Hueco

17 December



I marathoned it – OK maybe not entirely – I stopped to sleep several times – for a few hours each time – and sleep was sound, but short. I left Nashville Tuesday morning – it seems the ice and snow was following me. I HATE snow….Ice storms were forecasted Monday night – and Tuesday morning for Nashville, though I didn’t hit any real ice until Little Rock – though it was nuts there. I passed a dozen or more accidents – the bridges were almost all completely frozen – It was definitely sketchy, though I just kept my whits and all went fine.



Arkansas was a new state for me – though I had been to Texas before – at Hueco 3 winters ago. It doesn’t seem that much has changed here….at the Hueco Rock Ranch.



I’m sooooooooooo psyched! My north mountain passes start tomorrow – though one problem – there’s no internet here…



19 December



I had my first day in the park (bouldering) yesterday – I ran around for about an hour the day before – I have a Year Pass – so I can get in for free…dude – I love this place, but it sure doesn’t love me !!



I guess 4 months at the Red River Gorge – which is sustained endurance probably wasn’t the best training for Hueco Bouldering – which is awkward slopers and a sequence of 2 or 3 really POWERful moves… It’s all good though – I got a long while here – before I head off to the Obed to help Zak Roper do the guidebook for there.



Speaking of Zak – he and his GF Katelyn stopped by here to see me for a couple days – It was great to see them again – and I totally didn’t expect it –



Last night was pretty cold – it gets really cold in the desert – and since I don’t have gigatent anymore – I only have my small two person tent (when they say two person – they really mean like 1) – I brought my cot though – my back has been hurt lately (though feeling better) – so I set up my cot outside next to my tent – I tried to just use my down quilt and blanket – but I just couldn’t get cozy enough…once I crawled into my sleeping bag, I was good though.



I ran into my buddy Matt and his wife Charlotte at North Mountain – took some pics of them as well on this problem – Speed Bump – at the New Meadow.



I’ve been doing well with my diet – this morning – It was Orange Juice and lets see – 2 bananas and counting (I’m gonna try and eat four)



Its rad here – though expensive – camping is $4.00 a night….and I don’t really have any income – so I’m really going to have to take it easy…



I have passes today, but am going to take a break – take photos, even though I don’t feel like I need it – but my schedule is 3 days in the park, 1 day out of the park – so boulder a day, shoot a day, boulder a day – then rest.