FOR THOSE OF YOU JUST JOINING US

i quit my job back in november. i worked for lexington coffee & tea as a route salesman/ delivery driver for almost 6 years exactly. it was a locally owned small business that was great to work for, but i was ready for a change and ready for a move. so, seeing as how i was going to be in between jobs i thought it a good chance to use some hard-earned money i've saved to make a road-trip out of my in-limbo of employment and living situation. so i'm on a journey around the west before running out of money and finding a place to re-settle for a time. get a job, make some money, maybe go back to school. but most importantly, see the rest of the U.S. and climb in more and more places.

when i wasn't visiting my family the weeks of thanksgiving or christmas, i was climbing. i used a couple weeks in november and a few weeks of december to clean up some projects that i had in kentucky and down south (the southeast: tennessee, georgia, and alabama -although at HP40 the big one got left behind). i was able to climb with tommy and patrick a bunch, as well as dev and greg and kyle a little bit to during that stint. some FAs were made and some new lines were officially established, as well as many repeats of some of the hardest lines in the state. (forgive me for not going into detail for all the players involved). you can check out what's happening back there (along with other great, sometimes vaguely-climbing-related, exposition) at it came from the garage.

anyway, had a going away party and celebrated the new year, and made my way out here to western texas, just outside of el paso, at hueco tanks state historic site. you can google it to find a better overview of what it is since i don't really feel like writing a report on it. thanks for understanding.

so here i am. resting and relaxing. playing and pondering. loving life. and loving the freedom i have, for now, to do only what i want to do. i've met lots of good friends already here at the ranch and at the park. with more time left than what time i've spent here so far. then on to who-knows-where. flagstaff, joe's, maybe bishop (that seems to be the next hot-spot for march -and only for those of us who are at hueco and not out there in bishop with so many others that are having a great season so far). my plan is to end up in denver colorado; to play on the outrageous number of bouldering areas that surround it. will see what happens. here's a picture of the campsite from atop my van.

now i'm living out of my van. sleeping on bed i made to fit specifically for it. cooking out of the tail-end, and riding around with other climbers looking for boulders, burritos, and beer.

speaking of which...

let me tell you about the food down here. when we're not cooking mac-n-cheese, rice and beans, or making a pb&j we're driving 6 miles to el pasito. it's a little market (tiny actually) with a kitchen in the back with some booths. it's satisfying, super good, and only 3 bucks for a burrito with everything. also, we don't refer to it as mexican food down here; just food. cos, well, that's what it is for most everyone: food.

adios, amigos!