Merry Christmas!

[Perry]

Well Steve, I see you in person and we talk on the phone all the time, but if you want me to wish you happy new year on a message board...what's your favorite e-beer? I'll email you a 6-pack...

[magikwalt]

Hiking here is limited to mixed trails. You have dust trail, dust & gravel trail and dust and pavement trails. Elevation gain is roughly 10 ft from one end to the other. Since there is still an open season on humans in Iraq you wouldn't want to walk any ridgelines even if there were some.

All I can do is train on the treadmill and read the great trip reports so keep posting those.

I should return towards the end of August so I will need a couple crazy folks to escort me to the bar. Gawd, haven't had a beer since I left Georgia in August!

Perry - Send that 6 pack to me not Steve.

Happy New Year to all.

[bluerail]

yea Perry, we can get beer sat.

maybe we should all get together, pitch in and get Walt something better than beer..

[Cy Kaicener]

Walt - are you doing any hiking there?. I keep thinking of the three American hikers that were kidnapped in the Zagros Mountains (I think)
which are on or near the Iraq/Iran border. Stay safe. I think there is a meetup group in Iraq.

[magikwalt]

Hello Cy,

No hiking here. Our base is pretty small and surrounded by a 8-9ft high concrete wall created by putting something similar to highway dividers arouund it. Guard towers every 100 yards or so with almost nothing but flat dirt, gravel or pavement. The only "hills" are mounds created for former equipment used by the army that is no longer here. Given how close the town of Kirkuk is I don't think standing around on top of the mound is a smart idea.

If you search google maps - Kirkuk Airport, Iraq you will see the base as it existed some years ago. The base is located on the southwest corner of where the two runways join. Shouldn't be too hard to figure out...as you zoom in just look for where all the buildings start getting put into nice neat rows.

[Ellen]

Howdy Walt

Happy New Year! I thought of you and Jean the entire time on Boo Hoff to Sugarloaf on Wednesday. It's been two years since I've hiked with you and Jean -- way too long. We'll remedy that when you return. I'm also buying the post-hike beer for my Gunny. Please stay safe

Miles of smiles,
Ellen