Fun in the Uintas

Hi All,
What a great time I have been having the last week. Before I dropped Janice off in Vegas we did a hike into Calf Creek. We saw a few people repelling down the falls.



The water was so cold. It takes awhile to get down and then at the bottom he has to unhook while treading water. When he finally swam to the edge he just sat down for awhile.

We also drove Hells Backbone road. I highly recomend that if you ever get the chance. It goes thru the mountains and is usually a lot cooler. It also has some great glimpes of awsome canyons. This is Janice at one of the veiws.



I then headed up to Park City to visit Kay and Matt. I met them at their apartment and all of us, five dogs and three humans spent the night in their 400 sq foot home. It was very cozy. We all headed up to the Uintas NE of Park City. After we set up camp we put up a slackline to play on for awhile.



This is me attempting a yoga pose called Warroir 2. Let me repeat attempting.



Later that night we where trying to make fire by friction. We were unsuccesful. Wet materials and beer did not help.:) :)



The next day we headed up to Ruth Lake. It sits at about 10,000 feet and has one of the most beautilful veiws I have ever climbed at. This is Chica enjoying the veiw.



Bill Farrand came up to visit and try some climbing. It was great to see him and I'm sorry Cindy could not make it up. This is Bill on a 5.9.



This is Matt cleaning the anchors and Kay climbing a very fun 5.10c. On this climb you had to pull over two very cool roofs.





The second day we went up to Ruth Lake and I tried a 5.11c.

This is me on the first crux.



This is me falling on the second crux.



This last one is trying to pull over a very fun roof. This route was so cool. I can't believe I did so well on it.



We took all five dogs with us. This is all of them checking out the many other dogs around.



From left to right. Sparky, Issy, Chica, Molly and Pico.

This is Molly trying to find a flat spot on the loose, rocky ground.



I am now back in Lafeyette, at John and Marcia's. It is always great to see them and their two kids Katie the pitbull and Eben the hound dog. All of them always welcome us into their home. Pico and Katie are good buds.

I will be here for about a week and will be doing a 10k on Saturday. My goal is to finish without walking. I'll let you know how it goes. I am also planning on a lot of climbing.

I hope this note finds everyone doing well.

Peace and Love,
Geoff

Moab Bears, Zion Narrows and Death Hollow

Hi All,
It has been a very fun, eventful last few days. I have gone from Moab, to Zion, to Vegas to pick up Janice, back to Zion, to Escalante, back to Vegas.
In Moab I was lucky enough to meet Kari. She is doing a masters research project on bears. I went out with her into the La Sals to check her bait sites. Her project is trying to find a way to deter bears from getting into garbage by using taste aversion. I won't go into it, but if you want to know more about it let me know.

Kari also introduced me to James and Kim. Some friends of hers from Moab. They took us climbing in a very cool place called KFC Crag way up in the La Sals. It was nice to climb up there because it was so hot out of the mountains. This place is not in any guide books and so it was very cool having some local folks show me around.

Here is a picture of Kim climbing a very cool 5.10c.



I then headed to Zion and Vegas to pick up Janice. The next day we dropped Pico and Molly at the Doggy Dude Ranch and we headed into the Narrows.

Here is a picture of me bouldering in the Narrows.



There was a big fire going on in Zion when we were there and the smoke did some of the most beautiful things to the light on the canyon walls.



This is Janice trying to get into a very cold falls up a side canyon called Orderville Canyon.



This is Janice at the mouth of Orderville Canyon.



Then we headed for Escalante to backpack into Box Death Hollow.

A few years back my good friends Todd, Kay and I did a backpacking trip into Death Hollow and I have pictures of the three of us holding our packs over our heads going thru this part of the canyon because it was chest deep water. As you can see it has filled in with sand and is ankle deep. Mother nature is ever changing and a very powerful force.



This is a giant cottonwood tree on the way into Death Hollow. We had to walk about seven miles thru Escalante canyon to get into Death Hollow.



These next couple of pictures are of a great swimming hole deep into Death Hollow. Molly and Pico where having lots of fun trying to stay cooled off.





This last one is of Janice and I enjoying the hot sun and each other.



We had a wonderful time. I had to drop her off at the airport today in Vegas. I really did not want her to go. I going to miss her very much.

We then headed up into the mountains for a night of camping. It poured rain all night. Just about every we had got wet. it was great but not much sleep. Here is the storm coming in.



We then headed into Calf Creek Canyon. I have some great pictures I will share later.

Please give my love to everyone.
Peace,
Geoff

Gunnison, God's Crag and C%#K Rock

Hi All,
I am sitting here in Durango at my freind Lyn's house. I am heading out to Moab this afternoon. I just got done with a most beautiful 40 minute run at about 8500 feet. It is amazing to me that I can do this. My almost 40 year old ass can still do a few tricks.

I spent the last few days in Gunnison with Ben and Amanda. The second day I was there Ben took me to a place called God's Crag. It sits about 10,000 feet, some say 11,000 but Ben and I did not think so. It is a beautiful sport climbing(Bolted climbs) area. Ben put me thru the paces and I climbed at or above my level all day. I was beat at the end of the day.

This is Ben and Pico on the way up to God's Crag.


This is of me about half way up our first climb.


This is me and my mutts on a hike near Crested Butte.


Ben, Amanda and I.


This is a place called Hartman Rocks. The piller is called Cock Rock. I know, I know vulgar but funny.


This is me on top of the, you know. :) :)


This is Ben trying to work out the crux move.(Hardest move on climb) It is a very commiting move, on a tiny foot hold. If you miss the hold you are going for, the rough granite likes to take some of your skin. I left some.


This is the sun set at Hartman Rocks. This picture does no justice to what this was really like.


I had a wonderful time and look forward to seeing Ben and Amanda soon. They are so cool to hang out with.

After this wonderful and short visit with Lyn(Amanda' mom) I am off to Moab.

I hope this post finds everyone well.

Peace,
Geoff

Fourth of July

This is an article a friend sent me. I really liked it and agree with a lot of it. I am interested in what you all think.


Once Upon America
    By John Cory
    t r u t h o u t | Guest Contributor
    Wednesday 04 July 2007
"No one man can terrorize a whole nation unless we are all his accomplices."
- Edward R. Murrow

    And so it goes. The 4th of July is here with its parades and "what America means to me" essays, and picnics and fireworks, and all those pretty speeches about freedom and democracy and the true meaning of Independence Day. But it is all a facade. A lie.
    Modern America now spies on its citizens, conducts warrantless wiretaps, suspends habeas corpus, creates "free speech zones" to corral protestors out of sight of sensitive royal eyes, and politicizes the very justice system meant to protect people's rights by turning it into a fraternity of God-fearing Republican conservatism. Neocon America rewards hate speech with celebrity, reviles the very immigration that built this country, and sells out to the highest lobbyist while poisoning its people. Preemptive war trumps truth, and death is glorified by those who never have to sacrifice an ounce of flesh. America has become the personal ATM machine of Bush and the GOP while their corporate cronies line their pockets with the lives of our loved ones.
    Washington is no longer that "shining city on the hill," but rather a dismal swamp cloud of shadows that slink about in swirls of deception. The people's house is a piceous cavern of razor black secrets that shred the Constitution with every breath. And those charged with defending the Constitution - defending the Bill of Rights - scurry around in frantic search for the cheese of compromise and campaign contributions.
    Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once said, "Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter."
    Americans have become orphans of the great silence.
    Democrat and Republican alike have forsaken representation of the people and the people's will. The latest polls show that 77 percent of Americans want the troops home from Iraq. And still the politicians argue for more time, maybe more money, maybe there is a way to support the troops without confronting the GOP machine. Congressional approval is at the same depressing nadir as that of George Bush. The people voted for change and got nothing but wimpy words and bluster and more political petulance - and more death and destruction.
    America needs leadership, not Congressional co-conspirators or senatorial somnambulists. We need inspiration, not desperation. Edward R. Murrow said: "We hardly need to be reminded that we are living in an age of confusion - a lot of us have traded in our beliefs for bitterness and cynicism or for a heavy package of despair, or even a quivering portion of hysteria. Opinions can be picked up cheap in the market place while such commodities as courage and fortitude and faith are in alarmingly short supply."
    I'm not a smart guy, nor educated in the fine political arts, but here's the deal: it's time to wake up and step up, dear Democrats. Plan all you want to take Congressional seats in the '08 elections - but be prepared to pay the price for inaction today. Nothing is off the table. Nothing. Ever.
    Push the subpoenas to this White House. Don't fold. Don't whine. Don't run. And while you push the subpoenas to find the truth, fashion your spending bill that America supports, the one with the timetable for bringing our loved ones home. And then push that the day after you push the subpoenas. And when Bush vetoes the spending bill, shout it from the nearest blog and rooftop, that George Bush just vetoed America. Vetoed the will of the American people. And push for another vote.
    And then generate the bill to bring back the Draft. That's right, the Draft. If Bush's war is so damned patriotic that he keeps recycling the troops over and over - then it is the patriotic duty of every American son and daughter to be drafted and serve. And when Bush vetoes that, remind America that the war is not all that patriotic, and certainly not for everyone - just those that Bush picks to die in the sandbox of incompetence and violence that is Iraq.
    And then you start impeachment procedures against Bush and Cheney and Rove. You push the hearings that must be shown to all the American people - the voters - the ones who live and die at the hands of these ruthless, greedy thugs and power-hungry politicians.
    And when you are called un-American and unpatriotic, point your finger at Bush and Cheney and remind everyone of Ronald Reagan, who said: "Concentrated power has always been the enemy of liberty." And that, my Democratic friends, is all the bipartisanship this country needs. The words of Dr. King should be your comfort. "When you are right you cannot be too radical; when you are wrong, you cannot be too conservative."
    It is the 4th of July. Celebrate Independence Day by repeating the words of George Bush when he addressed the UN Assembly on September 21, 2004. "The desire for freedom resides in every human heart. And that desire cannot be contained forever by prison walls or martial laws, or secret police. Over time, and across the Earth, freedom will find a way."
    Any other choice and we become a story that begins, "Once upon America there used to be democracy and freedom

First Days in CO

Hi All,
Well, I made it to CO in one piece. I am staying at John and Marcia's house for a few days before I head off to Gunnison to meet up with Ben and Amanda. I can't wait to see them.

Just my second day in CO and we went on a great hike up to Lost lake. There were a couple of wonderful water falls. Here are a couple of photos of the first one we came across.

The first photo is from the top of the falls.



The next couple are just a couple of photos I liked.





This is me at Lost Lake. Beautiful.



These are of Pico and Katie playing ball at the lake. Katie is John and Marica's pit mix. We also had Molly and their other dog Eben but they were just sniffing around.





I hope this note finds everyone doing well. I'll update when I can.
Peace,
Geoff