Joshua Tree or Bust!

After four hours of driving through the mojave desert we arrived in Joshua Tree California. Eric and I have recently completed two days of climbing. Our first introduction to Josh, as the locals call it, was a group free solo up a route called the eye. Atop an interesting rock formation we sat and watched the sun set. Snuggled in our beds, dreaming of climbs to come we were brutally awoken by a windstorm gusting at 60 mph. The winds persisted through the night. Eric asleep in his tent thought he might blow away. And me asleep in the car thought the car might tip over. Alas our fears were met with a faithful sunrise and the storm was gone, and we lived to climb another day.

The climbing here is like nothing I have ever experienced. There is an incredible amount of history in these rocks. The hard men of Yosemite would find themselves training here in the summer months when it was too cold to climb up north. The rock is quartz manzinite. That means nothing the lay person except for the fact that it feels like miniature knives sticking into your skin each time you grab it. None the less we are surviving and enjoying every minute of it. We are getting stronger mentally and physically. Dealing out life's questions and challenges on these rocks is the best therapy I can imagine, plus I get a tan...

Here Comes The Sun...

Yes the sun has arrived in full force. After some snow, cold, and wind we have been thawed out and burned by the sun. It has been astounding the way the weather has shifted the feel of the climbing around here. Long routes in the sun are now approached differently and we take shelter in the shade whenever possible. We are raised to life early in the morning when the sun crests the horizon and temperatures reach 80 degrees. After a quick cup of coffee, eggs and bacon we are off and climbing. Learning to comply with the elements is our greatest challenge. It makes me think of the seasons in life; constantly being effected by unexpected storms. It is the way that we deal with those storms that truly reveals who we are. It was Napoleon Hill that said, "Circumstances do not make the man, they reveal him." It is my hope and prayer that the circumstances I am faced with reveal a good and noble man. There is only so much falsifying that may occur while in the wilderness. After any amount of time the truth is revealed. The revealing effect of the wilderness is my favorite part about working and traveling in the outdoors. Seasons come and go, we can be shadow chasers, or history makers, the choice is up to us. The person revealed in the circumstances that come about is developed through our experiences.

Rain, Rain, Go away.....

I am currently sitting in the local coffee shop taking shelter from a surprise rain storm that has been pounding for the past few hours. As Eric and I finished making dinner this evening we looked behind our camp site to find a large rain cloud accompanied by wind. As we took shelter in the car we watched as the wind gusts ripped tents from their platforms and took them out into the desert. As the rain continued to pound we buttoned up our camp. Don't worry nothing was damaged, we were lucky.

The sun will rise tomorrow and dry things out. We live to climb another day...

Much luv and peace

Red Rocks Continues

Buzzz....Buzzzz.....Buzzz....My alarm wakes me at 5:30am from a comfortable deep sleep. Eric and I got an early start to climb a 1040 foot rout called Dark Shadows. Most people stop at the 4th pitch, we decided to continue to the top and complete all ten pitches. (For those of you who don't know, a pitch is a section of the climb. Since we only have a rope 50 meters long we need to break up the route into sections. )

Anyway, Dark Shadows was the most epic day of climbing I have every experienced. It took us nearly eight hours to complete the route from bottom to top. Then we had an amazing decent rappelling through a gully down to a ravine with a creek in the bottom. Walking down through the ravine, we reflected on the climb, things that went well and sections we could have improved on.

We choose to use the traditional method of climbing which involves placing your own protection in the cracks the rock provides. This method requires that we take along all different size pieces of protection and then clean it out as you go leaving the rock as un-touched as possible. It is quite a mind game to say the least. Being so exposed hanging on things you place in the rock praying that it holds. You learn to block out everything around you and simply focus on the aesthetics of the climb. It is at that moment when all your senses are redlining that you can focus the most and completely experience the moment.

Welcome to my life

Greetings, I hope the comments and pictures on this page will suffice as a window into my life, ideals, and adventure. It is my hope that through everything you read here will inform you on my travels so you can share in them. Without you and the inspiration of true beauty none of this would be possible.

Much luv and Peace.