THE START

 I SIGNED UP FOR A CLASS TODAY! QUITE A SIMPLE TASK, AND YET IT TOOK ME A YEAR TO FINALLY CONVINCE MYSELF TO DO IT. IM EXCITED FOR THE FUTURE AND ENJOYING TODAY!

WAITING

      THE WEATHER SEEMS TO BE CLEARING A LITTLE BIT AT A TIME REVEALING THE BEAUTIFUL WONDERS THAT SUMMER BEHOLDS. IT HAS BEEN A LONG WINTER, I THINK THAT I AM IN NEED OF THE SUMMER WARMTH AND SUNSHINE MORE THAN THE TREES AND PLANTS. THE SUN HAS A WONDERFULLY INSPIRING GLOW TO IT THAT UNFORTUNATELY IS LARGELY ABSENT IN THE DEPTHS WINTER. IN THE SUMMER THE SUN RISES AND SHEDS OUR PLANET WITH THE WARMTH NEEDED FOR ALL LIFE, YES, I SAID ALL LIFE. I DO UNDERSTAND THAT WINTER IS ALSO A VITAL PART OF OUR SEASONAL SHIFTS THAT MAINTAIN THE BALANCE IN WHAT MAKES THIS PLANET AN AMAZING PLACE TO LIVE. I JUST HAPPEN TO PREFER THE SUMMER, THE WARM SOMETIMES SOMEWHAT OVERWHELMING HEAT, THE LONGER DAYS, AND THE GREENERY THAT IS AFFORDED TO OPPORTUNITY TO GROW. I'M WAITING PATIENTLY FOR THE SUMMER AND I'M EXCITED!

SUCCESS!

    TODAY I FINALLY CLIMBED MY PROJECT! IT SEEMS AS THOUGH ITS HAS BEEN ALONG TIME COMING, BUT DESPITE THAT FEELING IT HAS REALLY ONLY BEEN ABOUT THREE WEEKS. AS FOR THE RATING, I DON'T SEEM TO CARE MUCH FOR THE RATING SYSTEM. I FEEL LIKE IT IS A HIGHLY SUBJECTIVE SYSTEM IN ORDER TO JUDGE YOUR CLIMBING ABILITY. SO THAT SAID, IT TURNS OUT (THROUGH A SERIES OF QUESTIONS) THAT MY PROJECT WAS A SOLID V6. I DID NOT CHOOSE THIS ROUTE BASED UPON THE RATING OR THE RATING OF MY PREVIOUS CLIMBS, I CHOSE THIS LINE BECAUSE IT WAS THE MOST ASCETICALLY BEAUTIFUL LINE THAT I SAW. IT STARTS ON THE LOWEST EDGE OF A SEAM, THEN MOVES OUT ONTO A SLOPER WITH THE LEFT HAND AS YOU HEEL HOOK THE RIGHT FOOT. THE RIGHT HAND MOVES TO A SMALL THREE FINGER LEDGE AS I MOVE MY FOOT TO A TOE HOOK REALLY SHALLOW IN THE SEAM. THEN ITS MY RIGHT HAND TO A CROSS OVER AND GRABING A STEEP SLOPER THE ANOTHER INTERMEDIATE SLOPE TO A SUPER POSITIVE EDGE. FROM THERE ITS JUST WORKING YOUR WAY HAND OVER HAND HEEL HOOK AFTER HEEL HOOK UP THE SEAM TO THE TOP OUT. ALL IN ALL IM VERY EXCITED TO HAVE CLIMBED IT, THEN TO TOP IT OFF I CLIMBED IT AGAIN RIGHT THERE ON THE SPOT!   THIS ONE IS NOW DONE. I LOVE IT THOUGH AND I WILL CLIMB IT AGAIN.   ON TO MY NEXT PROJECT!! A SUPER SLOPEY LINE UP AN ARETE. ITS QUITE PRETTY.

MOVEMENT

    IT SEEMS AS THOUGH I HAVE LEARNED SOMETHING ABOUT MYSELF TODAY. I KNOW, I KNOW WE LEARN THINGS ABOUT OURSELVES DAILY BUT THIS WAS BIGGER, MORE INTERESTING, AND CERTIANLY MORE SUSTAINABLE. I HAVE REALIZED, THOUGH THIS MAY JUST BE A PIECE OF SOME MUCH LARGER PICTURE, THAT I APPRECIATE AND CRAVE PHYSICAL MOVEMENT. IT SEEMS TO BE A HUGE MOTIVATING FACTOR FOR ME TO LEARN AND STUDY. FOR EXAMPLE I HAVE STARTED CLIMBING AGAIN AND I AM REALLY LOVING IT. THE REASON, IT INVOLVES A SERIES OF PYSICAL MOVEMENTS THAT IF DONE CORRECTLLY WILL PRODUCE THE DESIRED OUTCOME. I SEEM TO LIKE THE CHALLENGE OF FIGURING OUT EACH MOVEMENT THEN FITTING THEM TOGETHER INTO THE SERIES THAT WILL LEAD ME TO THE DESIRED END. I LIKE THE IDEA OF PERFECTING EACH MOVEMENT SO THAT IT BECOMES THE EPITIMY OF EFFICENCY. THE RAW STRENGTH, THE FLUID MOTION OF THE MUSCLES CONTRACTING, AND THE MOVEMENT OF YOUR PHYSICAL BEING FROM ONE POINT TO THE NEXT THROUGH SPACE IS AMAZING. THIS FASCINATION DOESNT JUST ENCOMPASS CLIMBING HOWEVER. I VERY MUCH HAVE AN INTEREST IN ALL EFFICIENT OR PERFECTED MOVEMENT. TAKE FOR EXAMPLE THE STONE MASON WHO MAKES EVERY STRIKE OF THE HAMMER COUNT AND THE MOVEMENTS OF HIS ARM ARE SO FLUID, OR THE TILE SETTER WHO TURNS HIS WRIST JUST TO JUST THE RIGHT ANGLE TO SPREAD THE THINSET EVENLY, OR THE POTTER WHO MOLDS AND SHAPES THE CLAY TO BECOME SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL WITH JUST THE RAW PERFECTED MOVMENTS OF HIS WRIST, FINGERS, AND HANDS. IT IS VERY FASCINATING TO ME, THE MOVEMENT OF OUR WORLD ASTOUNDS ME! THERE IS SO MUCH TO LEARN SO MANY MOVEMENTS TO EXPERIENCE AND ENJOY.

SETTLED IN.

     AFTER NEARLY TWO MONTHS I NOW FEEL COMFORTABLE BACK IN THE EASTERN PART OF THIS COUNTRY.  I HAVE FOUND ENOUGH WORK TO SUFFICE FOR NOW AND I AM FORTUNATE ENOUGH THAT IT ALLOWS A FAIR BIT OF FREE TIME. THIS TIME I HAVE BEEN USING TO REENGAGE MYSELF IN ROCK CLIMBING. I AM VERY THOUROULY ENJOYING THE TIME SPENT WANDERING THE WOODS LOOKING FOR NEW AND EXITING LINES. I AM CURRENTLY WORKING A PROJECT IN THE SHENANDOAH PARK. ON A BACKPACK TRIP LAST WEEKEND I DISCOVERED AN ABSURD AMOUNT OF ROCK THAT I MUST GO CLIMB. AS FOR RUNNING, AFTER NEARLY 3 MONTHS I HAVE FINALLY HAD A PRODUCTIVE AND ENJOYABLE JOURNEY UP THE LOCAL MOUNTAIN. ITS BEEN A LONG ROAD, BUT IM EXCITED FOR MORE MOUNTAIN RUNS I HAVE TO REMEMBER TO TAKE IT EASY THOUGH. WE ARE ALSO PLANNING A CAVING TRIP THIS COMING WEEKEND TO WEST VIRGINIA. I IMAGINE THIS WILL BE ALOT OF FUN. BY THE WAY, SUMMER IS ON THE WAY AND IM SO EXCITED I CAN HARDLY CONTAIN MY ENTHUSIASM. TRYING TO WORK NOW SO SUMMER CAN BE  FREE FOR THE FUN AND ENJOYABLE ASPECTS OF LIFE.

HOMEWARD BOUND!

      WELL IT SEEMS THAT FRIDAY ILL BE HEADED BACK TO A FEW BEAUTIFUL THINGS IN THE BLUE RIDGE MOUNTAINS OF VIRGINIA. THE FIRST AND MOST IMPORTANT THING IS A VERY SPECIAL GIRL THAT I CARE FOR DEARLY AND HAVE BEEN MISSING FOR AN INCREDIBLY LONG TIME NOW! THE SECOND BEING THE MOUNTAINS, THAT ARE COMPLETLY BLANKETED WITH AN ARRAY OF TREE SPECIES.
     
      I HAVE BEEN MISSING THIS PARTICULAR GIRL SINCE THE DAY THAT I DROVE OFF INTO THE SUNSET. I WAS HEADING WEST, JUST LIKE THE PIONEERS OF THE 1800'S. I WAS IN SEARCH OF A BETTER LIFE, AN OPPURTUNITY TO BUILD MY FUTURE OR FORGE MY OWN PATH THROUGH THIS CRAZY MAZE CALLED LIFE. AFTER AN INITIAL SURVEYING, I WAS QUITE PLEASED WITH THE MOUNTAINS AND LIFESTYLE. I HAD MADE THE DESICION THAT THIS GIRL WAS NOT ONLY AN AMAZING PERSON, WITH OUTSTANDING CHARECTER BUT I WANTED HER TO BE MINE. I FEEL EXTREMELY LUCKY THAT SHE FEELS THE SAME WAY TOWARDS ME! I VERY SERIOUSLY THANK WHOEVER IS WATCHING OVER US EVERDAY THAT SHE IS WHO SHE IS AND THAT SHE IS MINE! I HAVE NEVER FELT LIKE THIS TOWARDS ANYONE BEFORE, AND SO I HAVE BEEN MISSING HER TERRIBLY. AFTER SEVERAL SHORT VISITS AND ENDLESS HOURS OF APPLYING FOR JOBS SHE WAS STILL NO CLOSER TO BEING WITH ME. AT TIMES THIS MADE ME FRUSTRATED WITH THE ECONOMY OR THE GOVERNMENT. AS IT APPEARS NOW I FEEL LIKE THIS WAS SIGN DIRECTING US TO WHAT WAS RIGHT. I NOW HAVE BEEN HERE FOR MONTHS AND MONTHS AND HAVE DISCOVERED THAT SEVERAL VERY IMPORTANT ASPECTS (AT LEAST TO ME) ARE MISSING FROM THE LIFESTYLE THAT IS GENERALLY LIVED IN THE AREA. ILL SPARE THOSE DETAILS OTHER THAN TO SAY THAT FOR NOW,I FEEL A THOUGH MY HOME IS NESTLED IN A VALLEY, SURROUNDED BY TREES, UPSTREAM FROM THE OLD MOONSHINE STILL IN THE SHADOWS OF THE MYSTERIOUS AND BEAUTIFUL BLUE RIDGE MOUNTIANS.

        REGRET? I DO NOT REGRET THE MOVE OUT HERE BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE IT HAS LED ME TO WHERE I AM AND HOW I FEEL TODAY. AFTER ALL LIFE IS A MAZE AND EVERYONE IS BOUND TO TURN THE WRONG WAY FROM TIME TO TIME. I FEEL THAT BEING STRONG AND LIVING LIFE TO ITS FULLEST IS DEFINED BY THE WRONG MOVES WE MAKE, BY ADMITING THIS WAS THE WRONG WAY AND HEADING CONFIDENTLY DOWN THE PATH WE THEN PERCIEVE AS THE RIGHT ONE,IS IN MY OPINION THE VERY EPITIMY OF ENJOYING AND GETTING THE MOST OUT OF OUR SHORT TIME ON THE EARTH.

        SO TO SUMMARIZE, I MISS HOME AND THE WAY LIFE IS LIVED THERE, I MISS MY GIRL WHICH I SIMPLY CAN'T BEAR  BEING APART FROM ANY LONGER, I FEEL LIKE I AM MAKING A GREAT CHOICE!!   
                                                                           MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!

GETTING CARRIED AWAY?

     I FEEL LIKE I MIGHT BE GOING OVERBOARD ON MY NUMBER OF POST'S, BUT I FEEL LIKE I HAVE PICTURES OR VIDEO CLIPS THAT ARE FACSINATING. SO AT THE RISK OF TO MANY PICTURES HERE ARE SOME MORE!

A BIG MULE DEER BUCK NEAR THE SUMMIT

                                            LOOKING WEST TOWARDS HORSETOOTH ROCK

                                          VERY COOL FOG ON THE LAKE

                                           ARTHURS ROCK WITH EARLY SEASON SNOW

SOME COLORFUL NEW KICKS