KRS,

Responses few and far between as a father now. Anyways, when we last spoke in person, my mind raced with thoughts about you and your accident. However, after leaving I was surprised to feel total confidence that you were on your way to recovery, whatever that might involve. Rachel felt the same way, and we both wondered why. Before arriving I imagined the worst, only to find the best, which is the powerful, intellegent and innovative Krs I always knew. So in short I am inspired. And with this inspiration came an idea that is probably totally inappropriate and ridiculous. And because I've always been really good at insulting and pissing off those around me, I'll share this idea with you. Feel free to stop reading this email at anytime if you get annoyed or bored or whatever. I won't be offended if you do not respond. Anyways, I have slowly been introducing myself to the world of skimountaineering (climbing up steep snow covered mountains and skiing/falling down them). I have some hours under my belt now and am getting comfortable with ropes, knots, avalanche assessment, maps and compass skills, snow and ice climbing techniques, first aid (once certified EMT), skiing, rescue etc. Along the way I have stayed inspired by reading a lot on the subject. I have lost the articles, but I vaugely remember reading about two men who were climbing major peaks together, one without the use of his legs. Now bear with me a second. The other two articles were on 1. a rock climber who had lost both his legs below the hips and was solo rock climbing major faces (solo!) and 2. a mountain climber who had just finished climbing Denali and Everest. Of course he was blind. He had verbal assistance only and climbed to the top of the world. Anyways, as of right now I do not have the $ or the desire to climb everest. I do have the gumption to climb peaks like Lassen or Shasta or Whitney. So here is my idea. Have you seen those guys who race wheelchairs? (stupid question). They haul ass and the have the upper body strength of an excavator. Would it unreasonable to to try and come up with a vehicle design that would allow you to ascend moderately steep slopes with or without my assistance (or both) and then allow you descend via the same vehicle but with the aid of gravity (yeahaaa). I don't know, you'll have to tell me. I do know that I have the strength and endurance of an ox and am always looking for an additional challenge like this. We could set our sights low and see if this is something you would want to endure. Maybe you know now the answer is "No Tony you fucking moron!. I do remember your balls of steel and your need for speed. I do remember how your brain worked on ideas and I do remember your love for nature. I also know it's hard for me to find a reliable partner these days, someone who is willing to put in the time and watch my back when it gets hairy. It's also hard for me to justify these excursions as a father nowadays. Honestly speaking, you'd be the best excuse I've come up with in years to be out in the mountains. Of course it will be a two way street. So with that, here are just a few of the obstacles I see in getting this started:

Warmth: Circulation in your legs is impaired and I'm worried you will not stay warm or feel the pre-symptoms of frostbite

Self Arrest: Your ability to stop a fall will be limited without the use of your legs and with some strange gadget strapped to your body. I'm afraid I will not be able to arrest your fall if you should loose your balance or you would not be able to arrest my fall.

Vehicle: I haven't put much thought into your mode of travel, but I bet it would be expensive. Would you be able to find or come up with a design that will allow you to move your own weight over snow or ice or at lest a majority of your weight. I'm strong but your big.

Tony: Am I a huge idiot? If so, please accept my apology and feel free to call with any and all comments. If not, call me now!

Who knows, we may get a lot of support to find the time to hang off cliffs and fly down big mountains, I'm, game.

Sincerely
Tony


Hey T-
I appreciate yout thoughts and ideas, damn 2 years ago I'd allready be in the car. Now though, I have to admit I'm scared shitless. I've become the snively twitchy weak weaseldick type person I once hated. I even drive like a gramma.
I've been tempted to go up to Alpine and try out their sit-ski program, and have looked into it from the net, but that's all. I think the denying factor is I'm scared it will suck. That it won't be as good as before, when I ruled the hill whatever I had on my feet. I'm scared of learning again I guess, and that I won't be any good at it.
I know a couple of para's and their support folk climbed Shasta last year in some kind of hand powered snowmobile contrabtion. As cool as that sounds, I have trouble riding my handcycle to safeway and back. (weakness again) I haven't any idea what keeps one of those contraptions from sliding back down the hill, and I betcha it weighs alot so when it (not if) and me take off, it'd prolly be a bitch for you to hold / stop me.
Sigh.
Warmth would also be a problem- As is I can't tell when I'm cold / frostbitten, I'd just have to guess and dress quite warm, whouch would probably backfire into the other problem, too hot. Only 1/3rd of me sweats now, so I overheat very easily, quickly spiraling to heatstroke. Wouldn't that be ironic? Dying of heatstroke in the snow?
I dunno if I could self-arrest, with some kind of contraption underneath me. Twisting and breaking a knee / leg or something is also possible in a fall, 'specially when I can't tell where they are.
So I do not think you're a huge idiot, I really appreciate you thinking in this direction.
I have thought of rappelling in the chair, not hard I don't think if I tie myself in good enough, the problem would be ascending. It'd be like a freakin' one armed pullup over and over again, and even when I was a hero I couldn't do but 30 before jellyarm set in. I've thought of trying to build some kind of hand powered reel so I could wunch myself back up, but thinking is as far as I've gotten.
Another idea I've had is a four wheel drive mountain handcycle with a seat on ... gimbals ( I guess is the word) where if I'm going sidehill the seat will rotate so I'm still sitting upright versus falling (tipping) over. But again, ideas is as far as I've gotten.
My biggest broblem always seems to be implementation of the idea- I can think of it, I just can't build it, for whatever reason. I lack manufacturing abilities I guess.
So I guess ... Mountain climbing would be cool, but I dunno how the hell I'd get up there as I'm not very strong anymore. I;m all arms now, and I only have 75% in the left anyway because of the brachiel plexus damage.
I'd like to go, but I'm scared, and there's so much to figure out hand-powered machinery wise, I dunno how it will happen.

Thanks for thinkin' about me though, and perhapse eventually we can adapt and overcome.
KRS