OT Mountain Time 1 image OT

Spaightlabs

I spent a couple of 2 week stints at Vedauwoo back in college (a loooong time ago) and shortly after I moved out here when I used to think I was hard (I wasn't).  Came out west thinking that my skills on  5.9 granite and a fresh pair of Fires would make me an instant legend in the west (they wouldn't).  Bumped into a guy named Todd Skinner who was doing things that looked impossible to a couple of kids from the midwest and learned a lot, but never was dedicated, brave, or strong enough to get past 5.10...

Back then when we had free time, which in retrospect was often, we would spend our time with rock and rope and chalk thinking that somehow alpine pursuits were beneath us, equating them incorrectly with simple hiking.  I wish I would have carved out some time during my younger summers to explore the Winds but never did.

YukonRon

There are are many things in the outdoors I wish I had taken a bit further. But staring at 60, and knowing fewer are in front of me, than behind me, I am getting to be at peace with it. 

Down here in Kentucky, there is a place called the Red River Gorge. I grew up there. I took My Beautiful Wife there once I returned from deployment several years ago, and until then, I had not been in Kentucky for a very long time.

It is a beautiful place, often taken for granted, by the natives around here.

We were walking an easy trail along the stream about late winter / early spring, when we happened upon a dog several yards in front of his owner.

I was surprised to see anyone on the trail, honestly. We made small talk when we met, about the dog and where he was from. When he told me he was from Colorado, I have to admit, I questioned, why on earth would he be in the Red?

To my surprise, since I had been gone for 25 years, they started holding the world championships for rock climbing there. I could not believe what I heard. Some teenaged girl from China won it that year.

He was a rock climber, and he was there to practice. You could have knoocked me over with a feather.

We went home and googled it, and sure enough, the guy was legit.

Should you ever want to try these cliffs and rocks, let me know. You can stay with us. I will take you to all the spots. Rise and runs here are pretty tough, especially in the dead of summer, but there are many spectacular inverted climbs, that challenge the best with the up and overs.

I quit technicals a long time ago, and limit myself to scrambles and the occasional dynamic line assist, if, and only if, there is no other way.