climb time

red river gorge, kentucky

click on slideshow to the right to see all the pics

a few pics for a few missed days

sickness, homework and travel kept me from getting a few pics up these past few days--but worry not, for new pictures are here.

these are pictures from a marathon relay some of us did on saturday morning. yes, on the morning of my 21st birthday, i woke up at 5:30am and ran my part (5 miles) in a marathon relay. While many might cringe at such an unorthodox way to celebrate, I loved it--it was a blast. The race was followed by a trip to Ikea--another favorite place of mine that isn't close to grand rapids but was close to our race in dearborn, mi (detroit area). All in all, a fantastic (and tiring) birthday.

lots of martians on the course.
medals.
roomies. the runner's high didn't last too long--we are fairly sore today
the team
just under 4 hours!

today: beginning with 2:35 AM thunderstorm :)

gotta click on it to see it biggerand this is hail--not a bunch of mothballs.
animal crackers from my pops to make me feel better!

how is my nephew not on here yet?

my nephew, Ray.

april is for adventure

It has been a little quiet in the outdoor adventure area of my life lately. This month, though, I do have a few trips planned.

Next weekend marks a step in to another level of adulthood--my 21st birthday. I will be running in a marathon relay with Lindsey and four others. I find running a race to be one of my top ways to celebrate--tshirts, medals, free sport drinks, competition, buzz, commotion. Love it.

Five days of marching through classes and dutifully showing up to work after race-weekend puts me in a car for an extended amount of time on my way to Kentucky Trip #1. Only 3 days long, the trip is focused on trad leading (climbing). It'll be my first trip to Red River Gorge (a premier climbing spot), so I am stoked.

Surviving another 5 days of routine after that lands me back in the car and on my way to the Red for Kentucky Trip #2... this time a solid 5-6 day trip, it'll be climbing, chilling, camping, and climbing.

The trick is, midst all these trips, i've got articles to work on, papers to write, tests to take, and boxes to pack--May 1st is the big move in day for Lindsey and me. I've been looking forward to this for a long time. A little pre-packing this weekend got me set to just make the move already.

Did I mention the weather has been unnaturally pleasant?

And that I think I am getting sick?

mail time

no class today--time for the slackline!

80s today. and part 2

grand river, downtown grand rapids (one block from where i work).

this is at 12:30pm on a weekday... lunch hour.

grand rapids was voted 6th best fishing city in the nation.


PART 2:

what did we see?

spaceship acorn was inspiring

tiny town was empowering (and in someone's backyard)

giant coffee pot was humbling

paperweight museum was fragile

y-bridge was confusing

jean bonnett tavern was haunted

and hershey town was delicious.

i love these things--roadside attractions. though some of these took some finding. the acorn? randomest thing ever, way back in the farm hills of pennsylvania. it's just sitting on the side of a little road. apparently there was a gift shop, but we missed it.

jean bonnett tavern was an unplanned site. lindsey had picked it out of the hotel information magazine because the menu looked good. but it wasn't just a fabulous meal. it was a historic tavern/bed and breakfast--an old building filled with stories and ghosts. yes, ghosts. check it out here: http://www.jeanbonnettavern.com/ We explored the building after dinner, straining our eyes for supernatural sightings, trying to tap in to a sixth sense. No luck. It was one of my favorite stops though.

hershey, PA: the town that smells of chocolate. we rode the factory tour ride twice, ate the free samples, mingled among chocolate merchandise, and hung our jaws at the site of bowl-sized peanut butter cups and nearly coffee-table-sized hershey bars. life is not complete until you visit hershey town.