The Rest of Everest: Episode 63

A new episode of The Rest of Everest has been released, and we're up to Episode 63, aptly titled A New Beginning. As producer Jon Miller explained last week, this will be the first episode centered around his return to Tibet and the North Side of Everest in the Spring of 2007.

Jon is joined by Scott Jacobs, his long time friend and traveling companion on this adventure. The episode opens with Jon and Scott on the plane, flying out of Denver. We get some great shots outside the window and Jon remarks how the Colorado plateau looks a lot like Tibet from the air. Soon the video shifts however, and we get our first views of Everest. The guys joke about the 36 hour travel time from Colorado to Nepal.

Like Jon's previous Everest expedition back in 2003, we start this journey by getting a glimpse of what it's like to travel to Nepal. Early footage in this episode shows Jon and Scott on the plane, and you can't help but chuckle when you see the other passengers scramble to one side of the plane to try to get a look at Everest when the pilot announces it's location. Of course, I know deep down inside, I'd be right there with them were I on that flight. :)

Soon, Jon and Scott are in Kathmandu and their adventure truly begins. They're obviously tired and jet lagged, and missing their gear, which at that point hadn't arrived yet. Jon shares some of his thoughts on his return to Kathmandu and a part of the World that he hasn't seen since 2003, but has remained a big part of his life through this podcast.

One of the more thoughtful moments of this episode is when Jon talks about the last time he was there with Ben Clark, the lead climber for the 2003 expedition. Jon and Ben went to a local restaurant for breakfast, and ran into their friend David Sharp. They shared breakfast and conversation that morning before parting ways. Everyone knows the story of David Sharp by now, but upon his return to Kathmandu, Jon and Scott went to the same restaurant, and it brought up memories of David that clearly had a profound effect on Jon.

Jon remarks at the end of the episode that it wasn't the most exciting of shows, but I have to disagree. I enjoyed watching the beginning of this new journey. Watching two friends begin an adventure together was interesting to me, and listening to them talk about their experience was entertaining as well. The video of Kathmandu, a place that I will one day visit myself, was great, and this episode was a perfect beginning for this new phase of The Rest of Everest. I certainly can't wait to see what's next.

As always, the episode is available from the link I posted above, or through iTunes. I'd highly recommend simply subscribing to the podcast in iTunes itself, and new episodes will automatically be delivered to you when they are released. If you're new to the show, this is a good episode to start with, as it marks the beginning of a new journey, but you really should go back to the beginning, and watch all the episodes in order. It's the most comprehensive look at an Everest expedition that you'll ever have the opportunity to see, and it really will give you a sense of what it's like to climb the mountain.