I recently came across this blog and thought it was pretty thoughtful and perhaps even a bit applicable to my life, I'll let you folks be the judge of that though. On that note here's the link to Luke Mehall's site, he's a Durango resident and climber.
“Do you do that?” is a question I’ve been asked throughout my climbing existence, with the emphasis on you and that. The question is always from a non-climbing friend or family member, and the subject matter for discussion is typically a recent TV commercial that uses rock climbing to sell something.
http://www.climbingzine.com/slides/why-climbers-arent-famous-or-what-climbing-means-to-the-masses/
Friday, August 17, 2012
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
Dispatch from Anza, CA
Thought I'd toss out a quick update while I stall today.
As of late I have been spending most of my time in Idyllwild and Anza, CA (Southern CA) working challenge courses and visiting a few local breweries (Stone and Hanger 24) and kickin' it with some of the office staff.
Life has been fairly uneventful with much time spent reading books. However, I was recently given the opportunity to be a Course Director, a bit of a promotion, for the most recent challenge course Boojum ran, which was fairly exciting. This however was slightly overshadowed (in my mind) by my most exciting mountain bike crash yet and a chunk of pea size gravel becoming embedded in my right palm the night before the course. However, all's well that ends well and with no real sign of infection a week later and the challenge course going off with out a hitch I feel I'm more of less in the clear, knock on wood. Tomorrow I'll instruct on another challenge course and then will have staff training a week later. After that it is up to Yosemite with me. My excitment for the valley is a bit difficult to describe what with a slight lack of climbing opportunities these past weeks between work, injury and weather. Well with my palms getting sweaty just thinking about the potential adventure I suppose I'll go find something productive to do. Until next time.
As of late I have been spending most of my time in Idyllwild and Anza, CA (Southern CA) working challenge courses and visiting a few local breweries (Stone and Hanger 24) and kickin' it with some of the office staff.
Life has been fairly uneventful with much time spent reading books. However, I was recently given the opportunity to be a Course Director, a bit of a promotion, for the most recent challenge course Boojum ran, which was fairly exciting. This however was slightly overshadowed (in my mind) by my most exciting mountain bike crash yet and a chunk of pea size gravel becoming embedded in my right palm the night before the course. However, all's well that ends well and with no real sign of infection a week later and the challenge course going off with out a hitch I feel I'm more of less in the clear, knock on wood. Tomorrow I'll instruct on another challenge course and then will have staff training a week later. After that it is up to Yosemite with me. My excitment for the valley is a bit difficult to describe what with a slight lack of climbing opportunities these past weeks between work, injury and weather. Well with my palms getting sweaty just thinking about the potential adventure I suppose I'll go find something productive to do. Until next time.
Whoops.
Friday, August 3, 2012
Exploring the Lost Coast
The format for this post is for any ARCC leaders that might be reading. For everyone else on the trip we had to write in a daily log on all the comings, goings and minutiae of the day. (pictures were not included in the official forms)
Date: Aug 27th - Aug 30th
Leaders of the Day: Steve & Greg
Distance Traveled: Drove ~4 hours and hiked over 30 miles with a few thousand feet of elevation gain and loss.
Meals:
included pancakes for breakfast, banana nut bread, zucchini date bread and breakfast burritoes all coming in at or above 8 out of 10
Salami & aged gouda for lunches as well as fresh fruit and sandwiches again at least 8/10
Dinners included couscous tuna curry, sausages and something else, all super delicious
Snacks were personal bars oodles of bitchin' blackberries and other edible greens foraged along the trail.
What happened:
We started at usal junction/campground and hiked in 10-11 miles to Wheeler creek/Jackass camp where we made base camp on a beautiful beach framed by steep hill sides and lush vegetation.
Base Camp
The second day we went on a 5ish mileday hike to bear cove or something (my memory fails me at the moment) and spent the day on the beach picnicking, playing in the water and having a generally good time. After returning to camp dolphins and sea lions were spotted at the beach, we attempted to dig for clams to compliment our tuna curry and learned to play pitch from Jenna.
Jenna with her seagull friend
Day three we had an extremely leisurely morning packing up, eating, playing cards and spending more time on the beach. We left camp around 11:30 for our return hike along the Lost Coast Trail to Usal which was 12-13 miles long and crossed a number of drainages resulting in lots of El. gain and worst of all loss. We stopped at Little Jackass for a later lunch/picnic and played in the ocean which was freeeeeezing! We almost swam to a sweet sea arch but then hypothermia began to kick in.
We continued hiking, playing games and laughing (some more than others). We arrived at the campground at about 8:46pm after watching a fantastic sunset over the Pacific ocean and the newly found coast.
An awesome sunset from camp
Activities used: Pitch, expert and many trail games they were all fun and built on an already excellent group dynamic
Pulse Check: Wasn't sure what this was on the trip log and I'm still not sure what it is.
Group mood: So positive we were dancing among the stars...which were beautiful what with that milky way and all.
Suggested trip changes: more adult beverages. suggested ratio is 1 liter per person per 3 days.
Date: Aug 27th - Aug 30th
Leaders of the Day: Steve & Greg
Sam, Greg, Steve & Jenna
Weather: Splitter blue skiesDistance Traveled: Drove ~4 hours and hiked over 30 miles with a few thousand feet of elevation gain and loss.
Meals:
included pancakes for breakfast, banana nut bread, zucchini date bread and breakfast burritoes all coming in at or above 8 out of 10
Salami & aged gouda for lunches as well as fresh fruit and sandwiches again at least 8/10
Dinners included couscous tuna curry, sausages and something else, all super delicious
Snacks were personal bars oodles of bitchin' blackberries and other edible greens foraged along the trail.
What happened:
We started at usal junction/campground and hiked in 10-11 miles to Wheeler creek/Jackass camp where we made base camp on a beautiful beach framed by steep hill sides and lush vegetation.
Base Camp
The second day we went on a 5ish mileday hike to bear cove or something (my memory fails me at the moment) and spent the day on the beach picnicking, playing in the water and having a generally good time. After returning to camp dolphins and sea lions were spotted at the beach, we attempted to dig for clams to compliment our tuna curry and learned to play pitch from Jenna.
Jenna with her seagull friend
Day three we had an extremely leisurely morning packing up, eating, playing cards and spending more time on the beach. We left camp around 11:30 for our return hike along the Lost Coast Trail to Usal which was 12-13 miles long and crossed a number of drainages resulting in lots of El. gain and worst of all loss. We stopped at Little Jackass for a later lunch/picnic and played in the ocean which was freeeeeezing! We almost swam to a sweet sea arch but then hypothermia began to kick in.
We continued hiking, playing games and laughing (some more than others). We arrived at the campground at about 8:46pm after watching a fantastic sunset over the Pacific ocean and the newly found coast.
An awesome sunset from camp
Activities used: Pitch, expert and many trail games they were all fun and built on an already excellent group dynamic
Pulse Check: Wasn't sure what this was on the trip log and I'm still not sure what it is.
Group mood: So positive we were dancing among the stars...which were beautiful what with that milky way and all.
Suggested trip changes: more adult beverages. suggested ratio is 1 liter per person per 3 days.
A dead tree Steve enjoyed tempting fate in.
Trail time
Greg unknowingly striking a pose on the day hike
Day hike beach - bear cove?
Ow Ow!
Looking longingly back towards our base camp as we hiked towards the real world.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)