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mar: Sfs southern state tour 2018

3/11/2018

 
Day 4: National Naval Aviation Museum and Storming the Beaches!
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Fort Wayne Beach. Damon Wright
Day 3: USS Alabama Memorial Park.
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Aircraft Hanger at the USS Alabama. Mike Laytard
Day 2: We started the day off at Shiloh National Military Park. Pretty humbling site, especially the cemetery, where there are thousands of unknown graves... simply marked with a number and no name.

The Silently Fallen Flag was lifted on Mississippi High-point, Woodall Mountain. And our trip through MS wouldn't be complete without a stop at Elvis' Birthplace!
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Bald Eagle at Shiloh. Paul Fitzgerald
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Battery over the River. Paul Fitzgerald
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Gettysburg Address. Paul Fitzgerald
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The Cemetery. Timothy Carter
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Walking the Trail. Timothy Carter
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The Unknown Soldier. Timothy Carter
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Shiloh, B;ood Pond. Timothy Carter
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View to the River. Bernie Pontones
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Elvis Birth Place, Tupelo, MS
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Andrew at Elvis With Place
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SfS Team at Ohio Memorial at Shiloh
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SfS Team at Woodall Mountain, MS High-Point

DAY 1: A thanks to Hertz for the free upgrade to the Cadillac Escalade! We traveled from Columbus to Jackson, TN. It was a long first day, but the drive got us in place for the next 5 days activities. Everyone is gelling, and seams to be having a good time. Tomorrow we head out to explore Shiloh National Military Park.

​One mistake may have been giving everyone Nerf Guns... that seemed to quickly backfire!!!
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2018 SFS SOUTHERN TOUR TEAM

Paul, Timothy, Cody, Damon, Michael, Allen, Bernie, Andrew and Mike.

feb: tar hollow winter camping

2/18/2018

5 Comments

 
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​17-18 Feb Tar Hollow Winter Camping
 
It was a short, but fun and relaxed trip to Tar Hollow State Park. A little unexpected snow made our "Winter" Camping trip more "wintery". A big thanks to lumber-jack Jerred and Rick as they hacked away at the wet wood and finally got us a fire! A big thanks to everyone who came out and for eagerly pitching in with all the camp chores. A huge thanks to Brian for cookin' us up an awesome breakfast.
 
For members who have joined us on at least 10 State Highpoints where the Summit for Soldiers "Silently Fallen Flag" has been raised, we award a copy of the "High-Pointers: Fifty-State Highpoint Guide" which is a very informative handbook to hiking/climbing all the state high-points. We were able to award 3 of these this trip, to Jerred, Rick and Allen!
 
These weekend outings are meant to be a place we can just escape and get away, to "reset" and forget about all the stuff that piles on back in our daily lives. They are also a place to come together and build our friendships and camaraderie where we can invest in one another, so long after the outing if someone is struggling they can have a network of trusted friends to reach out to.

Here are some comments from our most recent trip:

Steve: "The Tar Hollow camping trip was my first outing with SFS, and even though the weather was not as cooperative as could be desired, I had a fantastic time. I want to thank everyone for making me feel welcome!"

Rick: "As always, I had a great time. One thing I love about SfS is that we don't always have to do something super spectacular or crazy to still have a lot of fun. I had some good belly laughs while we were simply cooking breakfast! I'm glad we got that fire going so I was able to thaw out my feet before climbing into my sleeping bag. Mike, thanks for the gloves man! You're a lifesaver in more ways than one."

​Brian: "Always a fun and enjoyable time with SfS. The laughs and friendships make even the winter weather a great time. If you're interested in what we are about, please come out and join us. It is a relaxing and fun way to unwind and recharge your energy. You are always among friends at Summit for Soldiers."
5 Comments

2018 Mount Rogers & Winter CAmping

1/23/2018

1 Comment

 
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Our 2018 Mt. Rogers SfS Team with the "Silently Fallen" Flag. (Allen, Steve, Timothy, Greg, Emily, Paul and Mike)
Summit for Soldiers on Virginia's Highest Mountain. Our trips are more than just getting into the outdoors, they are about camaraderie and commitment to one another to "walk" the sometimes difficult road "together" when it comes to PTSD and Suicide prevention. Here is what our Team had to say about our time together and maybe you will find inspiration to come out and join us for a future trip. (Open to all veterans, regardless if you are struggling or not, family members and community partners that would like to give back to your veterans community). - Mike

Paul writes: "Just a few thoughts about the trip to mt rogers, a few things i learned or relearned were in cold weather before start strenuous activity go down to the min warmth layers before starting and ad layers during rest periods to avoid sweating. "Mindfulness" this is something i have heard about but never practiced... will be looking into it. Importance of hydration in extreme cold climates. (The) rest step is a very useful approach to keeping going. There were other things discussed that i had hoped to remember,  but unfortunately i did not. What did you guys learn? maybe something will jog my memory!"

Here is what Timothy has to say:
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1 Comment

Road to Denali

3/31/2015

2 Comments

 
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Learn, Follow, and Get Involved.
So how do you train for a climb like Denali? Well, you don’t do it like me! You should spend a good 6 months to a year steadily increasing your training to avoid injury and prepare for the strains and pains for this type of climb. Steep inclines, long days, all while carrying everything you need (up to 60-80 lbs of gear and pulling another heavy load in a sled behind you) 14,000 feet up the mountain.

Here is my dilemma; I have less than 2 months to train, I have a chronic back injury and I’m soon to be 50. Ouch, ouch, and bigger ouch! The good side is that the one thing that has always got me through any climb has been my ability to accept (and sometimes turn off) the pain and how to be efficient. This last part, efficiency, is absolutely key. Done right it will take what energy you have and almost double your ability with half the effort.

I will train, but I will train cautiously. I don’t want to injure myself before I arrive. Fortunately I still have some reserve strength left over from last years climbs, and I know my limit when it comes to training with a heavy pack, but I still need to be very careful and listen to my body. With my back injuries, the way I adjust my pack can mean the difference between a well-conformed “Back Brace” or a torture device! Sometimes when you throw you pack on it feels just right, other times your fighting with every strap to get it right. This is just the nature of the beast. I’m currently training with about 80 lbs in the same pack I will carry on the climb. Ohio is flat, so I am just focused on spreading out a 4-mile hike over about 1 and half hours. My focus is more on my back than for climbing. I know my ability for moving up the hill, but what kills my energy is if I am constantly fighting and fidgeting with my pack, which keeps me from getting into an energy conserving rhythm.

There is a lot to think about and pay attention to during your climb, steady efficient steps, managing the rope you are tied into, rhythmic breathing, watching for crevasses and other hazards, but every now and then when you look up at the beauty surrounding you, for that brief moment all the pain goes away and you realize why you are there.

I am a mountaineer, I love climbing, I love the challenge, I love the camaraderie, I love the humbling I receive from being such a small speck in such a vast environment. Last year when I launched on these major climbs it had been almost 10 years since I had last climbed, but I found renewed purpose and meaning behind why I do it now. The honor I have been given to carry the “Silently Fallen” flag is deeper than you can imagine. Don’t get me wrong, I said I love climbing, but now there is a much more important reason to do it beyond my own selfish desire. To honor these lost brothers and sisters and to give them a voice to help save some of the over 8000 veterans we lose each year to suicide.

Mike

Learn and Get involved with Summit for Soldiers at www.summitforsoldiers.org
Follow the Effort at www.sfs.everest.weebly.com or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/summitforsoldiers
2 Comments
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    Summit for Soldiers: PTSD Awareness Campaign

    Steve

    US Army, Navy Corpsman, OIF Vet. Co-founder of The Mountain Goats and Summit for Soldiers.
    Mike

    Navy Corpsman, OEF Vet. Co-founder of The Mountain Goats and Summit for Soldiers.

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