see what you want to see

the rare and the ugly

2011-12-28T23:30:00.000-07:00

So it goes...

End of Fall / Here / Not For Me

2011-10-08T12:23:00.005-06:00

Yesterday:

Today:

Tomorrow:

Supposedly will be in the area of the World's Greatest Fall Festival

On Timing

2011-09-27T11:01:00.002-06:00

So I got the best of summer for once.

I'm getting the best of fall. And hoping to extend it for a few weeks somewhere else.

Not to say that I didn't have my terribly cold/hot days or rain/ice/humid days, but all in all...

For once, timing is actually correct. How long has that been? 3 years?

There exists some sort of catharsis there. I've learned to embrace the memories contained in smells.

I've learned to let myself be happy. How long has that been? 15 years?

My misanthropy aside, I'll let go what I need to. All of it if necessary.

Summer Home

2011-07-28T11:38:00.001-06:00

No complaints.

Really? - Bested

2011-07-03T11:51:00.001-06:00

Seriously, last flight:

Gate Manager at Orlando(CA) airport:

"At this time all connections seem fine right now, as all places heading to Denver are on hold, you know, because of the old in and out."

As a side note, saute mushrooms in bacon grease and have a better day.

Really?

2011-05-25T21:53:00.002-06:00

On a flight recently, the captain says:

"ATC has warned us of intermittent storms. We will do our best to keep the seatbelt sign off during the flight. However, if you would like to plan your movements around these interruptions, it would be appreciated."

Yay.

It's All Right

2011-05-23T17:26:00.000-06:00

It's True. Arbitrary definitions and goals are much more fun than tangibles. It's the irrational that makes sense, and that is a good thing.

Here's to only 3 states left before I get home (~5 or so since leaving last, 3 roller derby matches, apparently trapeze in the future). Yay.

Sometimes

2011-03-27T20:50:00.003-06:00

There's no place I'd rather be.

What I've Truly Missed

2011-03-11T18:06:00.005-07:00

Really, it was far too long. Excuses are pointless in hindsight. It's funny how life makes you forget about your life sometimes. Also, it's amazing and wonderful even when it's not. We'll shortly return to paying odds, but let's get to something else first:

We had first tried to get into the Maze 8 years ago. I was planning on smuggling in Mr. Murph, and was equipped with 2 tire cables, a stock suspension and ignorance.

While we got in later that year, the current trip validates the decision not to try the descent back then. (Trouble found us regardless both times, but those are separate stories)

So down we went to the most remote area of the contiguous 48.
(And we were apparently the first back up this year).
The truck finally earned a name.
(Contact me if curious)

Much has changed since I was last in this area. I suppose that if you had the inclination, you could update your Facebook profile to let people know that you're staying out of touch with and disappearing from everyone. So it goes.

So I finally made it to the Fins, the area that I used to daydream about when the taped topographic maps of the Maze district were hanging on my wall in Santa Cruz.

Returning to the neglected life is a good thing.
While I suppose it was there and back again, it feels more like a through-hike.
I could write more, but other pics are lurking somewhere around here...

Paying Odds

2011-03-06T07:37:00.000-07:00

Well, we'll get to this after Utah. It's been far too long.

Creeping Determinism

2010-12-27T00:45:00.000-07:00

No, Let's not talk about that...

Merry Merry

2010-12-23T22:42:00.000-07:00

So while the lunar eclipse that can be viewed every 500 years was obscured by record snow falls, we had to make the best of it. 2.5 days of straight skiing has left the legs in rare form. Goggles disappeared somewhere during the multi-mountain tour, but so it goes.

Happy Holidays from Summit County.

Ingen Order (3)

2010-12-18T14:23:00.000-07:00

Things to Learn

2010-12-18T14:19:00.003-07:00

One ought to remember to bring a camera at all times, or risk spending $3.74 at the Wal-Mart to document travel. Once that is full, pictures can be forthcoming from the road trip back.

While it dumps snow in CO, the itchy-footed wanderer might consider leaving well enough alone.

Otherwise, one might find himself in 5 degree weather in Wisconsin

Not that WI in winter is completely joyless...

Thanks for the documentation, Kris.

And, Best of all, Half-Ass has a new friend.
Now taking suggestions for the name.

Out of Summit

2010-12-01T12:09:00.000-07:00

In needing a reset,

Skis, guns, PBR

Caleb's first shot of the new .30-06

Of course, Half Ass is happy

Happy Happy

2010-11-25T09:46:00.001-07:00

Gobble Gobble.

In keeping form, the new view from home. Was first to drop North Peak this year. Thigh high before Thanksgiving is unheard of. Yay.

Answers to Recent FAQs

2010-11-16T07:35:00.001-07:00

1. Of course I do.
2. I have no idea.
3. Probably, given the chance.
4. While nitrates are delicious, no.
5. How would that be OK? That would not be OK.
6. Most nights, which seems to be directly related to the amount of sleep I've been getting.
7. An anthropomorphized lion.
8. The enlightening perspective is not a precursor to feeling better.
9. If it were up to me.
10. Yes.

Then, in Pictures.

2010-11-04T12:29:00.000-06:00

Parsing the crepuscular narrative

2010-10-26T19:47:00.010-06:00

Or, coruscating in purgatory.

I live in a pyramid. Some days just travel along a continuum of gray. Others are just cold and windy. Then the disc golf, or primal kitchen percussion parties commence. Sometimes we ride bikes, no matter the temperature, past the final concert hall played by Buddy Holly. We've still got pumpkins waiting to be carved, seeds needing to be roasted and a mouse that needs a comeuppance in the walls. And Super Grover is going to pay a visit.

After close to 5 months at it, I maintain hope that I will sleep for more than 4.5hrs in one go.

There exists a terminable time frame to be out here, but the actual remaining penance has yet to be disclosed.

Knowing that in the end, there is a goal to all of this, albeit modified, is motivation, when reminded.

To wit

Semantics

2010-10-07T14:14:00.003-06:00

Timing: An awkward start, due to its metaphysical root. Alter two days/weeks/months around and life could be completely different. Awkward.

Tacit: The assumption that what is left unspoken does not lead to other assumptions.

Ultimatum: A sometimes necessary, but necessarily arbitrary time frame by which one must make a Decision (see below).

Should: A falsely held belief that the self or others or life play out in a determinedly, internally idealized manner.

Regret: A non-existent idea or a capitulation towards a passive rather than a proactive approach to life.

Decision: Excluding the ~2% of the time where one's head is stuck up one's own ass, the best possible choice made at any given time considering as many variables as possible. Should it result that the former was the culprit or that the best possible choice turned out to be wrong in retrospect, refer to "Regret."

Bye, TX

2010-10-04T17:27:00.014-06:00

George Hamilton, IV... You, good sir, are a liar. Or have a different set of values than I.

So, though you had a few fine things to offer - solace with a lovely dog listening in on guitar and xylophone duets on a ranch, an unusually large number of good coworkers passing through and an unprecedented amount of disc golf, I bid you a belated adieu. You provided this only after relenting from giving me one of the most politically charged and psychologically exhausting jobs in recent memory. You coupled this with my loathing of hotels to prevent my seeing the clear cutting of a forest that was a plan. My happiness lies not with you. A traffic engineer, culture, geologic upheaval or a soul would all lead to vast improvements.

In proper 'Atta boy sandwich style, I did appreciate the little things. Apologies to the arachnids, mud daubers and stick bugs that did not make the cut. Apology retracted for the mud daubers; you are vile terrible creatures.

So, again:

TtSTB T8

2010-09-20T17:11:00.018-06:00

Those waiting can now exhale and once again look forward to more abstruse references.

To recap:

Colorado->New York->South Africa->New York->Delaware->Maine->Quebec->North Carolina->Illinois->Delaware->Illinois->Texas

Some pictures from SA are here, here and here.

Lived, danced, bled, played, cried, smiled, burned, laughed, scarred, loved and learned a lot. Not finished yet.
Here's reassurance:

Tentative: TX->CO->CA->IA(OR?)->IL->UT->CO->Snow

Mitote

2009-12-24T16:56:00.012-07:00

When you peel away all of your fear, subvert all of your pride and finally get over yourself, you're going to find genuinely good people trying their best to be happy.

The reason for this result is that if you enact these things, you will personally be happy; people are but a reflection of the self.

Disclosure:

2009-12-07T06:10:00.005-07:00

Closure is entirely an internal process.

UPDATE: While this statement remains true, closure isn't always necessary.

So, Canada, rematch?

2009-11-28T00:47:00.007-07:00

Even after this?

go here

2009-10-17T01:50:00.000-06:00

sodomy and e

2009-10-17T01:31:00.002-06:00

éolienne

2009-10-10T23:31:00.001-06:00

You May Ask Yourself.

2009-10-04T15:35:00.005-06:00

Well...

Gaspesie, Quebec. I apparently do not have enough photos of wind turbines. We are at the end of the Appalachians, where the French first landed 475 years ago. I'm still trying to make sense of the language.

What is probably tacit is that I miss someone daily.

Stay in your lifeboats people

2009-08-24T02:05:00.008-06:00

Dyer Island, Shark Alley...

I may have lost the camera over this...

2009-08-07T05:29:00.008-06:00

hiking

From another loop up the face of Table Mountain, and heading back down India-Venster:

"3 Rocky Peaks" near Constantia Nek, towards Hout Bay:

And Since we moved into the new flat, Devil's Peak is the new view:

So, logically... First the clouds tried to swallow me near the King's Blockhouse:

This is looking across the spine towards Minor Peak. The top of the cableway on Table Mountain is visible in the background:

Views from the peak:

And, I suppose, this can be read many ways, depending on your perspective:

India-Venster -> Union Ravine

2009-07-17T06:49:00.010-06:00

Tried another route on Table Mountain, this one involving a traverse on the face.

First a scramble up India-Venster, the main approach for climbing routes on the mountain. The route goes directly under the cable way. Every 10 minutes, a can carrying another group of tourists to the top. They all seemed so excited to see people walking on the mountain below them.

Then a traverse with some climbing and sneaking behind rock walls. When coming out from behind them, you get some great views of the city and some nice vertical exposure.

jetLAG

2009-07-04T08:17:00.007-06:00

Time to get the hours straight. I'm actually sleeping through most of the night, and my appetite shows up at appropriate times.

3 weeks and a day ago, I left Colorado. I headed East, stopping at a good friend's in Illinois to see his cliff, dropped to Charlotte to see another friend off on on his honeymoon, headed North to Delware, loaded up on furniture and a bed to take to my brother in Connecticut, drove back through Pennsylvania to see a friend's first child, and arrived back in Delaware to pack.

8 days ago, with nothing left to do, I made a novel trip to swim in the warm side of the Atlantic before boarding a plane the following day.

D.C. down to Atlanta, then somehow got First Class to Cape Town.

Sarah and I had Sunday to relax and headed out for a drink to look back at the city that's now my home.

With Sarah back to work on Monday, I had a day to play guitar and accomplished little else. On Tuesday, Sarah, ever trusting, let me loose on the streets, so I hiked up Table Mountain via Skeleton Gorge from Kirstenbosch, the botanical gardens. I made it to the highest point on the mountain; however, I feel it is somewhat contrived.

I had enough time to hike up Lion's Head yesterday to have another view of the city as the clouds started rolling over Table Mountain.

By the time I was back at the car, Lion's Head was also covered. We moved all Sarah's furniture to her mom's, who I met for the first time while carrying a bookshelf in the rain. A second load completed the evening, and here's to hoping we can finally relax.

Upcoming in the next week is hopefully surfing, climbing, unmentionable sport, and job hunting/interview scheduling. Ok then. I suppose many subjects require individual posts. I suppose I have time. I suppose this post has been far too straight forward, and does not fit this blog thematically.

Zion(s) again

2009-04-17T17:34:00.001-06:00

Life

2009-03-30T22:52:00.004-06:00

While I can always find something to complain about, should I ever complain to you, please refer me to the perspective of this photo:

Thanks.

Saffa

2009-02-08T08:30:00.016-07:00

So, 48hrs later I was back beyond the same latitude North of the Equator and stepping off the highest ski lift in North America. But I'll back up...

Landed in Cape Town and was constantly amazed by the "Table Cloth," which was commonplace to the locals.

After forcing me to stay awake all day after 37.5 hrs of travel, the next day, Sarah and I went to the Cheetah Outreach Project, conveniently located on a vineyard. We, however, opted for a bottle over the tasting.

Then I saw the sights:

They've got their fair share of waterfalls, and surcharges to view them. So it goes.

More pictures are available there. I might write more.

Lights, Lights, Doughnuts, Tacit, Obscene.

2009-01-15T10:30:00.008-07:00

Chicago:

London:

Not Hot & Fresh, But Still Found in London:

So, no worry of Class-War over in London. Tell it like it is:

Yup.

...Then it was winter again

2008-12-08T21:34:00.000-07:00

Catch

2008-11-16T13:03:00.024-07:00

Long time. Let's see: CO, WY, MT, ID, UT, NV, UT, CO, IA, CO, PA sums it up. Sarah visited for 3 weeks in September. All in all, a fantastic time. Anyone willing to put up with me for that long should be commended.

Finally made it to Yellowstone. Some gorgeous scenery, but too much wildlife makes them insipid.

Then Vegas, with Cirque du Soleil's KA. Back across Southern Utah and home. Sarah left and made the all too regular returns to DIA even less appealing.

I was home for 4 days before going to Iowa. 3 weeks of blade inspection, which began quite pleasant. But being October, it became cold and gray; the phone calls kept coming as I found myself staring at Excel spreadsheets all day.

Then home again. Moved out of the house in a week, then drove down to Lamar, CO, for another job. Nice to finally drive. I finally got to hear an entire episode of Wait Wait, which kept a smile on the face. No security lines, just the flat plains of Eastern CO. But there, we lived in the Tube.

5 days home, 2 of those skiing, and now in PA:

Ingen order (2)

2008-10-01T23:27:00.001-06:00

Love, I miss you

2008-09-28T00:22:00.001-06:00

Regardless of the two-headed twin nature of the photo

Still Flowing

2008-08-29T07:10:00.001-06:00

...but getting damned cold.

WV pt.2

2008-08-19T05:57:00.001-06:00

WV

2008-08-07T12:12:00.000-06:00

Cheers to a good location, and a good locale when work is getting ever more ridiculous.

sold

2008-07-30T23:08:00.005-06:00

So a small technical canyon ten minutes from home...

See you in West Virginia.

NCack2

2008-07-22T22:21:00.014-06:00

My good bud Chris got married at the end of last month. The wedding was lovely, with the ensuing debauchery and lack of sleep, dizzying. yay.

Bar in the background, smoke, or...

...go listen to your favorite music.

In other news, the Dam Road remains closed, pending more meetings between Summit County and Denver Water. Protests continue; with A-Basin closed for the season, ski bums have a new place to grill out in the evening, with the added benefit of the ease of making witty placards or t-shirts with only a primary level education.

The boobs from the previous post have been removed and replaced with those seen on the right. The former were sighted; awards will be presented when someone arrives to claim them. That is all.

The Giant 200th Post Hodgepodge Celebration!

2008-07-19T16:14:00.021-06:00

(or: loquaciousness and wishing again for its absence)

Here we are, sitting enjoying the back porch on a Summer afternoon. We're watching terrible golfers as they complain of hitting the ball too far in this thin air. We are wishing that we had an air horn. Being Saturday, we are celebrating tourons that wonder at what nursery they can buy all these beautiful red evergreens.

and here, Victorian era dogs that are depressingly hilarious.

In keeping with the dog theme, 3 cheers for the deaf Zen-master practicing enlightenment through double-rear-legged air thumping.

And to Eastern Montana, whose bars are all casinos, offering at least five different types of French fries, as well as appetizers with names like chicken shits.

Rock structures. I remain fascinated by the geologic formations from ancient lakes and riverbeds that used to permeate the Northern MidWest. Some deposits being stronger to natural weathering processes, etc. "The rock structures, are still forming, today." Oh wait a minute, it was during the second day. That's when they were made. Practice sand castles before God dipped his fingers in Southern Utah. All apologies to those offended.

Moving on...

Yes, they're still paying me to hang on these things. Riding around the tower is a great time to gain perspective and contemplate about the ecological hypocrisies and the successful marketing of 'green consumerism.'

[Cynical rant deleted by editor]

MT

2008-07-17T10:58:00.000-06:00

Leaving Dakota

2008-06-19T19:13:00.001-06:00

WI

2008-06-04T14:15:00.000-06:00

Mr. P

2008-05-21T21:25:00.000-06:00

Sorry for the delay on this one...

Cheddar

2008-05-20T18:06:00.001-06:00

Goodbye Winter

2008-05-03T14:45:00.003-06:00

Time to bid adieu, the Continental Divide, May 3rd.

4/26

2008-04-26T08:16:00.001-06:00

My backyard this morning

So, to rejoice or say, 'Enough?'

Who cares, I'm going skiing.

Sometimes

2008-04-17T08:15:00.001-06:00

Waking up everyday before dawn isn't a bad thing.

Back

2008-03-31T17:58:00.001-06:00

to the one-word titles. Here you go:

OOOOOtah

2008-03-20T09:59:00.012-06:00

Wondering what I'll do when the skiing stops, and with Flatlander Spring Breakers encroaching, Doug and I headed into Utah to check to see if the canyons were thawing out yet.

The answer, fortunately for us, was a no.

So besides one technical canyon, Baptist Draw, we saw The Great Gallery in Horseshoe Canyon, tooled around on the slickrock of the Robber's Roost Area and hiked up to Hanging Lake on the way back to the mountains.

All of our pictures are accessible from somewhere around here.

Down the Rabbit Hole!

Going to UT

2008-03-12T00:22:00.001-06:00

Disappearing for a bit.

Snow

2008-02-21T08:40:00.006-07:00

Ten days back in Colorado, ten days skiing. I'm getting spoiled, but am leaving Sunday for Texas for some external blade repair. To those two of you wanting more photos, please click near the snow beard.

HERE!

Blue

2008-02-01T18:06:00.000-07:00

Graves from the 19th century under machines that aren't totally figured out yet.

The sky is also blue - a change from the previous weather, which was redefining gray.

MO

2008-01-23T16:40:00.000-07:00

Turbines in the Meth-capital of the world!

SC

2008-01-23T16:39:00.000-07:00

Went back. Then left. Not bad.

P.Estin Hut

2008-01-10T22:38:00.000-07:00

I will post more photos of life as a ski bum and the recent affinity for me and sunsets of Monument Valley soon. But for now...

12000'

2007-12-29T17:20:00.000-07:00

Put your tin hat on

2007-12-13T17:38:00.000-07:00

Quickly.

When the National Park Service begins to have a MONOPOLY! game based on their parks, I get a little nervous...

Now, everyone knows and agrees that unfettered capitalism works all the time. Sodexho already provides most of the food service in the parks, why not let the free market decide the fate of national flagships(which were, after all, mainly unable to develop or no important resource had been found prior to their establishment)? It just seems like a slippery slope to me.

Some days we wear stilts.

2007-12-07T18:15:00.000-07:00

...for no reason at all

>9000'

2007-12-02T11:18:00.000-07:00

First storm of the year finally hit the highest county in the country.

DE

2007-11-25T10:20:00.000-07:00

2115'

2007-11-09T10:07:00.000-07:00

Extreme Highline Boot Camp

Terminus

2007-10-29T05:52:00.000-06:00

2300' starts today.

a long run

2007-10-14T00:01:00.000-06:00

A team player. I'll miss ya.

Lady of the Mountain

2007-10-09T10:05:00.000-06:00

So, Lady of the Mountain. The view of it from Deertrap Mountain can be seen in the previous post (top photo, right of center - before the shadow, which is the exit for Behunin and Heaps canyons).

A total elevation gain of 2670' in less than 1.5 miles, even after climbing it, it's hard to see where the trail would go. 2 Hours up, 1.7 hours down - I beat the sunset with plenty of time to go.

The hike was the first built in Zion that reached a rim, but, due to the number of rescues, was decommissioned in the late 70's, with the removal of two ladders and 2000' of cable. Thus, read that this trip may not require rope on the way up, but most likely will on the way down. Also, if you have serious concerns with exposure, it's probably best to avoid the trip entirely.

But you get treated to a great view at the top:

Also a nice alternate view of the other side of the 3 Patriarchs:

The astute observer could notice Behunin canyon, Angel's Landing, Cable Mountain, Deertrap Mountain and the East Temple in these photos.

<-And proof that I didn't go stealing these photos from some site online.

NOIZ

2007-10-04T14:27:00.000-06:00

Back & Dangling

2007-09-22T04:14:00.000-06:00

With Phoenix taking the WNBA Finals, it looks like there may be some turnaround of the fortunes for the professional sports teams here in the Valley of the Sun. With the Diamondbacks doing well, the nets of the foul poles needed to be changed out. How does one go about doing that?

The rumors

2007-09-07T00:52:00.001-06:00

They're true. They let me back in, but not without a fight.

I sat for only 20min. on the bridge of no-man's land before the Customs Agents began to assert the freedom of the country upon me. After opening the back of my truck, they informed me that I would have to unload some of my gear so that they could see the whole way through the cab (very different from the last time I returned). So I pulled over and unloaded the top layer of the bed. After waiting 10 minutes, I caught the attention of another officer, that informed me that I would have to unload the rest of the truck for the dog to climb in.

Another 10 minutes waiting, sitting on the back of the truck, snapping photos and an officer informed me not nicely that I could not take photos and to delete them in front of him. I felt it wise not to discuss the legality of the issue, as I just wanted to reenter the freest of all countries in the world! Then the dog started having its search around - in the back, around the truck, in the front, in the back, in the front, in the front. All the while I was being questioned about the length of my stay down there, what I was doing, how I could afford it. I almost mentioned my allergy to drug-dog dander, but there went my head again. I was muttering for the dog to smell the spare tire - the Customs agent asked me what I said. Oh, nothing, just please do a thorough check of everything please. It seemed that the dog picked up a scent in the cab, that I can honestly say would have no relation to me whatsoever, and after carefully chosen words (the best possible after not sleeping for 24 hours), my passport and keys were returned to me. I paid the $1.25 liquor import tax and went about trying to get out of Texas. Back to enjoy the Freedom of the homeland that no living in the mountains of Mexico could ever afford. EVER. NOT POSSIBLE.

On another note, returning to the smells and sights of the Sonoran Desert has brought a smile to my face, although squatting in an empty house is a bit odd. One good thing is that you don't have to turn any lights on, because you won't run into anything.

Adjustments, reflections and the list to come...

Finishing up

2007-09-05T23:33:00.000-06:00

So with under 4 days to go in a 5 month stint, one decides to visit the unseen attractions to which one has been so near or even directing people. Finally, a picture of the waterfall Cola de Caballo - the namesake of the hotel I stayed at. Due to all of the rains, it was flowing higher than usual.

Then I finally made it back to Parque Fundidora. The clouds don't do the place justice; but, neither did all of the construction going on in preparation for the world forum that kicks off in a couple of weeks or so. But I caught a glimpse of the zipline I put up there.

Here's the palace of the government in downtown Monterrey. They've got all the flags out for their upcoming Independence Day.

Finally, my friend and I before we went into the History of Mexico museum, which chronologically describes pre-colonial Mexico up to the present day. Filled with swords and spears used by the conquistadors, it's pretty neat, but sad in a way. The history starting with their Independence in 1821 up trough 1850 is also pretty bloody, with wars with Texas, France and the United States.

Don't worry, more to come...

política

2007-09-03T22:16:00.000-06:00

On September 17, 1988, Hurricane Gilbert devastated Monterrey, Mexico. Flooding washed away streets and the people on them. In response, Proteccion Civil of the state of Nuevo Leon reorganized and updated its rescue services. One of the direct effects was a better rescue system for the canyons, especially Matacanes. Up until a few years ago, Proteccion Civil was in place every weekend in Potrero Redondo to check to make sure that each guide taking clients was certified by Proteccion Civil, and to check to see how many clients were in the canyon each day. They would then wait at Las Adjuntas to check off a list as each group exited. If somebody didn't exit, then rescue services were initiated. Then entered the politics...

Proteccion Civil of the municipality of Santiago has since insisted on its right to perform the rescues in Matacanes, and the State has ceded its control. No longer are the Proteccion Civil in Potrero Redondo or in Las Adjuntas. A month ago, after much rain caused high water conditions, Proteccion Civil told a group of guides that there was no longer a group in the canyon, leaving the guides to go perform the rescue of a group that was stranded without the proper swiftwater techniques to complete the canyon. I have been at the hotel a number of occasions recently on call to do a rescue if Proteccion Civil isn't going to do its job.

I almost want to discuss my current feelings of the roles of the individuals, the guiding companies and of rescue services in this situation, but they're too contradictory. So many of the 'guiding' companies can run the canyon under normal conditions, but have no idea what to do in high-water conditions. I don't want to be morbid, but I feel that something bad will happen here before things change... And I feel that if/when they change, it won't necessarily be a good thing.

Don't Watch This Video

2007-08-31T01:24:00.000-06:00

"Promise me you'll never go bungee jumping in Mexico, they just don't have the regulations."
-The Cable Guy

Zen at 35ft.

2007-08-29T01:56:00.000-06:00

Regresar

2007-08-29T01:37:00.000-06:00

Some remaining good-ones from the trips. So the rains are finally arriving at constant intervals. The last trip was Willy Wonk-esque, just lacking Agustus Gloop. If they continue as such, we won't be going back with clients this season. I'll get the last up soon. So what more can you do? Await the list, as I've heard that some people are wont to make...

Window to Weight-Gain and Other News

2007-08-15T21:01:00.000-06:00

What Krusty says is true. It's very easy to find a greasier sandwich than the 'Clogger' in Mexico. The famed 4x4: Double Everything. Double the Avocado, double the meat, double the ham, double the salami, double the cheese. They don't double the lettuce or tomato, however. I'll have to address this false advertising. And did they really kill Dr. Nick?

Other happenings: I once again hit magazines state-side. I was featured in a magazine down here for one of the canyons that we run. But, check out moosejaw.com. If you view their online catalog, there is a sexy picture of my leg on page 22. On page 27, you can check out my poor climbing form in the upper right hand corner. No, I didn't sign a photo release. Yes, I did trade climbing shoes with the model on the cover. No, I never smelled them (the shoes that is).

Back in Matacanes

2007-08-13T23:30:00.000-06:00

As in New Zealand, the guides start experimenting when the same old jumps get old. Then the guides start to think that it might be time to go before they're not able to walk away from a job some day - think probability. Thanks to the resolution of YouTube, there is no resemblance of the individual jumping to the author of the page.

Not going South...

2007-08-01T18:51:00.000-06:00

Thought I was going to get a chance to head down near Oaxaca or Vera cruz, but the gig fell through, so I spent my time today in some traffic taking care of preparatory tasks for this gig that no longer exists.

2007-07-29T20:46:00.000-06:00

2007-07-17T23:04:00.000-06:00

Nuestro Mirador

El Salto/ Laberinto

2007-07-16T15:15:00.000-06:00

Last week I took a guide equivalence course by ICAN (International Canyoneering Association & Network). The first two days were at la Huasteca and the last two days we got to hang out in two other canyons close to Santiago.

Calobozo

2007-07-10T22:57:00.000-06:00

Finally made it into El Calobozo as part of the ACA course that I was helping to teach. Not as good as it gets; I have to wait for the rainy season. But pretty enough.

La Huasteca

2007-07-05T20:09:00.001-06:00

I've been helping teach some ACA courses in a park not more than 15 minutes from downtown Monterrey. As long as I have props, the students understand what I'm saying half of the time. I'm hoping to do some climbing and try out the via ferrata there soon.

This is from last week, following all of the rain. Before Noah, I'm assuming that the physics creating a rainbow did not exist.

descansar

2007-06-26T11:46:00.000-06:00

I'm taking a day without a harness today. Dropping the monkey suit, cleaning some clothes, joining civilization for a spell.

Not to worry, I'll regress soon.

Canopy

2007-06-21T21:01:00.000-06:00

So the grand opening for the canopy tour is tomorrow.
At the least I can say that, much like the Death Star, it is fully operational. I will from now on abstain from using Star Wars references on this page, no matter how appropriate. Since returning form the wedding (Memorial Day weekend), I've had one day free, which wasn't by choice; it was simply that my body refused to move. Since returning, I've worked as in the NHL playoffs. The past four days have entailed raising the platform at the bottom of the long zipline and involving the self in tasks that turn a white shirt brown in 20min. Today entailed making a trail and a platform for the long zipline (my nemesis, my baby). As is usually the case, all things were working against me on the run-up to the finish. The damned wasps decided to sting my hand, my wrist, my lip, unprovoked. Whereas one sting has removed any memory of my knuckles, the other has failed to reproduce the Duck. The gash persists on the other hand from when the wall gave way, and there exist countless other scratches, bites and abrasions.

One more week of work and everything will be done.

Coming soon: A completely sober and serious look at my day to day life here. And, I promise, at some point, I will post photos of the canyons.

2007-06-10T19:55:00.000-06:00

MTY

2007-06-06T05:58:00.000-06:00

I was charged last night with taking out the trash, which had been accumulating for weeks, from the office at 6:40AM this morning, before the arrival of the trucks. It can't go out the night before, of course, because of the wild packs of stray dogs that have taken over most of the city. So last night I put it all on the front stoop, which is gated. I woke up to some sickening smell of putrescence and noticed that some ferric-colored liquid had leaked under the front door into the office. The worst part was that it was from the most recent trash bag from the kitchen. I don't know what everyone was eating here in my absence, but I fear it might be another contributor to the rising sterility levels among males in the world. I'm going back to the mountains. Up there, one good side of their ethic of throwing their trash anywhere is that I don't have to move it around.

Back with Cold Showers.

2007-06-04T20:33:00.000-06:00

Except on those rare days where the sun warms up the pipes. No matter, I actually find myself enjoying it at this point - refreshing.

Finally got to run Hydrophobia, a 'non-technical' canyon with plenty of fixed ropes, but a good number of jumps and slides. I nearly tied my record for oldest client (72 y/o) with a couple from Texas (71 and 57). I warned them out the outset, but I believe they thought I might be being age-ist. After the four hours of walking through a rocky stream bed after the canyon, they retracted their statements that fitness would not be an issue. No matter, no one got hurt, we made it. I was somewhat reminded of an episode from my childhood while hiking with a family friend on our property near Fort Loudon, PA. Good times, Good times.

Back working on the canopy tour. I've challenged my nemesis to another flight tomorrow after toying with its lower anchor for a couple of days. Usually, I can set-up and rig a zipline in a day or less. My nemesis and I have been dancing off-and-on for two months. Damned laws of physics.

Keep it running

2007-05-30T01:54:00.000-06:00

so due to plane delays and the sort, the group from the States didn't all show up until around 11:00 PM on Thursday. I threw their luggage into my truck, reminiscent of Guadalajara, picked up a fellow guide, and was promptly pulled over by the police. Their claim was that I was driving with my lights off. Right. So they were confiscating my license and telling me that I'd have to go to the HQ the next day to pay some sort of fine and get my license back. That sounded like a grand time, to continue driving for another 4 hours with no license of which to speak - and my flight was leaving in 6 hours...

So we took care of it on the side of the road - $10. Up to the mountains I drove. I returned to Monterrey at 4:00 in the morning, with almost 2 hours before my taxi to the airport - as compared to the 15 minutes from the week before.

No sleep and I continued my streak of sleeping before taking off and waking up on the descent, got to hear people complain about the hassle of flying standby on the Friday of Memorial Day Weekend in Dallas/Fort Worth Int'l. Delayed, I showed up in Bethesda, MD, greeted by tables of endless Blue crab and a couple pounds of Old Bay.

A few hours of sleep and Charley and I spent some time maintaining sanity through humor directed at the expense of others while the girls of the wedding got shoes and other unmentionables. 40 minutes and we were off to the rehearsal dinner. They thought there was no rehearsal involved, so I noted that then it would just be called Dinner.

A few hours of sleep and I was wearing a kippah and sweating in the humidity of the wedding. Apparently enough time has passed and it is now possible to find a Dixie Land Jazz Band, so I foxtrotted the afternoon and evening away.

A few hours of sleep and the buffet. A few hours of sleep and the remaining crew went to a diner where anything that you could imagine, and things that you couldn't imagine can all be ordered. My favorite on the menu was the Tropical Health Salad, which was Jell-O, cottage cheese and a few fruits on a bed of greens. There was an unknown Greek meat dish that joined us on our adventure at Dave & Buster's, an adult version of Chuck-E-Cheese. After we were forcefully asked to leave, the unknown dish was hidden to grow legs and haunt the establishment.

A few hours of sleep and back to Mexico. Back to hanging out in trees tomorrow.

Revolution

2007-05-22T13:52:00.000-06:00

Last year I was helping to teach a canyoneering course in Cedar City, UT. This year I played some Diddy Kong Racing (at which I am horrible) and messed around with a plastic chair and a big rubber band.

más ligero

2007-05-18T19:52:00.000-06:00

So you board a bus on the American side of the border. But it's really already Mexico, because you better learn some Spanish quickly, as nobody's speaking English anymore. You cross the border and enter customs. Everyone sends their baggage through a machine and then waits in line to push a button below what looks like a traffic light. If the light is green when you press the button, back on the bus you go. If it is red, the customs agent goes through your bag. Guess which color I got. The agent asked why my bag was wet. I told him that I had been out in the rain and pointed outside. Mexico says, "Gracias, Sr. Gringo Obvio."

The bus ride was a hoot. It had been a while since I'd had the chance to see Weekend at Bernie's.

After arriving in Monterrey, Edgar picked me up in his car. A belt had snapped on the engine, so the battery was not recharging. A few miles from the office, the windshield wipers stopped working and the car eventually stalled. In a rainy rush hour, I got to push his car across a couple of lanes to where we could park it. Mexico says, "Bienvenido, le hemos estado esperando."

Chasing Cars

2007-05-18T02:07:00.000-06:00

...with a land yacht. Room for 14 hitchhikers to keep me company

1450 miles, two days, and I'm back at the border of the 3rd world. I drove through the devastation that is still Hurricane Katrina. NO is coming back; but, the uninhabited, skeletons of buildings with "HELP" spray painted on the roofs give a saddening reminder.

One hitchhiker had left the hometown of Jerry Falwell, which seemed appropriate. on his way back to West Texas. He had plenty of stories to tell of the people that had picked him up on the initial trip East, including one Vietnam vet driving to go have both of his legs amputated from injuries incurred almost 30 years ago - shadow effects of a war.

Just forget the world.

Wanted:

2007-05-13T21:31:00.000-06:00

I need someone to ride in a 4x4 lifted 15-passenger van from near Charlotte, NC, to Laredo, TX, and onward down to Monterrey. The current offer is an all-expense paid trip from Charlotte, including meals and a free plane ticket back to wherever you're living. The only catch is that you need to leave around this Wednesday.

Any takers?

Shop Smart, Shop:

[UPDATE: The Beast is on the road, somewhere in Southern Mississippi. Out of the way Eco-Compact Cars!]

Guadalajara, Guadalajara!

2007-05-08T18:48:00.000-06:00

~10 hours South, past the Tropic of Cancer, across more desert, Chuy and I reached the 2nd largest city in Mexico, Guadalajara, the "Silicon Valley of Mexico." Perhaps it's the professions of those there as compared to the industrial Monterrey, but the drivers were somewhat nicer. The learned skill of driving in Monterrey (more on this some other time) seemed to irk many of Guadalajara's inhabitants, but it proved just as effective there.

The next day, the gringos arrived at the airport. We drove way out of our way on our journey to Tecolotlan, but I at least got to eat some tequila ice cream. When we reached Tecolotlan, we were greeted at the town hall by the mayor and the director of the park service. The gringos went to bed, while the Mexicans and I stayed up as you do. We happened to run into the mayor, who proudly proceeded to tell us of the wonders of the dark side of his town. Truly a once in a lifetime experience to have a beer with a mayor while he explicates about everything that would be illegal in the States and then have him pick up the tab. They really threw out the red carpet for us...

Over the next four days, I descended four canyons, with drops up to 100m with some friends in the ACA.

Some gorgeous waterfalls, alot of poison ivy and jejen (biting ferocious nasty little chingaros), and not nearly enough sleep is the general gist.

But the park service shuttled us to the entrance and picked us up at the exits of the canyons everyday (Try to get that to happen in the States. The park rangers said this was completely normal.) The birthplace of mariachi is right around the corner from Tecolotlan, so the second to last night there was the expected party, with a true mariachi band to boot.

By the way, due to my constant consumption of salsas and a couple of other factors, my status has now been elevated to Mexi-gringo.

After some wonderfully, elegantly complicated logistical problems, the gringos got on their planes safely. A few remained, rented a car, and followed Chuy and me in my truck to Tequila, the birthplace, of, well...

->

2007-05-08T18:47:00.000-06:00

So off to Cuervo Mundo! The most magical tour of all time, filled with the education of the art of producing and consuming tequila.

[The feeble culture of Cinco de Mayo debauchery in the United States does not impart any knowledge of the craft, except for, perhaps, the experience of waking up soaked in someone else's urine. Cinco de Mayo is any normal day here. People don't go to work or school, but the day has not become a Corona Holiday.]

So, quickly:

-Tequila came to exist when the European knowledge of yeast fermentation and distillation met with the agave wine that the natives had been drinking for centuries.
-The agave requires about 7 years to mature for harvest.
-Approximately 6kg of agave yields 1L of tequila.
-The agave is first cut down to its core (the pineapple)
-It is then burned to enhance the production of the sugars used in fermentation.
-Following fermentation, the product is distilled twice to enhance its purity. At this point it contains approximately 55% alcohol. At this point it is 'consumable.'
-The tequila at this point is clear. It can be watered down to ~45% and sold, or it may be aged.
-Different aging processes (container, time) change the qualities of the beverage. In general, the longer the aging process, the smoother the tequila, but the flavor and spiciness changes as well.
-The general tequila used for mixing was produced by sugars which 51% originate from the agave. Who knows where the remaining sugars come from.
-100% agave tequila should never be mixed. If you have friends that insist on doing so, please remove them from your address book.
-The name tequila can only be applied to the beverage if it is cultivated in a limited number of areas, all centered around the state of Jalisco.
-Finally, for an extremely nice bottle of tequila, you could spend well over $100. Or you can go down the road to where you buy it in jugs and get 5L for about $20.

Well, back in Monterrey. Back to working on the canopy tour tomorrow...