The adventure blog has been pretty quiet the last couple years, not due to lack of fun stuff but in the last couple years I have embarked on a different kind of set of adventures through life. And I've been a little lazy documenting it, that and I haven't taken cool pictures of cool places as much. Whatever my excuse, its time to fire it back up and show off the new and improved typing skills and share the travels I am about to experience.
Since my last entry (Thailand) I have continued my work as a groundman extraordinaire and have taken a few smaller climbing trips to the states but I must say most of the action as taken place in the last year. Within the last year my parents after 27 years in Alaska finally had enough of the long cold winters, (dad got a motorcycle, apparently not a winter one) and mom got tired of the bugs and they moved to Wisconsin. I wasn't sure when I was going to see them again, that oddly enough is not on one of my adventure/climbing short lists. Or long lists. No mountains, no rock and if I wanted that kind of humidity it should come with a beach and scantly clad ladies somewhere foreign, like Thailand. But alas, the opportunity has come that takes me into the vicinity of Wisconsin, actually this one takes me encircling the world, so I guess Wisconsin was near there somewhere. I for the last year, stopped being a groundman extraordinaire and started being a corporate stooge, picked myself up a corporate job in Anchorage where I was no longer able to wear the same pants for the entire week and the sweet smell of spruce eventually faded and the dirty spots of sap on my skin washed completely away. It was a entry level position for a Native health care corporation that sat me in front of a computer clocking in and out and accruing leave that they would determine when for how long it could be use, they didn't have much to work with. I saw this as my opportunity to use the college degree and noggin to earn my coin instead of just my body, in my thirties now, got to pace myself. Well, after a solid year experiencing things where I never thought I'd find myself I can safely say, I don't care for it. At all. While most definitely there, I'm not sure where would work out really. Not sure my plans for when I return but thats something future josh can worry about.
Also within the last year, actually within the last two months, I have married an absolutely wonderful person. It came as quite a bit of a surprise to most, if not all. The date of the deed was the 31st of January. I now have a Christina Hendrickson in (as) my life (wife). This was a friend I met 4 years previously and maintained contact with here and there, our lives were on far different tracks and at the time destinations and methods of getting there also differed. Thats how it seemed looking back at it anyway but thankfully my ability to predict the future pales in comparison to ability to accept something awesome placed in front of me. The opportunity arose in where all the variables of life (beyond the usual place, time, availability, and desire) aligned with the stars and we started exploring the friendship that quickly became our relationship. And it was good. Really good. With enough experience in life to not be too naive about the whole situation but enough to recognize something this good we quickly took the leap after about four months. It took most everyone by surprise, we agreed it was about us and only us so telling everyone after the fact to us made sense. Everyone who knows us were very happy for us, though the parents were shocked but happy for us nonetheless. The marriage was done by a good friend of ours and the very brief ceremony was with a handful of friends on the coastal trail downtown Anchorage. This summer upon our return we are planning a bit more of a wedding party during solstice with more friends and family. And music and beer. Hopefully the word has a chance to get out and the shock wear off. I will inform all of the details later. So, with the new wife is how I'm going to Wisconsin, I figured the parents and apparently the family, should meet her. This of course is only part of the trip.
We have opted to drive down to the states in my truck, assuming the old girl makes it, I'll break 260k before crossing into Canada... Our first place of fun and recreation (climbing) will be Bend Oregon for a week or so of climbing at Smith Rock. After a week there we will continue eastward to Idaho for some climbing at City of Rocks, never been there but figured I should check it out. After not quite a week there and hopefully meeting up with some friends we will do the long haul to Belcourt ND to introduce the wife to the family on the reservation. Only a few days to spare but should be plenty we continue on to Wisconsin to meet the parents and the other side of the family. This will be where we regroup for a week. From there we will leave the truck (assuming she makes it) and the dog and fly out of the twin cities to Helsinki Finland. From this point the method of travel will be by train. A fast train will get us started to St Petersburg, and there we board the Trans Siberian Railway with stops along the way including Mongolia and after nearly 3 weeks we end up in Beijing. A few days there and a flight across the other ocean back to Wisconsin. And then a quick drive north so we can finish up planning and make our own party.
I'm sure I missed something in there, but this was the first entry which we hopefully be many, with pictures along the way, of our travels.
Monday, March 24, 2014
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Another Winter, Another Adventure
Well, I wasn't planning on using this on my Thailand trip but I have much to mention and facebook won't be enough. Not sure how often I'll have access to a computer but we'll find out.
So, it all started in Anchorage Sunday night as I made it to the airport with plenty of time to spare. There I met up with my two travel companions, Kevin and Kori, Kevin would be taking different flights our arrival times were within an hour of one another, a day and a half later. Though not the plan I had to check my bag in since my climbing gear had taken up substantial space and weight in my single bag to Thailand. This would be about all the planning I did for this trip. With the addition of a carry-on holding a few vital item, ipod, camera, toothbrush and a few documents I watch my bag go behind the check-in counter with the high hopes I might see it again in about 7,000 miles from here, though actual traveled distance would be more twice that. The flights went well, other than being insanely uncomfortable, I was able to sleep on and off during all the flights. Our layovers were rather short in the states, both in Salt Lake and Los Angles, which worried me for our bags, Kori had checked her backpack as well. Due to headwinds over the pacific and a slightly delayed departure from LA, we arrived in Tokyo at the same time our flight was scheduled to depart, this made for a mad scramble through a security check along with the rest of the passengers from our 747 (there was a lot of us). Apparently, the Japanese being a polite people, held the plane(s) for the hundreds of people who just arrived. As we quickly boarded and left the gate I had serious doubts of seeing my climbing gear during this climbing trip.
After 25 hours of flying, and oddly not much more than that in travel time we arrived at 1230am in bangkok on Tuesday morning. Without our bags. A quick trip through customs (the paperwork was handed out and completed on the plane) and without a single question, just a photograph, we were permitted to remain in Thailand for 30 days (my trip is for 35 days, I'll figure that out later). Speaking to a Delta agent in rough English (both of us, I was tired) I had to explain I didn't have an address to have our bags sent to, again, not much pre-planning was done. I got a phone number to call when got a place. After heading through security for the final time and about to figure out a taxi and money exchange, low and behold we run into Kevin, who had been there for only about half an hour waiting for us. Reunited we get money and taxi and head for the only place known who will welcome vagabonds like us, Khao San Road, a backpackers Mecca. After quite the taxi ride across Bangkok and getting our first taste of Thai driving, we were dropped off on a corner in we don't know where Bangkok, at 230 in the morning and given opposing directions to a hotel we found in a guidebook. Not encumbered by our climbing gear packs, we start to wonder down dimly lit streets where about half the shops are closed and the rest are serving alcohol to people who appear to have started drinking sometime around when we left Alaska. After circling a few blocksnot finding our hotel or one I feel like checking in at at three in the morning, we do finally recognize one from the guidebook and take our chances. 200 baht a piece later (about $6) we have a room with air-conditioning. A small room where the toliet literally doubles as the shower, the shower was on the wall above the toliet, and this was not the bode, I would learn about that later. Being hungry and thirsty and discovering the heat and muggyness of Thailand, we head out for some bottled water and a bite. I stayed in the room figure out where we were and plan for the next day Kori and Kevin quickly return with both. The food portion consisted of rice and veggies and some funky chicken bits on a stick, well, at least something like chicken. Original plan was not to partake in street food right away but no sense in delaying the inevitable I dove in. We then all went to sleep. For about four hours... Jet lag does funny things. We all rose with the sun and decided to find slightly better accommodations and get our bearing. Our MIA bags would not be making it to Bangkok until about midnight that day and we had time to let the airlines know where we were.
After getting our bearings and some daylight, we with the help of a local tourism info "station" we locate a suitable hotel, book airline tickets to Krabi, and two nights lodging in Krabi. This guy was amazingly helpful, we named our price and where we wanted to be and he made it happen. We checked in to the hotel which was just off a main road surrounded by shops and cheap apartments and we seemed to be the only ones there. The hotel itself was emmaculate. Gated, super clean, with a guard, which I guess made me feel better, and very quite which we found odd since two other hotels than we looked at were sold out, maybe just at our price. We dropped our stuff, I called Delta, which trying to give an address to someone whom English is not there first language and for where the address is a fair bit different than ours, I again had my doubts we would see our climbing gear on this climbing trip.
Having mentioned its hot and muggy here, I will also mention Kori and I have been wearing the same attire since Sunday in Anchorage. The plane rides would have been enough but since we're here and have nothing to change into I suspect my clothes will start to sprout anytime now. We make our way to the markets of Khao San road and after some haggling we come out with something clean, flipflops and another try at market food. After several hours of seeing the market and convincing tuk tuk drivers I like to walk and maybe later I'll see the sights of Bangkok we mosey back to the hotel where we go on a epic jet-lag sleep catchup bout. Though this did not happen right away, Kevin wondered back to the tourism guy to start thinking about his trip after Kori and I head back, Kevin would not return for about three hours. We would later discover he really wanted to ride in a tuk tuk, so did, and ended up way out of town and just kind of left. Much walking, a train ride to the end of the line, then another tuk tuk ride and finally some help from a South African he gets back to the hotel. Then we started our solid 12 sleep catch-up. The next morning we found our bags waiting for us in the lobby, which was a good thing since our flight to Krabi was that early afternoon.
Thai Airways is quite nice and for about $100 we made it to Krabi where no one really knew of our resort we were staying at. Its a little out of town and well within the jungle. After more baht than it probably should have cost we arrive to a very nice set of family run bungaloos. Again no one else is here, we've been told this is the busy season but apparently just not here. We'll make our way to the climbing areas tomorrow via taxi and longboat but before that I'm off to take a elephant ride through the jungle.
So, it all started in Anchorage Sunday night as I made it to the airport with plenty of time to spare. There I met up with my two travel companions, Kevin and Kori, Kevin would be taking different flights our arrival times were within an hour of one another, a day and a half later. Though not the plan I had to check my bag in since my climbing gear had taken up substantial space and weight in my single bag to Thailand. This would be about all the planning I did for this trip. With the addition of a carry-on holding a few vital item, ipod, camera, toothbrush and a few documents I watch my bag go behind the check-in counter with the high hopes I might see it again in about 7,000 miles from here, though actual traveled distance would be more twice that. The flights went well, other than being insanely uncomfortable, I was able to sleep on and off during all the flights. Our layovers were rather short in the states, both in Salt Lake and Los Angles, which worried me for our bags, Kori had checked her backpack as well. Due to headwinds over the pacific and a slightly delayed departure from LA, we arrived in Tokyo at the same time our flight was scheduled to depart, this made for a mad scramble through a security check along with the rest of the passengers from our 747 (there was a lot of us). Apparently, the Japanese being a polite people, held the plane(s) for the hundreds of people who just arrived. As we quickly boarded and left the gate I had serious doubts of seeing my climbing gear during this climbing trip.
After 25 hours of flying, and oddly not much more than that in travel time we arrived at 1230am in bangkok on Tuesday morning. Without our bags. A quick trip through customs (the paperwork was handed out and completed on the plane) and without a single question, just a photograph, we were permitted to remain in Thailand for 30 days (my trip is for 35 days, I'll figure that out later). Speaking to a Delta agent in rough English (both of us, I was tired) I had to explain I didn't have an address to have our bags sent to, again, not much pre-planning was done. I got a phone number to call when got a place. After heading through security for the final time and about to figure out a taxi and money exchange, low and behold we run into Kevin, who had been there for only about half an hour waiting for us. Reunited we get money and taxi and head for the only place known who will welcome vagabonds like us, Khao San Road, a backpackers Mecca. After quite the taxi ride across Bangkok and getting our first taste of Thai driving, we were dropped off on a corner in we don't know where Bangkok, at 230 in the morning and given opposing directions to a hotel we found in a guidebook. Not encumbered by our climbing gear packs, we start to wonder down dimly lit streets where about half the shops are closed and the rest are serving alcohol to people who appear to have started drinking sometime around when we left Alaska. After circling a few blocksnot finding our hotel or one I feel like checking in at at three in the morning, we do finally recognize one from the guidebook and take our chances. 200 baht a piece later (about $6) we have a room with air-conditioning. A small room where the toliet literally doubles as the shower, the shower was on the wall above the toliet, and this was not the bode, I would learn about that later. Being hungry and thirsty and discovering the heat and muggyness of Thailand, we head out for some bottled water and a bite. I stayed in the room figure out where we were and plan for the next day Kori and Kevin quickly return with both. The food portion consisted of rice and veggies and some funky chicken bits on a stick, well, at least something like chicken. Original plan was not to partake in street food right away but no sense in delaying the inevitable I dove in. We then all went to sleep. For about four hours... Jet lag does funny things. We all rose with the sun and decided to find slightly better accommodations and get our bearing. Our MIA bags would not be making it to Bangkok until about midnight that day and we had time to let the airlines know where we were.
After getting our bearings and some daylight, we with the help of a local tourism info "station" we locate a suitable hotel, book airline tickets to Krabi, and two nights lodging in Krabi. This guy was amazingly helpful, we named our price and where we wanted to be and he made it happen. We checked in to the hotel which was just off a main road surrounded by shops and cheap apartments and we seemed to be the only ones there. The hotel itself was emmaculate. Gated, super clean, with a guard, which I guess made me feel better, and very quite which we found odd since two other hotels than we looked at were sold out, maybe just at our price. We dropped our stuff, I called Delta, which trying to give an address to someone whom English is not there first language and for where the address is a fair bit different than ours, I again had my doubts we would see our climbing gear on this climbing trip.
Having mentioned its hot and muggy here, I will also mention Kori and I have been wearing the same attire since Sunday in Anchorage. The plane rides would have been enough but since we're here and have nothing to change into I suspect my clothes will start to sprout anytime now. We make our way to the markets of Khao San road and after some haggling we come out with something clean, flipflops and another try at market food. After several hours of seeing the market and convincing tuk tuk drivers I like to walk and maybe later I'll see the sights of Bangkok we mosey back to the hotel where we go on a epic jet-lag sleep catchup bout. Though this did not happen right away, Kevin wondered back to the tourism guy to start thinking about his trip after Kori and I head back, Kevin would not return for about three hours. We would later discover he really wanted to ride in a tuk tuk, so did, and ended up way out of town and just kind of left. Much walking, a train ride to the end of the line, then another tuk tuk ride and finally some help from a South African he gets back to the hotel. Then we started our solid 12 sleep catch-up. The next morning we found our bags waiting for us in the lobby, which was a good thing since our flight to Krabi was that early afternoon.
Thai Airways is quite nice and for about $100 we made it to Krabi where no one really knew of our resort we were staying at. Its a little out of town and well within the jungle. After more baht than it probably should have cost we arrive to a very nice set of family run bungaloos. Again no one else is here, we've been told this is the busy season but apparently just not here. We'll make our way to the climbing areas tomorrow via taxi and longboat but before that I'm off to take a elephant ride through the jungle.
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Back at It!
Well, this summer went by amazingly fast and now the season of work is over and my bank account is once again comfortably in the black. I guess its time to go have fun.
I am still in Alaska finishing up a few things, waiting for a few stars to align and making sure my life isn't too complicated before I embark south. Due to a few extenuating circumstances I have managed to remain in Anchorage until the snow has flown and the roads are no quite slick, not really unexpected by mid November. Checking with a few well placed sources scattered about the lower 48 I'm hearing the weather and conditions are good at my "planned" destinations.
While my plans for work to do what I did last summer never blossomed like I had hoped I found another opportunity in the tree service industry which fit my needs while allowing my to remain in Anchorage to continue climbing and retaining a social life which I never really capitalized on until way to late. Such is life. I do get to start this climbing trip in far better climbing shape than I did last year. I'll really only know how much better when I get down there of course.
Another addition/change from last year will be me having a climbing partner for the beginning of my winter in the south. My buddy/climbing partner/colleague will be joining me on my ventures for the better part of the first month. We'll chase summer south and get this ring-tailed lemur of a man on some real rock. Should be fun for all involved.
Well, this will be the trips first blog hopefully followed by many more entertaining entries during this winter sabbatical into maturity avoidance.
I am still in Alaska finishing up a few things, waiting for a few stars to align and making sure my life isn't too complicated before I embark south. Due to a few extenuating circumstances I have managed to remain in Anchorage until the snow has flown and the roads are no quite slick, not really unexpected by mid November. Checking with a few well placed sources scattered about the lower 48 I'm hearing the weather and conditions are good at my "planned" destinations.
While my plans for work to do what I did last summer never blossomed like I had hoped I found another opportunity in the tree service industry which fit my needs while allowing my to remain in Anchorage to continue climbing and retaining a social life which I never really capitalized on until way to late. Such is life. I do get to start this climbing trip in far better climbing shape than I did last year. I'll really only know how much better when I get down there of course.
Another addition/change from last year will be me having a climbing partner for the beginning of my winter in the south. My buddy/climbing partner/colleague will be joining me on my ventures for the better part of the first month. We'll chase summer south and get this ring-tailed lemur of a man on some real rock. Should be fun for all involved.
Well, this will be the trips first blog hopefully followed by many more entertaining entries during this winter sabbatical into maturity avoidance.
Sunday, March 1, 2009
North to Alaska
This is it, at least for this trip, this time. I'm leaving North Dakota after visiting family and relaxing after a quick winter of climbing and fun. Back to Alaska I go where I must procure the funds for the next trip. I'm leaving here Monday morning and should be back in Anchorage around the 5th or 6th of March. Its been a fun trip and this last long haul will get me home.
Until next time.
Until next time.
Friday, February 20, 2009
The Long Road Home
Ah, the end is near and with that the long trip back up north approaches quickly. Though, not without a few stops along the way. Since last time I have managed to stay quite busy having fun climbing, skiing and whatnot hence the lack of update.
Where did I leave off...
Bouldering in Bishop was fun along with a little bit of sport climbing in Owens River Gorge. The weather was beautiful and it was hard to leave the climbing and friends there in Bishop but I had prior commitments for a week of climbing in Red Rocks with Kerry.
While Redoubt never blew, there was another sign of the second coming I witnessed in Vegas. It rained and snowed for several days. Red Rock Conservation Area was covered in snow and Vegas received several days worth of rain. I arrived several days before Kerry got in and even got to climb a few routes, the day she arrived the rain was coming down in sheets. This went on for a couple days and while is was expected to clear up for a few days more rain was on the way and sandstone can't be climbed when remotely wet, those bolts and anchors have a tendency to come out when wet.
We even resorted to climbing in the gym one day just to say we climbed. A look at the weather told us Red Rocks wasn't going to happen on this trip and the only other climbing nearby with decent weather was going to be Joshua Tree. So it would be, we headed south passing through the Mohave Desert, which oddly enough was covered in snow we made it to J Tree where we got in several days worth of climbing. The weather was sunny for the most part but the shade and any wind quickly cooled us off. Kerry had never been there so quickly learned to readjust herself to the rating system there. 5.6s had a tendency to show me whats up and 5.8s would give me a serious run for my money. Anything in the 5.10 arena was just a humbling battle from start to finish, but hey, it was all fun climbing, at least thats how I remember it, perhaps not what a witness might remember. I think the cursing actually helped me get up.
We made it back to Vegas for the return flight for Kerry and Jose, I spent the night at Red Rocks and the next morning I started north. Spent all day Saturday driving through Utah and spent the night in Rifle Colorado where I had a chilly night before thawing out the next morning during the short leg to Denver where I met up with Eric and Sharon, now living there. We spent the day bouldering at Flagstaff mountain in Boulder, which is quite the college/hippie town.
Eric worked the next day but had the following days off, we were nearly blown off the rock face trying to climb in Eldorado Canyon, we made it three pitches up before enduring an epic bail event. One rope, a terrible guide, and downclimbs, side climbs and unknown rappels made for an adventurous day. We made it back and enjoyed a not so quiet evening at Denver's Coyote Ugly. A very entertaining bar where we enjoyed a evening of drinking, pool, dances, body shots and overall fun atmosphere. Perhaps more fun for some than others. I had fun.
The early morning came mighty quickly the next morning where had planned on going skiing and with an amazing overcome of the desires to continue sleeping Eric and I got up and headed off to Keystone. They had just recieved snow the night before so got to enjoy excellent snow conditions on which we quickly sloughed off our hangovers somehow at 11,000ft. That night though we turned in early though.
I now continue on Northward to North Dakota to visit family for short bit before continuing on to Alaska.
What can I say, this trip has been fun. Way fun.
If I don't write again, see you all when I get back.
Josh
Saturday, January 31, 2009
More Bishop please...
Ah, more beautiful weather is being had here in Bishop. It started to get a little chilly about a week ago during the night but has steadily gotten warmer over the past few days. It has been quite pleasant in the sun without making the rock blazing hot. I've been chillin here for the past few weeks, met up with some friends I met the last several times I've pasted through so we've been enjoying the weather, climbing and each others company while camping in the Pit. I've been throwing down the bouldering as much as I can, the fingers have been taking some real punishment.
I've enjoyed the local hot springs here in Bishop. After several days of climbing it was found to be quite relaxing, relieving the muscles and stress of this road trippin lifestyle. Well, not a lot of stress was relieved but I felt better afterwards.
We got to rope up in Owens River Gorge the other day and as I suspected I have no endurance past 5 moves. This could prove a real problems with my plans to do some serious trad climbing in Red Rocks in about a week. I plan to go back to Red Rocks Monday or Tuesday and remedy this as much as I can before Kerry comes down from AK in a week. That is assuming of course that Redoubt behaves itself for the next week. Good luck with that AK.
The end of the trip and this lifestyle is quickly coming to a end, I've been slowly planning my return to AK, still aiming for early March. I plan on making some stops in Colorado to visit friends, ski hills and rock and of course some family in ND. After that it should direct cold shot back north hopefully just in time for some good snow.
Thats about it from down here, hope all is going well for everyone.
Cheers!
This was a video I through together with photos I got from a Canadian fellow I climbed with for a few days. As it says this was only a few attempts of many but it got when I finally sent it. It was a cool V2 that I found much more difficult than the V4 right next to it. I got that much earlier.
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Summer returns!
After a quick jaunt north to the land of snow and ice, which was oddly found throughout Oregon and Washington I have caught word of summer's return. I spent the week in Salem with the weather a vast change from the ice and snow it was a mere 10 days before, it was now back to its usual paces of wet and windy. I had a quick house sitting gig keeping eye on a couple of dogs and the cable TV during which I came down with some sort of chest cold that took me down. A week and a half later I still feel the lingering effects of it.
I have returned to Bishop where the weather is quite warm and sunny. The other day it was 70 degrees and the other days not far from that. Getting back into climbing has been once again a humbling experience, I hope its mostly due to the cold I suffered through, I don't have quite the strength I did weeks ago and the short approaches are really kicking my butt. It deters me little and each nice day I wander into the boulder fields and throw myself around with reckless abandon. I have to get myself healthy and back into shape with Kerry on her way back down to Red Rocks with some serious routes on her mind. I hope not to slow her down. I've got some work to do.
Hope everyone had a good new years, I spent mine in Bend where I ODed on my favorite beer ever, Bend Brewing Company Hop Head IPA. She was a wicked mistress, luring me in giving me comfort, funny feelings, hope. Then I didn't feel so well. I have yet to touch beer since then but rest assured it was mostly due to the cold, I'll find my mistress again.
Just a quick shout out to my old man, hey dad, Happy Birthday, he turned 50 the other day. Thats old. Real old. Good for you man. Just food for thought but some of my first conscience thoughts/memories of him he was my age now... hmmm.
Well, I got to get back to climbing and living... I'll post when I can and get some pics up when I actually take some.
I have returned to Bishop where the weather is quite warm and sunny. The other day it was 70 degrees and the other days not far from that. Getting back into climbing has been once again a humbling experience, I hope its mostly due to the cold I suffered through, I don't have quite the strength I did weeks ago and the short approaches are really kicking my butt. It deters me little and each nice day I wander into the boulder fields and throw myself around with reckless abandon. I have to get myself healthy and back into shape with Kerry on her way back down to Red Rocks with some serious routes on her mind. I hope not to slow her down. I've got some work to do.
Hope everyone had a good new years, I spent mine in Bend where I ODed on my favorite beer ever, Bend Brewing Company Hop Head IPA. She was a wicked mistress, luring me in giving me comfort, funny feelings, hope. Then I didn't feel so well. I have yet to touch beer since then but rest assured it was mostly due to the cold, I'll find my mistress again.
Just a quick shout out to my old man, hey dad, Happy Birthday, he turned 50 the other day. Thats old. Real old. Good for you man. Just food for thought but some of my first conscience thoughts/memories of him he was my age now... hmmm.
Well, I got to get back to climbing and living... I'll post when I can and get some pics up when I actually take some.
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