I trained harder than my usual routine for 7 weeks before this trip and gave up alcohol entirely for 6 weeks preceding the trip.  My training included running 5 mile route 1-2 times per week, climbing 20-60 minutes/2400-6000 vertical feet 2-3 times per week (sometimes with 40lb pack and ankle weights), weight training 2-3 times per week and hockey 1-2 times per week.  I had 8-10 workouts total per week and I always made an effort to take one day off per week, so some days I did 2 workouts and I even had a couple long days with 3 solid workouts.

 

We arrive in Mineralnye Vody for our Elbrus climb and meet some of our team who are doing an 8 day climb and some people who are taking an 11 day climb.  It is quite a diverse group in many ways.  We have 10 people from 8 countries on our climb plus a South African who, just completing Mont Blanc and not requiring acclimatization, will be heading up in only 3 days with a guide.  The group has some people who have not climbed major peaks, some with moderate experience (like me) of Kilimanjaro and some who have also climbed Aconcagua or Denali.  Hendrik Vivier (South Africa) claimed Cho Oyu and Makalu, two of the fourteen 8000meter peaks, very serious indeed.  On the 4 hour drive from the airport, I pick the brains of the Aconcagua and Denali climbers for any advantage of information that I can get.  Marek, always the charmer, sits next to two sisters from Norway, Hege and Stine who are on the 11 day climb.  The guide that picks us up at the airport is Sergey and he will guide the 11 day group.  

 

Our guide is Oxana, a tough, serious, yet still ruggedly attractive Ukrainian woman.  After a few days with Oxana, we realize that the answer to any question is “no”, followed by an explanation that explains the “no” to mean yes, maybe, in a minute or it will cost you money.  

 

We are assigned rooms at the base of the mountain, which is basically a rustic, primitive ski lodge that is still under construction.  Marek and I cruise down to the base of the lifts, 100m away, where there is a small market with a few shops, restaurants and bars.  We have a couple of beers in the sun and enjoy the day.  At dinner, Marek sees Hege and Stine by themselves and immediately goes to their table.  Sergey protests our joining with clients from another group, but we ignore him and enjoy their company and we invite them to the pub in the lodge for a few beers afterward.  At the pub we were all drinking beers and having fun.  A few Russians liked the girls and sent over a bottle of Vodka.  Marek and someone else in the know left at this time.  We are now required to drink the Vodka sent.  If we did not drink fast enough, the Russians got pissed.  Hege started pouring her shots in my glass.  When we had all had enough we left, except for Marius who stuck around until the Russians physically threw him out for not drinking Vodka.  I ended up getting along very well with Hege on this trip and have been invited to visit her in Norway.  However, Sergey did his best to make sure we did not eat, hike or allow us any time together; I get the distinct feeling that it was more than just trying to keep the tour groups separated as Oxana never protested our hanging out together.