Oak Flats Bouldering

First trip out to Oak Flats today! Got in some good climbing and hung out with some nice people while I was out there. I climbed alot of the same stuff I climbed last time plus added a few more. This place is so huge, I have alot more to learn. I tried searching for an area called 'The Maze' but had no luck so finally went back to an area I was more familiar with - 'Davy Jones' Locker' -- I'm lucky I didn't get lost out there and still be wandering around. The problem I'm doing in this picture is my first project out here. No idea what it's rated as it's not in my guide but it is a really cool, overhanging problem. I got on it toward the end of my day out there and my tips were too shredded to give it a really good go. I look forward to trying it again with fresher fingers.



Here's a V2/V3 I did in the same area.

The latest I've heard about this place is that it will eventually be shut down. This is too bad as it's a great place--I do hope a fair land exchange does happen so more climbing areas will open up in exchange for this one. (http://www.climbtamo.com has info on one possible area). I do feel lucky that I am getting the chance to climb here before it is shut down.

In other news, I got invited to a $10 buy in poker game friday with some guys from work. I ended up winning and taking home about $40 :). I think that really annoyed most of the people there since only one person there even knew me. Oh well.

Phoenix Rock Gym

First full day here today. I decided to take the day off and just relax before hitting work tomorrow. After dropping Graham off at the airport I drove over to check out the Phoenix Rock Gym. It's only a few minutes from where I'm staying and not as expensive as AZ on the Rocks. I wasn't impressed with the bouldering there at all. It's a huge gym and they have just one pretty much square room for boulderers. Most of it is just vertical walls too. They use the "D" scale for grades. I saw D1-D7 problems and according to the conversion chart, you have to get to D4 before you get up to V1 and by the time you're at D6, you're climbing V5. Since it was mostly vertical, pretty much all the routes were balancey, crimpy things to get up. Oh well, I complain, but it is still climbing and I got a good workout. Hung out with some cool people as well and even ran into a couple of guys I had met out at Oak Flats last time I was here last month. I'll probably still go there sometimes when I don't feel like driving all the way up to Scottsdale to AZ on the Rocks. I also bought a guide for another area out by Oak Flats that I'll check out on Saturday.

Here's home for the next two months:

Arrived..

Windshield wiper fluid in southern Colorado

We've safely made it to Mesa and am all checked into my Homestead Suite that will be home for the next 2 months. Tomorrow I'll take Graham back to the airport and start my time here.

Couple interesting things to mention today. First, I'd never driven the section of I-25 between Walsenburg, CO and Albuquerque, NM. Very pretty drive. Second, in Pueblo, CO we saw a guy decide he wanted to get across the interstate...right now. He cut across the on-ramp and drove sideways across the southbound lanes, down into the median ditch and I watched in my rearview mirror as he drove across the northbound lanes, into the ditch on the other side and up onto the side frontage road where he went on his way. Seriously...who does that?

Day of Driving

We have arrived in Colorado Springs. Only two complaints for the day.. The first that my truck is getting pretty bad gas mileage, around 15-16 mpg I think instead of 19-20 that I normally get on the road. I think the cruise control wasn't working quite right but really don't have any idea. The other is that we hit Denver rush hour which killed about 45-50 minutes rolling through traffic. Otherwise, we made great time all in all so have a bit of time to chill in this Econolodge tonight.

Saw an interesting license plate today: CO plate: 'MNCURST', I can just imagine the story.

Tomorrow we'll get up, take a quick look at Pike's Peak, then head south to Albuquerque (5 hours from here) then west to Flagstaff and south to Phoenix. Hopefully we'll arrive by 8 or 9 tomorrow night.

Oh, I'll start getting pictures up here pretty soon. Forgot to bring the cable to connect my camera to my computer so will have to get a new one.

Trip to Arizona Begins..

I am in Des Moines. I left Minneapolis earlier this afternoon and am en route to Mesa, Arizona where I'll be living and working for the next two months. My Ford Ranger has new tires, a fresh change of oil, and a new windshield and I am confident it will pull through. My friend Graham has kindly agreed to join me on this drive across the country. He will fly home on Thursday and return in two months for my trip home. If all goes as planned, we'll be in Colorado Springs or Pueblo at this time tomorrow night.

I am going for many reasons -- some of which I can say and some of which I cannot. The primary reason is for work. Without getting into details, the situation at work will be better with me in Arizona at this time. I have agreed to come down for several reasons: the weather -- which is perfect right now -- and the bouldering I plan on doing every weekend for the next two months. Beyond the essential clothes and other miscellaneous items, I've brought a guitar, climbing gear, and several books. About the time the temperatures start climbing toward the edge of my comfort level, I will return to MN...I guess I'm a 25 year old snowbird.

Life is interesting right now, for reasons way beyond the next two months...I'm curious to see what happens..