Life on the Farm

Here on the Stisser Family Farm in IL. Harvest is starting to come along nicely, although its been a struggle against mother nature. Everything is a month behind normal. We are glad to have a few nice days and happy to get some work in. The sunsets in IL are really incredible, but the rock climbing is best indoors. If you have never been to Upper Limits in Bloomington, Check it out sometime. Its pretty cool to be up that high and be indoors.

Life on the Farm

Here on the Stisser Family Farm in IL. Harvest is starting to come along nicely, although its been a struggle against mother nature. Everything is a month behind normal. We are glad to have a few nice days and happy to get some work in. The sunsets in IL are really incredible, but the rock climbing is best indoors. If you have never been to Upper Limits in Bloomington, Check it out sometime. Its pretty cool to be up that high and be indoors.

Life on the Farm

Here on the Stisser Family Farm in IL. Harvest is starting to come along nicely, although its been a struggle against mother nature. Everything is a month behind normal. We are glad to have a few nice days and happy to get some work in. The sunsets in IL are really incredible, but the rock climbing is best indoors. If you have never been to Upper Limits in Bloomington, Check it out sometime. Its pretty cool to be up that high and be indoors.

Life on the Farm

Here on the Stisser Family Farm in IL. Harvest is starting to come along nicely, although its been a struggle against mother nature. Everything is a month behind normal. We are glad to have a few nice days and happy to get some work in. The sunsets in IL are really incredible, but the rock climbing is best indoors. If you have never been to Upper Limits in Bloomington, Check it out sometime. Its pretty cool to be up that high and be indoors.

Life on the Farm

Here on the Stisser Family Farm in IL. Harvest is starting to come along nicely, although its been a struggle against mother nature. Everything is a month behind normal. We are glad to have a few nice days and happy to get some work in. The sunsets in IL are really incredible, but the rock climbing is best indoors. If you have never been to Upper Limits in Bloomington, Check it out sometime. Its pretty cool to be up that high and be indoors.

Life on the Farm

Here on the Stisser Family Farm in IL. Harvest is starting to come along nicely, although its been a struggle against mother nature. Everything is a month behind normal. We are glad to have a few nice days and happy to get some work in. The sunsets in IL are really incredible, but the rock climbing is best indoors. If you have never been to Upper Limits in Bloomington, Check it out sometime. Its pretty cool to be up that high and be indoors.

Thanksgiving Yoga

FRIDAY MORNING NOVEMBER 27TH, 9:30-11:30AM

DEEPENING INTO YOGA POSES THROUGH THE SPINE
AND BACK BODY
OPEN TO ALL LEVELS!!

BRING YOGA MAT, 2 STURDY BLANKETS, A STRAP AND BLOCKS
VOLUNTARY DONATION (FOOD OR MONETARY)
TO CUSTER FOOD PANTRY NO OBLIGATION

FOR INFO CALL JULI AT 970-391-9921
OR E-MAIL mtsagemassage@yahoo.com
JULI AMES-CURTIS HAS BEEN TEACHING FOR 12 YEARS AND IS A CERTIFIED YOGA TEACHER WITH
YOGA ALLIANCE
*THERE WILL BE A LIGHT POTLUCK/TEA AFTER CLASS

Barn Dance - Nov. 7

Bust out your Blue Suede Shoes, 'cuz its time for a dance

Where - Custer YMCA
When - November 7 - 6:30 to 8:30
What - Circle dances, mixer dances
Fun for friends and family. No partner needed. Bring your friends.
All donations go to the Custer YMCA.

Live music and calling by the French Creek Folk
Light snacks provided

Checking out how thsi Blog IT thing works

Lets see if ti goes everywhere with the click of a button

Checking out how thsi Blog IT thing works

Lets see if ti goes everywhere with the click of a button

Checking out how thsi Blog IT thing works

Lets see if ti goes everywhere with the click of a button

Checking out how thsi Blog IT thing works

Lets see if ti goes everywhere with the click of a button

Checking out how thsi Blog IT thing works

Lets see if ti goes everywhere with the click of a button

Mighty BIG

Its up to 28 degrees here at 11:20 pm...warmest its been in days. The air is thick with fog as the frozen snow softens and returns to the air. Still and dark as the inside of a cow, and smells like one since Chad rolled out some hay for the herd to bed down in the snow.

Pretty wild out there in the fog. Hardly ever experience that much incredible darkness outside. I just took a stroll around the trees and pasture, and actually could have gotten lost. A bit creepy. Second time in 2 days I felt like could really mess up and walk the wrong way. Yesterday I was out it the middle of nowhere in SW SD...looking tor Pronghorn...none found, and after sitting a spell, I took off to the north when I should have went south...glad I had a feeling that made me glance at the compass!! Without that I might still be out there. The world is a very big out there....cold and windy too! My advice to everyone is stay in bed, or at least indoors....NOT

Rapid City in National Geo

Did anyone catch the blurb in National Geo Adventure about Rapid City being a great adventure town? Check it out

100 Places You Never Heard of that you Should Visit

Well I'm not sure how anyone could not have heard of Devils Tower, but the folks from TV Land asked us to help them get a crew into position for a shoot at Devils Tower. They were all great to work with and we hope they learned a little about rock climbing and got some super footage. We all learned 2 things.... #1 Devils Tower is tall. #2 TV gear, even the super cool light weight gear, is heavy. So we may not have gotten everything we wanted, but there should be a cool segment on Devils Tower coming out soon.

Primal Quest

OK, I've done some crazy things in my day, but this whole Adventure Racing thing is beyond my reach. Even if I liked running, the thought of starting off a race with a marathon, then several hundred miles of Mountain Biking, Kayaking, and swimming, with some caving and climbing mixed in, all with out a marked course....yeah, no thanks. I did get a chance to hang out with Jan and Herb Conn and watch the action on the Tyrolean traverse that was set up in the Cathedral Spires. They seemed to think that was kinda cool, but also, preferred to watch it from afar with a spotting scope.

Congrats to all the teams, esp. the South Dakota team who was the first hometown crew to enter and finish in the history of Primal Quest. Thanks to all the volunteers who make this race happen and thanks to Jay and Dave for putting up such a cool jungle gym in our backyard known as the Needles.

Latest from Mount Rushmore

I cannot believe its July 4th weekend. We had all our guides out working this morning, and hopefully the drizzle cleared enough to allow our crews scheduled to summit Devils Tower enough time to dash to the top.

I just received an update from the folks at Mount Rushmore about the latest conditions there and plans for the evening.


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 3, 2009

Independence Day Celebration Update



MOUNT RUSHMORE NATIONAL MEMORIAL, S.D. –Festivities continue at Mount
Rushmore National Memorial as light rain and patches of fog move in an out
of the park. National Weather Service predictions call for low clouds and
fog to continue into the night with isolated thunderstorms possible. At
this point the fireworks are still scheduled to launch at 9:20 pm. Park
officials will continue to monitor conditions. If conditions are outside
acceptable limits, such as thick fog or winds greater than 15 mph, the
fireworks display could be delayed up to 10:20 pm Friday evening or
cancelled for the year.

Parking within memorial grounds reached capacity late morning. To the
east, cars are parked all the way to Keystone; to the west, cars are parked
all the way to Horsethief Lake. The nearest parking is at least three
miles away with over an 800-foot elevation gain. Visitors continue to
stream into the memorial to take in the full range of Independence Day
programs including military flyovers, children’s programs, and cultural
performers.

For updated information, please call the memorial at (605) 574-2523.




- NPS -
www.nps.gov/moru

Free National Park Entrance

I already Twittered about it, but this is your chance - Get in Free to the National Park System this weekend - get off the couch! More info

Food for thought

" To reach beyond what you are, you must ignore the rules and fashions of the day. Or perhaps better yet, cast them way out in your peripheral vision where you can still see them but only as a vague reference point. This doesn't mean that all the rules are gone. It might mean that you adopt a far tighter code of conduct to ensure the necessary level of intensity and adventure. "
-Peter Croft

Mushroom time of year.

It's that time of year again. I've already had to hear stories of great mushroom finding success from my friends and family in Illinois, but now its my turn to tell everyone else about the delicate and beautiful morel mushrooms that my lovely wife brought home.

Of course I cannot disclose the location that they were found in, but I can gloat about what a perfect carrier for butter, flavor, and all things that are good the mushroom is. The highly coveted morel is such a wonderful thing.

If you were ever looking for a reason get off the couch and to head out to the woods...the morel mushroom should be more then enough to get you going. If you are lucky enough to find a handful or better yet, a bag full, you will be treated to a meal fit for royalty. With all the forest fires here in the Black Hills, it seems that our fungus hunting has improved over the past few years...or maybe we are just lucky.

A little hike, a little butter and salt in a cast iron skillet....drop in a handful of mushrooms, yeah! That's the good life.

Someone threw the switch.

It finally feels like summer and its as though someone opened the gate to let people in. You can defiantly see more visitors on the roads. I've noticed some out of state climbers around the area. The phone is ringing like crazy and the calendar is filing up.

If anyone follows my twitter, you might recall my comment about the infectious nature of the optimism of youth. With a few of the younger staff around again, and the town full of summer workers, it helps this sometimes grumpy guy see things through a different lens. Parents are most likely used to this, but the plastic house plants I care for rarely share such insight and magical moments. While I have no desire to return to those unstable days when just about everything was a new adventure (new job, new place, new living arrangement...sometimes a new relationship...) its fun to sit back and watch it all happen to someone else...and note how we all think during that time of our life...that its perhaps the first time someone has ever felt that way or done such a thing. If I recall, one of the members of the Rolling Stones said something to the effect the 'to be truly creative, you need to take yourself out of your comfort zone'. That is what I see all these people doing, and what I see missing in so many peoples lives. Its so easy to get bogged down with the daily grind, and that is a perfect way to loose your 'young at heart' status.

So take note a cue from the experts in challenging the 'norm'...learn from the youth.....get out there and try something new in the Black Hills. Run a trail instead of walk it, climb a rock, paddle a river farther then you ever have before, swim in a lake, peddle the hills, learn a flowers name. The opportunities are all out there, all we have to do is make the time.

If it happens to be raining tonight, and you can't get out to do something new, get yourself a copy of a book called, "The Other Way to Listen" by Byrd Baylor
(Author), Peter Parnall (Illustrator)....they team up to tell the story of a youth who is inspired by an old man....the when the sun returns, get outdoors and enjoy the Black Hills. Go alone, go with a friend, go with your mom, or best of all take a young person, and watch mother nature work her magic.

Five Ten climbing shoe demo plus FREE coffee

So you want a new pair of climbing shoes, but want to try them out before you buy them? Come to the Climbers coffee at Wrinkled Rock Trail Head near Mount Rushmore...8am May 23, 2009 and Nic, the 5.10 climbing shoe rep will set you up with some cool shoes to demo for the day.

Free coffee, and you get to try out shoes before you buy them for free...how can you beat that?
Plus you get to chat with real Black Hills National Forest and National Park service Staff

One day only....there will be free coffee on Sunday the 24th, but no shoe demo.

Dont throw rocks little boy - they can cut your climbing rope

Cheryl and I were out climbing 2 nights ago out behind the house. Its a big beautiful hunk of rock called Buckhorn Mountain. More rock out there then in some states. But that's not what I wanted to write about.

We were doing some first ascents, and top ropes where we could not lead up without placing bolts, and on one of those top rope climbs I knocked off a hunk of loose rock with out thinking about it. Well, there was only one small spot where it could do damage and of course it tumbled down the granite and smashed right into the tail of my rope. I deserved it, but what are the chances?

It was pretty impressive how it did not really cut the rope, but the one square inch that the rock landed on where the rope laid on an edge...it compressed the rope and melted it in 2 and left a little chunk in the middle. Only 3 of the inner cords held. Wicked Scary!

Climbing ropes are kinda like the human body...really tough, but fragile at times. If your rope looks like this, be scared!

Fat Tire Fest

Don't Forget the Black Hill Fat Tire Fest is coming up soon in Rapid City, SD. Its a great event with rides -n- races plus food -n- fun. Check it out here

Starts May 22, 2009
Yeah, and Fat Tire Brewing is a Sponsor...how cool is that!

Credit Where Credit is Due

If you were in the Custer South Dakota Area of the Black Hills the last few 3-4 days, you know it was less then nice spring weather. It was incredible the way it went from sunny and OK to snow and WIND...wow was it windy at times....then back to the good life in the sun spot!

Through all this I had a great guest to climb with out in the Needles. She was a tough one too. I must admit, had I not been working, there was no way in heck, I'd have been out there climbing, but as it was, it was truly great to experience the fickleness of Mother Nature. The only thing that was consistent was the cold rock in the shady sections of our climbing. Well , and the

We'd top out in the Cathedral Spires, and be greeted by great wind gust, and terrific views of snow showers coming in from all directions. We were actually glad it was cold frozen snow. Had it been the wet stuff, we'd have had to quit...as it was, we just pulled on another layer of clothing, and pulled down. It was full conditions like you might find in some remote places of the earth, w/o leaving our home crag. All and all it was mighty fun and beautiful out there. I'm pretty amazed by how fast things start to pile up. The snow pellets run and dribble down each chimney and it can get slick in a hurry.

The moral of all this is be prepared when you go outdoors. No matter what the weather forecast is, you never know what is coming your way. Around here, that means...keep your sticking cap and gloves in your pack with your rain jacket all year round. Be prepared for changes, and everything will be more fun.

So that is my advice to all the visitors we salute this week here during South Dakota during Tourism Week....Have fun, make sure you are prepared to enjoy some Black Hills Adventure, by packing what you need because mother nature can be mean if you don't.

Following in the footsteps

Well, if you have not noticed, I really enjoy following in the footsteps (or sometimes standing on their shoulders) of Jan and Herb Conn. If you have never heard of them, well, you are missing out. They are currently a couple of cool ol' white haired people enjoying a quiet life devoid of most modern conveniences and hassles (yeah, they are still living w/o electricity and running water).

Before their 'retirement', they did the first ascents of some of the rad'est and bad'est climbing routes in the area...Oh, and then they did that little caving thing and discovered and mapped the first 60 miles of Jewel Cave (now one of the largest known caves in the world).

So again I was out in the Needles Eye Parking lot along Needles Highway in Custer State Park, looking up at a granite spire called the Bell Tower. It is the mass just west of the Needles Eye. Its around 200 feet tall and was first climbed circa 1952 by Herb and Jan.

Today I found myself there a the base with another living legend, Peter Lev. We really enjoy climbing together and he has explored a lot of these crazy Conn Routes, so he can get me started on the right track....which is a huge plus, because when you are following someone else its important to keep on their trail...as climbing off into uncharted territory without the proper gear can get wild in a hurry.

As it is, many Conn Routes have bold run outs (sections w/o protection), airy traverses, and grovely climbing, and our trip today had all his and more. Again I questioned why anyone in their right mind would do such things. What made Jan and Herb explore all those summits and deep dark holes? I'll never know.

Ones ability to belief in his ability to preform is key. When you grab a little hand hold or dance across some foot hold 15 feet above your last piece of protection there can be little doubt that you will stick to the rock and continue moving upward. Doubt causes fear and fear can release a flood of other unwanted emotions that can result in failure when failure is not an option. Preform at this level repeatedly, learn to dig deep down into power and it can be a real eye opener as to what you might really be made of. This is perhaps what keeps people climbing. Continuing to learn and push the edges of that they thought was possible. I see it almost everyday I guide. Take someone who has never been in the vertical world, tie a rope on them, teach them the basics, get them to trust you, themselves, and the equipment, and it isn't long before they have gone somewhere they never even imagined possible. Now that is a vacation experience they will not soon forget.

Today, that with a clam head and a few long sections of climbing above little or no protection and a wicked fall for motivation, we were challanged to hold on tight and move delicately up the rock and enjoyed a wonderful summit view. Looking down on the city of Custer, and the Black Hills National Forest below, we were quite pleased at our accomplishment. Perhaps that feeling of happiness and accomplishment is enough...I mean it must be, because we are excited about doing it again sometime...after we forget how scary it was. Like I tell many of our guest. "That little voice in your head telling you this is crazy is what keeps you alive, but sometimes you have to learn to turn down the volume on that voice and break into unknown territory of what is possible."

Climbers Coffee with the Rangers

Would you ever like to chat with the folks who manage the land you climb on?

This is your chance to meet them...tell them how you see things, and learn whats happening and how it might affect you.

Bring your mug to get a FREE cuppa joe at Wrinkled Rock Trailhead 8-10am on all the holiday weekends this summer

Memorial Day weekend May 23 and 24

Independence weekend July 4 and 5

Labor Day weekend Sept 5 and 6

Wrinkled Rock Trailhead is along highway 244 west of the Mount Rushmore faces

Hosted by the US Forest Service and the US Park Service

Coffee and things to be donated by Dry Creek Coffee, Granite Sports, and Sylvan Rocks Climbing.

Deep Dark Hole in the Ground

Even though I was very very happy to see the sun shining yesterday morning, I didn't get to enjoy much more then the first few hours of it. I threw my bag with helmet, headlamp, knee pads etc. in the truck and headed out to crawl around deep underground.

Caving or 'Spelunking' is an horrendous athletic endeavor...it's intense to push - pull - squish - walk - crawl - grunt and slither through the darkness for hours on end. Why would anyone in their right mind do such things? Well, that is a good question, and about 9 hours into every trip I always ask it. Then I look up and see some fantastic geologic formation that blows my little mind and I need not ask anymore. The crystalline formations that are as thick as your hair and up to 20 feet long that glisten in your head lamp amaze, intrigue the human mind....how does that happen and how much time did that take? The walls covered with white crystals make it look like someone blew snow all over the room or passage sometimes........and there there are the other little things that seem to grow out of the rock in wild shapes and sizes that are just beyond description. It's fantastic!

Then there is the exploration end of things. I think it's a human need to explore the unknown, and the above ground 'un-mapped territory' is rapidly shrinking. With almost all the great mountains climbed and huge rivers followed to their headwaters, it's hard to go beyond the edge of the know world. Caving has become the 'fix' that feeds that addiction for me. Step beyond the edge of the map, and you might be the first and last human to ever occupy that space.....just think about that for a moment.

Wriggle down some dark little hole and around the corner and you could 'discover' the next big passage to a whole unknown world. Its a bit of a rush. All that plus the fact that you are hundreds of feet underground in a place that is very dark and hard to get to...actually outright impossible by many who are not as skinny as I........ and it's an excitement that's had to put words to, but takes you back to a time when you were young, and everything was new and fresh. I think that connection to younger days is what makes it so great.

So go check out a tour in one of the show caves or National Park Caves of the Black Hills, and while you are marveling at the beautiful formations, just think about stepping off the trail and disappearing for 12 hours or several days in the darkness and exploring the great unknown. It gets your imagination going!

Mount Rushmore Offering Free Sculpting

Try an adventure in Sculpture - heck its free there is nothing to loose!

Mount Rushmore National Memorial will be offering free week-long sculpting
workshops on the Borglum View Terrace throughout the summer. Artist in
Residence Kim Henkel will be returning from New Mexico for a third season
to conduct the following sessions in stone carving and clay portraiture:

June 8-12 Stone Carving
June 22-26 Clay Portraiture

July 6-10 Stone Carving
July 20-24 Clay Portraiture

August 3-7 Stone Carving
August 17-21 Clay Portraiture

September 8-11 Stone Carving


The workshops are held from 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. each day and are open
for participants 13 years of age and older. Children 16 and under must be
accompanied by an adult. Families are encouraged to participate so that
parents and children may share the experience and learn sculpting
techniques together. No experience required. Participants will also learn
about the history of Mount Rushmore and the sculpting process of the
memorial.

The workshops are held outside and participants are encouraged to
bring a hat, sunscreen, rain jacket, lunch and drinking water. All tools
and supplies will be provided. There is a $10 annual parking fee that is
good for the remainder of the calendar year.

A 2008 workshop participant said, “The class more than met my
expectations. I not only learned a great deal about clay modeling and
making molds in my first class and stone carving in the second class, I was
given an appreciation and enthusiasm for the art form of sculpture.” A
local wood carver of over twenty years said, “The stone carving workshop
was the high point of my summer.”

Sculptor Kim Henkel has a Master of Fine Arts in Sculpture from
Arizona State University in Tempe, Arizona and has been an instructor of
Sculpture at Arizona State University, Northern Arizona University in
Flagstaff, Arizona and Western New Mexico University in Silver City, New
Mexico. Henkel has exhibited her sculptures professionally in art
galleries and museums nationally and at the Apex gallery at the South
Dakota School of Mines and Technology.

Participants must register in advance. Registration information is
available at

For more information and a workshop registration form, please visit the
Mount Rushmore website at www.nps.gov/moru, email Kim Henkel at

kimberly_henkel@nps.govThis e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it , or call (605) 574-3178.

- NPS -
www.nps.gov/moru

The last snow man - Great XC Skiing in April 2009

So I'm pretty darn grumpy about this *^&(($#@ snow, but I must say it did deliver the best chance the southern Black Hills XC skiers have had to get out and play in recent history. With the after noon melt, the opportunity has been lost, but this mornings ski was quality stuff.

We live on the Mickelson Trail and it is rarely fit for skiing from my house. Today it was smooth sailing up to Crazy Horse. You gotta love the way snow covers up all the 'mistakes' of man. Shooshing over the top on the is a great way to spend a morning and definatly raised the spirits of anyone gloomy about the snow and cold...esp. when the sun comes out.

Another Black Hills Adventurer had a simular experience this winter...check out Lukes line.

I guess it all goes to show, there is an good time to be had in almost every weather.

Banff Mountain Film Festival

Much thanks to everyone involved in getting the Banff Mountain Fim Fest here in the Black Hills!

I'm sure everyone who was there agrees...and I bet there were a few Black Hills Adventurers..... there was some great footage and inspirational athletes up on the screen. If you don't leave the theater dreaming of your next great adventure or at least promising yourself to get off the couch more often, there might be something wrong with you.

While traveling or even within my close circle of friends, it has been my pleasure to hang out with many extraordinary people that might not make their way onto the silver screen, but sure should. I guess I start to take it for granted and get used to all of them doing wild and crazy things. It becomes the fabric of life. It becomes a normal habit and just the way things are. Sometimes I have to go to a film fest to remember that 'normal' people don't act this way or do these things everyday. Now I don't know what to do with that knowledge, but it has given me food for though today. If you ever get a chance to befriend an adventurer, I'd reccomend you jump at the chance. They will have something special to share with you, cuz they ain't like the rest of the dudes in the trailer park.

We all have our gifts. Now when some of us use these gifts we just end up doing silly things like hucking a kayak off a waterfall or a bike down a trail or climbing up some rock. At times it all seems like a waste. Couldn't we be doing something more productive? Maybe growing a garden or curing cancer or something. Or is doing what makes us happy enough? Being genually happy is a goodness that is worthy of something. Because I for one know that doing these things can make a person feel more alive then anything else....funny how being near death, makes a person feel more alive.

And with that I'll quit, else there will be a multi page circular ramble on the meaning of life that is much better left to the experts.

Black Hills Whitewater kayaking

For the past decade or so there has not been enough water to really even think about whitewater kayaking in the Black Hills. I traveled all over the west adn even to South America in search of great rivers to paddle, but this week some friends and I had to opportunity to run down Boxelder Creek. Perhaps a first decent for some to the run!

Now with all the fresh snow, and more coming down, next weeks melt could provide a record amount of water in the already saturated creeks.

Check out the new Black Hills Paddlers Website for a short trip report from Mr Mike Ray. Sorry I don' t have any photos of this historic event!

I can't believe all the snow in the yard and more coming down....what happened to spring?

Still making mom proud after all these years

Yes, its true, getting your image posted on 5 semi tailors that travel coast to coast every week is enough to make any mother proud! Who would have guessed that a Climbing School owner could rise to such an honorable position. If you see one out on the interstates, I'd LOVE to get a picture of them on the road, but at least please drop me a line. Thanks a lot to the great Tourism Office in the great State of South Dakota. See you in the Black Hills - the best (perhaps the only) midwest adventure destination!

The Rock Climber video Game

OK, So if the snow continues to fall....and falll.....and fall....and fall..... even though spring was to supposed to have sprung awhile back. I suppose you can let yourself play the Rock Climber Game


I didn't find it as addictive as the 'Line Rider' game, but maybe that's because I've not let myself sit here long enough.

Its time to go out and ride the greatest bike I've ever owned.... the Gary Fisher HiFi 29er in the snow.

Stupid Human Tricks

I guess that 'Stupid Human Tricks' could be the title for all my post, or even the blog, but during the last month in the desert of southern California, I had some time to ponder some of the things I do....such as...why do I drive across the emptiness of the Mojave to climb a rock or 2.



Freak Brothers
No matter how many times I turn it over in my head. I can’t figure out why humans are so willing to do dangerous things for a cheap thrill. Are we all really that bored in our day to day life? Take for instance a recent trip to Joshua Tree National Park. This beautiful place in the high desert is home to a great amount of granite domes. I like to call the place ‘mile of piles’ as none of them are very tall. Yet, due to the great weather during a time of year when the rest of the climbing areas in the country are under snow wind and cold, Joshua Tree attracts thousands of climbers every year.

I, myself have been spending several weeks or months there every year for nearly a decade. Having climbed many of the classics and even many of the not so classics, I finally had the right partner and head space to go and do one that’s been in the tick list for years. The Freak Brothers Traverse. Imagine (or look at the photo above) three largish stone walls connected together in folds such that they kind of resemble three freaky heads side by side. The traverse cuts straight across them. Now climbing sideways might sound easy, but its actually a rather difficult thing to do when you are on a thin lip just above a largish overhang. The leader and the follower get much the same experience. If there is one little slip, life becomes a big whip as you hurl through space falling down and over to the next piece of portection that might be 10 feet to your right. So if you fall...you get a fast ride 10 feet to the right and 10 feet down. Yeah, and I can tell you...it is exciting. So yes, climbing sideways can be easier because you are not lifting your body as much, but when your only real contact with the rock is a small group of ledges bulges or nubs for your feet, and the consequences are high in the occurrence of a fall, things stay exciting, and the term hyper-focus takes on a new meaning as one gently dances across the void just above the lip with the heels of your feet hanging into space.

The climb starts off with a bit of a bang, the opening moves are as a result of necessity rather then ease. The ‘holds’ such as they are, would at best be considered imaginary. Its all about sticky rubber, and a lot of trust in ones ability. Perhaps that is a starting place as to why we do such things as well. When driving our autos, we trust that we can make each curve, and that the machine we are driving will perform as expected.
Still, why o we trust all those things enough to risk our life to be able to say we did XYZ activity? Now I know that we all need to get off the couch every once in a while, and do something, but why things that can potentially kill us.

We all have a ‘thing’ that gets us going. Something that trips our trigger. Whether I like it or not, on some levels, I’m totally addicted to adrenalin. I’ve told many of my friends that I hope to grow out if this sillyness and learn to enjoy stamp collection, and have stamp collecting or some other more mundane activity fill the hole that action sports currently hold, but so far it has not happened. I even question whether or not I’ve toned it down a notch or just gotten so used to all the crazy things that I don’t notice how crazy they are. Whether its pulling my body through a little hole in a cave, or dropping an 8 footer on a mountain bike, or pulling through the delicate moves of the Freek Brothers traverse, I’m constantly quizzing my self for meaing in all this, but the only thing I can figure out is that is fun for some stupid reason. And FUN is about as deep as it gets.

If I could figure out how to put that mix of excitement fear, and glee into a bottle and sell it as a soft drink, the world would beat a path to our doors. Then again, perhaps its already been done, and its called Cocaine or whatever the drug of choice would be, and its true, the world cannot seem to get enough...FUN.

Motorcycle vs Buffalo in Custer State Park

Motorcycle Man vs Buffalo

When you buy a motorcycle, one must accept that you stand good chance of having the power and speed combined with the Law of Gravity get you into trouble. I know I go too fast at times and all that, but lets be honest here, that’s all part of the fun.
So there I was riding through a nice fall like evening here in the Black Hills, dressed head to toe in motorcycle leathers. Even though it’s still August, change is in the air, and the cool winds are starting to blow. The Wild Life loop in Custer State Park is prime American auto touring, and I’d ridden it a few times before. Two hours of beautiful twisty roads, a few straight-aways with open views, deer and antelope to keep you on your toes….and then there are the buffalo.
Over the hill and ‘round the bend I come and there is a huge herd of them. Stopping near the top of the hill a good distance away, I shut the bike down. It was beautiful. Sitting there watching the buffalo herd, it was as though National Geographic was filming over my shoulder. I could hear the narrator talking in a hushed British accent about the grunting, bellowing and frolicking of the young. The Bulls swaggered about the kids and ladies. The young fought, butted heads, and chased one another around… it was grand to sit there for half an hour or so.
After having my fill of the great show, I rolled on down the road. Another mile or 2 was another small group. Riding along I contemplated the damage a fresh pile of buffalo dung could do if I hit it while leaning deep around a curve at speed. Then, just as I began to round another curve at a narrow spot where the road snakes between a few big hills….. they were there. The third group of big Bison (did I mention that some road signs read ‘wildlife at large’ but the signs in Custer State Park and Wind Cave NP read ‘Large Wildlife on Road’ ……there is a difference!). Now there was more then enough room for all of us, so I sat there for a minute letting things happen, but quickly decided that the big brown masses were going to need more space to pass. So I started pulling the bike backwards. I was very happy that the bike only weighted 500 pounds, and was short enough so I could get both feet on the ground to push…though I cursed the hill I was now pulling the bike up.
I glanced back occasionally, but mostly kept my eyes on the nervous bunch ahead of me. Things seemed to be going well, until one of the biggest of the bunch decided that I was to close. I’m not all that bright when it comes to picking up on animal behavior, but I knew that after he got tired of just starring me down, and started thundering towards me, head jerking around, nostrils flaring and the whole bit…I knew loud and clear what he was saying. Having a buffalo charging you is a terrifying experience. When straddling your motorcycle trying to see a way around the mess…wishing the hill wasn’t so steep…wanting to look over your shoulder, but unable to take your attention off the big brown eyes and pointy horns coming at you…time stops. So I had a few options going through my mind while all this was happening. I could drop the bike and run (Bad idea, as bison can run 30 MPH… lots faster the a dude in leather pants)…bluff charge him with the bike (Silver motorcyce…no horns…700 LBS smaller then him…bad idea #2)…stand my ground and slowly retreat honking my horn and revving the mean motor scooter. I chose the latter… it worked that time, but I’ll be looking at louder horns online tonight.
Now really, I didn’t get toooo scared the first time he charged me. I guess it was the farmboy in me who was used to being around animals…I figured when he headed back to the herd I’d be OK if I just kept backing off. Now the second time he charged me I was getting mighty scared. By then cars had pulled up behind the little herd trapping them in the little valley (tourist hanging out the windows, standing up in the moon-roof taking pictures with the flash on in total daylight complete the comedy). A dude pulled up behind me too…luckily the fellow got the hint when I waived him back, he put it in reverse and gave us all some space. Time was moving at a snails pace….it stood still….my teeth ground together.
The theory was that if I was going to get rammed by a bison, I wanted to have the added weight of the motorcycle between me, and my new enemy. The third time he came, I figured ‘well this is it, he means business now…. I’m in real trouble’. Twice, he’d been close enough for me to reach over the windscreen and touch his nose. Twice he’d backed off and returned to the girls. Never had he lowered his head. As he stormed toward me faster and faster I kept backing off and watching for the head to go down. Blow the horn rev the motor…wet my pants (not really, but close!). Again he stopped, stood, snorted and ultimately backed off.
Finally I’d pushed the cycle back far enough so that the little herd could run off the road…..I didn’t blink….my chance for escape had arrived. Dropped her in gear and hit the gas. No looking back. Happy to be alive, I sped around and away for all I was worth. My jaw still hurts from all the teeth gritting. If only I’d had a helmet cam…you too could feel the thunder and look into the eye of a charging buffalo, and see the reflection of one scared boy from Illinois when he stopped, snorted, and stood there looking at me....for what seemed like an eternity.
Pulling into the drive I contemplated describing that one to the insurance agent. The image of the big brown bison tossing and stomping the bike to bits is not a pretty one. Sure am glad that it wasn’t my day to die. Hopefully the tourist got some great pictures of Motorcycle Man vs Buffalo..heck, I might even be on youTube.

Daryl
www.sylvanrocks.com
Live your vacation - Don't just look at it.