It's great to be back in Oregon again! This is my third summer in Redmond, and I'm enjoying the familiar faces of Solid Rock members, the Outward Bound community, and City Center Church.
My "welcome back" to Smith Rock was a prayer walk one evening with some local Solid Rockers before the Smith Rock Spring Thing. What a refreshing perspective for coming home to Smith (the place God called me to move to almost three years ago.)
The Spring Thing is an annual trail day where climbers (and hikers) come together to do service projects to improve trails, prevent erosion, and clean up the park. Most of the climbing trails and staircases around the park have been created and maintained by volunteers over the years. It was fun to come together, get dirty and do some heavy lifting with other folks from all over. Solid Rock Climbers for Christ had the privilege of providing and serving dinner for all of the volunteers.
I managed to climb while having my shoes sent off to be re-soled (one foot from each pair)... it made for some interesting climbing!
This summer I will be working for Outward Bound doing some logistical work in Redmond and some instructing at Smith Rock and on the Deschutes River. I hope to spend any free time climbing at Smith, guiding at Smith, and planning for another fall season on the road with Solid Rock.
Travis, Brian and I climbed the Monkey Face last Thursday... yup- that's us just under the color change on the Monkey (below). What a great climb! You can see a photo and description of the route we climbed on my friend's website: http://www.smithrockclimbingguides.com/Guiding/MonkeyFace/default.aspx
I've done it once before, but this was my first time doing any aid climbing (I led the one short pitch of A1 - a bolt ladder just above where we are in the photo).
I was talking to a friend who owns the yerba mate shop in town about how great it is just to be out in such wild and beautiful places. Similarly, at church we have been exploring science and the reality of intelligent design. This truly is "God's Country," and I am blessed to be able to explore and share it with people of all faiths and all walks of life.
My "welcome back" to Smith Rock was a prayer walk one evening with some local Solid Rockers before the Smith Rock Spring Thing. What a refreshing perspective for coming home to Smith (the place God called me to move to almost three years ago.) 
The Spring Thing is an annual trail day where climbers (and hikers) come together to do service projects to improve trails, prevent erosion, and clean up the park. Most of the climbing trails and staircases around the park have been created and maintained by volunteers over the years. It was fun to come together, get dirty and do some heavy lifting with other folks from all over. Solid Rock Climbers for Christ had the privilege of providing and serving dinner for all of the volunteers.
I managed to climb while having my shoes sent off to be re-soled (one foot from each pair)... it made for some interesting climbing!
This summer I will be working for Outward Bound doing some logistical work in Redmond and some instructing at Smith Rock and on the Deschutes River. I hope to spend any free time climbing at Smith, guiding at Smith, and planning for another fall season on the road with Solid Rock.
Travis, Brian and I climbed the Monkey Face last Thursday... yup- that's us just under the color change on the Monkey (below). What a great climb! You can see a photo and description of the route we climbed on my friend's website: http://www.smithrockclimbingguides.com/Guiding/MonkeyFace/default.aspx
I've done it once before, but this was my first time doing any aid climbing (I led the one short pitch of A1 - a bolt ladder just above where we are in the photo).
I was talking to a friend who owns the yerba mate shop in town about how great it is just to be out in such wild and beautiful places. Similarly, at church we have been exploring science and the reality of intelligent design. This truly is "God's Country," and I am blessed to be able to explore and share it with people of all faiths and all walks of life.
