A Good Time

Despite Justin's injury, this trip has been total fun. Joe's has a ton of great lines to offer every climber. Kevin, Wick, and Ryan each made ascents of Nerve Extension, an explosive connection to the hard Big Joe. Yesterday, to catch the evening sun, Justin, Ryan, Turtle and I made our way to New Joe's. Justin and I did Spam, a fun little line; later Ryan and I did the classic Pocket Rocket. Although, I think I let Justin down because I was unable ( but unwilling if you ask him) to do the dyno problem static. I am tall, just not that tall.

Justin Staying Strong on Save Yourself.

The other day Kevin took us up to the Wills of Fire Boulder, where Justin fired both Call Him Jordan and Wills of Fire. This boulder is a perfect example as to why Joe's is such a special place. The rock is perfect to the touch and the eye.

Wick getting through the crux of Big Joe, and on into Nerve Connection.

Ryan avoiding the look of a beach whale, on the top of Save Yourself.

My dear friend Vicki told me that I must do the Angler. She was right. The line is perfect, up a sloping rail towards a beautiful emerald pond.




As the days pass, and our time slowly runs out I am rejuvenated for society, and more climbing.

The Rest of the Crew

Turtle

Bran

PS. Sorry, this post should have gone out three days ago, apperently Kevin only likes to save pictures of himself.

Kevin already has this one of himself on They Call Him Jordan.

Spring Break 2008

So I am back in Utah. The climbing is great and there is only a small percentage of snow left over from the trip back in December. The stone is awesome, beautiful and majestic. The climbing is inspiring. Like always when I come to a new area I feel so overwhelmed.  Usually, I follow people around to their projects in hopes of finding something that  gets me psyched. This is something that is easy to do here, in Joe's Valley,  all on one's own.  All you have to do is look left and right.  Today, Kevin showed the way to The Wind Blow.  This Ultra Classic is sweet, tempting, and  intimidating; but still it makes one want to be a better climber just to be able to feel worthy enough to climb it.  So far this spring break is off to a great start, more to come from Joe's!!

Wick standing under The Wind Below

Three Shots of Expresso

This weekend was awesome! As always the days started out at Schat’s with pastries and a large cup of joe (X 3 shots of espresso). I love waking-up in Bishop, the day is always filled with potential. Saturday morning the motivation was right to finally get me up to the Druid Stones. Justin, John, Turtle and I hiked the long path up the hill, out of town and away from the weekend crowds (that I have come to expect in Bishop). Upon arrival at the top, I was struck by how unique the area is. In addition, the stone yielded some amazing lines to try: The Arch Druid, Cayla, and Sky Dance. All should not be missed.

Colton on Integration

It was also good to see Kevin back in California. Unfortunately, we didn’t get to climb together but he’ll be there for awhile and I am sure to be heading down. Wick and Colton were also down for a long weekend, climbing hard and going after resends since the “2007 Reset.”

John on Integration

On Sunday, Justin and John each made quick sends of Vic’s riverbed problem, “Integration.” This has been the first season that I have spent any significant time on the East Side; and I have been lucky enough to spend some sessions with some veterans to area. It is energetic to climb with people who are inspired to climb for climbing sake, looking for new problems and redoing old classics.

-Nasty Pete

The Road

It is easy to forget how much I love my job with all the crap that goes on. Since the beginning of school I have been in a world-wind of newness and obscurity. The fact that my boss, who is fantastic, trusted me and my team teacher to completely change our curriculum has been a pressure-cooker. I don’t want it to fail. But more importantly I don’t want it to fail my kids. We have a lot riding on the change…young people’s lives. In addition I was asked to head up the student government, without think of the consequences to my life and climbing I said yes. I have spent the last nine months asking a lot of question, going to high school dances, and becoming the one person on staff that people run in the opposite direction to in the hall way for fear of being asked to help out. Basically, for the past six months I have truly been questioning my desire to teach. My search for answers has ended a relationship, made my family think that I belong in a loony-bin for taking my frustration out on them, and hurt my experiences on climbing trips.

It took a twelve day work week, a school project that just does not want to end, a student fight, and a six hour drive to Bishop to allow me to come to the realization that I love my job. The 27 hours I spent last weekend at school helping the Junior class raise money for prom at game-day was not only worth it, it was fun. In the eye of talking about TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD for eight straight weeks with freshmen, I have been utterly amazed at their capabilities to organize and plan groups of forty to write, direct, and produce a modern adaptation of the story for the stage. Essentially, demonstrating collaboration skills far beyond that of divide and conquer. Hot-diggitydog they could be learning something! Today after school four young ladies got into a brutal fight (I know what you are thinking, what kind of twisted mind would think this could ever be positive?). Although, every stupid within the moment, lets just say that it was the relationship between students and teachers that allowed the fight to end, and then be dealt with. Lesson, we are doing something right; relationships are the way to get to students. Relationships lead to relevance which will eventually lead to rigor, in other words who would want to due anything for a jackass. After the fight I eventually got into my car and headed to Bishop, there is something about a long and empty road that gets the thoughts bubbling in my head.

-Peter Newman, Teacher