yaks high in the Khumbu Region of Nepal. For now please find below the HY itinerary:

• April 5 - Arrive Kathmandu


• April 7 - Fly to Lukla, trek to Phakding


• April 8 - Phakding to Namche Bazaar


• April 9 - Namche to Khumjung


• April 10 - Yak Clinic #1 in Khumjung


• April 11 - Khumjung to Phortse, Yak Clinic #2


• April 12 - Phortse to Macchermo, Yak Clinic #3


• April 13 - Macchermo to Goyko, Yak Clinic #4


• April 14 - Goyko to Goyko Peak to Phang


• April 15 - Phang/Yak Clinic #5


• April 16 - Phang over Chola Pass to Dzonglha, Yak Clinic #6


• April 17 - Dzonglha to Everest Base Camp


• April 18 - Everest BC up to Kala Pattar then to Lobuche Base Camp, Yak Clinic #7


• April 19 - Lobuche to Pheriche to Pangboche, Yak Clinic #8


• April 20 - Pangboche to Namche Bazaar


• April 21 - Namche Bazaar to Lukla


• April 22 - Fly to Kathmandu


• April 23 or 24 - Depart Kathmandu for home

New Dublin Dash!

I hope everyone had a groovy St. Patrick's Day! The town my family and I live near is called New London here in Wisconsin yet for the week encompassing St. Patrick's Day the name changes to New Dublin. A few years ago, according to USA TODAY, New Dublin is the second-best place to be in America during St. Patrick's. Chicago ranks #1. That being said, the luck of the Irish added to this year's New Dublin festivities the New Dublin Dash, a 1.5 mile walk or 3 mile run. My daughter and I participated along with a couple of her friends (in the first picture from L to R: me, Erika Dorrow, my daughter Bailee Fox, and Addy Graber).

Green was the theme as one would imagine but I couldn't help getting a picture with "Mr. Purple" (unknown identity).

Everyone had a blast with over 500 participants in the race and an estimated 20,000 people lining the streets of New Dublin to watch the participants finish the race, just in time for the start of the annual parade, this year encompassing over 125 entrants. Hard to imagine that in less then 2 weeks I will be landing in Kathmandu, Nepal to trek back up into the Khumbu to launch the Healthy Yak campaign. Standby for more blogs!

South Africa Reunion and Blessings

February 7, 2011 - After a week of work all around South Africa I made my way to Didima Camp and Cathedral Peak area located within the heart of the Drakensburg region of SA. The views of the mountains were spectacular but even more so was seeing John Black, Robby Kojetin, Gilad Stern and his lovely wife Micky (she trekked into BC with us), and last but not least witnessing the marriage of John to Natalie Milnes. Natalie too had joined us at Everest BC two years ago and she could not have looked more beautiful on her wedding day with the mountains of the Drakensburg as her backdrop. I caught up with Gilad and Micky during a short trek into Rainbow Gorge where Gilad and I felt it was important to re-enact our 2009 Namche bare chest pictorial.

Seeing my Everest teammates from South Africa, not to mention my friends for life, was truly a blessing as was partaking in John and Natalie's wedding ceremony. The morning I left the Didima to drive back to Johannesburg (by the way, first time driving on the left side of the road and sitting on the right side of the car!) I awoke to a baboon in my chalet's bathroom, on his way to my kitchen! Ahh, a little excitement to start the day (not something I get to see everyday in the frozen tundra of Wisconsin!). I hope to post more pics on my facebook page as soon as I get back to the U.S. so be on the lookout.

Yakitiyak heading back!

Good news!

Team Healthy Yak has come together consisting of Dr. Andrew Skidmore from Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health, Dr. Claire Windeyer from the University of Guelph, soon-to-be Dr. Kristen Obbink, 4th-year veterinary student from Iowa State University, and yours truly. Dr. Skidmore is working on securing enough Safe Guard cattle dewormer from ISPAH to treat 2,500 yaks in the Khumbu Valley of Nepal.

Working with Russell and Himex we are set to arrive into Kathmandu, Nepal on April 5 and soon after fly into Lukla to start our adventure up the Khumbu towards Everest BC, along with way conducting several Healthy Yak clinics. After a couple days in the Everest BC area we will begin the trek back towards Lukla conducting several more clinics on the way out. For the second half of the trip a 5th member of the team will be joining us, Ms. Bobbi Cunningham, a veterinary technician student from Colorado who will be trekking into Everest BC with her fiance Mr. Michael Ortiz from Chicago who will be there to attempt to reach Everest's summit as a member of the 2011 Himex Everest Expedition. As the time draws near for this new "Animaltarian" effort I will update you with specific details (villages where clinics will be conducted, etc.). Thanks to those who have donated to this cause as it would not be possible without you!

UK Reunion!!!

My mother Karen, stepfather Ira (they are standing in front of Buckingham Palace in the photo), daughter Bailee and I recently returned from our week-long trip to the UK where we spent the majority of our time in and around London, as well as a couple of days in Oxford. Unfortunately my son's illness (gastroparesis) prohibited him from traveling which meant his mother stayed behind as well. This was the only bummer about the trip yet I am optimistic that all will return to the UK in one year (if not before) to celebrate the marriage of Christopher and Victoria. It was a pleasure to finally meet Grizz's "bird" Victoria. I am already looking forward to the second annual reunion.

The weather could not have been better (nor could my wonderful daughter :-) as we took in the famous sites and history of London (Buckingham Palace, War Cabinet, London Eye, Westminster Abbey, etc.). Grizz's parents, Pamela and Peter Macklin were gracious enough to allow us to use their flat for the week, located in the wonderful district of Chelsea, just footsteps away from Buckingham, Harrod's and Hyde Park). I even got to see David Tait (Everest teammate and 3-time Everest Summiteer) at his UBS office in downtown London.

After a few days in London we traveled by train to Oxford, staying with my friend and Everest teammate Stuart Carder and his lovely wife Jane on their picturesque cattle farm just outside the city. The peace and quiet were great but even better was Stuey's talent as a tour guide (note the sunglass exchange between my daughter and Stuey in the picture). We visited Bleinheim Palace and Oxford itself, the highlight being our visits to the various colleges of Oxford University. We even got to see the memorial to Sandy Irvine (he perished on Everest near the summit in 1924 with George Mallory) on Merton College.

Perhaps the greatest highlight of the trip for me was reuniting with my teammates and brothers from Everest. The Macklins hosted a wonderful BBQ at their home near Wimbledon where I got to meet Christopher's brother Andrew, his wife Justine and their two beautiful children Eloise and George. Stuey and Jane even drove down from Oxford to join us. It was the reunion of the "3 Amigos!" (see pic) I will be anxious to see my mates again in the near future.