John Tucker, Adventurer (and David Humphries' step-dad!)
One day as John was heading into his local gym for a work-out, he noticed a brochure on climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, and something powerful inside him said "yes". So he started training for the momentous and arduous trek. A year later he was ready and enroute to Tanzania, Africa.
John was in a group of 12 climbers and guides. A couple Finns, some Canadians and a gaggle Australians. The climb is divided into several sections, each taking 6 - 8 hours. The zones can be distinct depending on the altitude, ranging from very rocky and severe, to lava towers, desert areas, peaks, valleys... Regardless of what they were presented with, John said it was breathtaking with awe-inspiring panorama vistas (when the clouds allowed for such a view).
John was grateful for his training and his experience as an elite soccer player. It was a relentless and arduous climb, exacerbated by the low oxygen levels. As you climb, the oxygen level drops - to 38 - 40% at the top. Gaining your breath at a stand still is hard work at that level, let alone expecting your body to keep walking.
Many people suffered from altitude sickness, and that is often what makes people turn back. Fortunately, John kept going and made it to the summit - Kilimanjaro is 5,895 metres tall.
The last hike, the Summit zone, was done at night. After almost 7 hours of uphill trekking they crested the top as the sun started to rise.
John mused that as he was walking through the clouds with rocky vistas sometimes visible in the distance, he felt like he was walking though a painting. It was tough physically and mentally, John recounts. The type of experience that forces introspection and helps shape a person.
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