Donating Shoes to Africa

I've been meaning to put up this post for quite a while.



Last February or March, a dozen or so pairs of my old trail running shoes were stuffed into an oversize, overweight suitcase and flown off to Africa. This is where they ended up.









There are many organizations out there that take in used (but still in wearable condition) running shoes and send them over to Africa. Woontanara Aid just happens to be my local connection. From the sounds of it, collecting shoes and getting them to Guinea is logistically difficult for this particular organization and, at this point, it's not something that they are really focused on. Woontanara Aid recognizes the need for shoes over there, and they were happy to make room for mine, but their focus happens to be in other areas like education and health care.

My biggest request is to never throw away your old shoes unless they are completely, utterly unwearable. There are plenty of people in this country that would love to have a still decent looking pair of top-tier footwear. And there are countless other people in other countries much worse off than ours that may have never worn shoes in their entire life. So donate them. Either to your local second-hand store or maybe to an international shoe-specific charitable organization. Give the gift. Share the love. You may never know just where your old shoes will end up. But won't you feel good knowing they may cause a reaction like this?



For more information, please visit


http://www.woontanaraaid.org/

Here are a couple more websites for non-profit organizations that are shoe specific:

http://www.shoe4africa.org/

http://www.theashefoundation.org/

Wimpy's

The morning started innocently enough. A 6:30 alarm. A 7:00 ride. A drive over to the Death Canyon TH in Jackson.


Unfortunately, we got caught in Jackson's morning rush hour traffic...

We left the car at 8:45 and set off under a light snow to begin the long 4,000ft ascent up to Wimpy's. Everyone around here agrees, this has been one of the most memorable snowpacks for late November the Tetons has seen in a while. Which is fine with me, really, because as a result of a number of logistics falling into place nicely, I have a wide open door to fully experience everything the Teton Backcountry has to offer this winter. And today, things were looking good if not great.

The skin track from the prior visitors was still clear for the most part up the majority of the lower portion of the ascent, but began to fade up higher as the wind and steadily falling snow filled it in. We made the top in a steady, but comfortable 3 1/2 hours, took in the magnitude of our foggy perch, and proceeded on to a three lap, 900ft circuit in some of the best November fluff the Tetons can produce.

After the first lap, we stood on top of Wimpy's pondering the plausibility of getting up Albright Peak and just as we had settled on at least traversing over to check out the snow stability over there, I saw the cloud...

The large cornice on the NE facing ridgetop had released sending a massive volume of snow and ice down the face directly in front of us. The cloud of snow was followed by a thunderous crash as the debris cascaded down the NE face onto the lower snowfield. That was enough for us. Negative on Albright. So we took two more laps on Wimpy's.

What a day. I'm quickly finding my ski legs both climbing and descending and feeling better each time I go out even with my heinously monsterous skis. I could use a pair half the weight, but at this point it's only making me stronger. And it's what I got. So that's that.

The final descent down was what one would expect of a continuous 4,000 powder run. Not much else to say about that. Keep it snowing.

Table Mountain - almost

Tried to go up Table today but was twarted by a couple of factors: Late start, friend's frozen pipes at home (cause of the late start), ungroomed ski from the winter trailhead to the base of the climb that took longer than expected, and LOTS of deep, untracked snow to climb through. I am exhausted. But in a good way. And I doubt there is a more complete workout than what we did today. After the past few weeks, I needed it.

Skiing off into the sunset

Bliss

Down lower, the snow started to get heavier and thinner. So did the trees and willows. We had to pick our line down very carefully and never really felt completely safe until we were back at the summer trailhead. I happened to be on the receiving end of the two most noteworthy incidents. Finding the slope's biggest hidden rock garden and taking a scrubby aspen square between the legs. Luckily, I was able to push it mostly down and out of harm's way. Sheesh. The risks involved with trying to take a few early season turns...

We didn't make it to the top, but we were able to partake of the slope's best snowfields which, other than being a bit thin in spots, actually held pretty decent snow. Don't know if I'm gonna make it up Table this month. I haven't yet and I only have two more available days to do it.

A Happy Thanksgiving

I hope everyone had a happy Thanksgiving and enjoyed time with family and friends. We all are extremely fortunate to have what we have and be able to do the things we do. Sometimes it's easy to lose track of that, but hopefully for only brief moments, if at all.

I live in an amazing place. I know this and I am thankful for that. And I have amazing friends. I am very thankful for everything I have and am able to do. Days like this are beautiful days.

Got together for a morning ski excusion up to Mt. Oliver with MikeE and Liz. Took the better part of the day skinning up to the 9,000ft summit then doing a few laps off the top. Then it was off to the traditional thanksgiving gathering at the house of some friends in Driggs. Great food. Great company. Lots of laughs. Don't know if I can think of too much else that would make for a better day. Except maybe to see my family and friends back in Portland. Two weeks!

Danny MacAskill

Quite possibly the best trials rider ever. And quite possibly the best cinematography as well. Brilliantly done.