From: mack@oakhill.sps.mot.com (Gregg Mack ( Sun ))
Subject: Re: Invitation from Rockport
Organization: Motorola Inc., Austin, Texas
Date: Sat, 19 Dec 1992 14:20:17 GMT

wing@canada.ceo.dg.com (Brian Wing) writes:

>czichon@psyche.csc.ti.com (Cary Czichon) writes:
>: In article <1992Dec15.201334.20390@oakhill.sps.mot.com>
>: mack@oakhill.sps.mot.com (Gregg Mack ( Sun )) writes:
>: 
>: >Well, yes I also received this invitation!  It looks like they want
>: >to hike 45 miles up this tall African mountain in a single day. They
>: >appear to be serious and the invitation/application was very detailed.   
>:
>: one day?  Amazing!  Can you spell cerebral edema?  I knew you could.
>: 
>I find this extremely hard to believe as well.  I strolled up Kili about 
>two years ago.  We went about 3000' vertical per day and the whole expedition
>took about four days up and two down. [...]
>And why the hurry, I wonder.  It seems to me a better test would last six days 
>and not just one. [...] 
>But, hey, if you really do it, do let us know how it goes. [...] 

I am not "planning" on doing this Rockport Kilimanjaro Challenge.  I am not
in THAT kind of physical shape, and even if I were and wanted to, Rockport
is only going to select two persons that they feel have the best chance of
succeeding in this "ultimate wear test".  I am appending the exact copy of
the letter Rockport sent to me (and I previously posted earlier this week).

------------

Here is the exact wording of the letter that I received from The Rockport
Company regarding their one-day Kilimanjaro expedition. I don't see where
it is copyrighted, and I do no know if the invitation is open to everyone.
Apparently I received this invitation simply because I bought a pair of
walking shoes at one of their stores here locally nearly two years ago!
I am not affiliated with Rockport in any other way, and I am posting this
only because of the unusual nature of this letter and its possible interest
to readers of these USENET groups.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Rockport Company
220 Donald J. Lynch Blvd.
Marlboro, MA  01752
(508) 485-2090

Dear Rockport Consumer,

In 1993, The Rockport Company will celebrate a successful decade of
leadership in walking.  Throughout these last ten years, we have proven
our commitment to innovative comfort technology and have put our products
through the most stringent tests.

In 1984, Rockport walked 11,000 miles across all fifty states in fifty
weeks in "The 50/50 Walk"; in 1990, Rockport ran the New York City
Marathon in DresSports (R) shoes and, subsequently, ran six marathons in
five countries around the world; in 1992, Rockport blazed the American
Discovery Trail, officially marking the country's first coast-to-coast
hiking trail.

This coming year, Rockport will conduct another ultimate wear test.  In
1993, employees of Rockport will tackle the 45 mile trek up Kilimanjaro,
one of the most majestic and mystical mountains in the world...and they
will try to do this in ONE DAY!!

Because our customers have been an integral part of our success, we 
would like to invite two Rockport consumers to be our guests on Kili-
manjaro and to be part of our celebration.

The second greatest mountain (mass) in the world, Kilimanjaro reigns
supreme at 19,340 feet and is known as the "Roof of Africa".  A mere
two degrees off the equator, the mountain is truly a realm of tropical
ice.

The point of this challenge is to test Rockport (R) hiking boots against
Kili's vast array of climates and terrain.  A diversity unrivaled on any
other mountain in the world: from wet and mud of the lush tropical jungle,
across parched lava deserts to the frigid ice clad rim of the volcano,
Kili offers the hiker the challenge of a lifetime, and his footwear, the
most extreme test.

How can you become part of this very challenging event?  Simply fill out
the enclosed application and return it to Rockport by January 8, 1993.
Rockport is looking for people who are exceptionally fit and, most
importantly, have the desire, drive, and determination to rise to the
Kilimanjaro challenge.  Hiking experience, especially at an altitude
of over 10,000 ft., will be very useful.  Applications will be processed
over a four week period.

The final candidates will be interviewed by an advisory panel, which
will include a physician, at our corporate headquarters the week of
January 25, 1993.  Rockport will pay for airfare and hotel for these
candidates.  The final trip participants will be notified by January
29, 1993.

The trip is scheduled for the week of April 19, but trip participants
will be traveling for a period of two weeks beginning April 11 through
May 2, 1993.  Rockport travelers will depart from Boston, where there
will be an initial orientation, and then fly to Kilimanjaro Airport,
Arusha, Tanzania, Africa via Amsterdam.

Beginning February 1, 1993 right up to the departure date, Rockport
will help participants get ready for the Kili feat through a training
program developed by a certified sports trainer close to their home-
towns.

This carefully tailored training program will ensure that each partici-
pant is thoroughly prepared for the climb.

The trip leader will be Rob Taylor, a skilled mountain climber who has
climbed Kilimanjaro five times.  Rob, who authored the book "The Breach"
about his first trip to Kilimanjaro, has 22 years of extensive climbing
experience.

Rob's career includes mountain guiding and instruction in Scotland, the
Rockies, Switzerland, and Norway.  He has been trained a a paramedic,
has worked in mountain medicine and mountain rescue for twenty years and
is a Certified U.S. Avalanche Ranger. 

Once everyone has arrived in Kilimanjaro National Park, there will be a
thorough orientation, where trip participants will meet the other expert
members of the climbing team, including two Rockport employees, who will
be joining the climb.

In May, we will announce our feat to the media in New York City and would
like you to join us.  Shortly thereafter, we would like your assistance
as we tell our story to the country.

This is the trip of a lifetime and we very much want you to be there, as
part of our ultimate wear-test on Kilimanjaro.  Your loyalty and belief
in our products has been instrumental in putting us in the leadership
position we are in today.

This is our way of saying "thank you".

See you at the summit!!

The Rockport Company

 
-- 
Gregg Mack                  ---------- __o       __o       __o       __o
gmack@paceline.sps.mot.com  -------- _`\<,_    _`\<,_    _`\<,_    _`\<,_
Motorola RISC uProcessors   ------- (*)/ (*)  (*)/ (*)  (*)/ (*)  (*)/ (*)
Austin, Texas  USA          ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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