Thursday, April 30


The Rocky Mountain Highball premier went off really well and I know that Andy, Scott and Alden are all super excited with its success. Hopefully you were able to make it out, but if not check the Rocky Mountain Highball website for upcoming showings. The film is definitely worthy. Awesome interviews, brilliant editing plus some burl and classics to inspire.
I am a few steps closer to freedom as I continue to grind through endless school work, BUT! alas the weather is great and next tuesday is the end to my formal education (for the mean time at least) and the beginning to my dream life as a dirt bag full-time struggling athlete! Good luck to everybody out there in the thick of finals. Keep your head up!!
I included a photo of myself on the second ascent (?) of the wicked TC bolted slab at Rock of Ages called Telekinesis (5.13) I love heinous slabs, I know it's weird.. 


Saturday, April 25

Grindin'



"Smooth like Diana Ross, creamy like half and half" is how Matt Samet described the new flatirons test piece, 's00krEEm' (Pronounced: SUU-CREAM). I finally had a chance to trek up to the back side of The Slab this past week with Emily Harrington and give a go at this route everybody has been so stoked on. The traffic this thing has seen recently is a testament to both how many people climb hard in the front range and also how popular flatirons climbing could again, one day become. As far as the quality of this thing goes? Lets just say I would double hand high-five Matt Samet, Ted Lanzano and Paul Glover (first ascensionists) right now if I could. So many holds and solutions exist through the extended crux of this climb that surely any climber could find their own special little way through. I was stoked to flash this thing and excited to see both my friends Blake and Emily clip the chains during the day too. This would be a killer entry level climb for this grade. NUFF said, go do it, and when you get home and the thought of beautiful flatirons climbing in an awesome setting over Boulder is tingling in your little hearts.. go to www.flatironsclimbing.org and check out potential new routes and get involved. 
And when your done doing that (read closely for additional Jedi-mind-tricks persuasion) head over to the BRC or the SPOT or go right HERE online to grab tickets to the premier of Rocky Mountain Highball. Featuring interviews with bouldering legends like John Gill, John Sherman and Pat Ament along side sports action with Lynn Hill, Tommy Caldwell, Daniel Woods, Paul Robinson, Matt Wilder, Kevin Jorgenson, Aly Dorey and even... who? oh yeah MYSELF!! This film packs serious quantity and quality- 35+ athletes on 70+ boulder problems. See you there!

Aside from all this exciting jazz, I am grindin' hard to finish up my undergrad strong at Naropa University.. Only a week and three days to go, but when it rains it pours and my liberal use of 'sick days' to go rock climbing have finally caught up with me. Thankfully I will be packing up my subaru with camp chairs and climbing ropes so soon I can taste the wyoming gas station pretzels already.. 

Monday, April 20

Earth Week


My looming hangover from a long weekend in New York has finally subsided, weather in Boulder is predicted to be clear and sunny for the week, and the reality of soon becoming a college graduate is setting in; life is good.

This next week includes the 39th Anniversary of Earth Day, an event that largely sparked the beginning of the environmental movement in America. Surely the local natural grocery store will have some deals on organic produce and maybe your town will even have a little festival. I think the most important thing to remember about this day, however, is that in 1970 over 20 million Americas took to the streets in peaceful celebration of the Earth and dramatically heightened peer and government awareness about environmental issues in a society where eco-awareness was still a very fresh concept. Most advances in environmental protection and conservation legislature came as a direct result of this unique occasion. So, in addition to taking full advantage of store wide food samples and R.E.I. 'green' discounts, I encourage you to engage your awareness of the environment and make the full cycle of learning take place. One is only truly educated if their actions reflect their stated values. 


OKAY enough news.. Isn't this supposed to be a climbing site??? Well check this gem out! Rocky Mountain Highball is droppin' finally, a week from today (Monday the 27th). This film is a 'Dog-Town and Z-Boys' type flick that interviews some of the greatest legends in the sport as well as tons of fresh talent. It boasts killer footage in HD, a dope soundtrack and represents the rocky mountain region to the fullest. Plus I'm in it!!! Tickets are available at the BRC or at the Boulder Theatre Box Office- this WILL for sure sell out, so go get em!!

Photo: Andy Mann shot me up on 'JUMP' at the industrial wall. 

Tuesday, April 14

NY-->BTOWN







I've been to a number of the Earths grand scale cities, including London, Paris, Berlin, Rome, Delhi, Shanghai, Bangkok, Lima and others. However, I will say that New York City has got a whole different attitude and is a unique city by most all regards. I have never experienced this kind of population density in America and nowhere in America have I seen so much history crumbling below fresh buildings and excessive wealth alongside severe poverty. The whole visit I was reminded of hip-hop lyrics from my teenage years that tell the stories and define the experience of each borough, save Manhattan.


New York City embodie
s the 'melting pot' identity of America, and traveling between certain homogeneously populated areas brought about strong sensations of international travel. These kind of communities are no doubt a product of many factors including environmental racism, privilege and certain opportunity, however, one factor must be the ruthlessness and diversity of the Big Apple. I can't imagine making it in such a city, let alone making it, well.. alone. 
I was anything but alone this past trip though. I met up with four of my best friends from high school and we took a crack at the city. Our time together was characterized by old memories, relentlessly inside jokes, stupidly late nights and fold-out-couch (barely) sleeping. We had a ball. My buddies all eagerly showed me around the city day and night. This was anything but a climbing trip, and the five days of rest was perhaps the most I've had in over a year. But it was worth every hot crossed bun and Brooklyn baked good.

It seems that spring has finally showed up here in Boulder and I am excited to get after it now that I feel rested (at least mentally). School is turning up a notch to say the least, but I've got only three weeks left, forever. Hopefully my hangover will be gone by this next weekend and I can get back to doing what I do best, rock climbing some hard rock climbs. 

Big thanks to Ian, Ethan and Andy for putting me up and Matt for taking a break from the Navy for some debauchery. If I could only remember the weekend I'm sure it would be unforgettable..

Tuesday, April 7

NYC, NY

Front Range weather is looking up. And just in time cause I'm about to take off! I'm headed out to New York City.. you know the Big Apple, the city that never sleeps, GothaItalicm. I will be visiting my best of friends that go way back and ripping up the big city for my first time.

I have been feeling increasingly powerful (finally!) recently, most likely due to my continued efforts to rock climb sans rope. I am not super fond of this 'resting' thing everyone is doing now-a-days, but I suppose it could be okay for a bit. While this is by no means a climbing trip (more of a, brutal-hang-over-fades-directly-into-following-night-of-drinking type vacation), hopefully I will do a little climbing, even if it's plastic climbing. I hear it costs $8.75 for a hotdog in the Big Apple, so the climbing gym will put me over budget without question. 

Do you live in New York? Wanna pull down? Wanna come and grab a drink with us? I finally got some styling product for my faux-hawk so I will fit in amongst the fashionable sunglass wearing, prada bag totting folks and show NYC how to make that Arcteryx button up and Sportiva approach shoes look GOOD. The weekend will be photo documented and undoubtable entertaining - stay tuned. 

Photo: Thailand Bouldering.. Thanks CMRCA

Thursday, April 2

SNOW DUMPaTHON




The Front Range continues to get DUMPED on.. leaving the once inspired to consistently ask, 'Will there ever be a weekend for which rock climbing will prevail?!!'

Meanwhile, my life remains all too exciting by means of slippery cold runs, gym climbing link ups, allowing my girlfriend to cut my hair and reacquainting myself with the once forgotten art of Nintendo 64. However! I remain inspired- and so should you.. The upside of this moisture is that all of our favorite climbing / running / hiking / skiing areas will not catch on fire ten times this summer- well at least not TEN times maybe six or four or something. Plus it allows us school-goers to actually do some school work. 

At least I rest assured that one place on Earth is experiencing fantastic weather- Northern Thailand, one of my favorite places to eat, climb, explore, hang out (enjoy the included photos thanks to CMRCA). 

Oh and I will share some photos of my newly cut faux-hawk soon, I could really use some feedback (Damn, am I really that starved for excitement??) If you are out and about looking for some inspiration this friday- swing by Urban Pearl and check out photographer John Lloyds new art opening. Stay tuned..