Booty

No, not that kind. Look up "booty" in the climber's dictionary I posted a while ago. I found this grinder yesterday on my run. I did an out and back route that I do on a regular basis. I have to run across a bridge, and may have run by it on the way out. On the way back I saw what looked like an electrical cord sticking out from the railing. I took a look even though usually it is just trash that I find. I was surprised when I saw the cord was attached to this grinder. I'm guessing it bounced out of a work truck (although it shows no sign of bouncing), and almost made it under the railing. I had to run the remaining .93 miles back home which was not much fun. It's amazing how much harder this 5 or 6 pounds was to carry while running. I had to keep switching hands. So far I have found $55 and a grinder on my runs. If only I could find enough to fund my running shoes.

Roof

I finally finished coating the roof this weekend. It seems silly to be this excited about something so boring, but I am excited about it. What's next? Discussing the weather at length? That's not snow. Just a freshly painted roof.

A view from the other angle.

Irrational Fear

I guess I needed to be taken down a peg or two. I had been feeling a little too good about myself lately. I had been working on getting in shape for an upcoming J-Tree trip by doing laps on the auto belay in the gym. Last week I did 70+ laps. Philip had a scout camp out Friday night so I went along. I got up early Saturday and went for a 5 mile run in the hills. Not being in great running shape I suffered and even walked when the Jeep road went straight up the hillside with no switchbacks, but I finished it. Yeah, I was feeling pretty good about myself alright. Then we took the boys into Peppersauce caves. I don't like confined spaces, but had been in the cave before and was able to maintain. It was muddy and fun. We all slipped around getting muddier by the second. Then we came to a small crack that was as big or bigger than some of the other places we had to squeeze through. I just couldn't do it. I talked myself into going through, but then remembered that I would have to come back through it. I just couldn't even muster the desire to want to make myself do it. I decided to turn back. I climbed back up a little way, and turned off my headlamp. I listened to the cave noises, and felt the humid air. I enjoyed being alone. When I heard another party coming I turned on my headlamp and headed out. I am going to have to go back and conquer that irrational fear.

Saguaro

Yes, it's true I beat my wife last Monday. At the Saguaro National Park East Labor Day 8 mile run. I beat her by about 20 seconds. We both added about 2 minutes to our times from last year because we got to the park a little later than we should have and ended up starting in the back. We had a good time and the mile long climb that starts at mile 3 didn't kill either one of us. I have to say that I am not in shape right now. Summer is the worst time for me to try to train for something. I was just glad to be able to run the entire hill, and not have to walk any part of the course. Amy finished 13th in her age group, and I finished 27th in mine. We both finished in the top third overall. You should come join us next year. Start training now. Amy after a severe beating.

That's me feeling like the recipient of a severe beating.

I Beat My Wife

More details to follow later.

The Fortress

Yesterday Mike and I went to the top of Mt. Lemmon to climb The Fortress via Steel Crazy. It looked like we were going to have the whole rock to ourselves because there were no packs where people leave them for the approach down to the start of the climbs. When we arrived at the base there was a party that had camped somewhere close by and had beat us to the bottom. We decided to wait our turn by doing one of the 5.10 single pitch routes close by. Mike lead a very pumpy 5.10 that was lots of fun. When we got done we went to check the other team's progress. Their third member was just starting up the first pitch. Sometimes if you want to have a good time climbing you have to be flexible. We decided to go climb the Fisherman's Elbow. Mike had done it a few months earlier with Ryan so he lead the two pitches that Ryan had lead the last time. That's me getting ready to start the third pitch. It was the most fun (and scariest) part of the climb.

The view of Rapp Rock from the Fortress. If you look back a few posts you can see a view of the Fortress from Rapp Rock.

I had to hold a gun on Mike to get him to let me take his picture.

Can you find the climbers in this picture of the Murray Wall. They were drilling and bolting a new route.

All in all another great day that I hope to remember forever. Good climbing+good partners=great memories. That is my equation for happiness.

Close Calls

I was scheduled to coat my roof tomorrow. I had done the prep work a couple of weeks ago, and had just been trying to decide which product I wanted to buy. I also needed at least three days of good weather that started on a day that I could be around in the morning before the roof got too hot to paint. Who would have thought that weather (other than hot) would be a deciding factor here in Tucson. Fortunately Mike called me and asked me to go climb a multi pitch route with him tomorrow. I put on my best sad puppy dog eyes and told Amy that I had an invite, and how I hated to let Mike down. She said "as soon as you finish painting the roof you can go." Hey that's a partial win. I was just going to have to get up at 4:00 am, and paint the roof. Then this afternoon monsoon clouds started to build in the East. Now I can go climb and I don't have to do my chores. Plus I get to sleep in a little bit. I figure it is just my reward for being such a hard worker and living a good clean life. There's no other explanation.

Amen

"Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well-preserved body. But rather, to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up,totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming .... WOW what a ride." — Mark Frost (The Match)