Rebuilding

Well, I am off to an active start to the new year.  I deem my finger to be officially healed so I've begun climbing regularly again.  I also got the hairbrained idea to give this whole PPP thing a try.  I helped support Greg and Forrest last year in the race, and it looked like a damn bit of fun, plus, I think I can beat their times, though I'm probably a bit far off on Lou, Jaz, Jake, and Keith's times.  I have heard the key is getting good at skate skiing, so I am looking forward to trying that out for a few upcoming weekends (any tips?). And I have been running regularly.  That sentence, hath perhaps never been uttered by these lips.  I don't really run, and have never had a reason to (not really a "racer").  This training thing is weird.  It is nice to have a run buddy though; Colleen is always willing (even after a 14 mile run she came and did 3 more with me!)  Let the training injuries begin!

I've had a tough time getting photos to upload and display in blogger recently.  Last month I was going to do a photo/description only post, but gave up after a few attempts at figuring out the uploader problem.  Anyone else have that problem?

The garage bouldering cave has been collecting dust for the last year, but after a few successful climbing parties in there recently, I think we'll be able to (hopefully) keep the Tuesday night bouldering sessions going.  I feel like I am at one of the lowest climbing strength/endurance levels I've been in a very long time, (maybe in the last 7-8 years?) and it feels good to be rebuilding that.

 Since I posted last, I went to NorCal for work for most of November.  This waterfall was near where we were working for a while, so I had to sneak off and check it out.  The minor falls are from a spring that dumps out between the lava bands.  the larger ones are actually spring fed as well from a few miles away.  Burney Falls was called the eighth wonder by Teddy Rosevelt.  There's a lot of pictures of the falls from this exact view on google, but none got the fall colors this well :)  We got 90% of our project done down there but got snowed out for the last 1500 ac or so of it.  I was happy to be headed home.

 Col and I also went to explore Oregon's newest state park, Beaver Creek SP.  It has kayak only accessible trails for half the year (main access trail turns into a marsh in winter) and lots of good wildlife. From hwy 101 you hop in the slough at a boat ramp then paddle up stream for several miles.  We paddled at dusk and got to view beaver, muskrat, all sorts of waterfowl, jumping salmon; pretty much all the classic coastal species.

 Thats about all.  Its winter and we've been doing a lot of hibernating :)