From the East

After a whirlwind few days getting the yome resurrected (thanks, Matt!!) and everything arranged for this next time away, I've been on the east coast visiting friends for the last week. Here's where you get to choose how to experience life - either: "spent three days in Boston, then stayed in upstate New York" OR

Watched fireworks in Boston in the rain on the Freedom Trail ... cheered on a good friend racing the Head of the Charles ... found a great pub with Rogue Dead Guy Ale to catch up in ... got to spend the weekend being with friends I hadn't seen since their wedding three years ago. Saw my old rowing coach at the Charles ... caught a ride to upstate NY ... got to row on the water again for the first time in seven years ... taking in the fall leaves that pass us by in the NW ... getting amped about skiing while staying with a good friend from Utah last winter.

It's all in what you take from it - everything can be an adventure...

Next up, Philly to see my friend race again, and the Halloween wedding in MD. (Pictures next time, I promise.)

Yosemite

Two weeks down south - one in Yosemite and one in the Canyons of Utah - fun and warm, and a great rehab from months of summer guiding.

First spent a week in Yosemite getting my hands back on rock and reminding my arms that they're useful for more than just balancing with an ice axe. It's been a while since I've been on rock, so made Devin lead most of it. By the end of the week, we'd met up with a couple other fellow guides and I was getting back in the rhythm.

Just in time for winter, of course...

Fun with offwidths...

Canyons in Utah

From Yosemite, I went to Utah for a week in the sounthern canyons with Mary. Both of us are new to canyoneering, but everything worked out well - good weather, fun hikes/climbs/swims, and no one else the entire time.


If you've never heard of or done canyoneering (called canyoning in the rest of the world), it's essentially travelling down often-deep canyons in whatever conditions they present.

Sometimes it's a nice hike or scrambling over some rocks,

...sometimes it's wading or swimming in water,

Other times you're using a rope to rappel down long drops and swimming through narrow slots in deep water.

Or all of the above.

A little gear acquisition (wetsuit, dry sacks, water wings for pack floatation) and a long drive turns climbing into canyoning - opposites in many respects.

Very cool - it is incredibly quiet down there, and feels like you're leagues away from the hot desert above. We managed not to get ourselves into any trouble and have a great time, so are looking forward to going back next year...