Climbing and EMT

I'm starting to get my drive to climb back. I'm very excited about it. I'm gonna plan on taking my SPI test in the spring by which time I should be a certified EMT Basic. I am applying to the cleveland clinic EMS academy to start classes in Jan. Then I will get my Wilderness Fisrt Responder. So by next sumer I should be a certified guide, EMT, and WFR. Not really sure where this is taking me but it's all info and certifications I really want. 

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What's new?

Thats a good question! I'm starting to think more in terms of what's old? Life has been so dramatically different from last year. Relationships are progressing in new amazing ways and some are digressing in very painful ways. I have lost touch with some friends and family and that bothers me. I have become complacent in allowing myself to fall into new habits without considering my old life. I am getting to that point in my life where I enjoy going home right after work to make dinner and be with my "woman". As is typically the case with me I need to learn and establish moderation. Everything in moderation....sure! I'm missing the climbing community pretty badly right now. It is a very tough subject for me right now, honestly it has been tough since April. I sailed much more this year than climbed because it was easier emotionally, logistically, and physically. I allowed myself to fall into the "busy" life syndrome and out of the "active" life. I convince myself I dont have time to climb or be active, when in reality there are a couple nights a week that Im on the couch watching a movie by 7pm. A movie or TV show is a good distraction but it simply wont share your life with you or be there for you when times are tough and it certainly is not going supply you with memories that lift you up and make you smile every time you think of them. Thats what climbing has done for me. I have so many memories that just the hint of bring a smile to my face and seem to melt away all the fear and confusion of life and the future. Future....now thats a question. When I was 16 I was sure I wasnt going to live to see 18. Not that I had some morbid thoughts of death or anything of the sort. I could not comprehend what my life would be like after high school so my brain just determined it wasnt going to happen. I was focusing too much on the present and not enough on the future and now I find I am doing the opposite to a fault. Again everything in moderation...... I am afraid of waiting to long to have kids, so I am doing everything I can to get my life in line to make that happen in a little time as possible. I am thinking about growing old with my children and my darling "woman". I am so fond of that idea that Im finding a fear of climbing and other reckless activities that was never there. Rationally I know that I could die on the way home and thats ok. I am happy with the life I have lived. I really feel like I have lived a great life, full of great people and memories. I know talking of death and reflecting on your life is something a much older man should be doing but the reality is that we all have only a limited amount of time to enjoy life. "Get busy livin or get busy dyin" Mike's death scared me, scared me more than I realized and more still than I think I realize now. I think it was his death that caused me to grasp for a future that I was worried I'd never have. While I know a man with that vigor for life would not have wanted to die at a young age, I am sure now that he lived life and loved life and how much more can we expect from one man or woman. Loving life includes the life others, family, strangers, enemies.... I dont know if Ill ever have kids or get married or buy all the toys I've ever wanted but damn it I WILL love life. We have one shot at this folks don't waste it.

Catching up

So I have been out of touch for about 6 weeks now. I am very sorry to everyone I have been neglecting but my woman needed me at home. So here is a quick summary of the last six weeks. Wake up 530am drive to work, work all day, 545pm get home from work, go to the grocery store, make dinner, eat, clean up kitchen, go to bed...repeat! With a little golf and sailing mixed in there to keep me sane. Eryn has been great and very thankful. Overall it has not been bad just busy and overwhelming at times. 

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Here are some images from our first day of SPI class. Included are my first top managed site anchor and the scary spider that laid claim to the tree I was using.

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Here are some images from our first day of SPI class. Included are my first top managed site anchor and the scary spider that laid claim to the tree I was using.

-- Sent from my Palm Pre

Eryn is Gone!

Eryn is on her way to Florida for around 2 weeks for her Grad course.  She left me with a messy kitchen (but she did make me dinner lastnight) and a cat (Wilbur) to look after. So I will be living alone for the first time in almost 2 years. As busy as my life tends to be, Im sure the time will pass in a blur. Chris and I leave tonight to head to the New for a Single Pitch Instructor course.  Basically its a course on how to be a guide for a single pitch rock climbing envirnoment. Im actually quite nervous!

 

Im trying to step up and take on more responsibility on the boat. I need to be more in control of my position on the boat and/or the crew/boat in general otherwise I will lose interest. I really enjoy sailing but Im not interested in sitting by and letting other people take charge of something I can do just as well or better. I told the owner this and he seemed to be responsive and said go for it. So we will see how that works out.

 

 

Climbing

Going climbing at the new this weekend. Next weekend Chris and I will be heading to the new again on Thurs night to take a climbing course. The course is a three day, 9 hour a day class on how to be a single pitch climbing guide. After we complete the course we will at some point have to take a 2 day, 8 hr a day test. Once we pass that we will be AMGA certified guides!!! I am so excited about that prospect!!!! In august I want to take a wilderness first responder course also. That is a high level wilderness first aid course. The downside to all this is....The guide course is $430, the test is $250, the first aid course is around $700 and between all these courses I will need to miss almost a full week of work! Very expensive adventure but Its training that will be GREAT to have!

Tucker Sticker

Here is a pic of the sticker on my car. Thank you again to Nina and Chris!!

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Update

its been longer than I had intended since my last blog posting and i apologize. Life has been strange recently. It has felt extremely busy but it has been the kind of busy that isnt really worth talking about, just day to day nonsense. The picture posted with this is from my trip out west with Chris. It is from the top of a climb on the backside of Mt. Rushmore. That was a really great trip! So I finally got the software installed on the new PC Chris is letting me borrow. Now I can get some real design work done while Im at home. It will give me something to do while Eryn is in the Bahamas or whatever tropical place she is going for "school". She will be gone for the first half of June.

I went on a climbing trip this past weekend. We had planned on going to the new which I was REALLY excited about because I have not been down there in a VERY long time. I was excited about staying with grandma and grandpa and seeing Lou's baby "Ejaihwan Hakeem" (love you Lou) Due to bad weather we had to move the trip to the red. That is a climbing area in Kentucky, it is also the place where my friend Mike Tucker had his accident that he eventually died from. It was a bit nerve racking and somewhat unappealing destination. However I had decided already that I am going to keep climbing and work through that fear and loss.  My first difficult lead was extremely nerve racking, when I came down I was sweating and shaking....the rest of the weekend was fine though. I think i just needed to get that fear out and get back into the "groove" Im sure that fear will grip me from time to time in the future and im ok with that. It will help keep me safe and help remember Tucker. Speaking of which the memorial stickers that Nina designed are done. I really like them. I kind of feel awkward about the idea of giving them to climbing friends because it feels like the gym community has moved on already and im just gonna drag everyone down but I think its important that people remember Mike and remember how he lost his life so that more of us dont end up like that. Ok I have work to do. Night all

Dinner

Look what I made for dinner last night! Made the dough and everything! It was really good!! We had homemade garlic bread with cheese and corn on the cob. I know the corn seems odd with that meal but we both LOVE corn on the cob! I am really loving this home life! :)

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Frisbee

After a somewhat frustrating day, I went home to woman, who had sandwichs ready and waiting! I love that girl!! I ate and got to sit down for about 10mins. Then we were off to play ultimate frisbee in the Metroparks in Rocky River. We had 11 ppl show up and it was a blast! Daniel came which was great, except I punched him in the ear by accident. He was knocking down the frisbee as I was reaching for it. I really hit him hard too! He took it like a man. It was alot of fun and a great group of ppl.

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Today

Everything at the apartment is moving along very well! We have internet now and Netflix! This week has been all late days as promised! Today however should be a 430 day so I can go play ulimate frisbee!! Anyone interested can join us!!

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Getting back on Track

Currently i am trying to get my life back on track.  I have been stuck in what I heard someone describe as the "twilight zone" and no not the movie Twilight.  Life had taken on a surreal quality the last two weeks and it still hangs around when I try to understand Tuckers accident.  I have to just accept it and get my life together and enjoy everyday as fully as possible!! I think Mike would like that kind of rememberance more than anything else.

 

Eryn, Chris and I went sailing on Sat. It was SO much fun!!! Now I remember why i devoted so much time to this last year and this last winter. I think Chris enjoyed it and hopefully will be joining me on a regular basis. After sailing Eryn and I went to the boat owners (Nico) house for burgers. It turned out to be a wonderful Sat!!!! Sunday Eryn and I spent most of the day working on the apartment or buying stuff for it. We spent the HUGE gift card Chris got us and had SO much fun doing it! We are really making this place into a home not just a place to stay. It is a great feeling and I love being there with her!!!!

 

I will be working late all week except Thurs when we are playing Ulitmate Frisbee in Rocky River, so this will probably be a slow week for the blog.  Ill try to re-tell some old stories to keep everyone entertained.

Wake and funeral

I'm not sure that I'm strong enough to do this. I'm way too young to be losing friends...

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Death of a Friend

Tucker passed away at 2pm today. He will be sorely missed.

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Busy Life

I have been running myself ragged this week! Driving to Mississippi, Moving, Work, and trying to mentally and emotionally deal with Tucker's accident has left me exhausted and a bit out of sorts. I feel bad bad because I am super excited about moving in with Eryn but I know it doesnt show in my face or actions right now. I love her and am so happy about starting our future together!! Mike's accident has forced me to take a close look at my life and my activities. Its scary to think that death and serious injury are SO close to us at all times. As I told most ppl close to me I seriously thought I was done climbing forever, however there is danger is in everything we do. Far more in fact during the drive to and from work everyday. When these things happen we need to take a close look at the items we have and the things we do to keep ourselves safe, to keep ourselves as safe as possible. However we also need to look within and grab hold of that drive to do the things we love and remember the joy they bring us. Thats getting into a soon to come post about climbing safety and the stigma around it in the community. Its a subject that has been written on many times but its my blog and I wanna write about it so there :P

So the apartment is shaping up SLOWLY but surely. I will post some photos tonight of its current disastrous condition. We plan on spending all of Sunday arranging the new place and trying to make it resemble an apartment instead of a storage unit. Chris brought over a beautiful HUGE flower arrangement for Eryn as a house warming gift and a card with another gift inside that was simply way too much! I am thankful to have a friend like Chris on almost a daily basis. He is a very considerate man that would be there for me regardless of what I needed.

First Moving Day

We started moving yesterday! We have most of the kitchen and bathroom stuff in. We also moved a bed over which allowed us to spend the first night there. In light of Tuckers accident the mood is more somber than either of us had hoped for. Despite that we are VERY excited about our future and living together. Above is a picture of our new bed with couch cushions and an old quilt ( we forgot the pillows and comforter ) but the important part is the awesome pillow Nina made me!! Chris said it would give him nightmares but I love it. Thanks sis!!

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Time with Eryn's family

I spent the weekend with Eryn's family for a welcome home party and her Grandma's 88th birthday. Eventhough it was overshadowed by the news of Tucker's accident I had a GREAT time with them. They really are wonderful people. They were very considerate and understanding about me being on my phone constantly trying to stay updated on Mike's condition. 
We went on a hike sunday morning in the niagara river gorge (below the falls). It was a beautiful hike and a great distraction. 

I am going to try and get a little sleep. I am still in Mississippi heading home from picking up chris and have not had much sleep since fri night.

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The never ending drive.

Due to Tucker's accident Chris has made the decision to come home. He expressed his desire to be home and I told I would leave as soon as I could and get him. So I left Buffalo, NY sunday afternoon around 4:30 and started heading towards the southern end of Mississippi. After a short stop so Eryn could drop me off and for me to pick up the Element, I kept heading southwest. I stopped twice to sleep for 2 hrs at a time. After what seemed like a never ending drive I arrived in Natchez, MS. Chris is very relieved to see a friendly face and be heading home during this trying time.

My father gave me the time off without question and was there for me offering any help and advice I needed. He was really great about it! Thanks Dad I love you!

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Overwhelming times...

Tucker is still in critical condition with small improvements. His status and the details surrounding his accident are very much unknown at this time. The outpouring love and well wishes and prayers from the climbing community has been astonishing. It has really made me VERY proud to be a part of that community! After hearing the news of the accident I had told myself I was done climbing. After seeing the support being given and all the joy and happiness climbing has brought me, I can not imagine living a day without it in my life. Thank you all so much, you have my love and profound respect.

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Accident

A good friend has suffered a serious injury from a climbing accident. He fell to the ground from 30 feet up. The only info we have says he is in critical condition and the surgeons are not optimistic..... I am stunned and very very  sad  it truly could not have happened to a nicer person...

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Being Active

As most of you know my life has changed very significantly in the last 3 years or so. What started as a hobby that I fell in love with has turned into a full blown active lifestyle. Rock climbing at the Cleveland Rock Gym was absolutely the gateway to life that has brought me very much happiness and peace. The point that I want to make however is that its not something that just happens. I didn't just wake up one morning and was in shape and couldn't wait to get home from work so I could jam food in my face quickly and run out the door to exercise until 9-10 o'clock at night just to get up at 6am the next morning and go to work.  To this day I still don't wake up in shape! :) I'm getting closer and I'm probably in the best shape of my life but still not even close to the shape I could/should be in! I'm no different than everyone else, when I get off work I just want to go home and lay on the couch and do nothing the rest of the night. Most of you know or have an idea of how stressful my job is. The difference now, is that I have made a choice to live an active lifestyle. There are MANY people who are much more active and definitely more healthy but I have found what works for me. That's key not focusing on how you cant keep up with the "Jones" but focusing on how everyday you make the choice to better your life.  It is amazing how much better you will feel about yourself and your life. It is also amazing how many people you will meet that are in the same boat as you. Friendly helpful folks who are trying to make the best of their lives and understand where you are coming from or going to because they are on the same path.  I have met SO many wonderful people on my adventures and in the local communities. Life long friends and hopefully a wife. If you have spent any time on a bike path, rock gym, hiking trail, biking trail,...... you know exactly what kind of people I'm talking about. If you haven't, get out there and do it! I know its intimating! When I started climbing I had to seriously swallow my pride because everyone, i mean everyone was better than me! You may feel like others are judging you or laughing at you but in reality 90% of the people looking at you are thinking of ways to start a conversation and/or give you advice because at some point they were all in your shoes. We all had to start somewhere, for most of us its the same point...the bottom. The point I'm trying to make is that there is nothing different about me that makes me not tired at the end of the work day or fearless in the face of being the new guy. I have just made the decision to become active. The payoff is not only the health benefits and friends you make but the memories that are yours forever! Its the pursuit of these memories and stories that motivate me to get off the couch when I feel like I'm glued to it or drive 12hrs to attempt to hike up a mountain at midnight in negative 40 degree weather. Its the story, the memory of being down on all fours puking half way up because I over packed and over dressed which caused me to over exert myself and over heat....which is why I was puking on the side of Mt Washington in Vermont at 2am in the middle of winter.  It sure wasn't fun at the time but what a memory and what a story!!! It makes it all worth it! I don't want to be on my death bed and look back at my life and see that all I did was work and watch TV. I have realized that to make that happen its a decision you have to make everyday.

 

I have to thank my parents for fostering that adventurous spirit in me as a kid and teaching me to love and respect the outdoors.

Really?

I feel like this is the kind of thing you have to remind yourself you actually did! Yes I climbed that monster! I remember the drive in and the first time I saw the tower. I was seriously shaking at the thought of climbing this thing the next day. Yes I have a VERY healthy fear of heights and dying, conquering those fears is one of the best feelings in the world!

Thanks again Chris for making this possible and encouraging me up that first pitch when I was sure I had bitten off more than I could chew mentally.

-- Sent from my Palm Pre

Grading

I told Eryn I would have given him half credit for making me laugh...she didn't agree.

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Beard

This is an example of just how manly I am! :)
I cut it much shorter already at the request of my woman but it was awesome while it lasted.

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This is one of my favorite camping photos of all time. It is of one of the best meals I have ever had while camping. It consisted of crappy soup and even crappier rice but after 8 hrs of climbing devils tower in the hot sun (the last 2 of which without any water) it was the best meal of my life! :) I really like all the colors in the photo and what it represents to me. I hope to live the rest of my life where a dinner like this made over a camp stove is common place for my future family.

The day after this was taken we headed back up Devils Tower. The route we wanted was taken so while we waited I decided to do the route next to. It was a 5.9 "hand" crack in a corner (dihedral). Well...this quick climb I was gonna "run" up, turned out to be 150 feet high with sustained hard climbing. Turns out that a hand crack out west means every tenth move is a hand crack and the rest are off width fingers and liebacks! I was so exhausted when I got down that I didn't realize I had forgot to change my watch back to account for the time change and convinced Chris that we had better start heading down so we could get to the next climbing area before dark.......he was very cool about it but I felt bad for screwing him out of a day of climbing.

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New car!

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Fw: The Gunks

This is a climbing area in New York just a couple hours north of New York City. The actual name for the place I believe is the Shawngunks but climbers refer to it as The Gunks. So this is a "trad" climbing only area, which means you have to place all you're own gear as you climb (alot more mentally exhausting and terrifying). We arrived on a fri afternoon and stayed through monday morning. We had absolutely beautiful weather, in fact we got sunburned. The climbing was a little different than what we are used to but not significantly. The gear placements were mostly in horizontal cracks as oposed to the more common veritcal. This wasn't a problem just something I had to keep reminding myself to look for since I was constantly looking for vertical cracks and not finding them and getting a bit nervous. We stayed mostly on easy stuff but had a blast with everything we climbed. We met lots of very nice ppl and fell in love with the town of New Paltz. The only downsides are that it's an 8 hour drive each way and you have to pay $15 a day to get access to the climbing area. By far the easiest and best approach though. One of the climing areas (The Trapps) has a cliff line of around 3 miles long and in the neighborhood of 500 climbs (most between 5.4 and 5.9)

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Back to the grind

This will be my view for the day. If I have time I'll put up photos of our trip to the Gunks.

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Lease

Well Eryn and I signed our new lease today!! I am very excited and don't have any doubts in our ability to make this work. It is a 2bd 2ba 1100sqft apartment in westlake.

Also I worked on the boat this morning and expect it to be put in within 2 weeks. I can't wait to get out sailing. Hopefully I can get Daniel to come out this year. CJ has been out a couple times and seemed to enjoy it so I'm sure he will sail with me when he can. 

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Flag footbal

We just got done playing flag football with the kit my mom made me for christmas. It worked perfectly and was an absolute blast!! Thanks Mom!!!

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Sailing

Thanks to Eryn I started sailing last year. I crew on large racing sailboats. It is fun and scary and relaxing...i know that sounds silly but it's true. Here is a photo of the boat I sail on. The owner's name is Nico and despite our polar opposite personalities we have become friends and I enjoy spending time working on the boat with him.
This is a link to a video of us heading out to the start of a race. The boat name is "The Schockstar"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jFnb1G2lxLE&feature=youtube_gdata

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CHRIS

This is my climbing partner and best friend Chris. He is mostly responsible for this blog as he is curently starting a two and half month long bike trip up the mighty mississippi. Follow him on his blog at www.mrt2010.blogspot.com also you can check out our trip out west last year at www.devilstower2009.blogspot.com 
I figured this way Chris would be able to check in and find out what's going on in cleveland when ever he has time and battery power. 


As I have time I wil post photos and stories of adventures I've had over the last couple years that have changed my life!

-- Sent from my Palm Pre

ERYN

For any of you that don't know this is my beautiful girlfriend and teammate in life, Eryn!

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Email blogging

Hanging out at work on a chilly Sat morning trying to figure out how to blog through email. I have no idea what blog even means! For everyone else that's clueless...i plan on using this as a sort diary that accessible to everyone. Just keep everyone up to date on my life. For example my beautiful girlfriend and I are moving in together on April 21st !!! I've never lived with a girl before...but I'm actually not very nervous because I really do feel like she is the one. (Lets not get too excited there will be no marriage talk for atleast another year)

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Testing

Im not sure if I will use this very often or not but I thought with so much activity and so little time to include all of those that I truly love in my life, why not try blogging! Please hang in there for the first couple posts as I figure out how to work this blog thing.