The Memory Stream

Long ago. Throwing a baseball in North Carolina summer listening to a boom box. Sleeping curled next to a fire amid the pregnant lush of Nantahala. Thimbleberries. Napping under pines in Idyllwild, waking to boulder until sunset. The stillness of Potomac herons and the gleaming floors of Congressional offices. The crunch of bicycle tires on gravel, grinding towards cornfield horizons in summer Iowa. Writing love songs as the marine layer burns away in Santa Barbara. The tang of redwood sorrel, the story of the field mice and the Douglas Fir. The golden plumes of sunset dust at the base of the toothed cliffs of Smith Rock. My Geo Metro in LA with a longboard on the way to Baja. The rough texture of baguette and saucisson while hiking in the Pyrenees. The blue curtain of thunderstorm rain while climbing limestone towers over the Andaman Sea. The way a motorcycle smoothes the rutted dirt roads of Crete. Storming the castle walls in Sintra. The wind and rattlesnakes of Wild Iris. Feeling the waves move me and my spear with the fish at Punta Perfecta. Kids debating parabolas on the last day of school in La Jolla. Seeing my niece and nephews play wave tag at Emerald Isle. Today.

About Rock Climbing

Some Guidelines

1) The less you care about numbers, the more fun you will have and the better you'll climb.

2) Try hard to climb like it's easy. Climb safely and gracefully.

3) Learn and practice using gear at grades below your limit.

4) Learn and practice self-rescue techniques.

5) If you are impatient, progress stops. Be patient and you will improve quickly.

6) We all over-reach sometimes. Back off early if you're in over your head.

7) Really spot people when bouldering, and wear a helmet when doing routes.

8) Treat auto-locking devices like ATC's, with break hand always on.

9) Enjoy the gym but go outside as much as you can.

10) The goal of climbing is not to get to the top, but to have fun outside with your friends. 

Note: The following destinations are not the places to first learn the skills needed to climb there. First learn the technical skills to climb safely. To do this, climb locally and often, with people who really know what they are doing. Do not be reluctant to take classes or ask someone to teach you. Anchor building, leading and self-rescue courses are great. Practice incessantly in safe environments, and ask yourself questions like: "What do I do if I drop my ATC?" and "What do I do if the rope gets stuck?" If you aren't totally sure you know what you are doing and what you'll do if things go wrong, don't climb.