Red River Gorge/ Seneca Rocks: April 17-26, 2009

(Borrowed from Dean's blog: www.deanlords.blogspot.com)

Packing 1

Packing 2

Post red-eye in Columbus, OH; pre drive to the Red.

Looking like hell after the red eye. Recommendation: Don't take 5 sleeping pills in one dose.

"That John Denver's full of shit, man!"

Dean arrives at the Red River Gorge for his first time ever.

Dean on a four-star .12a at Bob Marley Crag.

Just another day in Paradise.

Jon Starr is a very special friend.

Dean is trying to get attention. Nathan preps food at Lago Linda's.

Nathan rodeo clips at the Bob Marley Crag.

Sadly we leave the Red.

Rest day as we arrive at Seneca. These are my tips.

Other tips.

Camping at one of Yokum's campgrounds, Seneca, West Virginia.

View from hotel at Seneca Rocks. 

Freaking beautiful.

Escorted to a cool Via Ferrata by the owner of CMI.

Neat-o bridge along the neat-o via ferrata outside of Franklin, WV.

Trying to get some bonus vertigo on the bridge.

Naffin walking the bridge.

Dean-o getting ready for the next day.

The freaking Vansion and the Machine arrive.

Bacon and tofu. will the universe explode?

Silly lizzard. Wrong continent.

Will Mayo, Chris Goplerud, and Nathan Smith.

Brian.

Naturally, we found the sport cave at Seneca.

Last supper at Seneca.

...because Utah's OK after all.

THE LAST FEW WEEKS have brought rocks of different sizes in Utah and the Arizona Strip... so not too much to report; I'll keep it brief. 

Two weekends ago my friend, Dan, suggested that we head to the St

George area... despite having steadfastly declared that I would spend the weekend nailed to my taxes, we rallied down and spent a day checking out Phalanx of Will, a night checking out Chuckawalla Wall, and a second day (and second session) freezing in shade, wind, and 43-degree temps at Cathedral/ Wailing Wall. (A guy there had a thermometer.)

Last weekend (Apr 8-12), my friend Ian came into SL

C and we went down to Joe's Valley- the only place within driving distance with a decent forecast. Thurs/ Fri were thuper-nice; we met up with Dean Lords and his friend, Heather. Sun was rocking as well; we "rolled deep" with a glorious crew from SLC including Mike, Cheryl, Nathan, Brett, and Zac. Saturday snowed, but it was warm in Momentum. 

Thursday night Dean Lords and I take the straight-up red eye to Columbus, Ohio f

or two days at the Red and eight in West Virginia. 

Why don't I live in Kentucky?

AFTER 10 DAYS at the Red, nearly half of which were snow and atmosphere/rock-saturating rain and humidity, I returned to Utah not at all ready to be back... snow, rain, work. You know. "Life". 

So after a few days of withdrawl (depression, dragging my feet, rocking back and forth in my chair, browsing images.google.com), my friend Will Mayo and I started email vollying. Will had had an excellent point: if I wanted to be back at the Red, why didn't I fly back? 

Well, Will- that's a good freaking question. 

So a flight was booked with Continental Airlines from SLC to LEX March 27-30. Passanger Christine Balaz.

I returned with over-the-top-psych and adolescent giddiness. Will and Peter picked me up at LEX... even did the grocery shopping. I brought only one light carry-on bag, borrowed sleeping gear, and shared draws, rope, cookware. 

We had three great days together. Weather-wise,  it was beautiful the first and last day- bad for a day in the middle- but perfect for jogging through the woods in rain gear to check out different crags. 

Anyway. I'm going back to the Red on the 17th for just two days before

 heading to out on some other eastern adventures... and possibly again next weekend, but I'm trying to avoid giving into such obsessive-compulsive behavior. We'll see.