the people

It may seem that the best thing about living in the van, with no job and no schedule would be the infinite climbing. However, I am beginning to think the best thing is all the super interesting people I meet. They come from all over, they are all ages, some are pros, some barely scrap their way up v0's. Some are too cocky, some are too damn talkative. Some drive Audi's, some drive Camry's but everyone here at the Ranch share one passion and that is getting outside and supporting one another as they try to send their hardest project yet pushing their physical and mental barriers to a new level. The Rock Rodeo is this weekend and their are atleast 250 people around. Every night, everyone gathers around the fire, nearly all with beer in hand, and talk about. . . you guessed it. . . climbing. We all have this common denominator. We all have atleast one thing in common and its extremely inspiring to be around so many people that are just doing what they love whether its just for this weekend or if its another van dweller like myself, trying to stay on the road and sustain this lifestyle until I feel like its time to move on. I talked with a guy named Sterling this morning for nearly two hours about everything from his early free solo pursuits, about training, about dogs, girls, and religion. He has been climbing for nearly 25 years and stays in a trailer two campsites down from me. He has a perfectly behaved 11 year old Huskie named Zion who eats raw steak for breakfast and dinner. Sterling also has a view on life that is truly inspiring. He works hard, landscaping in New Mexico 8 months a year, and climbs the other 4 months. He's strong as hell, but still is willing to learn about climbing or life from anyone. Constantly learning, constantly growing, always humble, always working as hard as he can at everything he does. At the end of our convo, he unleashed a dog that had been barking all morning in a neighboring campsite, the dog took off to god knows where and I haven't seen it all day. Im anxious to see a) if it comes back and b) the owners reaction. Should make for a good time later.
As for climbing, im resting today and psyched about three projects tomorrow all three would be my best sends to date and all three are extremely different styles. Im bringing the video camera out so maybe ill get lucky and scrap my way up them. Tonight is the big party for the rock rodeo but tomorrow the weather will be perfect and im gonna see if I can cash in on both.

Well. . . Life is good. . . real good

I have been telling countless people that I am gonna start a blog. . . and here we go. I have been at the Hueco Rock Ranch for two weeks today near El Paso, Texas. Today is my first day back in the tanks after three buddies I met here in Hueco, Austin from Florida, and Tom and Mike from CO, and I left for four days to Last Chance Canyon in New Mexico. Hundreds of limestone sport routes. For those non climbers, sport is climbing with a rope. Here at Hueco, its mainly bouldering, or climbing not quite as high without ropes but with pads. Last Chance is a super secluded canyon an hour and a half from the nearest town. We ended up getting there friday night, but not before some major speedbumps. First Tom and Mike's van overheated, then I got pulled over, then we missed one turn once, and another twice (there is only two turns to get there, 45 minutes on a back road and 35 minutes on the worst forest service/dirt/foot high rock/makeshift gates/no signs at all road and we arrived on friday night. We could not find the camping so we pulled over in a clearing and made a huge pot of chili and called it a night. With two french presses of coffee in our system the next morning we departed, all four of us plus one dog, to find the climbing. After driving another 10 minutes on worsening road, our skepticism got the best of us and we stopped to figure out where the hell we were. We realized that we were on the wrong side of the canyon because we could see two climbers hiking down the other side. Back in the van, one 12 point turn, and 20 minutes later we were hiking down and had four days of excellent climbing. One day the wind was never calmer than 45 mph, one day Tom, his dog, and I came within 10 feet of a cougar, and another day Austin and Tom sent their hardest route ever.

Now I am back in El Paso, and back to endless boulders and endless projects, and a lifestyle that seems to be nearly perfect. I eat, sleep, and climb, and occasionally take a shower