Really?!!!!?

I don't get it. Are we born with a set of dice and every day we roll them to see if we get hurt or not? Do some people have cheater die that never get unlucky and other's have a pair that always get snake-eyes? It sure seems that way. After making it through the road trip with not as much as sore skin and a few scratches, my friend Hannah dislocates and breaks her ankle at the climbing gym.

After getting a text that she was in the hospital, I rushed down and had the chance to see the other side of the injury lens. I'm not so sure which side I dislike more. Knowing that you are being drugged and that you have a long road of recovery and drowsiness ahead of you, but trying to stay strong and keep your spirits up, or watching someone else smiling through a grimace. Either way, I was glad that when everything was said and done, she got hurt close to home and not in the middle of the woods.

Recovery is going to be a pain, along with crutches for six weeks, but I already have a plan: archery, kayaking and canoeing. On the bright side, by the time her EMT test is over she will be back up and at em'!

Brr

So much for the eighty something heat. The temps plummeted today, shortening the climbing aspect but definitely not detracting from the fun too much. The day started like all the rest - we would come to a climb, Hannah would flash it (do it on the first try) and I would struggle and scrape my knees against the rock a few hundred times. After I had enough of eating the rock, we would move onto the next route.

Eventually, we ended up at a slab climb, so you can guess what happened - I slipped and cheese gratered down most of the rock. Oh yeah, my hands are feeling great!

Before we could move on to more climbs, a bit of hypothermia set in, so we decided to take a break. What started off as a break, turned into three hours of Gin Rummey in our sleeping bags. At that point, it was time to pack up the bandwagon and head back to school but we decided on a resolution - maximizing camping this spring.

Not something you get to do everday

After leaving the Gunks, we headed up to Pawtuckaway, which is an area near UNH to meet up with a friend Louis for some more climbing. The weather was perfect for the first session, and despite our dying hands the routes were awesome. One that was especially fun was on an overlook near a small lake/pond/swamp. How many times do you get to throw a double toe hook, I mean really?

After trying that sequence about a million times, we settles into a slightly illegal, but awesome camp, and passed out.

Can I eat without my hands?

By our second climbing session, the warm-up was getting a lot shorter, and not because we were still warm. Actually, we were freaking hot! The cliff band was in direct sunlight and it was pushing eighty something, which to me felt like 110. On top of that, I am almost certain that I had no skin left on my hands. Surfing was great, but boy was I eating it now! Every time I scouted a new route, I wasn't looking for the best holds, but the ones with the least friction. I even was having issues holding my spoon for dinner!

Camping like pros

Do you know what is the best part about camping. It actually makes a break feel like a break. This is day two (barely) of our adventure and I already feel like I have had a week off. Just to add to the comfort of the trip, we discovered that our crashpad fits perfectly in the bottom of our tent = best sleeping pad ever! I think that Madrock and Sierra Designs must have collaborated on this one. Either that or they definitely should start advertising it!

On top of the rigged camping mattress, we are using the penny stove that I fashioned in Florida. Surprisingly, it works like a champ, other than making every pot completely black. I'm just waiting for a climber to come up to me and ask, "Where did you get that black chalk?"

Is it still the same day?!

Day one part 2.

After successfully navigating NJ highways (yes, Jersey drivers are scary), we made it up to Mohunk Mountain House, without a clue as to where to find the bouldering, or campsite for that matter. After hiking around a bit and exploring some off-limit rock (so tempting!), we watched the sunset from a gazebo and decided to find the campsite for real.

I had hiked the Mohunk area a lot back when my family lived in NJ, but had no idea that just on the other side of the mountain was great bouldering and rad routes! We made it to Camp Slime just in time to catch the last light for cooking up some grub. I can't believe this morning we were getting a crashpad through the subway!

subway, packing, and a crashpad that fit

Before I could quite go to school, my friend Hannah and I opted for one more adventure. she arrived early into New York's JFK airport, so I met her at the end of the subway line (a great way to get into the city while avoiding traffic). Along the way, we made a quick stop to get a crashpad from a vendor I found on craigslist. Trust me, it wasn't as sketchy as you think! From there, hilarity ensued! First we had to fit the pad through the subway entrance, then get past all the weird looks and questions about a refrigerator, and finally make it through the crowded subway car. By that point, I wasn't about to go through the right doors, so I exited through the emergency exit. With more weird looks at us and the sound of the alarm we made it out to fresh air and my aunt Randy's apartment to be greeted by a "What the heck is that, and how in the world am I going to fit it into the car?!"

Fit it did, so we were off to NJ. Once there, we loaded up the VW, found a tent, raided the pantry, and couldn't resist taking a few shots at the target with the bows. Part one of day one was over as we hopped into the car and prepared for some unruly NJ drivers. Next stop- the Gunks!

The adventure begins!

New York is unlike any city - it seems to move in its own direction and this visit was no different. The dogwoods were in full bloom, people were practically running from one to-do to the next, and stores that would never last in a small town (peanut butter sandwich shop?) were thriving. NY has its own voltage, but every so often it is good to come out and experience the electricity.

I met up with my aunt, Randy and we decided that we couldn't waste the weather, so we walked and talked. The health trend had hit the upper west side big time, so we had dinner at a great vegetable heavy place called Peace Foods. From there we walked down to 77th to see a famous act of vandalism that left a street one-way confused.

At that point, after traveling and walking a few twenty blocks, I was ready to hit the wall and prep for the next adventure - school.

Gotta scare the grandparents

At least once a visit, right? With some extra time one morning, I decided to play round with a stove design, so I emptied a pam can, pull out the saw and drill and got cutting. With the stove assembled came the fun part: lighting it up! Great success!!

Partay Time

Big family get together? Nothing better than cooking up some fish tacos! A little bit of shrip, slaw, hommade tartar sauce and a lot of comments from the peanut gallery (AKA the family), and the feast was ready to go!

Sup in the bay!

It was a beautiful day out. What else would I want to do?

Still got it

With a little down time, I decided to make a quick trip to the driving range with my grandma. I wasn't expecting much, since it has been almost three years since I hit a golf ball, but I pulled out my sand wedge anyway to warm up and made contact. Not the off the toe 45 degree angle sort off contact, or the wormburner top-of-the-ball sort, or even a harsh hook, but good clean contact. So I hit another one. And another. I started progressing up through the clubs from a six iron to a five wood(which I actually hit clean!!) and finally to the driver. The driver is my favorite, since, you know, you can hit the S*&! out of the ball and not look like a goob. I took a good swipe and it went straight for 220 yards! Getting those shots onto the course would be a whole other story, but I would say not bad for a once a year golfer!

Of course

When you grandma asks you and your mom if you guys want a pedicure, you say yes, but I didn't have to tell you that. I let the ladies at the salon pick the color, so they decided on a color that just came in. It just so happens that it is very close to Dartmouth green. It was good to relax a little bit between swimming, PT, and surfing.

PT to the max

While I was down in Florida, I figured it was a good opportunity to pay a visit to my favorite athletic trainer, Chris Verna. Chris trains many college and professional baseball players and golfers. I am his first telemark skier. He had me working up a sweat (and snapping jokes) within ten minutes, and by the end of the trip, I should be on track for a pain free spring term. The trick? Back strength. Apparently sleeping on my stomach doesn't count as a back workout and the muscles were pretty weak (my grandma was lifting more than me!).

A few waves

I had to get a few waves. Ask my friends, I have pretty much been itching to go surfing all winter. Last time I surfed, I started catching waves consistently, but it was time to learn how to turn. With the break pretty small, I took out a longboard and played around. After a few funny falls and one incidence of almost hitting my dad (he moved in the direction of my turn), I figured out turning. Not bad for someone who can only get out once every couple years.

Family!

With winter term over, thank god, it was time for a break. No better way to spend it than with family, so I came down to Florida to spend time with the grandparents. My parents and brothers joined, and it was deja vu! Pretty soon I will be sporting this look!

By tradition

Last term I ended with getting cited by campus security for buildering on the school chapel. I decided that it should be a tradition, so this term I dragged few friends to the river with me to break in the paddleboard for the season. Did I mention that it was 35? With only a few close calls and some serious jumping around for warmth, it was a huge success. I can’t wait for the warmth of spring!

Study Period? What Study period?

After a week of studying hard for finals, reading period finally came around. Instead of some rain to keep me motivated to bury my head in a physics book, the sun came out and the thermometer read 60 degrees. Now, with the sun out in full force, it would be hard to stay inside if it was ten degrees. Sixty – there was no question as to what I was doing that day – I was going slacklining!

After setting up the line, which is a tensioned piece of webbing, it was like the suburban construction boom. Build it and they came – by the droves.

Apparently everyone else’s reserve for studying was about as thin as mine. After one person from the engineering building saw us, I think the entire place cleared out. After some amazing feats of balance and some hilarious spills into the spring mud, I might be ready to study hard tomorrow. Maybe.

Totally Pro

Why is it that everything I make in the shop always ends up being a little, how should I put this, ghetto rigged? It doesn’t matter how nice the shop is. On the contrary, the shop I am working in is fully equipped with every state of the art piece of machinery you would ever need. Instead of going for the fancy clamps and tools, I reached into the scrap bin and the result is this clamping method for cutting out the top of my paddleboard.

A good show

After a week of hard studying, nothing is more refreshing than a good show. The chords provided that great show. With some of my favorites, including footloose and friends in low places, I almost forgot about school… Almost.

Green

I was studying hard in Novak, head buried in paper. After some time, I looked up to see a friend sitting on the other side of the café. With that great opportunity to procrastinate, I got up to go chat. Within ten minutes, my conscious got to me and I dogedly went back to my table to continue studying. To my surprise, while I had been away, someone had left a sticker and a nice note next to my water bottle. Looks like Guerilla Green is trying to make people notice… I sure have.