It’s the stuff that reality shows are made of.  Four guys, checking off their bucket list, traveling to a foreign land, and actually climbing to the top of Mt. Kilimanjaro.  Just imagine climbing the highest free-standing mountain in the world, towering nearly 20,000 feet above sea level.  Jason Bell, Lee Gibson, Dave Hart, and Christopher Garman completed just completed that journey and, because of it, they are changed forever.

 

After more than nine months of planning and physical training, the foursome hiked more than 52 miles with 11,500’ of vertical ascent during an eight-day journey.  Battling health issues and oxygen deprivation, each was motivated in his own way to continue to the summit.

 

“My Grandmother, who passed away six years ago, was always supportive of me,” said Gibson.  “When I felt like quitting, I would use her words and pray and it would give me the energy to continue.” As for Hart, the trip proved to be both a physical and mental challenge, making the experience much more gratifying. 

 

So, how did a group of four friends from Bridgeport end up in Tanzania?  It all started with one man’s passion.  Jason Bell traveled the world for more than 20 years BASE-jumping off tall cliffs.  After having kids, he settled into a less risky lifestyle, but still craved some adventure.  Having read about climbing and mountaineering, Kilimanjaro seemed like a good fit. 

 

Bell invited the others, and the rest, as they say, is history.  Each member of the team was greatly motivated by their family.  “I wanted to show my wife and kids that they can accomplish anything that they set their minds to,” said Gibson. 

 

The planning took around nine months.  They researched guide services, equipment, training techniques, and what to expect in Tanzania.  “I imagine I scared a few local residents during training as I hiked up Sherwood Drive 

dressed in black, late at night with a backpack and balaclava on,” said Bell.  The training also involved hiking around town, at Cooper’s Rock and in various clothing to get used to climate changes. Some of the group also did RawGrit CrossFit to build strength and make them better able to endure long hikes.

 

Once in motion, they encountered a number of very interesting sights.  They saw a wheelbarrow full of live chickens in downtown Moshi, thousands of African policemen jogging through the streets at three in the morning, and met locals who called them “brother from another mother.” 

 

They traveled with 14 porters, one cook and three guides.  “Our guides were some of the most interesting people,” said Bell.  “Some of them spoke five or six languages and traveled the mountain two to three times each month.”  Hart echoed the praise for the guides.  “The Tanzanian people were so friendly.  They were always smiling and really went out of their way to make the trip a great experience.”

There were times during the trek that illness due to untreated water, hypoxia, and acute mountain sickness nearly made the team turn back.  Although halfway across the world, technology allowed their families to track their progress and send and receive SMS messages.  The encouraging words from back home enabled them to continue the climb.  “In the high altitudes, there was so little oxygen, we had to hike very slowly. It was challenging to say the least.”

 

In addition to the climb, the group also went on a safari.  “We saw elephants, giraffes, rhinos, hippos, leopards, cheetahs, zebras, monkeys, lions and more,” said Bell.  “We got to see the wildebeest migration and it was amazing seeing millions of animals as far as the eye could see.”

 

Bell, Hart, Gibson and Garman all reached the summit around 7:40 in the morning on February 22, 2015.  Keeping with the old adage used by many naturalists, they took nothing but pictures and left nothing but footprints to mark the experience.  They returned with an appreciation for their families, American food, hot showers, comfortable beds and the blessings of life in America.