Catch Up

Once again we have been too busy to blog, and are running out of excuses so I won't make any. Anyhow, here is what we have been up to since leaving Moab on the 26th of April.

First we drove across S. Utah stopping at Natural Bridges (where we bagged all the major bridges in well under the tourist average of 1.5 hours) and camping in Capital(ol?) Reef NP. Then on to Escalante where we took a gorgous run up Calf Creek to the amazing waterfall pictured at left. The only blemish on this perfect day was a brazen raven who stole our only LaraBar (the new Mole flavor too!) from our pack and then taunted us from the air for a half hour. This day ended in Zion, where we caught up with some old friends of mine in the local climbers ghetto. My hopes for a quick jaunt up Moonlight Buttress were thwarted by the 90+ degree head and the lack of psyched partners, but we were able to do some cragging and I ran up "The Organasm" which was super fun. Then off to Flagstaff where I smashed our mtn biking dreams by driving under a low hanging branch - but it can't be all downhill and daisies can it?

Next down to Phoenix for a nice visit with Rose's grandfather and his wife, who kindly sold us their Chevrolet Cavalier - the ultimate incognito roadtrip vehicle. In it we are invisible to ornery park rangers and marauding bears, knock on wood...

Then on to J-Tree, after which Rose headed to Long Beach for a coffee conference which she enjoyed thoroughly, and I off to Yosemite and the upper pitches on the Salathe and Freerider on El Cap.

Reunited later at Lover's Leap in the glorious Sierras, we had a great visit with the Mack clan, and my folks (who I hadn't seen in almost 3 years!) in Reno.

Then back to Yosemite Valley with a quick detour to catch up with my friend Anne Stanley in Bishop (she is off to Pakistan now for a trek into K2!) - Tioga Pass opened early which helped cut the drive times down.

Then off for a glorious weekend with Rose's aunt Gwynne in Mill Valley - birthday partying, wining and dining, mtn biking, swimming in the icy pacific - what a place!

Now back in the Ditch again (yosemite valley), lurkin' (resting and killing time) and staying at Camp 4 (legendary international climbers ghetto).

More soon - we promise,

Ty