Not a Ticklist! Just a Sticky Note.

Spearhead – Sykes’ Sickle (5.9 III+), Longs Peak — Stettner’s Ledges (5.7 II+), Spearhead — North Ridge (5.6 II), Petit Grepon (AKA Grape POO-pon) — South Face (5.8 III+), Saber (??), Sharkstooth (??), Notch Top (??).

Could it be that Colorado Posters are going to completely use up the “+” symbol on their keyboards?

Can They Clean up Fracking?

I hope so!  The only two voices I hear on the subject are industry propaganda and dooms day grass roots activists.  Fortunately, the degree of separation between these two views are great.  Like 179° great.  With divergence like that, I have plenty of confidence objectivity will appear smack in the middle.  Only I can’t see the middle yet, and I’m ready see the light.  Why hasn’t science and research honed me in?  And I don’t mean the pump and dump stuff being funded by the industry.  Real stuff like studies that are funded by the NSF.  If its out there and I don’t no it, shame on everybody from NPR to Fox, because few of us seem to know where the objective part of academia is on this subject.  We’ve been harvesting natural gas for the past 100 years so I hope by now somebody’s lab somewhere is making it a priority.

Me?  Well, I’m moving ahead with or without the answers I’m seeking.   I’m hoping to increase my personnel consumption of natural gas by 1,000% in 2012.  The only change I have scheduled is the addition of a new regulator under the hood and hopefully my old junked out Ford Ranger will be powered by Natural Gas.

MIGHT BE>>>

so…  i might still be a week away, but i’m getting that adrenaline feeling.  i don’t even know if its real or just my mind spind’in.  i might just get there and go yellow belly.  i’ve seen it before, it’s happened, and it could happen to me.  i’ll go there and see, then i’ll let know.  then later, you’ll know.

I need to sell this

http://lostgringo.com/boat.html

 

http://lostgringo.com/boat.html

 

http://lostgringo.com/boat.html

Jet Boating, Climbing, and Reality

North America, my comfy chair, and plenty of time for reflection.   

My dream of Jet boating to undiscovered climbing destinations hasn’t come to pass, but yet I’ve had no regrettable moments.  I got hooked on two things in the procces: boat building and discovery (well… boat building is new, but discovery has always been there).  In my head they are very similar targets those two, but you all know better.  What wires got crossed to fuse these two objectives for me I’ll never know.  But who cares!  Forging on, head down, eyes closed!  That is the only way out I can see, so I’ll go for it, but only after another cup of coffee.

Try, Try, Try

Finally I made it to Laguna Abascal. 3 years of dreaming and 2 years of trying.  I’m too exhausted to write. the photos I’ve already posted will have to speak for me.

We Got Though These Rapids!

Marco and the jet-boat are just at the opening to Lake Abascal. Rio Mirta, Chile. The first swim/protege for me and Ojeva Negra. I don’t think it will be the last!

Even Time for Fish’n

Below the Water fall a the head of this amazing Lake. Abascal, Los Lagos, Chile.

Pretty

Yeah, I’ll be back. Pumalin is not finished with me yet! More can be explored by my little boat — much more I’m willing to to bet. Look how pretty it is — just look. Who could resist.

Bump Up

A spot of sun got me off my duff into my itty-bitty jet boat and I headed out into the great big fjord.  Glade I waited that extra day, because right at the beach of the cove it seemed flat — flat as glass, but once you get out a couple hundred meters it’s a whole another thing.  The wind didn’t whip up, but those slow moving roller had a direct shot coming in from the gulf.  My boat at a buck-fiddy doesn’t take roller well, but they were’n't all that bad and we made it no problem to the start of the river.  Hmmm the river, took me some time find the windy channel leading to the true blue stream of fresh water, but we got it and my heart only spent a minute or two up in throat.  It always tough crossing from the ocean to river — never straight forward reading the mixing of the two waterways.  That is an allowable minor freak-out, nothing like the troubles that were about to come.  Oops, I said to  much.  Well yeah, I had a larger freak out up the river 20 mins later.  My motor when poo and I was in the middle of rather large sustained white water stretch just above two vary large snags crossing almost the entire river at constrictions just a bit below.  I’m frantic; a moment of paddling like a banshee got me into an eddie and out of the rivers might and way.  Everything looked OK so why’d  my motor stall?  Vapor lock on the fuel tank was my only guess, and it seems to be running fine now.  Oh, but my nerves are fried!  So I walk the bank of the river a bit to see if the tough rapids continue on or let up.  Bush and river braids keep me from advancing very far so I make the call to head down.  Premature yes, but my nerves were in need of rest.  I should have talked Marcos into this trip too it’s better to have someone you can share the stress with.  I know later I’ll think back and wish I’d forged on.  But for right now, I’ve got to get pass those large snags at super high down river velocities.  And I do.  No problamo!  Hell, this supposed to be my vacation so I’m going to Fundo Pillan!!   A little R & R.