The Beginning...

I sold my expensive belongings; i finalized time off of work; I accepted the fact that all the security I have received in the last year wasn't what I was looking for, and I hit the road. Provided for me in the last year was an incredible job, incredible boss, incredible place to call home. In the middle of all this luxury was little old me, still seeking out to find a sense of exploration in my life. The constant desire to strip my self of all these luxuries finally collected to a boiling point and oozed me out of Asheville, North Carolina. You must give me credit, I did last almost a year. On top off everything, i am now debt free, on the road out to find what ever it is that keeps me moving...

First stop.... The RED RIVER GORGE, kentucky...

(photo: john thompson)
It was only 1 day before i left asheville... With Nick driving, Allison in the back, and myself in the passengers seat. We were on our way back to the grocery store from the French Broad River. "Messages" by Xavier Rudd was blasting in the warm North Carolina sun. I felt more different emotions during this one drive to the grocery store then i had ever felt in asheville. The constant excitement about future travels, nervousness, passion, ambition, sadness, you name it I bet I felt it. These two beautiful humans were a gift down from Michigan to share my farewell from asheville, and now here i am, listening to "Messages" once again with a huge smile on my face. I'm in the Red, I just climbed harder than i ever have, and I am again surrounded by amaizing people to kick off my travels...

My possessions were stored in my friend Rob's shed for the time i am gone. I have a job waiting for me if i wished to return to my asheville life. John and I jumped into his car and drove up to the red to spend some time climbing. I linked up with a long time and very dear friend susan. We climbed hard for the two days we spent together. There were other good friends to share the climbing experience with such as Steve G and Allison, and all the other amaizing people who climb the Red. It all seemed to progress into today. John and I woke up early and were down in the depths of Muir Valley hiking around the humid Kentucky woods with Susan. Our first assent took place around 9 am... By 1:00pm I led 2 5.8's, a 5.9, a 5.10d, and a 5.10a. At that point the crew grew two more with steve and allison. We drove and hiked up to a different face where i led a 5.9 and top roped a 5.10 and 5.11. It was by far the most pitches i've ever done in a day, and some of the hardest lead climbs i've ever done.




This is exactly what I needed to start up my adventure. To get my feet back in the dirt; fall asleep in a tent; breath in the mountain air; and really just clear my head in a comfortable place before I get on the road and see as much of the country as my body can handle. The RED will be missed. Part of me wishes to stay here for a couple more weeks and kick out some good climbs, but I have a flight out to Denver I have to catch on saturday. So im going to relax for a few days in Nashville, catch up with the family, and continue along my adventure in denver come this saturday...

for more red river photos... http://www.flickr.com/photos/28303021@N05/sets/72157606007788476/