Four Weeks

I feel like I have been neglecting my blog for about four weeks now so to bring you up to speed please enjoy the following run on sentence, and the new Five Finger Death Punch cover of Bad Company. I got sick four weeks ago with some respiratory virus, held the couch down, hoping it is gone, I climbed with Kent, Brett (twice), Ryan, Shannon, Mike, and Joe, was only able to run starting last week, learned that I still remember how to crash a mountain bike (still sore from that one), made it to the gym a few times with Amy, Ryan, Meagan, Shannon, Ann, helped move a safe, attended Ryan's very fun 30th birthday party, and those are the highlights.

No More Friends

That's right. I'm swearing off making any new friends. It all started a little over four years ago with Mike and Kent. They suckered me into being their friend. Yeah, it was great, but then they moved. Stayc moved, but at least she came back. Ryan has talked of moving to Bend, and Brett is perpetually looking to leave. Angela can't wait to leave when she graduates. David is in Phoenix. Now one more of you is hitting the bricks. I'm not sure if it is still a secret so I won't divulge anything I shouldn't. Amy and I were fighting over who will miss you the most. It's a bummer. I don't think that it can be a coincidence. Too many people I call friends leave Tucson. It must be me. That's why I refuse to make any new friends. I will enjoy my current friends until, one by one, they all move away. I will have to find a belay slave, but everything else I can do on my own. I'll just search the gym for some poor lonely soul who doesn't have a partner, and has to get their climbing workout by traversing around the gym. I won't establish a relationship other than climber-belayer with them. I guess it could be worse. Steve could move to town just long enough to tell me he's leaving.

One Month

Amy and I decided to give up sugar for one month. Granted we had to take a day off for Amy's birthday, but other than that we have done very well sticking to the rules. We actually started on April 4th (had to wait until after Easter you know). Then today we were laying around the house because we have been sick all week. We were minding our own business when Amy's cell phone rings. Long story short, Satan was on the other end of the line. She had left the tastiest looking chocolate cake I had seen in a very long time outside our door. I would post a picture, but there is not much left of it. We have decided to celebrate anyway. We are planning on going to BTO yogurt on Wed. if any of you can make it we would love to celebrate our almost going one month without sugar with you. And Satan, thanks for the cake. It really was delicious. I especially liked the cherries.

Gear

I was talking with my friend Angela last week, and we were discussing gear. It is one of my favorite topics. I think that everyone on some level uses gear. Gear can be anything, a camera lens, mountain bike, or even knitting needles (old lady gear). We ended up discussing our favorite pieces of gear. I thought that it would be interesting to hear from all of you. So, the question of the day is; What is your favorite piece of gear? Please post in the comments section.

J-Tree Part 2

These guys are great traveling companions. I had as much fun hanging out with (from left to right) Ward, Brett (background), Kent, and Dave as I did climbing. Although, sometimes I felt as if I had brought a knife to a gun fight when we had intellectual discussions.

The Ironman cleaning the chains.

J-Tree has some of the most amazing scenery.

The biggest crack running up the rock in the background is a route called the Eye. It is rated 5.3, but is really fun. There is a cave at the top where the belay is set up. Thanks for the suggestion Ryan.

J-Tree Part 1

That was the pile of gear I took on my recent trip to J-Tree (Joshua Tree). I know it looks like way to much gear for a three day climbing trip, but I wasn't exactly sure what to expect so I took all of my gear. Three ropes, three pairs of shoes, fifty draws, full trad rack, cordelettes, web-o-lette, belay devices, three harnesses (one of our group needed to borrow one, and I wasn't sure what size). Needless to say we didn't run short on gear. We did some very fun climbs. I really enjoyed the trip. The good company was even better than the climbing. That big rock is the Headstone. We were going to climb it, but it got really windy so we backed off of it. I guess we will have to go back to finish it. If you look closely you might be able to see a climber on it. I will post a more complete travel log once I get all the pictures sorted out.

Cheap Trick

Yesterday we were at a restaurant and heard a country version of Cheap Trick's "I Want You to Want Me". I liked it before I realized that it was a cover. Turns out it was Dwight Yokam. That explains why it sounds like country music instead of top 40. I always liked the original. While searching I found a punk version too. It is by a band called Propaghandi. Never heard of them before, but it is kind of cool too. I put all three versions on the BB&S play list. Enjoy, or not.