My New Jacket

Ha... my jacket's puffier than your jacket.
That's right... One 850 fill goose down, Eddie Bower "First Ascent" mountaineering jacket coming right up sir.












Would you like fries with that?

It's not all about me...

As much as I'd like to think. HA... I know I'm a little selfish, but hey I'm 31 and not married living alone in LA. Right now it's OK. Anyway, this post is to pay homage to the climbing gods for letting my boy Dino ascend his first lead route flawlessly (5.9 Powder Puff Girls) Almost like he's been doing it his entire life. Don't let the name of the route fool you... it's a burly 5.9 with a long blind reach over the arete while holding an under-cling just before clipping the third bolt. Pretty squirrely for a first lead.

He didn't even shutter, or mention how scared he was the entire time! I was totally freaked when I lead my first route, so I know he was stressing even though he didn't say it. Then before you knew it he lead his second route Power Range. A bit more of a manlier name, but not so much a harder route as a different variation. They both follow the same last three bolts to the anchors, and they're practically side by side. None the less... It was a great weekend climbing!!

2010 Adventures

Well, again it's been a while since I've posted. But that's not to say I haven't been stagnent... My next big adventure will be Mt. Rainier -Kautz Route in July, so I've dedicated everyday until then preparing for that day. I'll tell you one thing, if I don't make the summit this year, it won't be because I'm not physically strong enough, or mentally prepared. I started training in January. Since then I've become 15lbs lighter, and improved my climbing and hiking dramatically... I'm climbing at a 5-10d level, and making some serious lead climbing progress. So I'll leave you with this...

I'm weaker today than I will be tomorrow, and much stronger than I was yesterday. In July I hope to be in the best shape of my life, standing on top of one of the countries biggest mountains, having gone up one of it's most difficult routes.

Cheers Pat... Kautz 2010 is our time.




- Jimi-James