slow.it.down.now

gosh i love maps. gosh i love guide books, and i'm partial to the climbing ones. they all help you to understand where you are going, what you are getting into and how in the world you get there. the location for this trip was el potrero chico, mexico. and what? mexico has 31 states. we were in nuevo leon and most near the town of hidalgo, population 22,500. hidalgo is honestly known for its proximity to an endless plethora of limestone towers. offering thousands of feet of bolted lines to climbers of any skill. part of the beauty is that you could come with the most talented of climber and find something to challenge them, while alongside a novice climber and still have routes to choose from.

the camping setup was beyond luxurious and made the 8 days of outdoor sleeping incredibly enjoyable. i've never done camping where you get to take showers every night and a full on kitchen to cook up a storm at your convenience. there was a pool, restaurant, casitas, people from all points of the world laughing, sharing stories, learning languages and all the while with the amazing backdrop of the sierra madres. truly unbeatable, spoiled camping no doubt.

even though we were two or so miles outside of hildalgo we still got to share these week of life in their culture, if you choose to do so. even the people who owned and ran the campgrounds were native to hidalgo and great people to chat with and be around. so i attempted my best spanglish, we went to the local tuesday market for deliciousness of all kinds, we trekked into town in search of a restaurant where a woman in her kitchen make us a burrito to share, even though we ordered two, we drove and got lost, we jammed out to some great Mexican music on many a climbs and just really slowed down to what the pace of life is like there. and time is not of the essence. unless of course you are starting an 11 pitch climb behind a slow moving duo that happen to get there 7 seconds before you and happen to be kicking off their multi pitch experience on the exact same climb you are destined by the stars to climb on your last day, theoretically speaking. other than this scenario that may or may not have happened, there is no rush of any kind really. now i could get used to this. hopefully some of this approach to life will carry with me in my life here in colorado. maybe i'll start with the slow food italian notion which “establishes that people should eat and drink slowly, with enough time to taste their food, spend time with the family, friends, without rushing. slow food is against its counterpart: the spirit of Fast Food and what it stands for as a lifestyle.” we forcefully did it when we lived in rome, which yielded fantastic results and great times.

don't you believe this amazing diverse world has so much to teach and enlighten us about how to live life? i loved that being immersed in other cultures when traveling to an unfamiliar country makes you question your current lifestyle. hopefully enough to attract yourself to get up and change a thing or two.

-to the left-

-to the right-

finally got a camera and can now take pictures of my own again :)

homeagain

say we take a look at things backwards.
homecoming: the final physical step of the leave.

even though the adventure is over with, nothing wraps up a traveling time more than a joyous homecoming. to hug again. to share stories. to see that face. to sit in a known room. comfort food. how the flood gates of familiarity are something that always opens and fills a void. a void you might not of known was missing in the act but can't help but fall into once embraced.
beginning to express the integrity of coming home is something i haven't given too much thought about. though i do know there is importance in the immediate feeling and actions and are about as noteworthy as the head end of the trip. remembering back when i first came home from living in Rome, i was probably the least talkative i've been in my life. not sure if i was taking American lifestyle all in again, or just not used to English echoing everywhere, maybe i finally understood that you can learn a heck of a lot with just listening and watching, most especially when it comes to other cultures.
yesterday morning i got home from a climbing trip to Mexico. this had to of been the most rushed homecoming to Colorado encountered to date. i was literally 7 minutes shy to missing my only nonstop flight which precisely got me back to Denver with enough time to swing by home to change and make it to work in a "i'm only moderately late and not late enough for anyone to really notice, and not late enough to have to stay extra late to make up for it" timely fashion. i plopped down at my desk and didn't know what in the world to do. the whole day was uncomfortably still. the contradiction of this is that Mexico is a slow pace kind of lifestyle and especially in the small town of Hidalgo, our location for the trip. so why would the transition of getting back to work and sitting down and slowing down be an obstacle? i think what it comes down to is a matter of the heart. I recently read that "loving requires a heart alive and awake and free". this is not to say my heart is not alive at work or by routine life, by no means is this what i am saying. i just know that with an adventurous soul and being out filling that, my heart is utterly free. the sun waking you up. the moon crooning you to sleep. mountains delighting in your presence. and all i realized with the homecoming. this transition from travel is crucial and deserves a moments thought and perhaps, personally, some patience to readjust.

mountainoffering

i was recently asked by a friend from a warm climate texas city if the snow and all the effects it has on everyday life is still exciting after living in denver for more than one winter season. now, i personally would much rather be running in scorching heat than see your breath cold, and biking in humidity you could swim in than bundling up for a bitter frozen ride. some might be more inclined to play in the cold, and respectfully so, though just not for me. i account this to my southwest upbringing. though what i have realized most about the colorado winter is that you have to roll with the punches. there is a big difference in getting all giddy about the snow falling from the sky as you watch out the window all snuggled up in a snuggie with some hot tea versus gearing up to go compete and revel in what this snowy wonderland has to offer. even if i supremely hated the wintriness i don't think i could pass up what it has to afford to give the adventurous soul. the biggest bummer about taking a winter weekend trip is that you can't camp, well not really. i mean i have, but pretty positive i wouldn't do it again. it is not very fun setting up your sleeping arrangements on a few feet of snow and only hoping there is enough whiskey to go around so you can fall asleep to a drunken lullaby and forget about that draft of wind. i feel like there is so much hate that spurs from cold weather whether you want to admit it or not.

this weekend was spent taking on what the white covered mountain had to throw at us. it's not everyday you get to ski snow capped mountains with the sun shining down on you. with perfect temperatures to not feel too cold but just cold enough to keep you moving you can't help but be grateful for moments like this in life. i'm glad my friend i was skiing with could agree whole heartily. conversation sparked about how lucky we are as colorado residents to enjoy the mountains year round, that is, if you wish to stomach the cold of mother nature. and if you do, i can promise it will bring you alive a little more.

(hopefully soon i'll acquire a camera and will take and post pictures of my own again)

twoten

the pleasure of start that we loose with time.

ahh, the joy in starting. something. anything. a new year. a skinny love. a hobby or art.

when i think of january i can NOT help but think that it marks the beginning, but why? why can't it just be the next month after december and the month before february, as it actually is? the calendar really is a fascinating thing. mayhaps i'll do some more research on that at a later date.
well, to conform with the norm and bring in the new year and start fresh, what better place to be than steamboat? i went last year and was so happy it worked out again this year. now this is a tradition i could get used to. a long weekend in a cozy welcoming house to reside at, fresh powder snow to ski on, hot springs of water to lounge in, sights to let the mind drift away to. all things i thoroughly enjoy. so we banged some pots, we skied some slopes while dodging trees, we soaked in hot tubs, we snowshoed with too many clothes on, and enjoyed wonderful company. sounds to me this year of two thousand and ten was started off beautifully.

so my hope for you and me this year would be to live in a way [with words from italo calvino] "that what he sought was always something lying ahead, and even if it was a matter of the past it was a past that changed gradually as he advanced on his journey, because the traveler's past changes according to the route he has followed"

dirtyrome

this morning i was walking down a capitol hill alley from my friends house to my car. it was a gloomy beyond gloomy morning for denver and that mixed with the dirty streets of capitol hill made me feel like i was in rome again. and i don't mean dirty in a gross-you-out kinda of a way, or anything against capitol hill, more that the patina of it's walls, sidewalks and streets have aged and been used well enough to give off this feeling. a streets of italy feeling. it is no secret that rome is a dirty city. i was appalled when i first got there and startled by the truth when a roman friend of ours mentioned that graffiti was the wallpaper of the city. i'd like to give romans the benefit of the doubt that they have been occupying this city for their 2,763rd year and it's no doubt well broken in.

a few unglamorous shots of rome that i love:

our local lunch market: campo de fiori

a roman resident


like i said, wallpaper.


an appropriately unkempt jollypower gym


a gypsy with a baby that stole my tears


wet clothes in Trastevere

yesdenver

i read this off of a site i stumbled upon the other day: Urbanophile

He’s very impressed:

I spent the past few days at a conference in Denver, Colorado. And, I’ll tell you, that city impressed the heck out of me. It’s a medium-sized city (just under 600,000 residents), and you can walk across its downtown in about twenty minutes. While the scale is much smaller than my hometown of Philadelphia, Denver seemed to be doing things other cities are only dreaming of.

Denver has a beautiful and efficient light-rail and bus system. The 16th Street pedestrian mall is vibrant, beautiful, and well-used. A free (!) two-way bus system runs every few minutes to take passengers across the fifteen blocks of stores, restaurant, entertainment, benches, trees, lamps, and chess tables. They also have bike sharing!

Cherry Creek and the Platte River run along the west side of the downtown with an extraordinary set of walking and biking trails. At the confluence of the creek and river, one encounters beautiful Commons Park and a stunning vista of the skyline. The gorgeous Millennium Bridge takes pedestrians from Commons Park to the pedestrian mall. The scenery is beautiful, all the while, surrounded by the Rockies.

The architecture definitely impresses. I am not usually a Daniel Liebeskind fan, but his Denver Art Museum is stunning. The new, edgy buildings of the civic center mix well with the historic architecture of the state capitol and other older government buildings. The Denver Convention Center is also a pretty exciting building (yes, that’s a big blue bear pushing against the wall).

Everywhere I looked there was major public art. This is a city that clearly cares about creating a beautiful place for its citizens and visitors. Meanwhile, a host of new condo and apartment buildings are filling in the landscape, bringing more residents downtown.

some things stated i agree whole heartily with and others i struggle to accept. thank you for your rave on denver, as i do just love this city.

take itback now

another thanksgiving. another trip to albuquerque. in case you were unsure, that's in new mexico, which is one of the 50 states. believe it or not, more than one person on my account has been perplexed when informed that one does not need a passport to get into new mexico territory. travel people, travel. Geo-safari. u.s. history. map of the united states. all of these are great resources to understanding such things. my personal favorite being the Geo-safari. i freakin loved this gadget when i was in elementary school and what a better toy than one that teaches as you play with it. to this day things that i have learned from my Geo-safari have come into motion at some crucial times, like bar trivia the other week. countless state capitols, state nicknames, location of states and the list goes on. not sure where i was going with this, but just wanted to say out loud that Geo-safari was one sweet toy.

well, albuquerque was great. a lot of these good things, a few of those good things, unexpected wonderful things all makes for a nice thanksgiving break. we took a day trip to sante fe, which is probably one of my most favorite hidden cities and is the united state's oldest capitol city but Geo-safari didn't teach me that tid-bit. sante fe boasts huge amounts of culture it's intoxicating. the food is traditionally southwestern and smothered in green chile, or you can get red chile, or even go for a combo of both, which is called christmas for obvious reasons. the churches are on axis, the city takes great pride in local art and cherishes the days of georgia o'keeffe. what is it about a place that keeps you coming back for more? it is the things that are constant and never see change or the things that are always evolving and the moving parts that helps make up the whole?

i think i wanna go back to rome.

but that might be selfish. there are so many other places to go that deserve attention and admiring. i'm confused by the people who travel to a certain destination year in and year out. never considering another option for the eyes and soul. i'm assuming it fills a part of them with the longing of familiarity.

skiingneedspeople

yesterday was the first day to ski for the season. rather early if you ask any local, though no complaints here on that. i need all the practice i can get. we got picked up early and headed for Keystone, one of five mountains that we are able to ski at endlessly for the winter.

so, as i was steeping my green tea this morning i nonchalantly noted to someone at work who had asked about my weekend that i went skiing yesterday. no big deal, just a light response. soon after i realized, what a great way to fill a sunday morning and afternoon. up early, drive off into the mountains, locate some snowy hill, elevate ourselves on a whole new kind of public transportation, objectively fly down and try not to die. good news is i didn't die or launch myself over the edge, hip hip hooray. i probably should have gotten out of control at least once and had a tumultuous fall. maybe next time.

it's funny if you think about the whole process of skiing. and just to clarify: skiing also means snowboarding. it's just silly to write out both and since skiing is an older pastime than snowboarding it thus gets the privilege of being used. maybe we could make up a new word, our few options would be skiboarding or snowing [um,no] or i guess boardski. i kinda like boardski, but it sounds more like a frat boys nickname. well, you get the picture. oh gosh! wait a hot second, i did see one dangerous soul going down the slick mountains on a skateboard. no joke, this boy was on a skateboard minus the wheels and boots not even strapped in. we can call that snowskating or deathskating. anyways, back to the matter at hand, skiing. tons of people come, pile on too many clothes and entertain themselves by making a constant loop up and down the mountain. i could probably say that basketball is about a silly of a sport as it gets, or football, or even tennis even though tennis is a huge part of my childhood, most of these sports all have the same thing in common. it is all about containment and people are really trying to get after each other whether by physical beating or nailing balls at the other. kinda fun, if that's what you're into. skiing is not about any of that stuff. one of the beautiful things about skiing is that a mass of people are attempting to conquer the mountain and the natural conditions that she emits. helping each other out with technique, skillz, balance, an understanding and so on. skiing needs people, the mountain is activated when people are blazing down it, and no one would want to ski for more than 20 minutes all by themselves. so is this just a theme "to see and be seen"? not quite sure, but i do know that this great activity operates with a community of people, and all are welcome.
some words to live by when in any given week [you or i] might be climbing, playing soccer, running or skiing, understand that "the human body does not wear out with use. on the contrary, it wears down when it is not used."

don'trush
[wow, wrote this a while ago and forgot to hit 'publish'.welp, what can you do? can't delete it. ]

2post1day. such a rarity.

fast track is a term i've head in college counselor's offices and quite frankly i'm not a fan. this directly correlates with adventuring. you just can't rush these things. unless of course there is no other way. like, if you are going to college on the coast of california and you come to find out your city will soon be floating away into the pacific, then you best be gettin' things done. fast. alright, that is a bit extreme but the sentiment it the same. there is no need to push the time where we are engaging with nature. it's not like a hit list of things to accomplish when you are a mega-tourist for the weekend in boston.

horseshoe

denver international airport is in a bad location.
arkansas was nothing less than wonderful.
flying is fun when you have a dave.
flying is fun when you have drink vouchers.
fayetteville is home of the razorbacks and we just beat a&m.
fayetteville feels like home.
rick's bakery makes my tummy happy.
horseshoe canyon ranch is a hidden gem in the ozarks.
climbing lets you enjoy god's beauty.
climbing for 24 hours is no easy feat.
climbing for 24 hours strictly on sandstone makes your fingers/hands/palms feel like they're on fire.

but you will recover and eventually climb again.



i stole this picture of horseshoe.