I Was Never Meant To Go Solo
Originally, I set out on my own for this adventure to Tanzania, Africa. Not because I was proving a solo adventure, but because I knew I wanted to do it no matter if I had to do it solo or not. I wanted to mark my 45th birthday on this earth by experiencing something memorable, something challenging, and something that I could feel proud of accomplishing. January 2020 I registered for Thompson safaris October Kilimanjaro trek up the western approach and I wrote this in my journal, “Thank you to the many people who have inspired, informed and deeply influenced and encouraged me to get to my exciting mountain of a decision. Although I will be traveling to Africa on my own, each one of you holds a special place in my pocket throughout this adventure. If anyone else would like to come along in my pocket, don’t be shy! Everyone is welcome as long as you don’t add any weight to my limit of 33 pounds!”
By February 2022, the universe had other plans, and I could not be more grateful. Shortly after moving to the once small town of Bend, OR in the middle of the pandemic and nearly two years from when I was supposed to be hiking to Africa’s rooftop, a neighbor invited me to go for a hike. Little did I know that several months later she would be asking me how I felt about her coming along for an African ascent! And thank goodness she imagined herself in Africa with me, otherwise I am certain I would have been lost on a training trail many months ago!
February 18, 2022- It’s official, Carrie is coming to hike Kilimanjaro with me!
This hiking buddy has been an incredible partner in training! Carrie is a logistics maven with a fabulous sense of direction and makes the most incredible chocolate chip cookie for the perfect trail treat! I know for sure that training for Kilimanjaro would have been extremely boring without Carrie because I wouldn’t have felt comfortable exploring so many new trails alone and I wouldn’t have known how to navigate the government operated permit system! I most certainly would have been lost several times and for sure would have missed many beautiful and powerful conversations. We laughed, cried, managed logistics for our children, tried on every kind of outdoor clothing and equipment available and sweated our way up, down and sideways over hundreds of miles of Oregon trails! All proof that the journey is just as meaningful and memorable as the destination… if you are paying attention.
A few days after Carrie made things official, I got a phenomenal surprise text from my beastie! Anne and I met in Breckenridge, CO about 25 years ago and we have made hundreds of memories together from dance floors to mountaintops, but our adventures always contain a healthy dose of laughter and one or both of us wetting our pants! Her message on this beautiful February morning was inquiring about hiking the Grand Canyon rim to rim this summer. When I told her that would be great training for Kilimanjaro and I’m interested, she was already looking for permits. As luck would have it all the permits were sold out and so, she did what all willing, brave and adventure-seeking human beings do… She signed up to climb Kilimanjaro with me. Pinch me!
February 21, 2022- Anne is IN and we are going UP together! Who will wet their pants first?!
Seriously, one of my favorite people on the planet is now going to join in on this epic adventure too! Now, I am 100% convinced I wasn’t meant to climb Kilimanjaro on my 45th birthday and I absolutely wasn’t meant to do it without some soul sisters.
While each of us will be landing in Africa with different intentions on our shoulders, we have come together to support one another, and have an adventure of a lifetime.
I do trust the universe and now see clearly that I wasn’t meant to experience this on my own. I was meant to have my community in all of my pockets and two incredible friends holding each of my hands.
Anne and I hiking shenanigans in Colorado 2007
Carrie and I atop Broken Top lamenting our South Sister hike, September 23, 2022
Sometimes we reach for community, and sometimes community reaches us, but for sure, we are not meant to move through life alone. It sure is a beautiful thing when life presents you with opportunities that you didn’t even imagine possible. Kicking off my 47th birthday is going to be a HIGHlight of my life and I am so grateful that the universe delivered the time for me to reflect, learn and extend this journey over the past nearly three years. The destination of 19,341 has been an epic journey thus far and having the opportunity to lock arms with Carrie and Anne along the way is a gift I will forever cherish.
Find your community, climb life’s mountains together and love the shit out of each other!
Courageously yours,
Jordana 🧡