This will be my son's first trek with me! This is my 5th or 6th trek, I've come to know Nick as a friend, and the community who do the trek as comrades. I've spoken with people over kms who lost their wives, their sisters, their husbands, their Dads. I've known people who've beaten bowel cancer, if beaten is an okay term to use. I've pushed myself and raced some days and rambled others. This has grown to be important to me. But this year is a bit different. My ex father-in-law, a very good man named Rod, has just started chemo for stage 4 bowel cancer. He's high in spirit and good in health, but he knows he's in for a rough 6 months of treatment. This year, my son Kalen, who's 16, is joining me on the hike. This will be a most special year.