Not so much climbing..

I haven't been bouldering as much this past season as I have the past 7 years. In fact that's pretty much all I use to do. I love to climb. It's something I feel I'll always have in me. The motivation you feel from others as they try and push they're limits. The desperation as you try to move off bad holds. The friendships you build with people that you deal with on other levels then "non climber" friends. The close group of friends that call you all the time to climb. This entry is dedicated to my close climbing friends that never fail in they're attempts to get me out and boulder.Sarah Johnson. She's been climbing four years and could tell you more about the history of local areas then most veterans. Her "never tell me I can't do it" attitude is one thing anyone could take note of. Do not attempt to turn the corner and show this girl up, she will embarrass you. Jeff Wales. Hmm. The Southeast's most motivated climber the past how many years in a row? The Southeast's most unsung, unrecognized, mutant high steppin' boulderer. I'd like to tell you to befriend him, but I don't want you in our circle. That's just less time he can give me motivation. Ben Glazner. The first climbing friend I met when I moved to the southeast in 2001. When he arrives to climb, you'll hear him 10 minutes before. Not short on character, Ben will make you laugh so hard you will hurt in places you didn't know existed. In addition, he'll boulder so hard, it will make you ask for his autograph. Thanks to all these friends for they're endless motivation and patience.

Pedal on a Pedestal

So let me fill you in on this one. I play my Rock Band drums hard. I stomp the pedal with authority and smack the drums pads like a rented mule. So it was only a matter of time before I broke my pedal...in half...in two different places. The foot plate and the actual base split in two. What else to do except take it to my local jeep fabrication garage and the rest is history. I've seen other bass pedal mods online but not anything close to this. 20 rivets and sheet metal make this look almost medieval. It works great and takes alot of abuse!

Deerfoot Pkwy. Trails

Trail Carnage

I was riding this weekend with JJ at the local power lines. We were having a great time and I was getting ready to lead us to the next set of trails when I began to step down the double ledges and I heard a "clink" behind us. Cliff, riding shotgun, said "What the hell was that?" I stopped, he got out and looked and it appears as if the smallest leaf spring on the passenger side ejected itself due to a broken tie bolt. The just happens to be the second one I broke in less than two months. The first sign of things seems to be when the smallest leaf begins the rotates around instead of staying in line with the others. I guess this was a clue for me to tighten the u-bolts. Well I got the chance to do that, except now there was a larger gap due to less leafs. I was ready to pull out the Powertank and my impact gun and be done with it. Hmmm I can't find my 3/4" deep socket. I guess I'll have to tighten it by hand. Minus one leaf I tightened the u-bolts and Cliff drove it out as I walked behind and occasionally rode on JJ's bumper to avoid the routine mud hole. All in all in took an hour to fix and get back to the garage.

I thought this was a cool picture.

March 1st 2008 Powerlines Ride

Mountainside Offroad Park

Amy Amy Amy

I look at this girl and time and time again I ask myself what makes her appealing to me. Is it the ugly pin up girl tatoo's, bi-polar disorder, the bee-hive hair? Maybe it's the influence of the dirty streets of London and her obnoxious attitude. Her eye make up? Hmm. I'm sure some psychiatrist out there would love to analyze "my attraction to bad-girls". None the less I do have a penchant for female British singers, good or bad. That includes Joss Stone.

Great Commercial!

Jonathan and I tackle Gray Rock..kinda.

This ain't no Atari.

If your anything like me, well let me rephrase that, if you have a pulse and like to breathe on occasion you've probably heard of the video game craze that is sweeping the world. X-Box 360, PlayStation 3, Wii, you name it, it's out there and I'm sure they make a game you would love to play. Currently that game for me is RockBand. Real instruments that can take a beating, and a mic that would stand the legendary stage antics of Mic Jagger. Pick your poison, or song in this case and watch as the colorful notes overwhelmingly descend from above like a game of Tetris on speed. If you have never played the drums before your in for a cramp from beating the base petal. I prefer songs like "Wanted Dead or Alive", I guess reminiscing from days of old. Whatever. That song rules anyway. I guess I have to dust off my air guitar. Anyway gotta run...sound check 1,2,3,4.

Gray Rock Ride This Weekend

Honestly, these weekend rides have become addictive. There is nothing like getting behind the wheel of a capable 4 wheel drive. The opportunities are limitless and thrill, priceless. As Ferris Bueller once said "If you have the means, I highly recommend picking one up."

Jeff Wales Photo Shoot

The Blueprint

My life is easy, not really complicated. But not by chance. I have developed over the years the ability to shape or model my life. The blueprint seems to be to stay within certain boundaries, constantly strive to simplify and keep dramatic change to a minimum. This is all handled through a diverse thought process referred to as "thinking ahead". It affords me a certain piece of mind that otherwise would be impossible. Yet from time to time unavoidable items enter your life that seem to tear your blueprint into pieces. Your daily life now revolves around issues that typically would never appear. Yeah, I'm adaptable or at least that's what my resume says. If any unforeseen events shall arise I will adapt and overcome. But I don't have an answer for everything and anything out of my control is enough to drive me insane. Maybe we are all control freaks to a certain degree. I know that I am, but I don't consider it to plague me. In fact, its another facet of my blueprint. Proportional with aging, I think you begin to exercise increasing control in decisions over your life in order to prolong...your life. I know when I was younger I would hurl myself down a 5 step hand rail on a skateboard destroying my ankles on impact. Considering those consequences I resort to the watching the X-Games to satisfy my desire. Now, older and wiser I still engage in high risk activities such as rock climbing, but under controlled circumstances. To me it seems to be a fine balance between releasing enough control to enjoy life, but remaining in control to extend it.

Regardless of the weather

Most individuals don't have the privilege of associating with such a diverse group of people; I on the other hand do. Actually I do it quite often jumping from group to group.But I never thought my friends would be seasonal, unfortunately it seems that way. I see some during the cold rock climbing season and others during the hot summer months of my recent 4 wheel drive adventures. But some are year round. The kind you keep in touch with regardless of the weather. Pictured here is Josh, myself and Tommy. Without Josh's consistent help I wouldn't have the BAD ASS Cherokee I own. Great guy, down for anything, including his recent crossover into bouldering. Tommy is crazy funny, constantly keeping you on your toes with his pranks. His personality is unmatched. I can only hope that the future holds as much fun as the past, regardless of the weather.

New Years Eve

Today was a long day. Sarah and I started it off with a second day on at Horse Pens 40. There were alot of people there and most of them got in the way. I think that most of the visitors are unaware that they have their stuff in the way of boulder problems they are not doing. Whatever. We finally cruised to the back, I was interested in that long traverse across the Eight Ball Boulder...whatever it's called. There were a group of loud girls on some problem next to Eight Ball giving each other beta and motivation to get to the top. Most of them were wearing everything they could muster up that had the word climbing written on it, you know all those over priced shirts and pants to make you feel like your really a part of the crowd. 20 minutes later we left, having our fill on all the gumbies we could handle for one afternoon. On to Adam's house for what may be my 6th year in a row I have spent New Year's Eve. Cooper made his yearly return, only to surprise me with a recent buzz-cut. Ouch Coop...let it grow back man!! Jk. If you haven't had the pleasure of meeting Cooper Roberts I would suggest putting that high on your to-do-list. I had my fair share of drinking, in fact I think I got buzzed way too early, but I made it to midnight and shortly thereafter Sarah and I left. Good times, good friends!

Powerline Trails...

So Lee and Brandon came over today for a brief ride on the local powerline trails. It had rained the day before so we were in for a bit of a slippery ride. We entered through what remains to be the only entrance for anything other than a four wheeler, a small opening between the trees and over two large mounds of dirt that remind me of a camel's back. A short trail ride leads to a handful of small mudholes that are the only thing that seperates one from the wide open trails of the powerlines. We attacked many obsticles, Dunebuggy Hill climbs, wet rock ledges, and some vicious ruts. After stretching the Cherokee's legs for a couple of hours we headed back.