Kilimanjaro2006 in the news!

Carrie is from a town in the NorthEastern part of the state called Holyoke. The Holyoke Enterprise did a full story on us and our climb, and we thought it was a really nice article!
We’ve linked to it, or you can click to continue reading and read the article right here on our site!

Couple climbs Mount Kilimanjaro one corporate logo at a time
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By Elizabeth Sampson Holyoke Enterprise
Twenty-one businesses wanted Carrie Roll, 25, and Jonathan Kraft, 26, to go on vacation, and those business were willing to pay for it.
Roll, the daughter of Susan Roll of Holyoke and a 2000 Holyoke High School graduate and her boyfriend Kraft recently traveled to Washington D.C., New York City, New Jersey, Tanzania, Africa and Mount Kilimanjaro-all with the help of sponsorships by businesses.
For a fee of $100, the Parker couple offered to promote any company who signed up to sponsor their trip. The couple agreed to wear that company’s logo during their travels, post company ads for three years on their travel website and upload pictures and videos of themselves wearing the company logos on their June 8 through July 16 trip.
Kraft said 21 companies signed up and there is possibly one other who still wants to get in on the advertising.
Getting sponsorships for their trip came from a need to find a way to pay for their adventure.
“It didn’t pay for whole trip, but it definitely helped offset the cost,” Kraft said.
Throughout their trip the couple kept a web journal updating friends, family and sponsors of their activities. People could log onto www.kilimanjaro2006.com to share in the adventures the couple was having around the world.
Each person who logged on could see the couple around the world-and the logos of the businesses who sponsored them.
Before they left, they did intensive training for their climb up that mountain that soars to 19,341 feet. But what really got them ready for their massive climb was their trip itself.
“The best thing we did as far as training was the whole trip in Washington D.C. and New York City,” Roll said. “We had nine days where we had 10-12 hours on our feet walking around.”
They traveled with a group of 17 people. Four were from Colorado and the rest were from Phoenix. The couple knew two of the other travelers before they embarked.
When they arrived in Africa, they went on a one-day safari in Tanzania, which both travelers considered the best part of the trip.
“It was so cool to see these animals that you usually only see in the zoo,” Roll said. “They look different and they act different.”
Their ascension to the peak of Kilimanjaro took six days.
“You have to acclimate,” Roll said. “Your body can’t really ascend more than 2,000 feet a day and keep up with it.”
Kraft added that it depends on each individual.
“Any more than 4,000 feet in a day and the body will experience some consequences,” he said.
Once they reached the top, it was a life changing experience for both of them.
For one thing, the view was spectacular.
“The summit was amazing,” Kraft said. “You can see the shadow of Kilimanjaro as the sun comes up beyond the horizon. It is just a phenomenal view. It’s really indescribable.”
For another thing, both came down the mountain with a fiancee.
“Jonathan proposed at the summit,” Roll said. True to form, the proposal and the acceptance is on video and will be on their website once they get the footage uploaded.
In addition to their own website, friends and family could see them on television before they left and after their return. They made an appearance on Fox TV’s Good Day Colorado show.
Now back home in Parker, Kraft has his own business in which he helps people get access to the legal system and with identity theft issues. Roll is earning her master’s degree in linguistics from the University of Colorado.
Looking back on their trip they realize the best way to live is just how they went about their trip.
“People talk themselves out of stuff all the time,” Kraft said. “We tell people to just go for it.”
Both encouraged people to take risks. Even though others in their situation might have thought they didn’t have enough money to travel or weren’t in good enough shape to climb Kilimanjaro, this couple didn’t take no for an answer.
“Just find a way,” Roll said.

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