Tag Archives: friends

Sea and Sky

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As we headed south from Whistler area, the landscape already started to feel like home. Now, the places I’d be driving through until Seattle would be a part of my extended backyard. When I caught first glimpse of the Chief, I had to hang up the phone with my mother just so I could focus on it. As a climber, it was exciting to finally see it. The Chief is a great granite fortress that overlooks the town of Squamish. It is the crown jewel of big wall climbing in the region. In fact, it is probably the most well know climbing destination in Canada–and for good reason.

Highlights: Looking at the Chief and knowing one day I will be on it. SQUAMISH. Climbing in Cheakamus Canyon. Visiting Whistler. Bypassing Vancouver. Easy Border Crossing! The entire Sea to Sky Corridor.

massive tree on the approach to The Chief
Looking up at The Chief
Squamish CAN grow Community Garden below The Chief
Some Lake North of Squamish
climbing in Cheakamus Canyon
Organizing cars and heading our seperate ways

Reflecting back on the past year, 2013

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2013 was good for me. I met great people, got out of my comfort zone, and shared my travels and passions with the people that matter most. We are more than half way through 2014 now, but after going through the 2013 file in my iPhoto account, I couldn’t help but reminisce. It’s been quite the privilege. With 4 months of 2014 left, we will have to just wait and see if 2014 can top 2013.

Only three days into 2013, and I was off with some of my closest friends for a climbing trip to Cochise Stronghold, Queen Creek, and Red Rocks. Thinking back now, 2013 was jampacked with exploring climbing destinations around the states. Many of my road trips were climbing-centric. I climbed at Penitente Canyon in Colorado’s San Luis Valley, bouldered at Moe’s Valley outside of St. George, Utah, did my first multi-pitch climb–and of all places, Yosemite, climbed at Sharma’s home gym, did 7 pitches of a climb in Mazama, Washington, got my ego put in check at Index and Devil’s Lake, fell in love with Tensleep, didn’t climb enough at Spearfish Canyon in South Dakota, and made a spring break trip to the Red River Gorge in Kentucky. More importantly, I got to share these beautiful places with so many awesome people.

I got to share Moab and Southwest Colorado with mom and grandma, went on tons of road trips–one with Caden, one with Cameron, and one alone. Got an insider’s tour of Austin with Kelly, spent an awesome several days in Cape Cod, spent a long weekend with friends at Duncan’s house on Squam Lake in New Hampshire, spent a ton of time on Earl’s Trails in the Holyoke Range, went on my first multi-day canoe trip–100 miles down the Connecticut River with Mike, and went to a ton of national parks–Badlands, Yellowstone, Yosemite, Crater Lake,  Arches, Canyonlands, Mesa Verde, Zion, Sand Dunes, and Devil’s Tower. Woah, can’t believe it.

Thanks everyone who was a part of it all! Here’s to more good times, good friends, and travelin’!

The Best Part of Going is Coming Back

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One adventure ends, another begins. Leaving the comfortable home base that Hampshire had provided me the past few years wasn’t easy–the thought of being thousands of miles away from the familiarity of home and the security of friends, family, and a community of people available whenever I needed to get away from studies to climb, run, and explore wasn’t easy. On the eve of my departure Northwest to Alaska, my friend Nick asked me the simple question–“why?” That day and night friends from Hampshire, friends from home, and my family got together to celebrate my graduation and my post collegiate going away travels. I was unsure what the outcome would be in gathering the different groups together. It went better than I could have hoped for which made ‘going’ the next morning an even tougher reality. But despite how great everything was, I told him that I just needed to go. I couldn’t come up with any better response than that… and that “the best part of going to new places is coming back to old places.” I told him that I needed time away from home, from friends, family, and everything else I became used to and comfortable with so that I could better appreciate it all.

And that is how it has been–every summer for the past 6 years I have found somewhere new to go to and everytime I miss everyone and everything from back home more and more as the summers progress. Now though, my concept of home is changing as I create memories and make friendships all over. Going back to those places become equally important and meaningful. Without Hampshire on the fall horizon, I will have the freedom to go farther and for a longer period of time than previously. I’m unsure how the freedom will affect my idea of home, permanence, relationships, but I sure will embrace it. And like usual, I will seek out the familiarities of home wherever I go.