Home Sweet Home

Its been over 6 months since i moved but i don't think i have spent more than a couple of consecutive weeks here. First we did the big road trip in the summer, then canada, then hawaii, then Arizona, now Nevada and SoCal, then Germany. Yikes! So its been tough to really make this home. I am not here long enough to meet people, to get into the scene, to really settle. Before i moved in Nate really had no furniture, no utensils, mhmm...yeah actually not much. So we been slowly adding and decorating and making it more homey. I realized i hadn't shared pictures, so here are some of our lil condo in Boulder:

















Tomorow we leave for our two week road trip to Red Rocks, Nevada (near Las Vegas), then to Los Angelos, CA to spend Thanxgiving with Nate's siblings and mom, then for a some camping to Joshua Tree. And then...off to Germany. So busy travel weeks ahead. I hope to call people, stay in touch and post every now and then but if i seem MIA, well you know why.
Happy Turkey Days!!!

A reflection...

I made it...100 lbs of bags, one free first class flight (comfy seats and real glasses...bliss), and two sleepy eyes later, i am sitting at the NOLS SW branch in Tuscon, AZ. Sigh!

This feeling is all too familiar. The scary unknown tearing at my nerve endings, my heart longing for the soothing voice and touch of my man, and my head full of thoughts, plans, ideas, wondering how this will all turn out.

I feel i have gone through some of these feelings a lot in the past year. Like ALOT. It feels as if my heart can't take that much more, like it will have a heart attack due to all this emotional turmoil. My head hurts a bit, i long for a friend sitting next to me on this couch, i long for peace and quiet. I do think i am getting better at this somehow though. I am so aware of time. Of how it passes by. There were so many life changing events this past year (after 4 years of hawaiian time) that its so clear to me how each month has ticked by. Didn't i just do my IC, my climbing seminar, meet nate, move, leave my job, leave the country. Time doesn't seem as random as it used to. I am much more aware of the fact that it does pass by. That yes, this too will end. In 43 days i will write a post much like this talking about my adventures. It won't be that long, before i know it he will hold me in his arms again. I remember thinking about today 4months ago in a hotel room in St.Louis as i accepted these contracts. Ahhhh, time...so delicate, so final, so real. It makes me want to be in the present much much more. Knowing that its going to end, just enjoy today for what it is. I can see events in the future and i don't want them to arrive too quickly because they will end just that quickly. So instead i want to take my time. Because time will pass.
This past year, i have spent too much time looking to the next thing always simply bridging time until "something" happened. Then the "something" came and went so quickly that it felt like a fleeting moment and i was back to waiting for the next. I want to stop that feeling. I want to like that i am here now, enjoy this opportunity because i know that my love and my home are there for me to come back to. I want to feel safe, secure, and stable. I have had enough uproars, changes for a while. I like my life, i love my man, and i am happy (most of the time).

So here is to slowing down, enjoying my days, smiling, and letting all worries roll off me!

There and back again...

We had a blast in Hawaii. It was magical in so many ways. First of, surfing, every day, twice a day. Blissful. The weather was awesome, the turtles plentiful, the people so nice, nate wicked good at it, and small but fun waves. We had this big car that made it easy to strap the boards on top and just leave 'em there coz we went so often. I definitely got my fix and man my back and arms are still recovering. Loved every minute of it!

Then seeing my friends. I don't even know how to describe how wonderful that was. To be with Katie, Phil and meet August. To see timber, jeane, bhama, dave and the rest of the ultimate gang. Ahh...we had dinners, game nights, movie outings, disk throwing, league playing, surf sessions, beach lounging etc. Perfect all around.

My favorite part was how natural it was to be back. How easily i fit in again and how much at home i felt. It was nice to know that it hadn't all gone away. That it would be there forever and always. That having a new home doesn't take away form the old home. That everything is as i left it and its there for me to come visit. Which i plan on doing..often. Since flights are pretty much free (standby travel was easy and pleasant yay)

And going with Nate was sweet. We needed that little vacation, the time for us to relax and laugh and have fun.

Because tomorrow i leave for 6 weeks on my very first true NOLS teaching adventure. two climbing courses at Cochise Stronghold near Tucson, AZ. I am nervous, excited, sad, thrilled, scared, tired, and happy. I will miss my new home, my man, my life so much. I love it here and now i have to go. But i will be back and hopefully this will all be a good experience.

So posts will be very sparce. But stick around and check in. I'll update when i can.

Here is my temp adress:
NOLS SW Branch
2751 N. Soldier Trl
Tucson, AZ 85749

Aloha!

A lil piece of paradise

We decided to hop on over to the big island for some R&R and surf!!! (made possible by dating handsome lovely aeronaut.)

After a pretty uneventful flight and little sleep we are here and already jumped into the ocean at south point. Awesome. Nate couldn't get enough. He jumped five times, off the cliff and into the lava tube hole. Crazy boy! He loved it and it was great to see.

We had a beautiful drive to Hilo and had dinner with Katie and Phil and baby August (who is soooo cute). How amazing to see everyone and to be "home". It feels like i never left. Like 4 months didn't just go by. Its wonderful and strange. I love my life in Boulder but i sure do love it here too!

Its nice to know i can come here and visit and feel so at ease. To be welcomed by friends with smiling faces is sweeeet!

Well, more later. I need sleeeeeep!

Finally arrived...

It seems life has finally slowed down to a mellow pace, a routine that feels comfortable and safe. I feel like i have arrived if that makes sense. I have some friends in town, there is somewhat of a schedule, places to go, ultimate league to play, climbing to be done etc. Its nice. really nice.

So the last weeks was filled with hanging out with my friend Jenn, watching the pre-game football CU downtown ralley, good food around town, ultimate league, nate coming home, climbing a sweet 4 pitch (Bastille crack) line in Eldorado Canyon, cozy days at home while fall moved into town, a few runs in the crisp air (5 miles today..yay), studying for my upcoming courses, reading, movies, laughter, climbing gym outings, dinner with friends etc.

Like i said: nice!

And next week, there is a really good chance we are heading to hawaii for a lil R&R and surf. Wouldn't that be splendid!

I almost wish that i didn't have to leave for my courses in 2 weeks. I am finally here and then i leave again. But i am also looking forward to my first instructor experience. It is something i have been dreaming of doing for years. Nervous yet excited!

Ski Season

Oh i know its still a bit away but i am ready. My first winter in 6 years!!!
I am excited and nervous, but way more excited. To ski, to snowboard, to be cold yet cozy. And i still get the sunshine (at least it has been promised to me that Boulder gets 300 days of it).
So to get ready i bought my first ever ski season pass!!! YAY! I get to ski at 2 major resort: Winterpark/mary jane and Copper. I am so excited if i didn't already mention that.

And to top it off, my sweet man bought me tele skis. Yup i now own my very own tele skis. I love teleing and each time i have tried it, its been so fun!

So i have my pass, tele skis, my old alpine skis, and a snowboard. I think i am ready. Still need soome boots for the teles and maybe some warm clothes. I am ready for some snow!!!

The Details

Climbing the Needles was great!!! I had no idea how awesome that place was. Sure the climbs are a bit run-out and quite sustained at times but no less fun. And even on a weekend we had the place to ourselves. Here are some of the highlight climbs we did:

1. The Needle's Eye area: we got so lucky because this spot is right on the road with a perfect pull-out for all the tourists. But the day we wanted to climb it, the road was closed and no cars allowed. So we hiked the mile to the area and had the place to ourselves. Sweet! We ended up climbing the Hitching Post, Bloody Spire, Thimble, the Needle's Eye, the Genome. Sweet trad climbs. I led my first one of the trip and it was fun! At about 4pm they opened the road, right when i was leading up the spire next to the parking lot. As i got to the top i looked down to see all sorts of old ladies and popses and kids waving at me. Hehe...funny. Nate had to explain what it was we were doing and then i send him up the needle and everybody was watching. He was the star on the road!


2. Cathedral Enchainment: essentially a climb in which you combine three spires into one. So up West Gruesome, rap off, up Spire 3, rap off, and up south tower and finish. All in all 400 feet of climbing. Phew, that was a long day. It was super fun. I led the first pitch, a long sustained chimney. Heady but good. Nate took care of the rest including a wicked 5.9 that i found myself cursing over. The views were amazing and the weather outstanding. We climbed a few other spires in the area, spire two being my favorite and first fully led multipitch. Very exciting!


3. Conn Diagonal or we can call it Classic gone Epic. What a beautiful climb. All there, all fun, challenging yet tantalizing. I never even noticed the dark clouds moving in as i led the first 180 foot pitch. By the time Nate had led the second pitch it started raining. Not so bad right. A lil rain isnt going to turn us away. Oh yeah, well there was the rumbling of thunder in the background but we were untouchable. So up we went, pitch three to the top. Superb climbing and another great view. Thats when the lightening came a lil close to home. We quickly set up the rappel and off i went into the unknown since we were rapping off the other side of the rock. The guide book said something about a nice landing but all i found was a tiny perch that luckily appeared right before i hit the end of the rope. Yikes. I put a couple of pieces in and made myself comfortable in the lil nook. Nate followed being chased by ever nearing lightening. The next moves were precarious to say the least. Exposed funky climbing to get to the next anchor. Nate went ahead to find a way when the storm hit us square on. All i saw was Nate standing there on top of these rocks with lightening all around and thunder echoing in the walls. Right about now the hail starting coming down and blew sideways through the air. Nate found a lil corner away from the impact. So there we were unable to see each other, attached by a rope huddled against the rock. I was pretty freaked. It wouldn't have been so bad if it wasn't for the freezing waterfall that starting coming down on top of me. I was drenched within minutes. Who knew i could lose body heat so quickly. Some of the lightning must have hit the rock above me because i felt the hole column vibrate like nothing else. At this point you could say i was thoroughly scared. It didn't seem to let up much but in what seemed a small break, Nate got it together and found the next anchors. He told me to climb over to where he was. I could hardly move my fingers or hear him through the roaring thunder. By the time i got to him the hail had returned. We both were shaking so hard. I tried to keep it together and set up the rappel. I could have never done it without Nate. He was awesome. I rapped down and he followed. Finally on the ground. It was still raining but getting less. We were both incredibly cold and yet so happy to be down and safe. We looked at each other shivering & dishevelled, and started laughing. All of our stuff was drenched and we hiked back to the car like a couple of hobos but we had big smiles on our faces!
The climb was stunning and i am glad we did it. I learned a few things about weather, my ability to function in a crisis, and how amazing my man is.

Up next: Devil's Tower

Meet the Parents

After 4 weeks of St. Louis and training we are finally on the road. Its nice to get out and away. To start the summer!

This past weekend we headed to Indiana to meet Nate's parents. And they are awesome!!! Totally loved his mom and dad and grandma. Wonderful peops. We had a great time, got spoiled, and enjoyed a few good laughs (always edit your camera pictures before his mom sees them!!!).

Nate's dad has a bunch of horses and teaches riding etc. So i got be on a horse and learned how to ride it all on my own. Definitely NOT as easy as it seems. Beautiful creatures though!


After too many days filled with lazing around, eating donuts, and having pancakes, crepes, eggs (you name it) for breakfast, it was time to get going. So yesterday we headed out through indiana, illinois, and into iowa (hi LB, we are heading straight through des moines ;)). the flooding is crazy. Pretty bad in some places. Found a nice place to camp and went for a run this morning by a lake. That was great!


Now we are in a lil coffeeshop in the middle of nowhere catching up on email, work etc. I just sent in my resignation letter, its official, i quit! Scary & exciting. Its not end of the story though, so there will be more to tell.

We are trying to make our way towards South Dakota to climb in the Needles and hopeful up Devil's tower. YAY!

I'll update as i can!

Climbing at the Red

We had a blast in Kentucky climbing at the Red River Gorge. We drove 4+ hours to Nate's friend Derek's house in Louisville on friday night. After a late night of laughter and beer we got up the next day and drove to the Red. The weather was perfect and we had enough time to each get in 4 climbs (5.7, 5.8, 5.10a, and 5.9+).

On the third climb i pulled my A2 tendon pulley in my right ring finger. Damnit. I tried pulling this crimpy move and all of the sudden there was this super loud POP. Both boys were like "what was that"? At first it wasn't so bad and then it started hurting. So now i cant take any pressure on it, hang off it, or climb. Bummer!!! But you know me, i kept climbing that day and the next. Oh well.


We kept at this sweet spot by a creek. Bonfire, hotdogs, smores. Loved it!




The next day it was off to purple valley for a few more climbs (5.10b, 5.10c, 5.10a) before heading back on our 6 hour drive to St. Louis. Its amazing how much harder it is to climb with only two fingers on my right hand.

I plan on taking a few weeks off climbing to let my finger heal and then slowly start again. In between i'll be chillin' with Annie in NH!!!

Boulder Bliss

Its been a week since i have moved here and with each day its getting easier. It helps that we have been climbing a ton. We have gone to Eldorado Canyon, Boulder Canyon, and drove to Golden yesterday. Sweet climbs, beautiful scenery all within minutes from where we live. I been mainly following on trad climbs but in Golden i led this sweet 10b. Felt really good about it!

Boulder is an amazing city. I am happy to be here. There is so much to do, so many amazing places to see, to eat at, to climb at...so much. And today is really the only and first day of rain, its been gorgeous the whole time. I love living with the boy too. We been having a fantastic time. And i am getting him addicted to longboarding! There are so many trails right by our place and a couple days ago i skated for almost 2 hours on these sweet paths. FUN!

And i went to this HUGE whole foods store and whoa...the selection. Mind blowing. To have variety of good food is so wonderful. And there is a wicked farmer's market near by. And i am planning on taking part of a community garden so i can grow some stuff like we did on the farm in Hawaii. It won't be the same but its something.

Tomorrow we head out to St. Louis where Nate will do a couple of weeks of training. I will stay with him for a few days living up the hotel life and then...then i am flying to NH to see Annie. I am beyond excited to see her and Ellie and Jay and to see where they live and hang and go to the beach and do nothing but relax and enjoy their presence. YAY!

A new chapter...

I made it. A flight without any major setbacks. A first in a while. I arrived to a beautiful sunny day in Boulder, my man surprising me at the gate. Its strange and wonderful to be here. I am happy and sad. But more happy. I have a new home, a new city, a new life. Wow! Its still a bit surreal.


My last two days in hawaii were wonderful! Starting with graduation on saturday where not only did i get to watch Phil celebrate the end of his college studies but also received my award in excellence in teaching. I was so nervous to be in front of everybody at graduation, phew...but felt so honored. The ceremony was beautiful, with so many flowers and the warm air and we have had the most gorgeous sunhiney days. I loved all the leis people wear. And its such an amazing feeling to watch all these students graduate and i remembered the feeling of excitement and shit what now. hehe!

After graduation we all went over to Timber & Jeane's place where we had a raging 10 hour party! Katie did an amazing job putting the gig together. We played yard games, drank, talked, ate, laughed, danced, until the morning hours. Everybody slept over and in the morning we just chilled and had a yummy breakfast. surrounded by my best friends feeling so much love and happiness. We decided to head to the beach and snorkel. Oh to be in the water was bliss. There i was on the day of my leaving. It was perfect, the perfect ending to an amazing 5 years on the island. I am so proud of myself for having packed my bags and gotten everything ready by friday night, so that i had these last two days to relax and simply enjoy hanging with my friends. I went home one last time, to get my things and headed to the ultimate field to say my final goodbyes. Then Katie took me to the airport and off i went. Saying good bye to katie and the gang was hard. very hard. I cant think about it much because it makes my heart hurt. But i know that they will always be there and we will be close even if distance is between us. I love you guys!

So now i am here, unpacking my bags. Its warm and sunny. Nate has been incredible. A most wonderful welcome home with presents and everything! I am so lucky to have found him. I am very excited to start this new chapter. Overwhelming but most wonderful!


More pictures here.

About a girl...

There once was a girl who lived on an island in the middle of the ocean. One day the girl flew to the land over west and met a boy. Girl and boy spent lots of hours talking, laughing, and fell in love. Boy lived in mountains, so girl went to see boy and they skied and climbed and their love grew. Boy went to see girl on island and they loved and laughed even more in the salty water. They knew they couldn't be without each other anymore, so girl packed up her things and said goodbye to the ocean with a tear rolling down her cheek. Girl got on plane and moved to mountains to be with boy and her heart was full of joy. Girl and boy spent their days traveling, climbing, exploring, living, smiling, skiing, surfing etc. Girl and boy lived happily ever after!

Moving date: May 18th!!!

Summer Adventures

I am looking at another adventurous summer and am very excited for it. Exact dates still have to be figured out but here a some rough plans:

• climbing at Indian Creek, UT with LB, Twy and friends at the end of May - devil reunion at its finest
• climbing road trip with Nate in June - hoping to hit up a bunch of sweet climbing spots and be blissed out
• going east to see Annie and sweet Ellie Mae
• Potlatch, ulti tourney in seattle, is a maybe at the beginning of July
• Going to Alaska with Nate in July - so very excited!!!

All plans subject to change, but one thing is for sure: fun is to be had!!!

MIA

sorry for the long absence, i apologize for no phone calls and disappearing into the void. Its been a really fantastic week with Nate in town. He was only supposed to stay til last thursday, then til saturday, and didnt end up leaving til today. Love him! We did a lot of hanging out and relaxing and simply enjoying each others presence. He did learn how to surf and turns out he is a natural at that too. And now he is addicted which is awesome because we can go on surf vacations together. YAY! There is nothing like seeing him surf with that huge smile on his face. He caught the stoke big time.
(picture: nate in front of the pu'u o'o vent, the volcano has been goin crazy and the island is covered in vog!)

So now i am alone again...empty. I miss him already and its only been an hour. But i am heading out west in less than 3 weeks. Exciting! But also overwhelming because i still have to pack, sell the car, move my stuff, finish work, etc etc. Phew! One day at a time.

Now its time to catch up on work....

Tall and Handsome

He will be here in about 3 days. I am so excited! Silly and giddy really. Hard to concentrate on anything else.

Climber's Paradise

Back in hawaii after another week of blissed out happiness (my plane had another hour delay...i cant believe my luck, but this time i made the connection).

Nate and i went to a place called shelf road near colorado springs to climb for a few days. And wow...it was mind-blowing. A true sport climber's paradise. No people, beautiful scenery, hundres of climbs easily accessible, perfectly spaced out bolts, warm weather, and awesome rock! I had so so so much fun. We climbed about 7 routes each day ranging from 5.8 - 5.10d. My first climb was this awesome 5.8 four star route, i just couldnt get over how fun it was. I could have led that over and over again. I also got to lead a few 10a's which made me stoked and happy. It been a while and my nerves definetely got the better of me on some of them. But it felt so great to be back on the rock. And i got to watch Nate climb beautifully up hard routes that kicked my ass. He makes me so happy! We're definitly going back there, no question.

I miss him incredibly!

I have a lot of work waiting for me and visitors from Germany coming this week through the next 2 some weeks. Exciting and busy weeks ahead!

Only a month and a half til summer and I cant wait to write about the exciting summer i got coming up. Makes me giddy just to think about it. Woohoo...

Desert Bliss

Finishing off a most amazing and fun weekend with my friends Twy and Greg. Yesterday we climbed Independence Monument near Grand Junction. A classic climb (otto's route) on a beautiful spire in the dessert. We forgot to bring the camera up the climb, so no pics...boo. It was a most beautiful hike in (about 3 miles) and then 4 pitches up to the very top (rated about 5.9). I led the top two pitches which were easy except for the pumpy move over an overhung roof. Phew...well protected and fun but i could tell that i hadn't pulled moves like that in while. Beautiful climb.

Today, twy and i went on a 14 mile hike to Rattlesnake Canyon which has the most arches outside arches national park. It was so sweet. Beautiful scenery and the desert at its best. The weather has been outstanding...nothing but sunshine and a cool breeze. Now i am tired and exhausted. Had a yummy beer, about to make homemade pizza and drink more wine. Bliss.

And tomorrow its back to boulder and on to Shelf Road, a wicked sweet climbing area. More climbing, more love, more bliss. How did i ever get this lucky?

A new beginning...

Bluebird skies, crisp cold air, mountain breeze, and a beautiful face to wake up to every morning pretty much sums up my lil vacation here in Boulder. I am happy and in love. Its new, its beautiful, its amazing.

We have gone skiing, hiking, met friends for dinners and breakfasts and hope to go climbing next week. For now he is off at work, flying planes. And i am heading to Grand Junction in an hour to see twyla and climb at monument valley. This morning his car got broken into and a few things got stolen, including my camera. Tough luck. So no pics for a while.

Boulder is a beautiful place, its amazing how accessible everything is: hiking, climbing, skiing, biking...the possibilities blow my mind. I miss those things in my life. And to live there and have him by my side would be bliss.