Summer Travels Part II - Moments Frozen in Time

Trout Creek - Good Company
Sitting at a picnic table in a campsite at Trout Creek with the Dechutes River roaring a few yards from us, I sat there...exhausted, sunburnt, and scraped from a vicious offwidth attack. A slight breeze saved us from the sweltering afternoon heat, and the shade was our savior. We decided to collaborate on dinner. Ryan put porkchops on the table. I rummaged for eggs, tortillas, and a variety of vegetables. Drew brought the spices, and of course, avocados! (what meal is complete without them!). I sat there, theraputically chopping the vegetables and savoring the smell of garlic. Ryan sizzled the Pork Chops, and Drew prepared the avocados. We talked about life, music, culture, anything but climbing. The soothing sound of flowing water and Ryan's music created a blissful atmosphere. I sat there thinking, I feel so alive right now.

"This is the life, the good life," one of us mentioned.

I couldn't have been more content at that moment in time, a memory I will always cherish. The simplicity of good company and a beautiful setting.

Index - Nature
The ground is a dark, earthy brown, moist and fertile. Trees with wild, winding roots are covered with vibrant, green moss. Slugs move liesurely along the forest floor, and the snow melt pounds down the river. I sit on a rock with my feet in the water, watching the water flow in awe at something so powerful. I think about water, its beauty and importance for all creatures on Earth. My mind drifts to the mountain above me, Mt. Index, and the challenge a summit on it would provide. How humbling and inspiring nature is. My appreciation for all things wild continues to grow immensly.

Washington Pass - Freedom
The sun was tucked behind the Cascades and an evening glow illuminated the fields that were scattered with barns and horses. Windows were rolled down and a warm breeze kissed my cheeks. Angus and Julia Stone's "The Beast" was serenading my friend Drew and I as we headed to Washington Pass. This moment in time has been one of my favorite of my trip on the road. We spontaneously made plans earlier that day to do an alpine climb in the pass, and headed there with our friends Mark and Lauren. This moment defined the immense freedom that I felt as we drove to climb in the mountains.


It's been nearly three weeks since I've left Yosemite, and I am now in Canada. I've climbed some outstanding rocks over these past few weeks, but what I'm learning more is that the journey and these quiet moments are what I savor the most. Cheers to good company, the planet, and freedom.