Finding a Happy Place

Ever since I quit my awful night job working at Vons (the local grocery here) I've felt...lighter.  I guess knowing that I don't have to work for a tyrannical rat-faced angry little man with a Napolean complex and a supervisor who resembles a busted version of a greaser Ichabod Crane has really done wonders for my spiritual health. 

Oh Glorious Disco Diva!! 

WEEEEEEE!

For starters, even though my time for climbing has shrunk dramatically I feel so much better about myself mentally, physically, and spiritually.  My new job is awesome and I love the fact that I get paid to be outside and interact with so many different kinds of people of all ethnicities, ages, and backgrounds.  The people I work with are all interesting, self-motivated, and outdoorsy types as well and a lot of them are deeply embedded in the outdoor community here.  Its nice to have a job where I get to work with people who are interested and inspired by the same kinds of things I am. 

Sending Dance the Night Away, activate trident penis!!  (inside joke)

Steph and I will definitely be heading back north to start jobs as kayak guides for a guiding company based out of Haines, Ak. called Alaska Mountain Guides.  We are super excited to start working for this company because they're a well known guiding outfit whose long term and more experienced guides get to travel all over the world and do some pretty neat expeditions.  We will have to play 'bottom-man-on-the-totem pole' for a while and shovel our way through the shit to get to the moist and fertile top soil but I think it will be worth it.  We leave Bishop officially on the 21st of April and start our training in Alaska on May 1st. 

Having a repeat burn on Therapy, this has to be a contender for coolest V.8 in the Happy's.  The combination of power and sequential/technical beta that unlocks the proper sequence for this rig is very awe inspiring.

Plus it has a pretty sweet traverse and finally the top out. 

Don't fret.  We will most definitely be back to Bishop starting in October of 2013.  We plan on returning next year to work at hte mountain again.  Steph has come into her own as a great ski instructor and i plan on doing the same next year (as soon as I learn how to ski). 

In the mean time we have been really busy this past week working almost 16 days in a row trying to keep pace with one of the busiest times of year for mammoth, President's day weekend (which spans an entire two weeks here).  The small amount of time that I have been able to get out has been less than fruitful on the sending front.  I am extremely close to sending two projects of mine, Bubba: The Legend and Standing Kill Order, both given the coveted grade of 8a.  However, as I talk with locals and try the problems over time I think that they will fall more in the range of solid V.10.  I have to send them first!!

Bubba: The Legend starts on Mr. Happy and traverses into Toxic Avenger. 

I have the dyno on Toxic absolutely wired, as well as the moves into the dyno, but for some reason the send just has not materialized.  I've had a couple of really close burns I just need some more consistent time to tackle this project and I know it will fall. 

Oh yeah, I sent Toxic Avenger! Which is why, you guessed it, I'm trying this contrived traverse into it. (Insert sheepish grin here).

Hope all is well with everyone reading this.  See you in the canyon, on the mountain, in the pub, or on the road.