Plans

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Tomorrow is my last day of work at Glumac.  After 3.5 years of cycling through the same basic sequence, tonight I’m uniquely aware that the cycle is about to break.  In some ways, this would seem like the ultimate freedom, but quitting my job is not about a vacation.  It isn’t really about a lack of activity, taking it easy, or goofing off.  While I do look forward to a bit of all of those things, this time is much more about action.  It is much more about learning, exploring, and working very very hard than about not doing anything at all.  So, how have I envisioned this time?

In the short term: Thursday morning I be driving south with two good friends to play music in Arcata, California on Thursday night, and Berkeley on Friday night.  If you are in the Bay, come check us out at The Starry Plough at 10:30pm.  Saturday is a chance to see my brother and his wife and enjoy the Bay area, which is always a good time.  We’re headed back to Portland on Sunday.   I’m looking forward to spending a few weeks helping out at The Commons while my foot heals, I finish selling my unnecessary stuff on Craigslist, and spending some quality time with friends here in Portland.

Sometime in the first week of April I’m headed south with my good friend Jordan.  He takes pictures, really good ones, so we’re going to take some really good ones in really cool places, hopefully of me doing interesting things.  Depending on weather, conditions, snowpack, and the state of my foot, destinations may include: Smith, Red Rocks, Zion, the Moab area, and Salt Lake City.  Probably towards the end of April, Jordan will need to head back to PDX, and I’ll be free to roam.  I’m hoping to spend all of May climbing and skiing the Eastern Sierras between Bishop and Tahoe, culminating with two weeks in early June in Yosemite Valley.  During this time I’m also looking forward to feeling out new places to potential settle down again, and reflecting on my recent career as well as what might be next.  That’s the rough plan, but we’ll see what actually happens.

Something says I can't leave Oregon without kicking off the trip at Smith.

June 13th I’m headed north again for a rare opportunity to complete the Muldrow Glacier route on Denali.  True this is not a glamorous technical route, but it might be one of the most classic wilderness mountaineering routes on the planet.  Our team of 6 will spend approximately 30 days climbing the Muldrow and descending the West Buttress.  Based on my last two summer trips to the Alaska range, I have little doubt this will be both intensely challenging and intensely beautiful.

The mighty Kahiltna on our way in to Denali Basecamp in 2009.

Despite a variety of extended trips, there is an awful lot of Alaska to see, and I’m planning to spend a few additional weeks travelling and exploring before heading south again.

Mt. Foraker, as seen from 14,000 camp on Denali, from my trip in 2009

My passion for climbing sparked in the Wind River Range in Wyoming, but I haven’t been back since my first trip there in 2002.  I hope to spend several weeks there in August, as well as spending time with friends in Lander, WY.  I’ll be back in Portland for sure by August 20 to celebrate two back to back weekends of weddings.  Doubtless, it’s a full summer.  However, September I’m not so certain about…

I’d like to put my climbing toys away for a while.  Seeing family in Australia and traveling in Asia are at the top of the list, but the plans are more vague.  Based on what I expect to spend climbing this summer, I think I’ve saved enough to continue traveling abroad for about 6 months.  I’d happily consider working for a non-profit or volunteering for a while as well.  In a year when I can do anything I want, why not do whatever feels right?

Live in the moment. Let the baggage go. Get the feeling to stick.

“Without a purpose, training is just exercise. Use life for something.” -Mark Twight

Getting Ready

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“Slowly the answers roll in.  The girl is gone, the bonus was small, the Alaska dates are bad, and always there are unexpected expenses… …My plans are not convenient, they are necessary.  Slowly I become aware of a feeling I had when I woke up this morning- I am unstoppable.”

A Picture of My Life- 12.17.10

There is a lot of getting ready these days.  About a year ago, one of my best friends was headed out on a similar journey, and I was startled when he asked me if I wanted to purchase any of his climbing gear to help fund his travels.  Initially I was shocked and surprised- a climber selling his gear is a serious event, and in some ways, the sign of a bond lost.  He explained to me that he was committing to a shift in his focus, and that letting go of some of his most treasured possessions was simply part of accepting the opportunity that his journey represented.

Getting ready.  At this point it is unstoppable.  I’m five days away from my last significant paycheck, and last day at the desk I’ve tended for most of four years.  I’ve begun to work through the logistical puzzle that is dismantling my relatively normal middle class life into packages that fit into the back of my VW Jetta wagon.  I’ve got much to learn about letting go of these possessions I’ve held onto for so long.  The series of decisions I’m making, the journey I’m pursuing, isn’t about a dis-satisfied worker-bee breaking out of the hive, or a closeted mountain bum finally shedding his citified disguise.  Rather, it is about taking an opportunity to answer some important questions in my life.  To challenge the typical notions of how a person “should” spend their time.  To guarantee, without other distractions, that there is in-fact, enough living in my life.

So I’m learning to let go of my possessions.  I’m learning to think about my financial resources differently (to be used rather than hoarded, but used carefully indeed).   I’ve had my exit interview, I’ve written my last rent check, and my eBay sellers rating is going up. I’m getting ready, and I’m finding that the act of doing so is part of the experience.  After considering this plan for such a long time, the preparation alone is intensely exciting.  I’m getting ready, and it feels good.

Letting go of the baggage... for a profit.

Business

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Although I am hoping that the majority of material on this site relates to adventure sports and traveling content, my career and my philosophy on business is another adventure that I hope to keep actively exploring, even while not associated with a formalized business entity.  I have enjoyed my career to date in the green building industry, and am fascinated by the opportunity that business represents to change the world- and how we conduct business is influenced by how we conduct our lives.  So as I include thoughts and photos from climbing and skiing adventures, I think it’s important to share the things I continue to learn and think about business.

I’ve followed appreciated work done by 37signals for quite some time.  For whatever reason, their style (which I can only deduce from their web presence), their products (which I have not directly used), and their process (which I have only read about, not participated in), seem to resonate with me.  I saw this article by Jason Fried and I really appreciated his ideas.  As business people, there is value in what we do- don’t do things if you don’t understand their value- but be aware that value comes in many forms.

Part of my personal mission is changing the world, and at this point I’m convinced that business has a part to play in that.  As I take time off, I intend to make a concerted effort to distill what I have learned in being part of a business for the last four years, as well as continuing to build a knowledge base and philosophy that will make me a greater asset to future business endeavors.

“I began learning these things when I was 14. And I’m glad I did, because the habits entrepreneurs develop early in their careers go a long way toward determining their success.”  (Jason Fried)

Valdez- Finale

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Climbing, friends, and beautiful landscapes at the edge of the world. These are a few of my very favorite things, and a rare combination to have in a relatively short weekend trip. Just over a year ago I encouraged a friend to move to Valdez, Alaska and she extracted the promise of a visit from me while she was there. It took a while but this past weekend the journey was made, ice was climbed, and the promise was fulfilled. Did I mention it was awesome to see a great friend?  It’s only appropriate at this point to give a huge thank you to Mackenzie and Eric for being exceptionally generous hosts- thank you.

After a red-eye flight north on Wednesday night, we picked up the rental car at 2am. Even at that point, the concept of fitting three large men, with six large bags of ice climbing gear in a Chevy Aveo, then driving across 300 miles of Alaska, in winter, in the middle of the night, seemed just a little hilarious. But we did it anyway, and we nicknamed the car “the rollerskate.”

The “prelude” photo below was sunrise upon our arrival in Valdez at 7:30am. We rallied to repack and were racking up to climb by 9am. The weather gods granted clear skies with only moderate winds and good temps. To warm up I followed both pitches of Hung Jury (on the left), then gang simul-climbed Fang Gully (on the right):

Despite the lack of sleep, we sent both lines and enjoyed an unbelievably nice first day in Keystone Canyon

Friday my good friend Mackenzie came out to play as well. Temps were a little warmer, but with cloudy skies and no wind. John and Marcus took off to chase the big boys further up the canyon, and I took the chance to lead Mack up Hung Jury and Horsetail Falls.

Our host, tearing it up Pitch 1 of Hung Jury.

Ice bubbles are a trip to rappel through.

Valdez is far enough away that you can get on a full 70m WI3 at 2pm on a Friday without waiting for anyone. Money.

Just really fun.

Saturday predicted higher winds, but clear skies. John and Marcus hadn’t gotten to get on Keystone Greensteps the previous day, and I was psyched to follow them up the longest piece of ice I have ever climbed. Four pitches of solid WI4+.

So the guy on lead is 6'7"...

A great day out at the top of pitch 2.

Keystone Canyon.

We watched the winds pick up all day, knowing that Valdez is well known for getting pounded by weather. The climb was thankfully tucked just out of the way, but by the time John was leading pitch 4…

John, wondering if this thing is really full value.

Yup, full value.

We topped out and rapped down, with Marcus leaving some nice “alpine style” v-threads for others to wonder about. Thanks for gunning a stellar route gentlemen. At the base the winds had really picked up, and we figured it was time to head home.

The road back to Valdez was also full value.

Originally we had hoped to climb on Sunday as well, but forecasts were predicting gusts up to 100mph on the pass out of Valdez, and by the time we got back to base, trash cans were rolling down the street on their own, and there was a fury in the air that was not to be messed with.

Sunday morning we stewed in town watching the weather station on the pass until about noon, then decided to go for it. The upside to our “rollerskate” was its low profile. The downside was that it probably only weighed 3,000lbs, with us in it… thankfully the pass was chill and we made it to Anchorage without much trouble. Clear skies on the way out of town left us with the impression that the only thing bigger than the ice climbing in Valdez was the opportunity for skiing…

Huge thank you to Marcus and John, for being exceptional partners on this, and having a hell of a good time together.

Taken from the town dock-- need I mention the ski possibilities

Mega snow, right out of town.

Lines everywhere...

Driving through the middle of nowhere is awesome.

Chugach Range.

The great land calls us back. Can't wait for the next trip.

Valdez – Prelude

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After a healthy night of travel, sleep deprived ranting, and driving through more than a few avalanche zones, we’ve arrived safely in Valdez, Alaska. This place does not disappoint. Full photos will be included in the final trip report but today was a warmup. Two 90m pitches of WI2-4 provided an enjoyable introduction to the area. Perfect weather, partners, and place to crash in an unbelievable setting- not much more I could ask for… Tomorrow should be big.

Church

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Somehow, I ended up thinking about church this weekend.  I haven’t attended a traditional church in years, and I’m quite satisfied with that- however this weekend, I found myself noticing that the places I was in, and the things I was doing, had some relation to that word.  It was really a banner weekend…

Church is beautiful- I spent Saturday morning climbing with a great friend at a small mixed ice and rock crag just south of Mt Hood.  Always a fun day out, and great workout hanging on my tools in preparation for my trip to Valdez, Alaska.

Church is beautiful.

Getting pious on my first mixed climbing lead ever.

There’s music in church- Saturday night I had the pleasure of playing cello with the Strangled Darlings.  It was our first gig, the space was a little noisy and we had trouble hearing each other, but we made it work and it was a great first show together.  Makes me excited for our upcoming gigs in California.

There's music in church (photo credit to Pat Clinton or Mark Clark).

There is salvation in church- Sunday morning I woke up and found myself reading “Church of the Big Ring“.  I don’t consider myself a bike racer- commuter, enthusiast, and active rider yes, but racer no.  Sunday morning however, the sun was shining and the pavement was dry.  There was a cold wind blowing down the gorge, and I knew it was time to race my bike.  As cycling is one of the few activities that doesn’t aggravate my foot, I was excited to push from my house up the Columbia Gorge, up Rocky Butte, and back through NE Portland.  It was some of the only time I had to myself for the weekend, and I didn’t hold back.  Even in a short ride, I can feel the recent work done in the gym paying off mostly in being able to climb out of the saddle for a much longer period of time.  When we push our bodies to the physical limit, we strip away the useless, the non-essential, and the act of stripping this away offers salvation.

(there isn’t a photo because I didn’t stop pushing until I got home and got off the bike)

There is charity in church- I spent Sunday afternoon in the office using my professional skills to support one of my personal passions.  The Commons is a project that I deeply believe in, and I feel lucky to call one of its creators one of my best friends.  Pulling together an envelope load for the building isn’t exactly fun, but it is necessary.  I’m excited to see this project take shape.

Charity is an opportunity- I feel lucky to have professional skills that can benefit a great project.

If you were a part of my weekend, you are a part of my congregation- thank you.

What We Need

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I sat down with a friend from the gym that I train at and at one point asked her “why do you show up and workout really hard?”

She replied “I found that it’s just what I need to do.  It sucks, but we need it.” I couldn’t agree with her more.

I’ve been thinking about my training a lot lately.  Am I really stronger than at other points in my life?  Is the training doing what I want for me?  Why do I get up really early in the morning and push myself really really hard, often at unpleasant tasks on a regular basis?  I have a sneaking suspicion that my family and some friends think I may be nuts.  I look at the training I do in the gym and believe in its quality, and am excited about how it makes me feel.  I’m seeing that my gym training correlates well to my outdoor activities, and I enjoy them more because of it.  Beyond being physically stronger, the training I have been doing has made me mentally stronger, and in some sense, spiritually stronger.  I haven’t been climbing a lot lately, but when I’ve climbed, I’m climbing stronger than ever, and I like it.    I’m pushing harder and doing more, but it doesn’t feel that much harder.  I look and feel great, and feel like I am investing in my future long term health.  All things that validate my training.

But with all that said, there’s an underlying question.  My friend hit it on the head- she and I, and the people we train with, we need this- why?  The work we do in the gym is unpleasant- many people would look at the work done and wouldn’t be interested in participating.  None of us are exceptionally strong, none of us are sponsored athletes, and frankly, few if any of us would really measure up on the grand scale of true elite fitness.  And yet, most always, we all get out of bed well before the workday starts to show up to a cold box to give the best we have to the tasks at hand.  I feel lucky to train with a group of people that are willing to push really hard.  Crossfit seems to drive this in a large group of people, but I would venture to guess that our sessions are even on the far end of the normal spectrum of crossfit athletes.  The exercises are not necessarily the difference- the participants and the coaching are the unusual part.  Coaches that are willing to put a brutal workout on the board, and a group of people that are willing to pursue the perscription with exceptional tenacity.  We push each other, we inspire each other, and we suffer with each other.  For those of us who truly feel we ‘need’ this, the need is a part of who we are, and the need itself may just be reason enough.

To the 5:30am crew at Crossfit Fort Vancouver- thank you, I am really going to miss our sessions together.  I will remember them as I train, climb, and travel this year.

Work done at 5:30am this morning. My times are in the column on the right.

“Right now, just go be you- do whatever it is that you need to do to just be you.”  (Soren Spies)

Smith

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Despite still recovering from a nasty little cold, I took the opportunity to spend a day out with a good friend at Smith Rock State Park.  I suppose it was the official start to my rock climbing season, though it will be a slow transition from ice season and frankly climbing is simply a continuous activity that seems to change forms.

I was also eager for this particular opportunity because it may be one of the few times I have to spend at this particular spot for quite some time.  Despite all the climbing I have planned this year, Smith is not likely to be a frequent destination and to be sure, I have soft spot for this place that has become a home crag.  Strangely enough, Smith climbing is unique, and doesn’t necessarily translate well to much of the climbing I prefer.  The rock quality isn’t great, the classics are often crowded, many of the routes are single pitches and shorter, and there are lots and lots of bolts.  That said, if you are willing to work for it, you can find excellent quality routes of almost any flavor of climbing.  You can push yourself in a supportive community and superbly beautiful place, and still make dinner at an excellent restaurant at the end of the day.  I’ve spent more time at Smith than any other single crag in my climbing experience, and regardless of your preferred style or ethics, most of the routes are simply a lot of fun.  This place will be a part of my experience in all the amazing places I look forward to climbing.

The skies at Smith are often the best part (photo from August 2010).

One of the best parts about Smith is that you can reliably find great weather and new routes.  I’ve got some bunion problems with my left foot, so we were looking to keep approaches short.  Strangely enough I had never done any of the routes in the Wooden Ship Gully, and there is a variety of high quality routes to be found.  Amongst the day’s accomplishments: the first trip for both of us up Voyage of the Cow Dog (5.9)- a great warm up with beautiful exposure over the Picnic Lunch Wall,  my hardest on-sight yet, and several great routes on the Table Scraps Wall.

Topping out Voyage of the Cow Dog- windproof layer is recommended.

The energy was high, the weather was gorgeous, and the climbing was quality.  I can’t think of better soil to root my climbing experience in.

60 degrees and sunny- February at Smith is awesome.

Simple kit for a warm February day of sport climbing.

A solid partner can make or break the best days. Thanks for making mine Pat.

After a full day, we still feel humble.

“Denial is the active ingredient in Ibuprofin.” (Patrick Clinton)

Los Angeles

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(written 02.08.2011 in LA, posted 02.09.2011 in PDX)

I was in Los Angeles for work today, giving a presentation that in some ways is a showcase of the most significant achievements of my career.  Some of you know that I spent a lot of time here last year to figure out that a friendship was not meant to be a romance.  There are memories of this place, some warm, some not.  I’m particularly happy to say that last evening found that friendship, and others, intact and moving forwards.

This visit has been different- my professional obligations give me more focus and purpose, and there are a number of wonderful people at the company office in LA that I sincerely admire, and will miss working with.  After giving a practice run of my presentation over lunch, I spent a bit of time sharing my traveling plans with people.  As has been the case with most of the other employees I have talked to, people are understanding of my opportunity, and perhaps just a little jealous of what I am up to.

In a way, there is more sadness here than I expected, certainly remnants of a failed romance, but also of a career that seems to be getting snatched from its highest point in the sky.  I nailed my presentation earlier tonight, and was excited to see other developments in my field.  I’m proud of what I’ve done as a professional in the sustainable building industry, and perhaps I didn’t fully account for the difficulty involved in quitting my job on a positive note.

This city has an energy and a style somehow seems to resonate with me.  I often considered (as probably many would) Los Angeles to be the opposite place of where I might feel at home.  Massive highways, unfriendly bike infrastructure, and ostentatious displays of wealth certainly don’t feel welcoming, but on the other side, I see people having fun, a rich history of places, and feel a buzz of unusual purpose in the air.  The people who are here, are stoked to be here.  It’s a stark change from the listless, jaded glaze so common in Portland.

The mantra returns- it’s time to let the baggage go and stick the feeling.   I’ve got another 40 years to work, and this time is important.

Only at LAX could I find a 100+ cheerleading team, dressed in full uniform, giggly with excitement, headed to Orlando for a competition.

Many fond memories of this place, I'll miss coming here.

On the way home, I had a pretty good look at where I'll be training for Denali later this year. Sierra Mountains, California