Ginnylynnpeterson: May 2007

Sunday, May 20, 2007

Back on the Train Again!

Rick and I biked from Girdwood to Seward yesterday and took the train back. We could not have asked for a better day...bluebird day, 60 degree (ish), moose, eagle, bear, train ride, and new friends! Rick, couldn't have done it without you!

Wednesday, May 16, 2007

And they say rock climbing is a dangerous sport...

I tend to think differently....No worries, protected my bike by taking the fall with my head...concussion, couple of stitches, a bunch of bruises and a black eye....doing great...thanks once again to the "mobile clinic"!!

Tanya stitching me up in the bathroom....

The day after....YIKES!

Monday, May 7, 2007

Visit with The Allen's and Climbing Trip Summary

The next few posts are from the latest climbing trip. Great time to get out of Alaska as we missed all of breakup! Tanya and I spent a week climbing in Indian Creek outside of Moab, Utah and a week climbing at Shelf Road outside of Colorado Springs. On the way back we stopped to see a very dear friend of mine....Before I moved to Alaska I sent the following email out to let folks know I was leaving...I had it saved and thought I would post it here.....

Some of you I have know for years and some of you for only days. Some of you I have spent many hours with, while others just moments. Whichever the case, you in some way have touched my life, influenced it, made me who I am today.
I thank each and everyone of you for that.

Sunday, May 6, 2007

Indian Creek Climbing Trip

The desert has many teachings

In the desert, Turn toward emptiness, Fleeing the self.
Stand alone, Ask no one’s help,
And your being will quiet,
Free from the bondage of things.
Those who cling to the world, Endeavor to free them;
Those who are free, praise.
Care for the sick, But live alone,
Happy to drink from the waters of sorrow,
To kindle Love’s fire
With the twigs of a simple life.
Thus you will live in the desert

Mechthild of Magdeburg

For most climbers when you say Indian Creek you think of crack climbing - the super thin cracks to the super wide cracks - fingers, hands, off-width.

You think finger locks, hand jams, fist jams, knee jams, off-width...

You think endless splitters.....

And you think gobi's!!

You think desert towers - Castleton, Fishers, Six Shooter... You think amazing sunsets and the smell of sage....

You think of friends - old and new....

Indian Creek...well, if you have never

been you should go...even if you don't
climb or ride a bike the beauty and

magic of that place....well, you just

need to check it out for yourself!

As usual, I have posted a few photos here...but to see more check out this link:

http://www.ringo.com/photos/album.html?albumId=42053807

Saturday, May 5, 2007

Shelf Road - Colorado Climbing

After wrecking our bodies in Indian Creek we headed over to Shelf Road, outside of Colorado Springs, for some intense relaxing, sun soaking, bolt clipping adventures!

Brian Teale happened to be in the neighborhood!
(Tanya, BT and Me)

Tanya and me goofing around at the crag....
our usual speakers, music and crossword puzzles!

And Yes, we do actually climb....well at least BT does!

Meet Joe Black Quote

"Love is passion, obsession, someone you can't live without. If you don't start with that, what are you going to end up with? Fall head over heels. I say find someone you can love like crazy and who'll love you the same way back. And how do you find him? Forget your head and listen to your heart. I'm not hearing any heart. Run the risk, if you get hurt, you'll come back. Because, the truth is there is no sense living your life without this. To make the journey and not fall deeply in love - well, you haven't lived a life at all. You have to try. Because if you haven't tried, you haven't lived"

To Lucy Barfield (The dedication in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe)

My Dear Lucy,
I wrote ths story for you, but when I began it I had not realized that girls grow quicker than books. As a result you are already too old for fairy tales, and by the time it is printed and bound you will be older still. But some day you will be old enough to start reading fairy tales again. You can take it down from some upper shelf, dust it, and tell me what you think of it. I shall probably be too deaf to hear, and too old to understand, a word you say, but I shall still be

your affectionate Godfather,
C.S. Lewis

Ithaka

When setting out upon your way to Ithaca,wish always that your course be long, full of adventure, full of lore.Of the Laestrygones and of the Cyclopes,of an irate Poseidon never be afraid; such things along your way you will not find,if lofty is your thinking, if fine sentimentin spirit and in body touches you. Neither Laestrygones nor Cyclopes,nor wild Poseidon will you ever meet,unless you bear them in your soul,unless your soul has raised them up in front of you.

Wish always that your course be long;that many there be of summer mornswhen with such pleasure, such great joy,you enter ports now for the first time seen;that you may stop at some Phoenician marts,to purchase there the best of wares,mother-of-pearl and coral, amber, ebony,hedonic perfumes of all sorts--as many such hedonic perfumes as you can;that you may go to various Egyptian townsto learn, and learn from those schooled there.

Your mind should ever be on Ithaca.Your reaching there is your prime goal.But do not rush your journey anywise.Better that it should last for many years,and that, now old, you moor at Ithaca at last,a man enriched by all you gained upon the way,and not expecting Ithaca to give you further wealth.
For Ithaca has given you the lovely trip.Without her you would not have set your course.There is no more that she can give.

If Ithaca seems then too lean, you have not been deceived.As wise as you are now become, of such experience,you will have understood what Ithaca stands for.

Constantine P. Cavafy

I am Vertical - Sylvia Plath

But I would rather be horizontal. I am not a tree with my root in the soil Sucking up minerals and motherly love So that each March I may gleam into leaf, Nor am I the beauty of a garden bed Attracting my share of Ahs and spectacularly painted, Unknowing I must soon unpetal. Compared with me, a tree is immortal And a flower-head not tall, but more startling, And I want the one's longevity and the other's daring.

Tonight, in the infinitesimal light of the stars, The trees and the flowers have been strewing their cool odors. I walk among them, but none of them are noticing. Sometimes I think that when I am sleeping I must most perfectly resemble them --
Thoughts gone dim. It is more natural to me, lying down.
Then the sky and I are in open conversation, And I shall be useful when I lie down finally: Then the trees may touch me for once, and the flowers have time for me.

Thoughts....

When you see that trading is done, not by consent, but by compulsion -- when you see that in order to produce, you need to obtain permission from men who produce nothing - when you see money flowing to those who deal, not in goods, but in favors - when you see that men get richer by graft and pull than by work, and your laws don't protect you against them, but protect them against you - when you see corruption being rewarded and honesty becoming a self-sacrifice - you may know that your society is doomed.

Ayn Rand, Atlas Shrugged (1957)

A friend of mine just shared this with me and I thought I would pass it on!

Myself
by Edgar Guest

I have to live with myself, and so, I want to be fit for myself to know;I want to be able as days go by, Always to look myself straight in the eye; I don't want to stand with the setting sun
And hate myself for the things I've done. I don't want to keep on a closet shelf A lot of secrets about myself, And fool myself as I come and go Into thinking that nobody else will know The kind of man I really am; I don't want to dress myself up in sham. I want to deserve all men's respect; But here in this struggle for fame and pelf, I want to be able to like myself. I don't want to think as I come and go That I'm for bluster and bluff and empty show. I never can hide myself from me, I see what others may never see, I know what others may never know, I never can fool myself -- and so, Whatever happens, I want to be Self-respecting and conscience free.