Pre-Expedition Blog: May 2, 2012

We know you have been anxiously awaiting news from Expedition Leader, Mickey Grosman. We have been receiving blogs from Mickey via Satellite transmission and will share it with you all along the expedition duration . Stay tuned as we try to catch you up and share with you Mickey's story.

Pre-Expedition Blog

May 2, 2012:  It was while standing in the lobby of Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, Florida,  October of 2010, waiting to hear the details of a Melanoma cancer I was diagnosed with, when I made a commitment. A year and a half later, Expedition AMAZON 5000 is on its way!

Time has flown by and I am now in South America planning final logistics on the ground, just weeks away from the launch of my epic expedition. I landed in Quito, Ecuador in the evening of May 2nd, 2012. As the plane started its descension towards the city, (a crowded metropolis nestled at 9,500 feet altitude in a valley between the Western and Eastern Andes), I found myself once again captivated by the dramatic views of the mountains and its snow-capped volcanoes. It is at this time of the day that the mountains shine, spotlighted by the sun just minutes before it sets. 

It seems as torn and scratched by strong nature forces forms the slopes and gorges that are running down in all directions surrounding Quito. Some are of dark black basalts – a million years of work by running lava. Some are of the Paramour Eco-System at 16,000 feet height, the glaciers at 17,000 to 21,000 feet elevation and at the far distance are the Andes cloud forest, covered by thick green pristine jungle. This is going to be my land and my extreme challenge for the next 12 months!

Mickey, Natalia and Delfin

I was happily greeted by Natalia Pesantes, a native Ecuadorian and the leader of my inland support team. A very proud Ecuadorian and a specialist in the history of her country, Natalia, a guide at the Museo de Sitio Intiñan has joined our team. A most popular museum for people from around the world, the name means “Museum of the Path of the Sun” in Kichwa, a museum located at the Equator, at the beginning of the Middle of the Earth. She will provide the needed support to me at the expedition’s checkpoints throughout the duration of my Impossible, Possible Journey and along Ecuador, Peru, Colombia and Brazil. 

With her, along to greet me, was my friend Delfin Gualinga, an Amazonia "Jungle Boy" and native to the jungle whom I have known for many years while running the Eco-Adventure program I developed in his land and with his support. Delfin is a Jungle Naturalist and will accompany me throughout my 5000 mile expedition. 

With me on the plane from Miami to Quito, came along Matt Saxman, a native Floridian, a young and blonde "Beach Boy", American Gringo. Leaving behind his beach and party lifestyle, he requested a year ago to join me on my expedition. He lacks in experience but with strong determination he has shadowed me for the past year while in Florida, getting into my military style discipline training and gaining knowledge of the challenges ahead of us all.    

We took a quick cab ride from Quito International airport to "The Hostal Casa Grande". It is a nice room with two bunk beds and a queen sized bed in the middle – a typical backpacker’s room. Dropping off our heavy bags that contained the expedition’s basic gear we then went out to a nice dinner at the "Resturante de Americana." 

Natalia who prepared for our arrival, took lead and presented us with a busy Public Relations campaign schedule. She has the upcoming two weeks prior to the set "go day" for the expedition packed with interviews. The first media interview has been scheduled for tomorrow at 6:00am. 


Feeling light headed and tired, with slight high altitude sickness, I called off the day at about midnight, Quito time.


Until, tomorrow...


- Mickey