Holy Guacamole It's been a while

Once again I've fallen behind on my posts and again, I refuse to apologize for it as I've been distracted by living the dream.

For the past month and a half I've been working on my weaknesses as a climber, DIYer and driver. I've also been getting back to my roots, gaming my face off whenever possible and having boat loads of fun doing all of this.

The view from the base of the new climb.

After kicking off my unemployment I got talked into bolting and projecting a new route with a couple friends outside of Carbondale, CO. While that act in and of itself is fairly unremarkable, the fact that the route is by leaps and bounds the hardest route I've ever bolted and tried to climb. This oddity has forced my to learn how to project, trying and failing over and over and over with minimal or no noticeable progress while trying to change that and keep motivation high. Prior to this experience I'd never tried a route more than 10-12 times and the hardest route I've done was in fewer than that. I suspect that this route has seen over the last month close to 30-35 tries and while I can now climb into the crux sequence there were a few show stopper moves that were rather disheartening. So I decided to hit the pause button, train this winter (also a new concept for me) and head to the desert to hopefully heal the ego and get fit and tan!

While it might not be waterproof, it's got a sweet clock!

Before heading to the desert I realized that with the resources available to me in the Roaring Fork Valley I ought to seal up the Dolphin's roof for any rain storms that I might happen upon while in the desert. Needless to say that I'm no expert roofer (is that a word?) and working on the Dolphin's roof has given me a huge appreciate for what those guys do! Unfortunately the RV roof has turned into another project with several goes already invested and a leak or two still persisting much to my frustration. As I sit here writing it continues to rain, as it has for the past few days...luckily I've invested in a 20x30' tarp that is keeping the rain out while I come up with another way to fix the roof once and for all!

Driving the Dolphin has been quite the adventure as the transition from a mini van to a 22' RV hasn't been rocky but has involved a little close contact with a rock or two and a picnic bench. Luckily, neither the RV or the stationary objects were harmed. One day I'll get the parallel parking dialed in that thing...until then be wary while I'm reversing! Despite the unwieldy nature of this beast the trade off is sooo much living space. Which of course means guests and games! I'm happy to say that dozens of hours have been spent cooking with friends, drinking beer and playing all manner of games late in to the night or early morning. The fact that it's so easy to have people over and comfortably hang out was one of the main reasons that I switched from being a lowly van dweller in to a real person living in a dilapidated RV.

It's felt so good to get back to the desert and the long haul mindset of staying there, working on new and old mini projects, reequiping old routes, cleaning, bolting and sending new ones, catching up with old friends and making new ones. I've gone on and on about the climbing community, particularly the dirtbag climbing community and again, I have had my weeks made by these fantastic people!

Well until next time faithful readers!

Canyoneering the the desert can be pretty neat!

Another attempt at Moonlight Buttress and dodging the rain

The feeling of relief is tangible as I pull in to the East entrance of Zion National Park.

Not a bad view to wake up to.

 This spring has more closely resembled a pinball game for me than a climbing trip since I left Aspen and my seasonal employment. First venturing into the desert, climbing with huge rain storms rolling through valleys to either side, mountain biking the White Rim trail through Canyonlands through rain, snow, hail and plenty of lightning. Then being chased from the San Luis Valley after climbing a couple of days in Penitente Canyon by more storms...or the same one recirculating around the west. Then driving to Denver on rumors of a weather window, only to find more torrential rains and lightning across the horizon. I found myself back in Moab in scorching temps and clear blue skies, climbing with out a shirt and sweating bullets. Then after a couple of desert tower summits bagged and about 12 hours in Indian Creek, right on time the downpours started again, turning our campsite into a small pond and the creek into an obstacle not to be underestimated.

I bailed to the Roaring Fork Valley to regroup and look for a weather windown...anywhere. I quickly discovered that every significant climbing area in the U.S. was either being actively rained on or was about to receive significant precipitation. A few days later the forecast looked good enough in Moab to mountain bike for a few days before potentially resume the rocks climbing adventures. A modelling opporunity fell into my lap. I returned, driving out proved to be largely uneventful aside from the van in front of me rolling a couple of times just outside of Moab. Was this a bad omen? Eh, who has time to worry about such things when trying to calm a concussed and highly irritated driver.

The end of the JEM Trail in Virgin, UT.

Thankfully, the next day found my rising with the sun, donning my bike kit and riding off for a morning ride on the Mag 7 trail, one highly recommended, that I'd never ridden before. A couple of post-ride boxes of Annies with avocado and bacon, a beer and a nap and I was more psyched than ever! As I woke the next morning I could feel the positive momentum building as I kitted up again and prepared to ride in circles, back and forth, up and down the slick rock for my friend Dan. I felt great as I lapped slickrock ledges and talked shot angles and shutter speeds. And then it began raining again.

Looking up at Moonlight Buttress from the base.

That night I met up with a few friends and was convinced to join them on their road trip to California, with the rain over Moab not forecasted to clear anytime soon and with pre-established plans to meet a climbing partner in Zion, I was convinced! The next morning, after a leisurely breakfast at the Moab Diner, we caravaned off. Along the way stopping and checking out several National Parks on the side roads heading west. Lots of laughs later I could feel the frustration of being foiled by the weather time and time again, slowly releasing.

The view from the first night's spot.

But, it wasn't until the road into Zion, lit by the last rays of sun that I knew for certain that this was where the driving ended. I pulled into a BLM pullout down the road from Springdale and sighed, psyched to just be present in such an awesome place. And so, I find myself happily writing away underneath Moonlight Buttress, after an awesome mountain bike ride this morning, with climbing plans on the horizon, a fortunate result of the closeness fo the climbing community and smallness of the world. A couple of ascents of Moonlight (1,200ft, 5.12+) are planned, and I am more excited than ever to get ,back on it to try and free it again.
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I have to say that while I gripe about the rains and snows this spring I am super glad that they're coming late rather than never for the snowpack and much needed moisture for the west and first ascents, I realize will be there in the fall or whenever the rains slow.

Chris and Oli, thawing out and racking up.

The view from the top of pitch two.

Justin taking off on pitch seven.

The top of pitch nine I think

Soooooo good!

The view from the top of Moonlight

Moisture Management in the Van

Here's a quick post regarding some of the ways to mitigate moisture build up in a vehicle.

The problem is we all breath and we breather harder while we're awake and there is a ton of water vapor in each exhale. According to this NPR article we lose about 15-16 Fl Oz of water each night, and when you're in a car or van that winds up coating everything. This makes seeing through a frozen windshield in the morning tricky, metals will rust when repeatedly exposed to this, it makes morning just a bit more unpleasant. When combined with cooking in the van it's not that hard to wind up with 1/8 of an inch of frost on the windows in the morning.

However, while I have not come up with a complete solution I have been able to lessen then problem.

-I use a couple of mesh bags full of silica packets that I collected from a local retail shop. I have probably 3-4lbs of silica which helps lessen the amount of condensation, especially in dry climates.

1/8" of frost will make some pretty
cool patterns on the windshield!

-In the morning when the frost thaws and starts to drip I have a micro towel that is super absorbant and is nice and small so I can take it in to work or a real house and dry it out without being too obnoxious.

-Crack a window whenever possible as this allows the moisture to escape before it becomes a problem.

-Whenever possible park in sunny spots, again with a window cracked so that the vehicle and dry out while you play or earn some pennies!

Sometimes it's impossible to completely manage the moisture and you just have to accept the fact that you'll have a car foggier than Leo and Kate's on the Titanic and that's ok.

Drying laundry in the van.
Not prime for keeping moisture levels low but
that's the way it goes sometimes.