Wholistic Fitness

WF Student Sponsored World-Class Mountaineer:
Andrew “Bantu” Frost and his son Rowan, cranking some Denali Diamond training time together above Flagstaff a couple of weeks ago. photo by www.jamesqmartin.com

A Night-long Pilgrimage of Breath
by WF Student Bantu, exclusively for DL Subscribers

with clarifications in brackets {} by coach ilg

I dropped off my bike {SEE BELOW FOR A SPECIAL DL-SUBSCRIBER ONLY OFFER TO BUY BANTU’s PRO-LEVEL BIKE} at a friend’s house at the South Rim {of the Grand Canyon} Friday afternoon, then drove up to Jacob Lake {located on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon}, arriving at the lodge at the northern end of {State Highway}67 at 7:30pm. The first climb of the highway past the {closed due to snow} gate sported thin, but continuous snow cover, so I was hopeful that conditions would remain at least that good for the duration, despite the update from one of the waiters at the lodge that they had had some light rain off and on over the past 48 hrs. I tried to take a nap in the back of the truck, but, anxious to get moving on those skis of yours {i loaned Bantu some skate skis}, I set off shortly after 8.

Unfortunately, snow conditions on the road deteriorated to thin runnels between large stretches of naked pavement. I picked my way carefully around, through, and (ski-less) over these demoralizing black pools of asphalt to Murray’s Lake, about 10 miles up the road from the gate. At one point, I ran with the skis on my shoulders for a half mile before meeting a stretch of snow that merited more skiing.

Realizing that I’d crossed the threshold between stubbornness and stupidity {i LOVE that line!}, I turned around and repeated the process in reverse. Determined to get my CV work in, I put the skis in the truck and drove all the way back to the South Rim. I arrived at the South Kaibab trailhead at 12:30 am, shouldered my backpack and cast off into the void.

Have you ever moved through the {Grand} Canyon at night? It is a wide sleeping mouth: katabatic and anabatic airflows in alternating side canyons make it breathe; Coyote somewhere always ahead of you, sister Skunk rooting among the Baccharis and willow along the stream banks. And the lion, yes, puma concolor, that Being so far beyond relation to us: is the moonlight moving across talus-strewn benches and remote mesa tops….

Just under an hour later, I blasted across the river, through Phantom Ranch {a popular campground/lodge at the bottom of the Grand Canyon} like that encampment’s namesake and blitzed up Bright Angel Canyon to Roaring Springs to the North Rim, which I topped out around 3:30 am. {in Bantu’s usual humility, what he did in 3 three hours takes most people an entire day of hiking} Curious, I continued to the junction with that southern end of 67, and, feeling justified in my earlier decision, took a satisfied, vindicated look at the stretches of open pavement on the way to the North Rim Lodge.

Squatting in the moon-shadows of spruce and fir, I melted some snow for water, then ran back into the Canyon again. {!!! only Bantu would consider doing “laps” up and down the Grand Canyon!!!} This time, as I pounded down the icy switchbacks of Roaring Springs Canyon, my quads started feeling some fatigue from restraining the momentum that gravity encourages. I stopped at Ribbon Falls to get some more water and took a half hour nap. I hit the river again at 6:15, where a friend who works at Phantom greeted me with a killer breakfast (bacon and omelet and cinnamon rolls). This was a mistake.

On my way back out, up the South Kaibab, my quads and stomach began cramping. I walked through the switchbacks of the Redwall, dependent upon my breath to keep my legs moving (hum-sa), then ran through the remaining strata, topping out in just under 1:40 for that last, uphill, sunrise split. {dude, dude, dude…this final split on a pre-fatigued system just blows feeble ilg away!}

Bantu and Rowan on AT skis…climbing ‘skins’ are attached to the bottom of Bantu’s skis so he can climb up steep slopes…at the top, he takes them off and speeds down. photo by www.jamesqmartin.com

I ran back to my friend’s house on the South Rim and picked up my bike, but it seemed especially arbitrary and contrived for me to bike to Flag only to have to shuttle back up to the S. Rim later to pick up my truck. So I had a cup of coffee, then threw the bike in the back of the truck and blasted back home to grab my AT skis and take a painful lap on the mountain {meaning, Bantu skinned up – see photo above – Agassiz Peak, adding another 2,000′ vertical to his workout}.

What did I learn?

That the landscape always exceeds me. It is only the breath that articulates the legs again and again and again, lengthening out. What else can one trust?

Fortunately, this outing has given me confidence that my cardiovascular fitness is at least equal to the tax Denali will expect of me.

Here’s the stats: 10 hours of driving, 20 miles of skiing/running on Hwy 67 in 2 hours, 20,000 vert. feet over 52 miles of running on S. and N. Kaibab trails (rim to rim to rim + some bonus miles on both rims) in ~7:40, and an additional 4,000 vert. feet of cramping legs skinning up and skiing down Agassiz. Total time on the move = 26 hrs.

It wasn’t what I’d hoped for, planned for, or particularly desired, but there’s no sense being stubborn (read: stupid) in the face of contrary conditions when other options are available. Besides, I actually think that my backup plan was harder. Particularly all of the driving (dodging jackrabbits and errant Navajos at 80 mph). Oh well. Hopefully it’ll dump one more time and I’ll get a chance to find out.

Bowed,

Bantu

***
DL SPECIAL:
Okay; so, I KNOW you are inspired by this amazing mountain yogi…so, how about if you buy Bantu’s Pro Bike to help fund his airfare to Alaska to climb the Denali Diamond? Hec, better yet, buy it for the WF Temple so that Bantu can still use it and all visiting Students can ride a bike that’s been on the pro triathlon circuit! (oh, and so i can race it at the IRON HORSE Time Trial this May!)

First Come, First Served for DL Readers!!!

This is Bantu’s Bike…an utterly sweet deal!

here’s the specs:

“Steve,
Thanks so much for being willing to post this on your site. Here’s
some photos of this gorgeous bike of mine. Hope to sell it to help
finance the trip to AK. Asking $3000.00 for it. Here’s the dirt:

2000 Kestrel 500 EMS. $3000.00. Ruby red carbon fiber weave. Frame
weighs 2.9 pounds with fork; size 56. DuraAce components throughout.
CODA stem and saddle. Carbon fiber fork. Profile Designs forward
seatpost. Mavic Helium 650c wheels. Whole setup about $6000.00 new.

gearing:
53/30
24-12

It nearly breaks my heart to sell this bike. This is, by far, the
quickest pair of wheels I’ve ever ridden. With its 650c Mavic Helium
wheels, corner, climb, and accelerate away from the peloton. Ideal
for serious and aspiring Olympic distance triathletes as well as road
racing criterion riders with a penchant for punishing their
competitors. Used only in the 2000 U.S. National Triathlon
Championships and the 2000 ITU World Championships in Perth,
Australia, this bike has many more races in it. Besides its stunning
good looks and ungodly light weight (due to the carbon fiber weave),
the stiffness of this frame is outstanding. Willing to sell just
frame, fork, and wheels for $2750.00. Slight cosmetic flaw in the
polyurethane coat over the”Kestrel” logo on one side.

Also, I’ve got a Serfas hard case in which the Kestrel has twice
flown. Available new for 350.00, I’m willing to sell it for 200.00 to
the buyer of the Kestrel. Like new; some cosmetic scratches from
overzealous baggage handlers.

I’ll happily package and post the Kestrel for the buyer (via their
preferred shipper), but the buyer will be responsible for all shipping
costs. The buyer’s personal check or money order must clear before
shipping will occur.

I’m a fair and honest fellow, but have been taken advantage of before.

Contact me through Coach (steve wholisticfitness.com) with further questions, or to express your interest.

Andrew “Bantu” Frost”