Waking up in Vancouver

 Waking up, day 2 in Vancouver BC!!!!!! Penny is sitting at the sliding glass door, looking out at the day. I'm about to go over to Jeff and Sam's for Yorkshire tea, and Dan and his partner should be there, too. And then we're going bouldering today!!! At the hive north shore in north vancouver. After that there's this "secret" spa that does hot and cold plunge services for like 45 bucks CAD but there are only two spots available. So we're probably going to cold plunge at Kits Beach or Jericho or something like that. Didn't sleep that great. Hope I send hard today!! Happy new year!!!!!!!!

Made it to Vancouver.

 I made it to Vancouver ! I'm basically stoked out of gourde right now, drinking coffee at Forecast. The border was so incredibly chill. Less than a 10 minute wait. The dude didn't seem to notice all the detritus in my car and only asked where I was staying, not what I did for work or any crap like that. Honestly it was one of the chilliest trips to Vancouver I've ever had. Not much traffic in Seattle, no traffic in Bellingham, chill border and not much Vancouver traffic. A great parking spot in front of where I'm cat sitting ! And then straight to forecast in the rain where I ordered a decaf oat latte that I'm currently drinking. Best of all the forecast for Squamish is still holding ! It's calling for sun which means MAYBE the apron boulders will be somewhat dry. Maybe. Not counting on it. The dude to my right has SUCH a BC accent. I love it. 

Goat Rock State Beach and Why Grades Aren't As Subjective As We Think

 

The author giving a burn on Hard Up V3 at Goat Rock State Beach, CA. 

I've been thinking a lot about climbing grades, and whether or not they're subjective. It's my contention that they're NOT subjective, or at least not as subjective as people think. Saying "grades are inherently subjective" has become a refrain in the climbing world, one usually not backed up by evidence, and one that I find intellectually lazy. I've heard some arguments as to why grades are subjective -- each climber has a different body type, height, etc. -- and some of them are valid (at least to a certain extent). In this post I hope to explain why I think this subjectivity only goes so far, and why grades -- be it the the v-scale, font scale, Yosemite decimal -- are unwittingly based on something more scientific and thus less subjective. 

But before I get into THAT, my homies, let's talk a little bit more about where I am and the photo that started off this post. I'm in Willits, CA (yeah, THAT Willits) and yesterday I drove up the coast and climbed at Goat Rock State Beach, site of where I tore my LCL two years ago. In fact, I tore my LCL on the exact boulder problem in the photo, on one move before the move I'm trying, getting my left hand from lower than where it is in the photo and trying to use a heel hook to get it higher. 

It was a little weird going back to these boulders. It had been two years. I was a much different climber then, probably just as strong, just as psyched, but also more reckless and much worse at reading beta. Honestly, the being worse at reading beta part was the only detractor. I wish I could be as reckless as I was back then, but, you know, the low back. I guess I don't wish I was as reckless as was I used to be in how I approached boulder problems, i.e., from the ground, just giving it everything I got. Now my tactics are much better. In the boulder above, for example, I worked it more from the top down, or at least the middle out. I knew I wasn't gonna flash it, so first I started dialing in the moves. 

I didn't send the boulder, but yesterday was still glorious. After the sesh I stood by the Subee up above the boulders, looking out over God's green earth, the blue waters of the Pacific Ocean, my palms facing the sky, and gave thanks to the Universe and the Tao. I gave thanks for that session, for having another day on this planet, for my relative health, and for many other things. And then I started driving north. 

Now back to grades, though I don't know how much I want to get into it today. Basically at some point I'd like to write a well-structured, well thought out piece and submit it to Climbing Magazine, and I consider all of this just prep for that. 

So here's my contention: Grades are (unwittingly) based on a scientific system that takes into account a multitude of factors, the most important being: A) angle of the wall, B) angle of the holds, C), depth of the holds, and finally D) placement of the holds (how far they are apart, which way they face, where they are in relation to each other). 

If, on a systems board, you took a series of holds, all one inch deep, completely neutral in angle (i.e. neither positive or negative, neither incut or slopey), and placed these holds in a latter fashion, you could create a very simple, boring ladder problem, that would sort of look like this: 

-----

            

        -----

-----

       -----

-----

       -----

Now, if you set the angle of the board at + 5 degrees (i.e., 5 degrees less than vertical, i.e. slab), the difficulty would undoubtedly be around VB. Then, if you tilted the board up to vertical, the difficulty would increase a bit, maybe still VB, maybe V0 at this point. 

Whether or not the problem is VB or V0 at this point is up for debate. This is where different body types come into play, and conversely the SMALL degree of subjectivity involved in grades. For some body types, the problem would feel like VB. For others it might feel like V0, or even V1. But for no one would it feel like V5, or V10, or V15. This is our first hint that grades aren't entirely subjective. 

Now, say you tilted the board to -10 degree, i.e., slightly overhanging. This would increase the difficulty of the problem significantly, maybe somewhere in the V1-2 range. And if you kept tilting it back, the grade would keep increasing. At 20 degrees you might have a V5 or V7, at some point you'd have something on the very limits of what's climbable right now, i.e. V17, and at some point you'd have something that's completely impossible. The point is: this would be a measurable phenomenon. Certain angles of the board with this specific hold setup would produce specific grades, plus or minus a grade or two depending on body type (note: "body type" assumes a certain height, say the mean human height plus or minus 6-8 inches on each side. If a person is 2'6'', then certain problems would be MUCH harder or impossible. But for the purposes of my argument I'm not taking into account the 2'6'' human). 

You could then do this same experiment with different hold angles and different hold placements, and ultimately with wall angles that vary throughout the problem (as they do outdoors). Ultimately, with enough data, you could come up with an algorithm that would take ALL of these factors into account (hold angle, hold placement, wall angle, and many others) and accurately predict the grade of the problem to within one or two V-grades. You could also input the body type of the climber, making it even more accurate. I'm sure someone will come up with this algorithm at some point and write a program with it, because you know what? We've all already come up with this algorithm on our own after years of climbing. Our bodies and minds experience the problem, take into account the angle of the wall and the angle and placement of the holds, churn that data into an algorithm, and then we spit out a grade. It's not scientific, but, well, actually it sort of is, and it damn well could be even more scientific. Beause again, grades are SOMEWHAT subjective, a little bit subjective, but not nearly so much as people claim. That V1 you climbed could be a V2, or a V0, or even a V3. But it's not a V15.  This is backed by science, but not science that has been necessarily thought out/discussed in formal settings. But that doesn't mean the science isn't there.

Lean In

 

A view of Bishop from the volcanic tablelands. 

Not a ton to report today. I'm in Hostel California. I'm drinking cocoa. I've got the yoga mat in front of me, where I was just lying down doing some back exercises. I just heard some kids at the table downstairs talking about going to the Happies. Apparently people don't wait a couple days to go climbing after a rain. Honestly I don't think it really matters. This boulders have been climbed on so much, day after day, that the holds are probably pretty solid. And what does it matter if a hold breaks off? It's not like holds are going to break off on the hard stuff, since all of that is super overhanging and doesn't really get wet. I don't know. People have obviously been climbing on sunny days the day after a rain for many years now, and things have turned out pretty ok.

Where should I climb today? The Buttermilks, the Happies, or the Sads? 

A sip of my cocoa. Some more floor work. Some Bishop middle schoolers that walk by outside. 

The Seattle forecast has NO RAIN in it for days and days and days. Well maybe just days and days. It's colder than here, though. The high next Monday is supposed to be 30. The HIGH.

I can't decide if I should stay in the same room tonight or change over to the one with the shared bathroom. Maybe one more night here?

The thing about the Buttermilks is they could be snowy. And what if I drove all the way out there only to not be able to climb because of the snow? That would suck. At least I'd get some cool photos. 

My fingers feel swollen. 

Every day I talk about how my diet was bad the night before, how I drank too much beer, so maybe I just need to accept that and stop talking about it. It's not like I really want to change it. I like drinking beer, at least right now. I like eating good but somewhat dubious food. Though last night it was just dubious. 

When I was five or so in Colorado Springs I went climbing for the first time in Garden of the Gods. The thing is, I remember almost nothing about the outing. Honestly, I don't even really remember if I climbed or if I just watched my friend's dad climb. But I think I did climb, and I think I went up what felt like really high on top rope but was probably only like 10 or 20 feet. I remember being scared. I remember not liking the experience that much. It's hard to like something if you're scared. 

Then in 2010 or so I remember my friend Anya always trying to get me to go climbing with her. She said I'd be good at it, that I was athletic and had the right body type. And I always turned her down. I thought climbing was dumb. I was 27 or so at the time. 

Then in 2014 I did let myself get convinced to go bouldering at the Bainbridge climbing gym, where I got pumped in about three minutes. Actually, probably even less than that. I got pumped in one or two attempts on what was probably the easiest problem there. And after that I thought, This is stupid. 

And then finally, in 2019, my friend H convinced me to go to SBP, because there were hot girls and it was fun and the yoga classes were a good way to limber up. And so I went, and this time, probably because I went with good friends, and probably because SBP is more fun for beginners, something clicked. And I wanted to go back. And I started going back by myself. And I got obsessed. Fast forward to Valentine's Day, just before COVID, and I was at an intermediate bouldering class just me and another few guys trying purples and oranges. And fast forward to today, where I'm sitting in the private room of a hostel in Bishop, California deciding whether I'm gonna go climb at the Buttermilks, the Happies or the Sads. I'm 39 years old and obsessed with something in a way I've been obsessed with few things before. And I'm almost ashamed of it, because it's weird to be so into something at the age of 39 that's usually for people who are younger, stronger, who's bodies aren't as wrecked. But I'm trying to lean into it, not question it. This is something that's just for me and not anybody else. That's why it's ok and beautiful that I go to the boulders and just try a few moves on a V2 if that's what I'm feeling. It's a purely selfish thing and one that doesn't need explaining or justification. Time to lean in. 

Bonus Post: Waiting for the Sads

 Left my hotel room, drove up to Bishop, where I'm at the Starbucks. Decided to not climb quite yet because I think things might need a little longer to dry out. It's cold outside. It was snowing in Big Pine on the way up here. But now I'm in Bishop. In a little bit I'll drive to the Sads, and I'll try to climb. Or at least I'll hike up there, look at some boulders. 

I meditated for 14 minutes this morning. 

I got a tall decaf soy latte. They sweeten the shit out of that soy milk. It's delicious. 

Ah! I remember the whole reason I wanted to do this bonus post. This video:

My favorite climbing video in a long time, the exact kind of content I thirst for. One of the strongest climbers in the world, trying one of the hardest boulders in the world, and a boulder shrouded in mystique and mystery. In the end, I'm a fan of all things bouldering: the history, the pros, the hardest climbs, the best areas, the stories, the guidebooks, the lore. So when I see a video like this, I get psyched. Maybe my new favorite YouTube channel?

That's about all I have for the bonus post. Not COMPLETELY looking forward to the washboard on the way to the Sads, but definitely looking forward to the silence, to getting up there. 

Send Something

OK, so I have a goal for my time here in Bishop: I just want to send SOMETHING. Now, I know what you're thinking: Define "something." And that's easy: "Something" to me is basically anything V3 or harder, or even a cool hard V2. For example, Slight Inducement Right would be something to me. It's overhung, the movement is amazing, the last move is spicy. And although Slight Inducement V1 has amazing movement too, and is an incredible problem, it doesn't really meet the criteria for this goal. Because grades do matter.

I'm in Lone Pine again this morning, drinking my cocoa, thinking about the day. I've already done a little light stretching/physical therapy, and I tried to take a walk but it was so damn cold and windy outside that I had to retreat after about a block. But this wind means the boulders will dry out QUICKLY. I must say, though, my body didn't feel great on the walk. Walking for me is a good metric of how I feel. And I didn't feel great. But I think with a couple more cocoas, more stretching, more physical therapy, I'll feel pretty damn good. And I'll be ready to head back north to Bishop, where I already have a room reserved at Hostel California. But first I'll probably go back to the Sad Boulders, where I'll maybe try French Press V6, maybe try Pow Pow V7/8, or maybe just do individual moves on a V2, which is what I've done the first two sessions. 

Which brings me to yesterday's session, and a trend that seems to be developing in my climbing. 

A building in Lone Pine, CA. If you zoom in you can see the sign says Mount Whitney Rifle club.

Yesterday I went to the Sad Boulders with the intention of mostly hiking and maybe climbing a bit. As in my previous sessions, I basically found a boulder with some nice holds on it and just started trying individual moves. Like I look at the boulder and think, I wonder how I get from that hold to that hold. And then I start trying it, and I experiment with different methods, and I'm satisfied when I find the most efficient way possible. And then maybe I add a move from a lower spot on the boulder, or maybe I add a move or two up top. Repeat, repeat, repeat, until a move that felt hard or confusing feels good and close to effortless.

Then it started raining.
But I was happy with the session.
So I went home.
But not before stopping at Von's and buying a shit ton of yogurt.

Apparently Blogger thinks that last part is a poem and won't let me change the formatting. But that's ok. I like it as a poem.

Although I'm a grade chaser, the thing that most gets me pysched in climbing is the movement, and figuring out moves. This is something that is just beginning to crystalize for me. This is also why I can go out on a session, do a few moves that feel really good, not climbing anything from bottom to top, but still feel really good. For me, if you're progressing in this way, everything else is irrelevant. The sends WILL COME. But they'll come when it's a natural moment for them to do so. They won't be forced. Eventually you'll find a boulder where you enjoy all the moves -- or you can figure out a WAY to enjoy all the moves --- and then you'll do it from bottom to top just because it feels natural. And then you will have "sent" a boulder, and maybe it'll even be in the guidebook. Just remember that the people who made the guidebook are human, just like you. Maybe you like starting in a different place on the climb, because it makes it easier or you find the movement more interesting. Do that climb. Don't worry if it's not "right," or if it's not in the guidebook. Do that climb. 

At first I was a bit worried that I'm getting in the habit of "not sending." But then I realized, Who cares? I'm getting in the habit of learning, of messing around, of having fun, of becoming a better climber. The sends will come. 

I wish I didn't have to check out of this room in an hour and a half. 

These little missions, where I don't try super hard every day and just mess around, are also awesome because they're sustainable; I can do them every day. That's important when you're road tripping and not working and need a mission for every day. So now I've got my routine: Wake up, roll around in bed a little bit, get out of bed, stretch a bit, make my first cocoa, if it's after 8am I can check my phone(s). At some point I have another cup of cocoa, and at some point I take a short walk, get some sun on my face. At some point I write this blog. Then I do more stretching, and physical therapy exercises like bridges and supermans and other stuff. Maybe some pushups. Then, mid morning, I leave on my mission, which involves a bit of hiking and the aforementioned bouldering process.

Then, in the afternoon, I lounge. This last part needs some work. It involves lots of screentime and not a little bit of beer. 

Hopefully tonight I meet some people at Hostel California. 

And hopefully today I maybe even send something. 

A Night in Lone Pine, CA

Soooooo I just paid for another night of lodging at The Portal Motel here in Lone Pine, CA and I feel pretty good about it. I still might drive the 60 miles into Bishop today to go bouldering, or I might just stay here. It seemed DUMB to stay here when I could stay in Bishop for basically the same price, but I like the town of Lone Pine a lot more than Bishop. Bishop is fine. Bishop isn't terrible. Bishop has some charming things, some charming places to stay, and most people would think it's STUPID or wasteful to stay in a place 60 miles south of the place you want to climb, but in the end it's a wash. I spend less on lodging here. My mind is quieter here. In the end, I'm probably less wasteful here, though I did spend the majority of yesterday evening drinking beer and sitting in front of a screen. 

How much do I save per night by staying here? About 30 bucks. Not a ton. Canceled out by driving costs if I drive into Bishop today. But now I at least have the OPTION of watching the England v. France game live this morning...

I've meditated this morning. I've had my cocoa. If I DO go bouldering today it will be to The Sad Boulders, where I might try French Press V6, Molly V5 (probably if no one else is on it, though), or some easier V2-V3 problems. The other option is to go look for stuff to climb here in the Alabama Hills. There's tons of stuff to climb here. Tons of opportunities for FA's, or at least FA's to you. So that could be fun. At least now that I have lodging figured out I don't have to stress about it. I don't have to think, Where am I sleeping tonight? 

If you look east right now it's 100% sun. If you look west it's 100% storm. Maybe I'll try to capture this with my camera in a bit. 

Yesterday I hiked up to the Druid Stones, my first time there. I barely climbed, but it was nice to try out the new moccs. Mostly I wanted to see the boulders and get some excercise. I was particularly impressed by the Sacrificial Boulder, with its V6, V5 and V3 lines. I was also impressed by Arch Drude V5, and still wonder if that's a typo. Is Drude supposed to be like Dude? If so, kind of funny. Kind of. That line is way more overhanging than I thought. Everything in Bishop is overhanging. Maybe not in the Milks, where everything is crimpy. Oh god that's the first time I've called them "The Milks." Am I allowed to call them that yet? I've literally climbed there once. I've driven out there twice, and climbed there once. 

Druid Stones would be sick today. Aka a great place to get caught in a storm. 

Ugh the Subee is leaking all over the motel parking lot and I'm bummed about it. 

Also I got one of the best haircuts of my life yesterday, from a guy named Victor in Bishop. So dope. 

OK it's time for me to go check out the Alabama Hills. My first first ascent????

The Art of Not Sending

 I feel compelled today to write in English as I sit here at the main table of Hostel California, in Bishop, CA. Last night I slept about seven hours. Once again woke up thinking, I'm not fully rested, but couldn't get back to sleep. A) I couldn't back to sleep, b) I was excited to watch the World Cup, and C) I was excited to see what the day would bring, if I would climb, where I would climb. 

And now I'm sitting at the main table, drinking my cocoa, watching the world cup. Cocoa has become my morning routine. It's usually the only caffeine of the day, and I try not to think of it as caffeine. Neymar is rolling around on the ground. Yes, there definitely is some caffeine in there, but there's also theobromine, which is a different kind of stimulant, one which is supposedly not habit forming. 

Today the plan is to hike up to the druid stones and climb some easy stuff there. What will probably happen is I'll climb some easy stuff and then try some harder stuff, and then get pissed off that the harder stuff is shutting me down. But it doesn't really matter, right? Yesterday I was a bit frustrated after my climbing sesh and so went straight to the liquor store and bought a bottle of beer. I think it's important to give into your urges, but not all of them, willy nilly. You must find the middle path. Should your life be completely regimented, completely discipline, or should it be completely hedonistic, doing whatever you feel like? I don't know the answer to this, but it's probably a middle path. For example, I could force myself to not climb today, but that doesn't feel right. I'd rather climb, have fun, get pissed off, but at least know I'm going to get pissed off and that way have some distance from it. For example, yesterday I was frustrated at the end of my session for getting "shut down" but some V2's and V3's, but I couldn't help but stop and notice how beautiful the sun looked on the rock, the Sierras in the distance, the stunning QUIET of the volcanic tablelands. I always forget how quiet it is up there in the Happies and the Sads. I started bouldering at the Slight Inducement area. It was stunningly quiet. Magisterial. The movement on slight inducement right was SUBLIME. Then I went to Beer Tumor. The movement on both beer tumor left and right was sublime, though I sent neither problem.  

What difference between sending and not sending

must you value what others value

avoid what others avoid

how ridiculous. 

Seriously what is the difference between sending and not sending? Are you a better climber if you send? What were the highpoints of climbing yesterday? Topping out a boulder? Absolutely not. Topping out just to top out feels egoic. Instead, the movement was the part I will take with me forever. For instance, when I was warming up I experimented with the best way to move my right hand from one hold to another. Where to best put the feet. And the movement was glorious. The learning. A thousand times more valuable than topping out. 

Unless sending really is important for you. In which case lean in. 

I'm a grade chaser as much as the next guy. 

78 minutes in and still no score. Pretty standard. Time to do some yoga, aka some stretching, aka some push ups and some physical therapy exercises. The surfing exercises have been great for my back. The supermans. And the bridges. And the downward dog. 

What difference between V10 and V2? 

Mi tribu

 Ando en un hostel en Bishop, CA. Tomo vino. Estoy sentado con muchos rucos que andan hablando de subir V6. V6, carajo. Yo fallé en un V2 hoy. ¡En un V1, también! Bueno, podría haber subido el V1. Y ya sé que es fácil decir eso. Pero es cierto. El V2 también. 

Nunca había estado con tanta gente que hable mi idioma. Y sin embargo me quedo callado. ¿Dónde me quedaré mañana? Soy el único que toma alcohol. 

Este vino está medio asqueroso. 

Uno de los hombres sentado en la mesa ha subido V12. 

El chavo con que hablaba antes está intentando un V10 esta noche. 

¿Qué haré mañana?

Todos aquí escalan.

Todos. 

Espero dormir bien esta noche. 

¿Mañana le daré a Beer Tumor Right V4?

¿O mañana no escalo?

No sé. 

Mañana. Me levanto, veo el partido entre Croacia y Brasil, voy a mi cita de corte de pelo a las 9:30, y luego veo el partido entre Paises Bajos y Argentina. Luego le mando a Beer Tumor Right. A huevo. Me la mando. 

Creo que aquí todos se acuestan temprano. O bueno por lo menos espero que sea así. 

Bueno. No sé si me voy a integrar a este grupo de gente. Van a jugar algún juego y creo que no me van a invitar. No he pronunciado palabra alguna. Ya. Voy a lavar el vaso en el que tomé el vino. Voy a tirar la lata. Voy a subir a ver The Sex Lives of College Girls. ¿Dónde quedó la tacaca? ¿Sigue en la sala, haciendo su yoga? Ya. Me tengo que acostar. 

Una tarde en Bend

 Afortunadamente, no tengo donde estar mañana. Ni pasado. Ni pasado. Puedo hacer lo que quiera. POr ejemplo ahorita ando en un café equis en bend, Oregon, tomando un latte descafeinado. Hoy en la tarde a lo mejor me tomaré una cidra o dos, veré la tele, y mañana decidiré si me quedo otro día en bend o si me lanzo aún más para el sur. El sur que me llama. El sur que me sopla cosas bonitas al oído. Mark, vente pa acá. Acá no hay tanta lluvia. Acá hace más calor. Podría ir hasta México, hasta baja California. Podría empezar una nueva vida, que es lo que siempre quiero hacer. 

Bueno en realidad mi vida de Seattle está bastante bien. No me quejo mucho. Pero a veces hay que salir para despejarte la cabeza, ¿no? Esta mañana por ejemplo di una caminata por el Deschutes River. Vi unos boulders. Escuché el suave pisoteo de mis zapatos en la nieve. La nieve que calla todos los sonidos. Entonces camine al lado del río, el río a mi lado derecho, los boulders a mi lado izquierdo, la nieve bajo mis pies y el solo que filtraba por los pinos. No ví a mucha gente. Era resbaloso. Y al final decidi no escalar simplemente porque no tenía muchas ganas. Mi cuerpo me agradece unos días de descanso. Trato de hacer lo que es bueno para mí, olvidando el acondicionamiento social que influye tanto en nuestras decisiones. Esa es mi gran meta de ahora, aprender escuchar a mi cuerpo y la esencia de mi mente, cavando más allá de las muchas capas de acondicionamiento. 

Entonces. 

Mañana quizás llegue a reno. O a lake Tahoe. O a alturas, California. O a un lugar completamente diferente. No voy a decidir ahorita y no voy a estresar. Voy a buscar nuevas llantas para mí carro, y voy a disfrutar la noche Bendina. 

Voy a....

 Bueno de hecho quedé con ganas de escribir otro post. Ya veremos. ¿Qué voy a hacer mañana? Voy a ver la copa mundial. Voy a ir al Depot para ver varios boulders. Tal vez voy a escalar. Voy a ir a REI (duh). Voy a comer una hamburguesa. Voy a comer a una burguesa. Voy a.....

Voy a comer yogurt.

Voy a manejar mi carro. 

Voy a ver la tele. 

Voy a ver YouTube. 

Voy a buscar vuelos para México. 

Voy a hablar con R. 

Voy a hablar con B. 

Voy a pensar en qué voy a hacer pasado mañana. 

Voy a journalear un poco a lo mejor. 

Voy a leer Lessons in Chemistry.

Voy a rezar. 

Voy a amar. 

Voy a mandar mensajes de texto. 

Quizás voy a hablar con mis padres.

Y ya. 

¡Llegué a Bend!

 ¡ya llegué a Bend, culeros! y aquí estoy en mi habitación hermosa, donde todo esta calientito y el calefactor es una maravilla y tengo té calientito y una cama de verdad. Y pues no escucho a nadie ahorita porque parece que no hay mucha gente aquí. Incluso he estado hablando con gente por Tinder. Y pues mañana a ver boulders y acariciar boulders y comer bien y dar una vuelta por el pueblito y hablar con la gente y disfrutar de esta maravilla que es la vida. 

Pero por ahora tengo sueño. 

Y quiero leer. 

Así que déjenme en paz.

Recen por mí

 O sea que ya voy para el sur. Hacia....Bend. Creo. Pero primero tengo que reunirme con Darren para tomar un café. Y comprar un poco de gasolina y aceite high mileage. Y luego el café con Darren, y luego la Carretera. Así va a ser. Bueno, así CREO que va a ser, ya que nunca se puede dar por hecho nada en esta vida. Pero bueno. Aquí estoy en el yate, tengo las maletas casi hechas, tengo mi gorro y mis cables para cargar mis aparatos electrónicos, tengo mi té, tengo papel de baño, tengo mi chamarra de plumas, tengo varios pares de zapatos. No sé que onda con Darren. Supuestamente va a dormir un poco más. No quiero esperar hasta muy tarde, ya que no quiero manejar mucho de noche. Me gustaría llegar a Bend hoy. Faltan como 7 horas de carretera. Tengo un podcast. 

Pues la verdad hoy no tengo mucho que contaros. Creo que llegó el momento de la acción. Croacia le acaba de ganar a Japón en penales. Creo que hablo mejor español ahora que ayer por haber escuchado un partido de fútbol de dos horas en español. Y bueno, quizás me vaya para México mañana. Bueno, mañana a lo mejor no. Pero en los siguientes días. Ya veremos. 

Ya. Creo que estoy listo. 

Ya. 

Deséenme suerte por favor. Recen por mí. Yo recé esta mañana. Le recé al universo para que me cuidara y me guiara. Para que me diera la fortaleza de vivir en harmonía con él. 

Con el Tao.  

¿Y luego?

 Creo que me voy para el sur hoy, pero no sé. No sé que hacer. Podría: agarrar un vuelo al DF, o podría manejar hacia el sur. Podría llegar hoy hasta Portland, y mañana a Bend. Podría escalar mañana en Bend. Y luego podría seguir hacia el sur....

Pero es que soy indeciso. No sé que quiero. No sé dónde quiero estar. No sé que quiero hacer. Con mis días, con mi vida. O sea sí sé que quiero escalar. Eso sí sé. Pero es una de las pocas cosas que sé.....

Ahorita me reúno con Barry para tomar un café y dar una vuelta por Interlaken. ¿Y luego regreso al bote? La verdad no quiero regresar al bote. Quiero verme con Barry y luego irme. Mi teléfono se está cargando. No me puedo olvidar la guía de Bishop. De Josh. ¿Entonces?

Que lata no saber qué quieres hacer con la vida. Mucha gente parece saberlo, yo no tengo idea. 

A ver. 

Se siente bien el calefactor. Estoy emocionado de tomar un decaf oat latte. Pues. 

O sea. 

Yo creo que voy me a ir ya para Fuel. Llegar un poco temprano. Dar una vuelta antes de la vuelta. O medito unos minutos, y luego me voy. Sí sí eso. Medito. Medito. Medito. No te olvides de llevar el libro a la biblioteca. No te olvides de tirar los botes a la basura. Los xtra tuff que hace casi 10 años que tengo y que están destruídos. No te olvides de llevartelos. No te olvides. 

Son las 9:55 de la mañana. El 4 de diciembre. 

Mañana hará sol en Index y en Gold Bar.

¿Estará seco el boulder?

Los confines de...

El conjunto....

Lateral para la selección inglesa. 

Saque de meta. 

Tiro de esquina. 

Tiro libre. 

Pelotazo. 

Bueno, listo. Voy a meditar un poco. Y luego encontrarme con Barry. Y luego dar una vuelta. ¿Y luego?