Monthly Archives: May 2008

It’s amazing how much control parents can have over their children sometimes. Obviously not always, but a good portion of the time a kid grows up to be much like either one of his parents. In my case, it’s my dad. No doubt in my mind.

Growing up I idolized him, as a good kid should. He was, and still is, the epitomy of who I want to be as a person. So many of the lessons I’ve learned throughout my life I’ve learned from him. I’ll be forever grateful for that.

Even our chosen professions, he’s a pharmaceutical sales rep, are eerily similar. I still have very vague memories of a “take your son to work day”. Dressing up in black slacks and a button up shirt. Having my parents put on a tie for me, clip on of course. I even think it may have been a bow tie to make it even better. It was fun seeing what he did for a living. Seeing what he did while I was away at school.

Now I’m sitting here 15 or so years later traveling through Michigan, and while it’s not pharmaceuticals, I get to talk about and play with products I use every day. I get to work for really cool companies that sell some of the best gear on the planet. It’s fun and I couldn’t be happier doing it.

What brought all this on? I was tooling through some of my old pictures from Mammoth and found some of him. My roommate and I took him climbing one day while he was visiting. I can’t explain how much fun it was to finally teach him something! To show him something new and to do exactly what he had been doing to me my entire life.

Here is a picture of him on one of the climbs. Since then, he found out he had adult onset diabetes he’s lost about 40-50 pounds. I couldn’t be happier for him.

If my memory serves me right, about 10 days after this picture was taken it snowed a foot and a half. Mind you, this picture was taken in early May. More on that in a few days though…..

I found this old picture of me on one of my many failed birthday challenges.  I’ve always been in the school of thought that if you complete a birthday challenge, it was too easy.  If you fail but still come close to completing, kudos.  You pushed yourself proper.  If you fail with a horribly miserable tally of completed challenges, you’re just not cut out for birthday challenges.  I fall into the last category having had multiple catastrophic failures.  

About 10 minutes after this picture was taken I walked over to clean off the topout of my next problem, Pinball Arete.  In short order I slipped and fell, 8 foot stick brush in hand, into one of the worst landings at the lake.  Luck was on my side and I walked out wanting to try to complete the rest of the challenge.  My leg ended up stiff as a log after trying my next climb and I couldn’t climb or walk normally for a couple of weeks.

Lesson learned.  I haven’t attempted a challenge since.  By the way, what does everybody think of purple??

Proudly showing off the farmers tan.

This is one of the coolest moves I’ve done at Devils Lake.

Fritters are so good.  Thank you Greenbush.

There is a rumor going around that Vera is looking for some old pictures of Brad in his lycra and mullet days.  We’ll see if he can compete with these.  I’m going to wager a guess he’ll be able to beat me.

I added a new link to our “Pemba’s Playmates” list earlier this week and I wanted to make sure all of our loyal readers check it out.  Claire Porter, formerly of Midwest Mountaineering, is hiking as much of the Pacific Crest Trail as she can this year.  Unfortunately her partner had to bow out early due to a herniated disk so Claire is hiking the rest of the trip solo.