Saturday, April 17, 2010

'For Climbing'


A feature article about climbing in Cuba that I wrote was just published in Rock & Ice magazine. The article explores the threatened Cuban climbing scene, and the extraordinary efforts being put forth by a few Americans and Cubans to make climbing there possible. The lovely and talented Anne Skidmore took all the killer photos.
You can pick up the June 2010 issue on news stands now, or download the PDF of the article at the new and improved Cuba Climbing website.
And then you can go to Cuba and experience that magical place for yourself.
Special thanks to Tino Fiumara for lots of help reporting and writing this piece.

Monday, April 5, 2010

Love From The Road



Freddie, Tagger and I started our spring break road trip at the Red River Gorge in Kentucky. The steep sandstone is a perfect way to get the winter muscles back in rock climbing shape. I've spent 7 of the past 10 March breaks at the Red, climbing both my first 5.11 and first 5.12 there over the years. No big breakthroughs climbing-wise this time; seems I need more than a week to get the required fitness to really pluck the projects now. But it was tons of fun to see some new areas and take big whippers.

The scope of new climbing still to be done at the Red is just stunning. Speaking of which – the RRGCC annual Reunion fundraiser event was going on at Miguel’s while we were there. Be sure to send your donation so the good work of route development and access promotion can continue!

We moved on from KY a few days ago to meet my brother Andy and his girlfriend Miriam (she is a librarian and has a Dewey Decimal tattoo across her back!) in Fayetteville, West Virginia. We went straight to Waterstone Outdoors to pick up the new New guidebook. It really sets us free here, chock full of climbing I would never have known about. Now the only problem is figuring out how to get Tagger up and down all the ladders. We will keep working on that.

Brother Andy sending the trad leads off the couch.

Rhodo-Tagger

Rest day now, so I am getting the new slide show ready. Mountain Hardwear is sending me on a mini tour:

There will plenty of free swag and lots of fun!