Beauty is a rare thing

"Slack?" "No! F%?k!, not Slack!" I yelled down to Jim, who was belaying me 100ft below. I had just realized that I couldn't make the next move up the wide crack line, and had exchanged a few words with the abyss beneath my toes. The newly vaulted sky wouldn't lend me another fingertips worth of vertical gain, and that was a problem. I had to make a decision quick! so I resolved in that instant to down-climb the crack to my last cam, 10ft below me, and rest my shaking limbs. I thought to myself, I almost took a nice 20ft fall there...This is the story of my trip to Indian Creek, UT this Spring -almost.

Indian Creek is home to the purest crack climbing on the planet. When Jim told me about this place last summer in the Tetons, I knew i had to go see what he was talking about asap. I flew into Montrose, Colorado near Jim's home in Ouray, and we drove straight to Indian Creek. By day, we climbed megalithic rock formations in the desert all day, Interspersed with retrospectively funny moments like the one above. By night, Jim and I shared a campfire with 2 of THE most amazing girls, Adrien and Hanna, from Bozeman, Montana, that I have ever met. They camped right next to us. Around the flames we sat listening to the coyotes howl, telling our stories, and talking trash like we'd known each other from childhood. The physical exertion of the day, and the primordial flames of the night, seemed to rid me of all societal precautions and inhibitions that I'm so easily prone to in the civilized world. The mutual kinship I felt those nights is something I think few people have experienced, and the feeling is something I'll take to the grave.

After 4 days of vertical antics at Indian Creek, Jim and I drove North, to Castle valley. There we climbed a 350ft Desert sandstone tower aptly named Castleton Tower. The sensation of exposure achieved after leaving the ground, at the base of the tower, engendered a feeling of calm and satisfaction I'd formerly known only in sleep. In four rope lengths of excellent climbing, we reached the top! From the summit I looked out into the vast expanse of desert merging with sky, and almost wondered which was bigger. The wild wild west! what an adventure!

check out my pictures and see for yourself what I'm talking about!:

http://picasaweb.google.com/6footnglassy/IndianCreek2009#

Spring Break

I have one more day of school until Spring break! My mind has melted out of my ears, and I'm ready to do the one thing I'm good at -adventure!!! I'm off to Colorado on the stealy wings of freedom! What are you doing for Spring Break?

The School bell has rung

Back at UNF and I feel isolation creeping up my spine a little more with each day that goes by. I felt it this evening on the walk back to my van, after a long day at UNF. I was a stranger on my own campus. after 3 semesters, I've not yet met someone I actually know beyond a name, and an occasional cellphone number. I felt no real desire to go do something with anyone I know in Jax right now. The only thing I really have to do at these times is go home, eat some food, and lock myself in my room till my dad goes to sleep. When I'm not at work, like this evening, I just zone out for hours in my room and do nothing or occasionally go climbing by myself. I can't believe I felt so free the past week and a half out west, and now it feels like i'm imagining those good times. everything just seems so pointless and wrong here in Jacksonville.

Trampin through Texas

I road out to west texas after Christmas to start 2009.

http://picasaweb.google.com/6footnglassy/HuecoTanksAndCampEagleTrampin#

Simply put, it was a good way to start the next year of life.

Things I actually did...

1. Apply to University of Wyoming
-Nope, went climbing instead:)
2. Apply for 2 American Alpine Club climbing Grants
-Nope, but it wont take very long to do
3. Go Snowboarding
-Nope
4. Go backpacking
-Nope had to work because my coworker got cancer and I took his shifts...really!
5. Go on a road trip with no real destination
-Oh yeah!!! Sure did. Best road trip to date! Went as far west as El Paso and as far south as San Antonio
6. Buy plane ticket to Glasgow
-Nope, but probably this week
7. Climb a really big mountain
-Yep, North Mountain and East Mountain in Hueco, both sizable but not "Big"
8. Convince friends to go with me on all of the above stated outings
-Yep, Robert Granat went on the road trip
9. Get Christmas shopping done soon!
-finished on the 23rd, wrapped on the 25th at 2:00a.m.(I didn't see Santa again...typical)
10. Log some SERIOUS surfing time
-Hours surfed: 0.00hrs oy vey, I feel like I've lost my stoke
11. Limit internet usage to once a day
-didn't even touch a computer for a week and a half! yus!
12. Call and hangout with friends I haven't seen since last summer
-Called, yes. Hangout: went golfing with Lewis and hung out a lot!
13. Get tires rotated on Big blue
-Nope, I really need to do that
14. Sleep without parental inhibition
-It's amazing how well I sleep when at 1600 miles do west of Jacksonville; even when its 14F!
15. Objectivity:)
-um, well that's just impossible

Things to do

1. Apply to University of Wyoming
2. Apply for 2 American Alpine Club climbing Grants
3. Go Snowboarding
4. Go backpacking
5. Go on a road trip with no real destination
6. Buy plane ticket to Glasgow
7. Climb a really big mountain
8. Convince friends to go with me on all of the above stated outings
9. Get Christmas shopping done soon!
10. Log some SERIOUS surfing time
11. Limit internet usage to once a day
12. Call and hangout with friends I haven't seen since last summer
13. Get tires rotated on Big blue
14. Sleep without parental inhibition
15. Objectivity:)

New URL!!!!

I randomly decided to change my blog to mark-walters.blogspot.com I think the old one was too long, and cliché.

Foray on Foster Falls

Last weekend 5 intrepid souls from Florida set out into the frigid hills of Tennessee in pursuit of real rock. The pictures that follow recount their epic quest:











For further pictures on their quest for the holy hard rock, consult this web address: http://picasaweb.google.com/6footnglassy/FosterFalls#

Bruegel

I'm taking an art history class this semester and I really like it! After finishing the Northern Renaissance painters, I am a huge Bruegel fan, especially his winter scenes! He is credited as the first person to paint landscapes as the main focus of the painting, rather than just a backdrop for an event or human subject.

The Hunters in the Snow, 1565
The Numbering at Bethlehem, 1566
Winter Lanscape With a Bird Trap, 1565

Fresh air this Friday

Memorial park in Riverside