May 8: Back From 22,000'

From Mike: Just back at Base Camp from a few days spent at 22,000'.  Right now we have enough sun to compose off of solar power so I thought I'd write a little note.

Felt good at altitude -- no headache, no breathing problems; the only problem is that I can't sleep.  Brian had to put in ear plugs because of my Cheyne-Stokes breathing; I wouldn't breath for a while then I'd wake up gasping. It's like waking up with someone shoving a pillow in your face. Another sleeping problem is that I sun burnt my lips and my mouth keeps sticking shut when I actually do fall asleep.

Tom, Brian and I are down here for a rest before we head up for the summit.  Two of our Sherpas are putting in a cache at the high camp. Dan and Jerome will head to the summit in the next few days with Ki Kami and Kusang, then Tom, Brian and I will go up with Khan Cha.  The German team is on their way up and plan to summit in two days. Ki Kami really wanted Tom, Brian and I to stay high and just hitch up with the Germans - safety in numbers - but that would entail giving Dan and Jerome the shaft – which we won’t do. The logistics have been a full time job for me, trying to figure out how we are going to get to the summit and how much stuff we need at each camp.  We don't want too much stuff at each camp as we will have to bring it all down in the end.

Dispatches