Mt Kilimanjaro Climb Team Spotlight: Sydney

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Full name:  Sydney Cunningham 

What city and state are you repping?  Toms River NJ 

What made you want to join this expedition?  Life! It needs to be lived..to the fullest! I gave a lot of my years to my children and want to give more to them, but this one...is for me... without hesitation. 

What's your favorite outdoor adventure memory, and what made it so special?  My family of 5 and I went on an overnight campout for the fourth of July in 2020. Our day was listening to music, Barbequing, shucking corn, eating seafood, roasting marshmallows, taking pics and videos, drawing with the ash from the fire, and watching a movie on the projector. My youngest was only three months old at the time. As we all trailed off to sleep in the summer breeze of the lively woods my three-month-old and I had the best sleep ever since we been home from the hospital. HE SLEPT THROUGH THE NIGHT FOR THE FIRST TIME. HE ACTUALLY SLEPT LIKE A TEENAGER. I knew then he would be my Wild Thornberry. The day was oh so special because everyone was happy, food was good, good weather (it even rained during night👌and we already had the rain guard on), no technical difficulties, everything was just PERFECT. 

If you could bring one item (besides essential gear) to Kilimanjaro that's not typically associated with hiking, what would it be and why?  A SAT Phone... because I'm going to miss the heck out of my family. 

What's your go-to trail snack or meal when you need an energy boost during a hike or climb?  Water, water, water (maybe some packets of electrolytes) I'm not picky about an energy boost. Whatever food I get my hands on

...ok no bugs, balls, or delicacies... Unless it contributes to eating away at my stomach fat 🤷🏾‍♀️

If you could choose one song to be the theme for our Kilimanjaro summit, what would it be, and why does it inspire you?  I am sorry, but I can't answer this question because there are many songs, and I have already wasted too much time on this question trying to figure out which one I should put down, so instead... I'm just going to decline to answer this question.

What's the most inspiring quote or mantra that keeps you going when things get tough during a challenging hike?  

  • "I am my competition; once I beat myself, I want to beat the time and then beat others." Sydney 
  • "Just do it" Nike
  • " Don't stop when you're tired. Stop when you're done." David Goggins

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To follow Sydney's journey leading up to this epic once-in-a-lifetime climb, follow her on Instagram: @schatziecinningham or #sydneyclimbsmtkili.

To follow the entire Camping Noire team's journey, follow #campingnoireclimbsmtkili.

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