WE DID IT, To Santiago Peak on March 15, 2015

We did it, YES, we did. I and Krishan reached to the top of the Saddleback Mountain at Santiago Peak on March 15^th at 1.00 PM.

The journey to this peak started on Sunday 15h March morning with an alarm clock buzz at 4.30 AM. It was forctasted to be record breaking heat in SoCal, but we had planned it for three months, so I and Krishan decided to push ahead, but not sure if we will be able to make it to the top. WE DID IT, and we are so happy.

We planned to be ahead of the game by starting early, so we reached to the base camp just before dawn after driving 10 miles on a very bumpy mud Road. We took a 15 minutes break at the base camp. We checked our backpacks and made sure we have extra water and food, and then started hiking for the top to Santiago Peak. We had planned to hike 1/3 to the lower Holy Jim trail before taking any break, and this part of the trail is dense and beautiful with lot of shades, trees and flowering.

The second part of the trail to peak is where we start to gain elevation. It is a very narrow trail going back and forth on the mountain slope and after each round, we could feel that we are conquering few of the mountains. This is the best section of the hike with plenty of shaded and open space to look back and look under to get the exciting feeling that, in deed we are in and getting closer to the destination, but peak was still far away and unknown.

We completed second section of the hike and reached divider road for the last hike, which is called Upper Holy Jim. We stared to feel cool, but not cold as temperature below at the city was 91+, so it worked better that as we gained elevation the temperature remained in the comfortable range. Upper Holy Jim is not only the most difficult part of the hike, and adding to it is that we were tired too. It is a complete dirt road with lot of boulders and diches and the views are blocked by big trees. 


We stopped at many places to take pictures. After completing half of the Upper Holy Jim, we were hungry and wanted to break for the lunch, and here we started to feel that we are going to make to the top. So, we decided to push forward and will have lunch at the Santiago Peak. At every stop, we make sure to look down and we could see all of the mountains below us, except one, yes Santiago Peak was still more than a mile hike away on steep elevation.

Note this, was our last push, we put camera and phones in the back-pack, and just have a water bottle out, got fully determined to make this a final push and stop only at the peak, And YES, we made it, it was around 1.00 PM, we were at the top, we had conquered Santiago Peak, the tallest mountain in the Orange County and in the Saddleback Mountain range. We truly felt at the top of the world at that moment, all of the fatigue was gone and all of the preparation as well as wishes from the friends, family and had paid off. Called my wife and kids and asked my son and daughter to come out of house and look at the mountain around you. The one you find the tallest one, look that that peak and I am there, your dad is there on the phone talking to you.

Way back to the base camp was as full of adventure with some good life story from Krishan, the encounter and welcoming by snake, the play and petting of wild peacock, and the chime of birds, and water creek, a true experience of being submerged in the nature. It was such a rewarding and fulfilling experience for both of us.

In the journey of life we meet many people and all good people in good and not so good times. We always look for one person that is your true friend and it is hardest to find that one. The one, who can be on your side when you are right and most important, even you are not right. And, the one who will take risk with you and go miles and miles with you. And, I am one of the lucky people to fine one such friend, thank you Krishan.

We look forward to conquer another mountain peak during the summer of 2015 for this good cause and for the love of my village in Bihar, India.

Thank you guys for your donation and support.

Rajiv Singh

Final Hike To Whiting Ranch Wilderness Park before Santiago Peak Hike

As promised in my last week blog, we did hike last Sunday 03/08/20, almost whole day for 16.5 miles (Strava Link). It was personal records for both myself and Krishan. More than ever, we are ready for a big hike to Santiago Peak on 03/15/2015.

On my fund-raising target of reaching $1000.00 for Santiago Peak Summit itself, To all who had pledged and to many of Friends Of Irvine supporters for Global IT Village project, keep your wallet ready to contribute, but hold off your contribution till 03/15 when we summit at Santiago Peak. This is a great project to help village kids and people at the lowest level of food-chain. I need your help to make this pilot project a grand success. I will summit Santiago Peak on 3/15, and I hope you can keep your promise as well.

Now coming back to all details of yesterday hike.

Overlooking Irvine from Whiting Ranch Mountain 

Myself and Krishan had set the target of crossing our previous records of 14.5 miles long hike and wanted to be ready to summit before rain God started pouring-in in SoCal, but absolutely no complain; as we need lot more rain here in CA than ever.

We reached at trail head near Ralph for the Whiting Ranch Wilderness Park at around 10.30 am and had planned to hike all day so that we condition our self to a daylong hike to summit. This time, we were bit prepared in terms or carry weight and supplies we want to carry, so we each grabbed Subway sandwich and loaded back-pack with 3 litters of water, trail-mixes, sun-screen, glasses, hat, hiking stick and all of items that we will be carrying to summit. Started hiking at around 11.00 am knowing temperature was to reach mid 80s during the day.

Krishan Sami (One of my best friend) 

We hiked 3 miles to reach water tank and then, for many of you who know Whiting Ranch, there are three forks loop from Water tank, we took the difficult one and hiked for about 3 miles before we settled and had lunch and then sagged sandwich didn't test as good as ever. We came back to Water tank for a 10 minutes break and started on the second loop, which gave us good but tiring 4 miles.
Came back to water tank again and had few snacks and water, stretched and got ready for the third and final loop. But, wait a minute, even if we complete final loop and head back to trail head we will be only 12 miles or so, which will be 4 miles short of our target of 16 miles

That is me

So, with this target in our mind, we reached to the farthest point on third loop and took few of additional loops of smaller trails so that when we start head back, it would give us a 16 miles of total. This last loop was toughest one with direct sun and body already reached to the capacity but mind still not ready to let go. We reached to water tank again for third time with 13.5 miles already completed.

Now from water tank to hiking trail head is 2 miles hike. After 1 miles on the way, we were not sure if we will still cross 15 miles, so we took another diversion to hike on a small trail for a mile uphill and rejoined the main trail to take us to the trail head and parking. And believe me that last diversion with up-hill, every step was harder and harder than ever and body was giving up, but mind cool and calm knowing that end of the hike is very near. We hiked back to the parking completing 15.5 mile of hike and breaking personal records for both myself and Krishan, tired but so much happier and confident than ever for the final summit hike to Santiago Peak.

It will be fun and exciting to reach Santiago Peak, the highest peak in Orange County. And with your support and encouragement, we will reach summit on 03/15/2015.

Thank you,

Rajiv Singh

Link for Donation

Hiking Update:

OK guys, looks like rain has finally stopped and warm days are back in Orange County, CA, and that means we will start practice hike from this Sun 3/8. We plan to hike at least 16 miles round trip to cover the same distance as Santiago Peak round-trip. Depending on how team feels after this practice hike, this could be our final hiking practice before we will hike to Summit at Summit Peak.

We will need to check with team tomorrow to confirm for sure, who are still on-board besides those who have already signed-up.

On the fund raising for Global IT Village, we had a good start, but my target is to raise 1K or more on or before Santiago Peak hike. So, that means I still have lot more to raise and lot more work and reach out to many friends and network who had pledged. I am hoping to get contribution accelerate during and after we complete Summit at Santiago Peak.

It is a great pilot project that will benefit at the lowest level. All of the money raised will directly go to building a Village IT Center, all of it means 100%, there is no mediator no overhead at all.

Here is Google Picture and link of my village Garhi Bishanpur, in Bihar, India. I will share more info about my village and demography in my next blog.

So if you are reading this blog, please donate at:

http://www.youcaring.com/nonprofits/climbing-to-santiago-peak-raise-fund-for-global-it-village/305084

DONATE

“IT DOESN’T MATTER, I CAN SEE MY CAR NOW”

OK guys, here is what happened last week hiking and it is in the last few sentences of the story below, but read it from top to bottom.

ON 02/01 – Our first prep hike for Target Santiago Peak
=======

Two weeks ago, we started hiking with many of us lagging behind and we had many issues or fatigue and capacity. We were un-prepared with many showing up in Jeans, few water bottles and regular shoes. Krishna having started small cramps in the leg at the start of Big Bend itself. Then, many of us remember, we still took a decision to decent on Laguna Ridge (toughest one mile in OC with 75% elevation and a lot of rocks and boulders), and then Krishan has second and third cramps on the trail and he couldn’t walk to the car. We all saw what happened then, we all got the really check, many of us saying that we are not ready for Santiago Peak. JUST TWO WEEKS AGO


Now Two weeks later:
=================

Evening Before: 02/07/2015

We setup the stage for double digits miles long hike but the week end stated with not sure who will make it or we might cancel the hike. Morning started with Krishan having late night party in Corona for a friend 25th anniversary and went to bed at 1.30 AM. I too were late night completing many pending items.

Morning at 5.30 AM – my alarms buzz, I got up checking who is coming or who not and it is silence. Again we almost canceled the hike, but we went for it anyway. Here is conversation between Krishna and me

[2/8, 5:56 AM] Rajiv Singh: Krishan r we canceling today hike?
[2/8, 5:59 AM] Rajiv Singh: Shiva is not online, manny is out roday, lets cancel.today hike
[2/8, 6:02 AM] Krishan Sammi: No, why to cancel
[2/8, 6:02 AM] Krishan Sammi: We will go
[2/8, 6:02 AM] Rajiv Singh: Ok then
[2/8, 6:03 AM] Rajiv Singh: Leest go, but just me and you
[2/8, 6:03 AM] Krishan Sammi: If no one is there we can try 12 miles because then there is nothing to hurry
[2/8, 6:04 AM] Rajiv Singh: That is right, so will meet u there, i thouvht u were sleeping
[2/8, 6:05 AM] Krishan Sammi: Shiva is coming too

I drove and then carpooled with Shiva and we reached their late and started hike at 7.00 AM with a target of 12 miles – tough goal. Reached to the fork of Big Bent and Laguna Ridge and took a decision to head on Big Bend (Goal was to get easy 12 miles, so we avoided Laguna Ridge) after Krishan Says, “We will come back and conquer Laguna ridge one day”

Fork towads NIX nature center after 7 miles – we thought is is flat 2.5 miles each way, so lets add 5 miles to make 12 miles and head back home. Turned out to be difficult 5 miles with many peaks similar to Big Bend. Shiva has to return for prior commitment, so he drove my car back to Irvine.

We reached NIX, took a 30 minutes rest and after talking to staff there found that there is a natual lake (only one in OC) in a one mile. We had seen many natural lakes in India during rainy season, so lets see one more here. We decided, lets go the lake and then we had back to car, well it was difficult 2 miles and by the time we came back to NIX parking, we were already tired. Time was running out as I had to be at home at 1.30 PM to drop my daughter to her first Volleyball torunament starting at 2.00.

So, started hiking back to car, just like we are being chased by a bear, thinking it is 3.00 miles more to go – turned out the be 5 miles on a new trail with many peaks and valley, tired exhausted, hungry – but we had enough water and fruits/trail-mixes though. And the last banana we shared never tested so sweet before. We headed-back to car completing 14 miles but wait, Krishan still had to drop me to my home in Irvine before heading back to RSM. I reached home just 10 minutes late and got in my car, I drove daughter to Volleyball tournament, her team came second. And both myself and Krishan had a personal record of 14 MILES HIKE, tired but very happy ending 

But wait, did I tell you what happened on last 14th miles ...

So we are just half mile away from parking lot climbing on the last small peak and guess what happened, Krishan has another cramp on his leg, OMG. And then Krishan says,

“DON’T WORRY, I CAN HANDLE IT THIS TIME”

and then he says,

“IT DOESN’T MATTER, I CAN SEE MY CAR NOW”

So join us and support us.

We will make it to Santiago Peak, Please do you part and donate for this great cause.

Thank you,

Rajiv Singh

Hello Everyone,

It was my birthday two days ago on 10/02 and I received my first birthday wish call from my mom a day before evening from a small village in India. I receive this call every year, she is first one to wish me and want me to have cake.

My birthday has always reminded me that I must do something good for my native village, my roots and the reason for my existence and identity.

Today, on my birthday, I want to do something for my birthplace. I want to build a small solar based computer center in my village. And locally here, with few of my friends at Friends Of Irvine, I have taken a mission to conquer Santiago Peak, the tallest mountain in Orange County, CA,

I need your help to raise fund for my village,

Please Donate

Thank you,

Rajiv Singh,
Irvine, CA

http://www.facebook.com/hi2rajiv