Episode 142: Snot Rocket

Posted by on Oct 13, 2010 in All Podcast Episodes, HD Episodes, Season 4, Everest Trek 2009 | Comments Off on Episode 142: Snot Rocket

One Of The Happiest Days Of My Life. We had a pleasant, almost balmy, evening last night and are now on our way back towards Namche Bazaar.

These elevations seemed a bit high over a week ago but now the atmosphere seems luxurious! We’re finally officially back below the treeline and the views you get from this part of the trek are absolutely breathtaking. We still see Everest now and again but primarily our views are dominated by Ama Dablam. A-D is one of the most striking and picturesque mountains on the planet and I simply don’t tire of looking at it.

Today is going to go down in the books as a special day for me on this trek. The group as a whole has gotten to know each other and has become like an extended family. Our staff has gotten to know us and we’ve gotten to know them. Everyone is having a good time and excited to have been to Everest and are even more excited to begin the process of returning home to share their amazing adventures with distant friends and family.

I’m very excited to return home because I’ve really been missing Heidi and Sam. Through all of the fun we’ve been having, the ache of missing my family has been ever present sometimes in the foreground, sometimes in the background, but always there.

Today has been a bit different, though. I am now in the process of returning to my family and will get there when I get there. Instead of thinking about them constantly while hiking I’ve been reviewing the trek and the experiences we’ve been having together as a team. I’m well aware that every trip I take out here changes my life in a positive way but I’m starting to see the same things happening to the rest of the group. No one is the same person they were when they left home a few weeks ago. It’s obvious this trip is having a profound effect on everyone.

Everyone is falling in love with this part of the world–just like I did back in 2003. It was that love that helped me make the film and that led me to create the podcast. I’ve always tried to share as much of the “feeling” of being in these places as I could through the show, but there’s always been the huge limitation that what I’ve been showing is my experience. Now this group has experienced this place first hand and have their own stories, experiences, adventures and opinions of everything.

So, in the end I guess that what I’m feeling today as I hike is pride. I’m really proud of myself for all of the years of the podcast I’ve produced and that it’s led to this amazing experience with these wonderful people. It’s hard to get over the fact that I’m able to keep returning after that first trip and I’m loving every step I’ve been taking today as we hike down.

This has been a very good day.

Jon Miller
Total Running Time: 35:48

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