Ink and Paint



This transitional period has been a nice change of pace for Kyle and myself and it has given us some time to take care of our bodies, our house, work. It has also been a good chance to make time for those hobbies that I never seem to have time for. It all seems surreal however, as only part of me is actually here in the now. Day after day my mind wanders off to fantasies of the great open road, rock climbing, sun chasing... living the dream. As most of you know, 2012 is a monumental year for both Kyle and myself and if all goes as planned, this will be our longest climbing trip to date at almost 5 months!!!! We have worked really hard to make it possible to do this once in a lifetime trip with two wonderful friends.

A while back, our good friends Jason and Karissa mentioned that they had plans to quit thier jobs in Knoxville and hit the road for 6 months before they 'settled down'. We knew that this kind of an opportunity doesn't come around that often and we wanted to do our best to follow them along parts of their journey. It is also a great opportunity for me to focus on my own personal climbing, and work to achieve the things that I have dreamed of for years, with the motivation of good friends and good energy. And so, CAN-AM Flight 5.14 was born.

So for now I just dream away all day, wondering what adventures this trip will bring, experiences we will share,and the memories that we will create. Can't hardly wait!!!!!!!! Jan. 4th, Hueco Tanks, Texas.

It is sad to leave home though, nothing like the comforts of your own little nest. Home has inspired me to paint again, which has been a nice change of pace from the usual high impact activities. Recent paintings have been my own photo interpretations.

 Kolapore Sunset Stream.........

A Painted French River Sky...............

New River Reds.....

 



I've also taken up running again. I guess you could say that I was inspired to get back into it after hearing about Sasha Digiulian's training regime of 5 miles, 5x/week. I've worked hard over the past year to re-program my stride and this painful work has finally paid off as I no longer have knee pain and I can run further and faster then ever before. It's nice to feel lean, fit and strong, but not from climbing :)  Long distance running also makes Kyle's gourmet meals taste even better (if that is possible).

Just another usual dinner at Casa Kyle. The main course was wild Nova Scotian sea scallops with a warm red pepper, zhuchini and ginger salsa. On the side was a nice spinach slaw loaded with red cabbage, carrots, fresh apples, pepitas and a sweet apple cider vinegarette.  

I guess you could also say that the Clarksburg Cave has finally been 'broken in'. We have really enjoyed spending time with our local climbing pals Gary and Deeana and Wednesday night boulder sessions have become a routine of sorts. It is alway a nice evening of bouldering, good food, wine, good times.

Gary and Deeana: Thornbury locals, Clarksburg Cave regulars.



Aro and Asia, Gary and Dee's kitty cats, enjoy climbing in the cave as much as we do!

 


Cave sesh!

 

Aro and Asia stay warm by the propane heater

My dream of getting a beautiful and meaningfull tattoo has finally become a reality. It has been an incredible experience, aside from the many many hours of needles being jabbed into my side. I had a wonderful connection with my tattoo artist Jaarko, who is based out of the famous Sugar Shack in Kincardine, Ontario. Jaarko is so talented that I drove 2 hours each way to see him, for multiple consultations and sessions. It was worth every kilometer and penny, as he was able to capture my vision with his own artistic twist, and he created a masterpiece that I will cherish for the rest of my life, literally.



Phase one, after the first few hours of work.

I've thought long and hard about this for years, even though it may come across as a last minute decision, it most definitely wasn't. The ancient white cedar represents so many different things to me. Jaarko was able to capture the same cedars that I spend most of my summers playing amongst, along the beautiful Niagara Escarpment. But that isn't the only reason I chose the ancient cedar; it reminds me to stay true to myself, evolve, grow, adapt. The amazing thing about these cedars (aside from the fact that they can be 2 feet tall and 2000 years old) is the fact that they can litteraly survive off of nothing. They cling to cliffs for their dear lives and adapt to whatever they've been given and whatever comes their way. They are true survivors of nature and I want to adapt, grow and experience a long life like my cedar tree.

 

Phase 2: My cedar, still healing but beautiful! My last session was 2 days ago, and apparently the greens will fade a bit after a couple weeks of healing.





On another note, with a trip like this coming up it is especially necessary to send a huge shout out to all of my sponsors. Without the support of these incredible companies, trips like this just wouldn't be as possible. Sterling Rope just shipped off some shiny new ropes, Blurr mailed us out some lovely new clothes and LaSportiva sent me a fleet of awesome new shoes and even welcomed me back on to the Lasportiva Pro Team for another year. YAHOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!! Thank you SOO much to all of you for your incredible support over the years!

Well, next time I post, it will hopefully be from Hueco Tanks and the beginning of Can-Am Flight 5.14, with layovers in Hueco Tanks, California, Spain and more!!! YIP YIP!!!!!!!!!!!