Delmar couple take on Kilimanjaro with international expedition
A Delmar couple has just returned from a journey across the ocean that reached high into the thin air of Africa.
Dave and Linda Burtis spend several days on the side of Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania earlier this month. Though they did not make the final summit, they did raise thousands for Laureus Sport for Good Foundation of America, an organization that offers sporting opportunities to underprivileged youth.
Dec. 11 was the date the international expedition was to push to the summit, over 19,300 feet above sea level, but a number either forewent the summit attempt or turned back partway in.
The Burtises elected to stay at the final summit camp rather than set out with the other climbers. Summit attempts start at midnight, and climbers hike all night so they can summit during daylight. After days of hiking in the rain and snow, they decided to rest instead.
It’s a decision Dave Burtis does not regret after hearing about the final ascent from returning climbers.
They came back in the camp the next morning just exhausted, and for many of the them it was beyond exhaustion, he said `We’re kind of slow, so it would have been really tough for us.`
The expedition was beset by rain and, at higher altitudes, snow.
`It started raining the first day as we were partway into the hike, and it was raining when we got to the tent,` Dave Burtis said. `That just went on for three or four days, there was literally no sun.`
The entire party had to take precautions to stave off altitude sickness, including drinking much more water than normal. Most of their equipment was carried by local porters, who also took care of much of the duties around camp and the cooking.
Coming off the mountain early was arguably the group’s most notable member, tennis star Martina Navratilova, who was evacuated by stretcher after being struck with acute altitude sickness, a potentially life-threatening condition. She met the group days later in London.
Luckily, the duo from Delmar did relatively well when it came to altitude sickness. Dave experienced some stomach discomfort near the end, but it was not too serious.
`Linda and I did very well in that department,` he said. `You don’t know if it’s going to happen to you or not. It’s luck of the draw.`
Other members of the group included former Olympians and even paraOlympian Michael Teuber, who was paralyzed from the waist down but used special equipment to move his legs.
Despite not making their final goal, Dave Burtis said making the trek with a international expedition was nonetheless an amazing experience. The couple has their sights set on making other journeys around the globe.
`We like to hike, so hiking up the mountain was just a very enjoyable experience,` he said. `You’re all going through the same weather and altitude issues together. It’s a great bonding experience.`
The Burtises are still accepting contributions to meet their fundraising goal of $6,000. More on their climb and a link to their contribution page can be found at burtisandkilimanjaro.blogspot.com.
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