Mt. Longonot

Saturday we set out for a 14.5 km hike from the Rift Valley floor to the top of a volcano with a collapsed caldera.

Just hitting the first little bit of steep stuff.  Nicole says this is one of the nicest photos I've ever taken.

After the first 3.1 km (including a few giraffe, gazelles, and a warthog) we came to the rim:

On the way, we passed lots of acacia trees covered in these funny little round things:

I wasn't trying to be artsy; I just accidentally had the camera in B&W mode.

These are little ant homes.  You can see them (as little black dot things) running along the sides of the "bulb."  The ants build these around the (massive) thorns on the acacias.  Thorns and ants provide extra defense against predators.  Sometimes the wind blows through them and makes a whistling sound, hence the "whistling acacia" or "whistling thorns." 

As we marched around the rim, we saw a neighboring crater (also a collapsed caldera).

The walls of the crater are really quite steep.  The views were tremendous, bordering on vertiginous.  Narrow paths, amazing views, and occasional hyena poop!

We elected NOT to descend.  Apparently some do... with equipment and guides.

Nonetheless, some pretty extraordinary views.  In the distance is Hell's Gate National Park.

Then we got to the top... and oh my, the view!  Plus refreshments and play time!

 Obligatory TAB.  I will be submitting these pictures to the manufacturer in a bid for a lifetime supply for our fearless leader/pathology attending extraordinaire.

Show offs.

Except for the red backpack in the background and the outmoded clothing, this could have been straight out of a martial arts movie.  "Rift Valley of Fury" or maybe "Enter the Rift Valley."

Then we set off for the rest of our circumambulation.

This also would fit in some classic martial arts movie.  Where's the Taoist Temple, Sifu?

There was just as much scrambling down as there was going up.

And yes, it was at least as dusty as it looks in the pictures...

Dirty feet.

 We all were quite pleased with ourselves at the bottom.  I had a refreshing, very cold, local ginger beer: Stoney Tangawizi.  It was amazing.  Too sweet and gingery for others... which worked for me!

Celebrate good times, c'mon!