Cycling Across The Tibetan Plateau
Spring 2019

Where Lucille has been for the past 24 hours.

Saturday, April 27, 2019

April 27 - Lobuche to Gorak Shep - Base Camp - Gorak Shep

Lobuche to Gorak Shep to drop off our packs, then off to basecamp and back to Gorak Shep. 

Woke up this morning without a headache!!!!  Yeah.  😀

Off to Gorak Shep.  It took just over 2 hours when I was told it would take 3....so that's good.  The trail is a bit challenging.  Sometimes small gravelly rocks that are slippery other times it's huge boulders that need to be navigated, challenging with lots of people on the trail.  Keeping to my pace I was able to pass most groups we came upon.  After a quick lunch in Gorak Shep off we were to base camp taking about 2 hours which was expected.  The heat is really wearing me down and the headache is back.  Slow going over large boulders.  We arrived at the IMG camp and ran into Dawa....he had a pack of tea, biscuits and chocolate and was planning on meeting us in Gorak Shep!!!!  Perfect timing.  We went into their tent and visited for a wile, drinking the tea and eating the biscuits.  I caught him up on the news of Canada and he updated me on how things are going on Everest.  He is saying this might be his last year as he's now 59, but he might go one more year.  He says he's slowing down, but still much faster than his client!  His son, who also has a client, did a load carry to camp 2 today.  5 hrs round trip with two tanks of oxygen weighing 15kg.  At my best I made it from basecamp to the top of the icefall in 5 hours....without a load, 2/3 of the one way distance!  Dawa is very proud of his son. 

After pictures we headed back....we thought 1 hour return, Dawa's son predicted 1 hr 20 min....but it actually took almost 2 hours.   Ughhhh!!!!  So slow....I should have broken into the Cadbury chocolate bar that Dawa gave us.  

It will be an early night tonight.  The plan for tomorrow is Kalapathar first thing in the morning then head down.  Not sure exactly where but we will find a spot.  

Once I leave Gorak Shep I'll be out of service for a few days. 

We plan on going to Dingboche April 28 then Chukkung and Chukkung ri which means ridge on April 29.  Then I'm not quite sure.
 



Gorak Shep Elevation: 5,164m (16,942 ft)
Base camp Elevation:5,364m (17,598 ft)


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