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Happy Mother's Day
Lobuche - Sunday, May 14, 2000

DISPATCHES

Tejas

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Happy Mother's Day Mountain Zone! This is Vern Tejas with Alpine Ascents and we're at Mount Everest, which we're trying to climb. We've been resting all day today, sucking up more oxygen and getting ready, in the next couple of days, hopefully with the weather, to try to ascend this mountain.

There are several groups up high at Camp IV in the South Col, however, as of yet no one's made it above 27,500 feet on the Southeast Ridge. And we're all waiting with bated breath hoping that any day now we're going to get our chance to join the small, elite group that has actually topped out on the highest point on earth.

The weather has been cooperating. We've been getting clear, calm weather in the morning and small cloud build up in the afternoon, but the winds have been down and there has been no snow as of recently.

So everybody's been getting real excited and we're getting jazzed here. The big thing is, we'd just like to say hello to all of our mothers out there and wish you a Happy Mother's Day. So with that I'll pass the phone around.

Willi Prittie: This is Willi who would just like to say hello to his sister, Susan Keats, on Mother's Day.

Al Hanna: To Kris Hanna in Chicago, Happy Mother's Day — hope you got my flowers.

Kevin Grant: This is Kevin to my mom, Mary Ellen — very Happy Mother's Day and to my lovely wife, Valerie — Happy Mother's Day to you too.

Stacy Taniguchi: Hi, this is Stacy, to my wife Lou Anne — Happy Mother's Day. Sorry I couldn't serve you breakfast in bed and to my mother-in-law, Marie Russen — Happy Mother's Day.

Ellie Henke: Hey this is Ellie, saying Happy Mama's Day to my one and only favorite mama.

Vern Tejas: And from Jack O'Donnell, Happy Mother's Day to Lisa. And from Vernon, Gayle, Happy Mother's Day. And to mom, I love you!

A young son rises on a special day
Deep emotions rise and lead me to say
There are no words in all creation
That can pay my gratitude and appreciation
You stood by me through thick and thin
No matter what mess I got myself in
You're the one, the best, there could be no other
I just want to say, thank you mother

That's all from Nepal.

— Vern Tejas, Alpine Ascents Guide and MountainZone.com Correspondent

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