THE PERFECT END TO 2010

A bluebird day, 3,230 feet of skinning, and the most wonderful company brought about a fantastic day.

Riley says: "True enjoyment comes from activity of the mind and exercise of the body; the two are ever united."

A LONG TIME COMING...

My newly acquired 1999 Toyota Tacoma! It only took 27 years!


The freshly constructed sleeping platform and ski stash. A topper will join the mix shortly.

Riley says: "All journeys have secret destinations of which the traveler is unaware."

TIPS UP SICKBIRD

Another day of absolute bliss on Togwotee...

Riley says: "No more of parental rules!
We're heading for the snow!
Good riddance to those grown up ghouls!
We're leaving! Yukon Ho!"

WELL DONE, WELL DONE

You're damn right that's a penguin on my shirt and that is milk on my tongue.

Riley says: "Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference."

HARDPAN

Ibex, Utah


Riley says: " My motto... Run only when chased."

PINGORA: 11,884 FEET OF THE FRESHEST AIR ON THE PLANET!

And, of course... A celebratory senior photograph.

Riley says: "One sees great things from the valley; only small things from the peak."

UPPER EXUM

Beautiful weather, an incredible route, and amazing company... Just another day in the Tetons.

Riley says: "Remember that time spent on a rock climb isn't subtracted from your life span."

WHENEVER GIVEN THE CHANCE... ALWAYS, TAKE A SENIOR PHOTO

Riley says: "It's something unpredictable, but in the end is right. I hope you had the time of your life."

W! Y! O!

Boy does it feel good to be back!

Riley says: "There's only two seasons in Wyoming; winter and road construction."

ALPINEGLOW

The sunsets in Alaska never cease to amaze me...

Riley says: "Death comes to all, but great achievements build a monument which shall endure until the sun grows cold."

WELCOME TO SWIM PRACTICE... ON THE MIGHTY MATANUSKA

Into the drink with you!


Damn. It's hard to swim with an expedition pack on your back.

Riley says: "Live in the sunshine, swim the sea, drink the wild air..."

WELCOME TO YOUR NOLS COURSE...

Our students have no idea what they're in for...

Riley says: "A hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles."

ICE CLIMBING... CHECK

Second ice climb ever and onto the sharp end we go...

Riley says: "We can throw stones, complain about them, stumble on them, climb over them, or build with them."

WHHHIII WHHHIII !

Riley says: "If you don't create change, change will create you."

GO MINERS!

Mat-Su Miners Exhibition Game

Riley says: "Little League baseball is a very good thing because it keeps the parents off the streets."

ROPED

On the move...

Riley says: "Follow then the shining ones, the wise, the awakened, the loving, for they know how to work and forbear."

MATANUSKA PUMP

Eat your heart out Arnold...

Riley says: "Glaciers are delicate and individual things, like humans. Instability is built into them."

HUCK CHUNDERSON

Cornice cutting on Marmot Ridge, Hatcher Pass, Alaska.

Riley says: "The excitement of learning separates youth from old age. As long as you're learning you're not old."

BETTER AND BETTER EACH DAY

It never ceases to amaze me,
How great this life can be.

I'm in Alaska!

Riley says: "Life becomes precious and more special to us when we look for the little everyday miracles and get excited about the privileges of simply being human."

QUITE THE RAD CLASSROOM

Hatcher Pass, Alaska. My sanctum for the next four days.

Riley says: "Choose only one master - Nature."

NOT BAD, NOT BAD

Rolling out of my wall tent this morning and setting eyes on the view was definitely a great way to start the day.

Riley says: "If people sat outside and looked at the stars each night, I'll bet they'd live a lot differently."

REPORTING FOR DUTY, SIR!

Ahh... The cultural experiences you can have in Lander, Wyoming... This morning I went on a city-wide haircut hunt only to be turned away by not one, not two, but three different establishments. Apparently Wednesday, May 5, 2010 is a hot date to have your ears lowered... The result of my early searches left me with one choice... City Barber Shop. I seem to remember being taken to the same shop when I was younger and I have to admit, it played a major role in my decision not to wait. Let me set the scene for you...

After a deep breath, you'll saunter your way up three steps and through the doorway. The barber, Larry, will pivot in his chair slowly to ensure you're actually one of the living, before springing to life like a rabid hyena. As you attempt to hang your coat on his coat rack he'll say, "not that one, that one" as points toward another rack on the far side of the room. Upon second glance, you'll notice the first rack is barely standing, completely broken, and should have been taken to the landfill months ago. Six months ago to be exact. "That rack's been sitting there for six months," Larry will comment.

As you sit down, he'll ask you... "Are you one of them noldies?" Your response, "yeah, yeah I am a NOLSie." And, just as you settle in... BAM! The clippers are on your head... Shaving away any chance of... "I'd like a little off the sides please."

Should you share that you're headed to Alaska he'll rant and rave about the "no-see-ums" and how much he "hates those little bastards" all while waving the clippers around erratically. Moving from side-to-side taking off uneven amounts, he'll avoid stepping over the clipper cord by instead spinning as if he's in a dance-off. As you accept your newly acquired high and tight you'll begin to take in your surroundings...

Listings for horses for sale. "Ooo... No papers for that Appaloosa," I say to myself. "Better avoid that one." Ahh... Civil War Times, the magazine... Classy.

Just as he's finishing up... One of his regulars will roll in. They'll exchange a salty round of banter in regards to "hey you old bastard, haven't seen you in three months." "Well, it is hair you're cutting, it has to grow you know." "Oh, another one of these guys! You see the sons of bitches I have to put up with?"

And, just as quickly as it began, you're done. He'll get out his brush to remove any excess hair, soon followed by a hand-held vacuum over every square-inch of your head. "How much do I owe you?" "Thirteen hard-earned ones." "Great! Here's a 20, give me a five back and we'll call it good." "Hey, thanks buddy, have a great time up there in Alaska."

And, as you saunter down those initial three steps... You'll think... Wow, that, world... was awesome!


View Larger Map
City Barber Shop, 147 North Main Street, Lander, WY (Small Building, Behind Light Post)

Oh, and did I mention... Larry closes down each fall with an 8.5x11 inch sheet of blank paper stating, "Gone Hunting. Will Return October 9th."

Riley says: "And forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet and the winds long to play with your hair."

ALWAYS WORTH IT

As per usual, Adam and I jumped at the opportunity to cram a lot into a minuscule amount of time. This past weekend was a whirlwind! One of our good friends, Daniel, graduated from his initial F-16 training with the Air Force at Luke AFB in Phoenix, AZ. And, luckily my sister, Calla, is also in Phoenix which allowed me to spend a bunch of time with her too!

We drove to Denver on Thursday night, slept in the truck, woke at 4:00 a.m. to catch our 6:00 a.m. flight, spent all day Friday touring the base, climbed Camelback on Saturday morning, took in a little pool time, went to the graduation ceremony, hit a local bar for some dancing, went to a house party, fell asleep at 4:00 a.m., woke at 9:00 a.m. to eat breakfast, spent some more time by the pool, packed up our stuff, Calla valeted us to the airport, we ate some crappy Sbarro pizza and Wendy's Frosty's, caught our flight back to Denver, drove some absolutely heinous roads, and made it home at 3:15 a.m. Monday morning.

In the end... And in the moment, it's always worth it.


A break from the action... Adam, Krista, Janet (Daniel's mother), Daniel, Calla, and yours truly.

Riley says: "There are no shortcuts to any place worth going."

THE CULPRIT

After work on Friday evening, I returned to the crag to see how my arm would fare in the vertical world. Other than a little discomfort, it appears to be on the verge of a full recovery. And, for kicks, I returned to the site of cranial impact to see if I could find the perpetrator...


9 Pounds Of Dolomite

Riley says: "“Playing safe is probably the most unsafe thing in the world. You cannot stand still. You must go forward.”

CLOSE CALL

Yesterday was quite the exciting day. After weeks of inclement weather in Lander, Amy and I were lured up to the dolomite walls of Sinks Canyon. We arrived early in hopes of avoiding the masses and slowly broke trail through the snow until it tapered off and left us with beautiful weather and dry ground on which to belay. And, our motivation paid off as we found ourselves climbing alone for nearly the entire day. No crowds, no excessive screaming or swearing, and not one self-proclaimed "bolt deity" spraying beta on a route he's climbed "at least 60 times."

All-in-all, the day was spectacular. Amy broke a three-year hiatus and climbed exceptionally well. I finally put myself to work on Face Dancer, by far one of the most beautiful lines in the Canyon. And, it was just a damn nice day to be outside.

Towards the end of the day, we wrapped up a climb, and started back towards the car. We had our sights set on climbing one more route but didn't have any attachment to anything in particular. During our hike, we decided we'd walk to the end of the wall and see if anyone was on one of two routes. If they were taken, we'd call it a day.

The wall was packed and after saying hello to some folks we know, we continued along to see if one of our proposed routes was open. Just as we were about to pass behind a couple ahead of us, someone behind us yelled "ROCK!". I heard the warning but thought it was just a small rock one of the climbers we'd passed had accidentally kicked off and was warning their belayer of. Not the case...

The next thing I knew, a rock the size of three Nalgene bottles hit my head, just above my right eye, before slamming into my right forearm. It felt like someone had hit me over the head with a 2x4. A little dazed, I checked my head only to find a small abrasion where the rock had deflected before hitting my arm. I looked up to see who had kicked off such a large rock, only to find it had fallen naturally, due to the recent snow melt. And, where I was standing, it easily free fell from over 100 feet before hitting my head. In a quick survey of my arm, I had a deep gash, probably an inch and a half long and a quarter inch deep. The only thing that slowed the rock down before it hit my arm was the glance off of my head. The pain in my arm was far more severe than that of my head. It immediately started to throb but luckily, after testing my fingers and wrist, didn't appear to be broken.

I moved out of the area where I'd been hit and a group of climbers, who were also fortunately taking their Wilderness EMT, were more than happy to lend a hand. After a quick gauze and tape dressing, we made our way down to the car. On the way down, my head was a mess of thoughts. I was shaken up, the pain in my arm was incredible intense, and I was still trying to take stock of what had just happened.

"If I need stitches, I wonder if Sarah could do them for me, she's a WEMT?"

"You're one lucky son of bitch."

"That really just happened."

"Why the hell weren't you wearing your helmet?"

"You could be dead right now."

"How far did that thing fall from?"

"I'm so glad it hit me instead of Amy."

She was leading our way over to the last climb and the rock had fallen only a couple of feet behind her. Also, helmet-less, who knows what would have happened. My mind returned to the scene right after I'd gotten hit. There were at least ten people who were there, twelve if you count us. How many were wearing helmets? Two.

You might be asking yourself, "where was your helmet?" It was in my backpack. I wear it every time I belay and every time I climb, but I usually take it off while I'm cruising from climb to climb. No more. That piece of plastic will stay on my head from start to finish. Who knows, a helmet might have done nothing. Or, it could have deflected the rock completely and my arm would be fine. Needless to say, I had a pretty large slice of humble pie yesterday. Wear your helmet, I was lucky, it could save your life.


My right forearm, swollen and tender but on the mend thanks to superior dressing.



My hat and forehead. Another inch back and who knows what shape I'd be in right now.

Riley says: "A grateful mind is both a great and happy mind."

THE EQUINOX SKI CHALLENGE

Time Skiing: 24 Hours, Solo
Length Skied: 256.9 Kilometers
Recovery Time: To Be Determined...

Riley says: "There is a real magic in enthusiasm. It spells the difference between mediocrity and accomplishment."

ONWARD INTO THE 27TH YEAR

Off to another great start...

Riley says: "Learn from the past, set vivid, detailed goals for the future, and live in the only moment of time over which you have any control: Now."

IT'S BAAACK...

It's here... And it's glorious.

Riley says: "Mustaches have always been politically-charged. They've been banned by kings, forbidden by employers and used as a form of protest."

LEND ME YOUR BEARDS!

Shipoopi!

Riley says: "Don't point that beard at me, it might go off!"

ONCE UPON A TIME...

Once upon the time there was a cake. Well, actually, a half-cake to be precise. And oh what a glorious cake it was...


A young boy loved his half cake so much he was on a constant search, far and wide, within the enormous cave of Mr. D's. Luckily, on this day, the young boy battled long and hard through the giant cheese island, past the fresh french bread, and narrowly escaped the delicatessen to acquire his beloved half cake.


And that half cake... Put the boy into a delightful cake coma.

The End

Riley says: "All the world is birthday cake, so take a piece, but not too much."

KICK OUT THE JAMS!

25 Short... Check.

Riley says: "You grow up the day you have your first real laugh -- at yourself."

SLATHER ON THE ZINC...

Welcome to 25 Short.

Riley says: "No matter how dark the night, somehow the sun rises once again and all shadows are chased away."

HOLY SCHNIKES... A PLAIDAPUS!

That's Comedy.

Riley says: "One of rarest things that someone ever does is to do the best they can."

LADIES AND GENTLEMAN... OWEN

Owen considers himself a great, undiscovered talent. Though he has his doubts from time to time.

Originally from Toronto, Ontario, Canada's, Monster Factory, Owen recently relocated to the south side streets of Los Andiego, compliments Miss Rathke.

Riley says: "The difference between a man and a boy is, a boy wants to grow up to be a fireman, but a man wants to grow up to be a giant monster fireman."

I'VE GOT IT COVERED

What would the new year be like without a hero in its midst?

Riley says: "There's no half-singing in the shower, you're either a rock star or an opera diva."

SASHAY ON DOWN

Riley says: "This life is yours. Take the power to choose what you want to do and do it well."

WOWIE ZOWIE FROM WASHINGTON'S WETLANDS

200 posts later and more ridiculous than ever! Success? Check.

Riley says: "A successful person is one who can lay a firm foundation with the bricks others have thrown."

FANCY A SKI ?

-6° Fahrenheit? Balmy.

Riley says: "Gravity is love and every turn is a leap of faith."