Schtuff

It's been a while. Yep. Seems like the world is getting older and stuff has happened. Max trashed his ankle. Psychedelia came and went. I almost quit my job on two consecutive days last week, but then decided that would be financial suicide. Halloween is coming and Thanksgiving will have happened before too long. Jimmy and Brion are climbing things. Half of the people in the US are supposed to get swine flu. Thank goodness I already had it. And an Arkansas woman climbed a v8?!

That's right, I got the dirty from Jason and he said among other news about two weeks ago, Morgan Gattis became the first woman from Arkansas to climb a v8. Crazy! Well, maybe not really to most people, but it pretty much blows my mind. Orbital Mechanics was the victim at Horseshoe Canyon Ranch. Jason said it was pretty much domination once the infallible beta was installed. Well again congrats Morgan, but it's time to climb a 9. Yep that's always been my attitude and I'm sticking to my guns.

Another thing you should stick to are your morals. Last week was a tough one, not so much for me but the people around me made it difficult. Husbands beating wives makes me realize things I will never do and things I don't want to condone. Well, can't fully support thos ideals until I have a real job. Otherwise, I would be actively making myself homeless. Dumb.

Well, the Yankees made it again. Hope they can pull out a win this year. If not, you can be sure they will buy better players, which I love.

Autumnal Life

Fall colors have nearly come and gone in Boulder. Sad times that it happened so quickly, but it was wonderful for a day or two. Here are a few pics of this one place near where I live. Lovely, really. White fences, blue and yellow homes, and trees of red and green. I missed the best of it while I was sick, but what can you do. You can however not get swine flu anymore because getting it once makes you immune!

Saw a soccer match last night. It wasn't much of a match, but that's how it goes when everyone in Denver gets dominated by the same team every fall. I was rooting for some of my favorite people. A cold night for soccer, but wonderful nonetheless. A perfect 4 hours of my life.

Do you ever get the feeling that everything is about to change and, when I say everything, I mean everything in life. Maybe it's the fall air, maybe because each day is coming closer to my favorite time if the year, or maybe everything is about to change because I want it to happen. I really do hope all the changes are wonderful and exciting ones. Since I came off the road five and half months ago, I have been participating in a life that I am probably displeased with 75% of the time. I sleep 10-12 hours a day because that's what makes time pass. This is not me and I really do hope for many things to be different than how they currently exist.


Breath-taking trees

The red maples leaves are best next to their green and yellow counterparts.

When I tell you the other red ones were already as red as they could possibly be, maybe you will begin to comprehend the special perfection of this one small bunch.

The Bubble

Everyone in Boulder knows everyone else. This is common knowledge. On second thought, it's more like 6 degrees of Kevin Bacon, but 2 degrees will suffice for Boulder. Sometimes this is not so great. However, as long as nothing awkward develops, you get to see tons of people you know on various levels. This is probably one of my most favorite things about Boulder. Meeting up with all kinds of people to do anything thinkable.

Well, at the moment I'm sick. Not sure what it is, but I've been on bedroom lock down for over two days. It feels like prison, but if that's what it takes to get better then fine. Yesterday I sent off for a revision of my portfolio. Hopefully this one is perfect. Also, I've been watching mad amounts of movies. Yesterday, it was The Breakup, Hell Boy 2, Mummy 2, Missed Call, Forgetting Sarah Marshall, and some love movie which I can't remember at the moment. Today I've seen Vertical Limit, The Sting, and Kit Kittredge. None that were that great, but I actually shed a tear in Kit Kittredge. I couldn't believe it either. Well, I am caring for kids these days and getting a bit older, so the story goes. Hopefully I will be well soon and able to take advantage of the wonderful fall weather in Boulder.

"It's about to get really good before it gets bad." Dave Graham

Horseshoe Hell

The Ranch is a wonderful place. Take that back, everywhere in Northwest Arkansas becomes a special place as summer eases into fall and fall gives way to the perfection of winter. I will always have a fondness for this area of the country. It is a land where almost none of the climbing has been discovered, but almost all of it is locked up by private owners. Illicit walls and boulders that exist only in the imagination and your hopes.

Friday night Jason, Rob, Greg, and I slept on the porch of a cabin at the Ranch. Cool crisp night air and more stars than could be counted gave us much needed rest. The comp began sharply at 10am the next morning. Pledges were made between partners on not killing one another and the shotgun was fired. A mad scramble for respective routes left the lodge deserted. Jason and I retired to the Idahos to get the bouldering started for the day. Unfortunately, it was warm and there were surprisingly over 20 people at both of the warm up areas. We tried and tried, but neither of us could get motivated. Still feeling the accomplishment from the previous day we decided to watch a bit of the comp in the North Forty and perhaps try climbing again in the late afternoon. Everything came together around 5 and Jason put away Orbital Mechanics v8 in several minutes, while I found myself falling repeatedly on the last move of Kneeling before Power. After 5 tries, I was exhausted and chose to sit out the last one of the day. Jason, Ben Putman, and Sarah Orens joined forces in an effort to send Orb Weaverv8, but everyone was found lacking.

Dinner was had and we returned to the North Forty to watch some night climbing. Friends showed arrived and a good time was shared under head lamps. As we turned in for the night, the comp was barely half over for those competing.

Orbital Mechanics

Sarah on Orb Weaver

Lauren and Christine still excited about climbing after 14hrs of the comp.

Horseshoe Hell

Lots to tell about the week long trip to Arkansas. Out of the blocks, Lauren and I looked like a scene from Home Alone as we ran to catch our plane to Tulsa after a huge luggage debacle. Well, we made it and Jason drove 100 miles to get us to Fayetteville by midnight. Whew. Thursday was low-key, but Bikes Blues and BBQ was in town. This means 200,000 bikes and bikers. Loud to say the least. Friday was spent preparing for the weekend competition at Horseshoe Canyon Ranch. Lauren was deposited in the early pm, while Jason and I left for Fontaine Red to check out a "cave feature."

We both tried Chunk up the Deuce, but it was too warm for one of the holds, so we switched gears to Fred's Roof. I wasn't all that keen on it, but Jason was close from his first day on it several weeks ago. In no time at all we had done all the moves. Jason had given several good attempts from the ground and felt like a good rest was in order before the send. He said he would give it one more good burn so as not to forget the subtleties of each position before the rest. He pulled on and soon found himself at the last jump. I told him this was the time. He loaded his legs, pounced, roared, caught the final hold and we both screamed. Though I didn't show it, as I hadn't done the problem yet, I can't recall a time I was more excited in my climbing career and it wasn't even for me. By doing this problem, he and I became the 2nd and 3rd Arkansan climbers to climb an Arkansas v11. I hope more big things will happen for him this year. That night we drove to Jasper for dinner and then to the Ranch tired and emotionally exhausted, but feeling more than accomplished.

The first large move on Fred's Roof

Sunset on the drive back to the Ranch.