Confessions of an addict

You know you climb too much if...

You know how to get on your roof without a ladder

The list of problems on your tick list is longer than your list of friends

When walking down a cracked sidewalk, you're thinking, "That'd be a good hold".

When it hurts to hold the steering wheel driving home from climbing

You see a girl in the street and you think: "Hmmm, she's a 5.10c..."

You don't walk down stairs, you rappel

You look at every vertical surface and you see a potential climb

Your forearms are bigger than your calves

The majority of your "friends" are hanging on your rack

You no longer have anything in common with most other people

“Nuts”, “big racks”, “tight cracks”, and “no protection” doesn’t sound kinky anymore

You refuse to date anyone who doesn't know how to belay -or- You date someone because the word on the street is, “She’s a good belay”

Your significant other breaks up with you for shouting climbing jargon during sex

Your “rock” posters have nothing to do with music

You chalk up before taking the trash out

V8 is a tough boulder problem, not a drink

Your nicest belt is made out of webbing

You crimp and pull up on every door jam you walk under

You don't consider 'biner an ethnic slur

You have ever clipped a 2 ounce set of keys to your belt with a 25 kn carabiner

Your escape plan in case of a fire is rappelling out the window

Your roommate stops commenting when you disappear while he's in the shower and don't come home for days at a time (Austin: “It’s true…”)

“Sending” something does not involve the USPS, UPS, or Fed-Ex

“Bomber” is a good thing

“Exposure” and “Flashing” has nothing to do with your private parts

Your most pertinent concern about marriage is whether or not REI has a wedding registry

You brag about your micro-nuts

You’ve accidentally rolled out of bed at night and found yourself yelling “Falling!”

You have a climbing wall in your bedroom

You don't think anything on this list is unreasonable

If this picture doesn't say it all, I don't know what would. As you can tell, this weekend (in true Fairy and Gnome fashion) we braved the elements and risked our lives in search of a wonderful climbing trip. If you are reading this, consider yourself lucky! Colin and I went to Joshua Tree National Park this weekend amid record lows and got our climb on. The weather averaged in the 30s while we were there (a little warmer in the day and a lot colder at night). However, we did get some awesome climbs in (two to be precise). I can't express enough how cold it was...we froze our nay-nays off. Overall, though, the weekend was amazing. Nothing beats being out in God's amazing creation and, as always, Colin and I were left with extreme awe. Class started, so our climbing could potentially slow down a little...NAH...it won't. Until next time...aurevoir!

Turn Drive Time Into Pie Time

Christmas time (winter break for the politically correct) was superb. The hang loose team took a break and headed back to our respective roots. I did have the opportunity to return to the santee boulders and play on some of my old favs. My brother Ian, cousin Matt, and good friend Jes joined me for some good low intensity bouldering, which was awesome. I forgot how egotistically competetive the locals can get. In true southern california form, we met some randos who equated name dropping and talking shop to actual climbing talent. It was entertaining to us four and amidst their little gong show we still managed to do some of our classic favorites to include the problem we renamed "the dirty czech." Also, I did have the pleasure to show Ian and Matty SLO Op, as they came up to Lompoc with me for a few days. Ian had a great time going from 0 to 60 in point 5 and burning his arms out as he loves to do. He would intentionally pick easy problems and then skip holds and campus to the top. After a few of those he then exclaimed suprisingly "Man my arms are killing me...!" hahaha Ian is as Ian does.
Unrelated to our climbing logs, snowboarding season has begun and I did get to go to Tahoe for two days to visit Stefo. The powder was wicked good and the hills were beckoning to me. Like they say, "If you're lucky enough to be in the mountains, you're lucky enough"

Next post: J-Tree!!! Joshua Tree trip Jan 12-Jan 15