Pleading with Mother...

I still haven't managed to skip out on an entire northern Midwest winter in my life, and another one is beginning. I woke up to this thing we call "fall flurries". This means snow is falling, but nowhere close to enough of it to make the leap from summer and winter outdoor fun. Mother Nature- if you're going to kill off another year of cycling and climbing for those of us residing in this part of the world, do it quick and nasty. Yank the band-aid. Seriously, give us five feet of powder to play in! Give me a honest reason to own snowshoes after leaving the Wasatch. Do not let us suffer the boredom of another year of brown, frigid, windy, barely-any-snow conditions! I'm warning you, I'll leave every weekend for more impressive venues if you don't start to rock out on MN like we all know you can. Do your thing well if you insist on the cold dark months...

SLC Weekend

One nice thing about working for an airline is that you can travel several states away for a Saturday. Alison and I went back to Salt Lake last weekend, and it was the best couple days I've had this year. (Pretty much since I lived there.) It was great to be where I want to be again, spending my free time in places like Little Cottonwood Canyon. Kelly got me to pull down on some great boulder problems (like a rock climbing route, but close to the ground utilizing a crash pad instead of ropes), and I was happy to find out my fingers and toes have not forgotten how to play on high quality northern UT granite. I have a feeling climbing will always be something addicting for me until the day I'm too old and busted up to do it anymore. And I'll probably still try it then. Sitting in front of a TV all the time is not for me. Canyons and mountains and fresh air! Until next time...

Us in front of 1,000 feet of granite and waterfall greatness...




















The UT gang- the Paasch's, Patrick's, and Jensen's...(I'm missing cuz I took the shot).














Who wouldn't dig the Quarry Trail?



















Kelly laying out the crash pad for many sudden landings...