Da souf is own furrr

There is no denying that I am enjoying this break from projecting rock climbs.  My life has ceased to revolve around scheduling my next attempts and exerting a minimal amount of energy unless directed toward the send go.  With freedom and a tank full of energy I have found myself teeing up for eighteen holes, chilling by the pool, and playing on the lake regularly.  While my golf game has improved, I wouldn't say that I am good by any means.  Success is not always measured by score.  The other day I only lost one ball!  And found two!!!  The higher the score the better your day.  A couple of us hit up Nickajack for some deep water soloing the other day.  We rented a pontoon boat and did it up, tufa style!   About 15 of us and 4 dogs rallied up the beautiful limestone walls, well the dogs stayed on the boat or in the water, and then hurled ourselves from the cliff into the murky lake water below.  The highlight of the day was Andrew's victory beer from a ledge on route.  Nice dude!   I returned to the cliffs the next day with Anthony Meeks and John W.  in Jah Cool.  The flies were relentlessly biting us though.  We had to cover up, no joke,  from head to toe (towel wrap and long sleeve shirts) when not climbing or be had for a fly's lunch.  So we left after about two hours.  

On the ride back from the lake one day I saw some crazy local roads that inspired a return visit with my camera gear.  Since I got my camera I haven't really been shooting much other than climbing, so I was really stoked to go out as a photographer and shoot to capture a particular image.  The following was the result of a photo shoot that started out in 90% humidity with a foggy lens that nearly ended my amateur shoot before it started.  

......and back to climbing.  The weeks of anticipation leading up to Beg, Borrow, and Steel were finally over.  I was on the vendor list to run an Evolv and Salewa (first ever on this side of the Mississippi) shoe demo.  This fundraiser hosted by Adam Henry and his crew of ladies and gentlemen was set in the backyard of his majesty's royal estate, just below the towering sport cliffs that were carved by the flowing waters of the nearby river and will heretofore be known as the most successful fundraiser of it's kind ever in the region.  These kats threw an awesome party by planning non-stop entertainment at the attendants own expense.  Contests like Sumo-pad wrestling, best belly flop, bolt-clipping, and a costume contest (never happened)  were only a few of the many ways for the participants to humiliate and make fun of each other.  Of course it's all in the name of buying more bolts and anchors.  I have to say that I really enjoyed myself and the company of those we were hanging with.  I haven't really been able to figure exactly what made it so enjoyable.  Honestly, I think it was a combination of all things being just right.  The weather was pleasantly mild for this time of year.  The climbing was superb and very easily accessed.  The people were all here for the same reason and in good spirits.  It was really something I won't want to miss next year.  

Tomorrow I leave for the Summer OR in Salt Lake City.  I am so stoked to be attending the hub of all events that makes the outdoor industry what it is and see how the work gets done.  I know, it's a week from now.  Well, that's what makes this trip that much sweeter.  I'm heading to Kurt's house in WV for a day of fun on Summersville Lake before we load up the Sprinter and drive west across the country doing Evolv shoe demos and climbing along the way.  Rifle?  Hope so.  

Later

Cheddar

Photo dump

Here are some cool pics from the last couple of nights here in Chattanooga.

Pretty psyched.  

Cheddar

Summer Fun

Life sure is slow this time of year.  Sunrise is at 6:30 and sets around 9:15.  Each day I find myself wondering what to do now.  I mean, daylight at 9pm?  I guess it wouldn't be so bad if it weren't 90+ degrees and 50% chance of rain everyday.  Then I'd have 14 hours of daylight to go climbing.  That would be nice.  Instead, walking outside has become something that I have to prepare for.  No matter what your doing or how long your out there you are going to start dripping with sweat.  The air is usually still and thick like if you were in a black car with the windows up in a parking lot.

Despite the heat, my new roomy, Nate Hefner, is gleaming with the psyche of a kid in a toy store.   He wants to go climbing everyday.  His eyes widen as we turn every arete.  Everything looks good and super exciting.  I on the other hand, have lived here for 6 going on 7 years and am o-ver it.  I try to get motivated and be excited with him but it's just not happening.  I can't be that enthusiastic about going to places I have been dozens of times and trying the same old stuff.  Sure there are plenty of routes I haven't done at each crag, but I am not about the start projecting things all summer that would normally go down in a few attempts.  Personally, I would rather wait till being outside is a little more enjoyable.  That's not to say that I don't enjoy the days of running laps on 5.12's and swimming in the rivers that run below.  

Here are the pics from one of a few days out this summer.  

Aside from climbing being put on hold life has been good this summer.  My love for golf is back in full swing.  I've been playing once a week and chipping and putting the rest.  Honestly, I would find a way to play 18 holes everyday if it weren't so expensive.  

I also got some work done on the van.  I can now say that it is finally coming together to be what I envisioned it being.  This week the Sterling and Metolius logos are going on.  I'll post the finished pics.  

No summer in chattanooga is complete without a week long music festival in the heart of and on the river banks of this great city.  For the entire week roads are closed, live music plays, and the people are out to enjoy it all.  I really like this event, Riverbend, as it pulls the entire city together to relax, eat, drink, and enjoy the show. No matter what your taste of music you will find something that you like. The festival ended with an amazing and long setlist by Perpetual Groove that led straight into the fireworks signifying the end of the festival.

Oh yeah.....you may have noticed that I added a new link on the side.  Salewa has approached Kurt and I to be the Southeast reps as they plan to open accounts across the region, broadening their newly developed North American market.  I am very proud to add Salewa to the agency.  This company represents an alpine and climbing heritage that has been proven through 70+ years of experience and field testing.   Haven't  heard of it?  After I met with Keith from Salewa I started seeing adds everywhere.  8a.nu, Rock and Ice, Backpacker, and Climbing Magazine all have adds that I hadn't noticed in the past simply because I wasn't in the market for new gear.  This brand is HUGE in Europe and for good reason.  

When my sample pair came in the mail my first impression was that this is gonna be the hottest shoe in town.  I have to say that I am very impressed with the quality of make and performance of the Fire Tail.  It's attractive, supportive, and very stable in a multitude of environments.  Click the logo to visit their website.  

Holllerrrrr.

Part 2

Leaving The New was like going big wall climbing on day four when your already three days on bouldering.  Not completely amped to be embarking on such an epic week I bit my lip and drove west for Cincinnati, on my own and totally dependent on my iphone (no joke) and van that quite possibly has the worst success ratio of reached destinations known to used vehicle purchases history.  Confidence was minimal as I had driven Ole' Silverado a measly 120 miles to test the $3000 of engine repair that had been done a week before my trip to The New River Gorge.  Nevertheless, I am now 700 miles from home and on the home stretch of my demo loop.

Days are long, longer than a three mile hike out at dark when your hungry with no food left, thirsty but you've consumed your last drop of water, and tired from flailing and sweating more than you knew you could....in the summer.  The days usually start by waking up shortly after sunrise in the parking lot of some establishment in whatever city seemed safe in route to the next event.  It's almost like your out here living on instinct, constantly trying to make ends meet.  You have the necessities of course but your not even close to living the same life as those parking next to you as they arrive for work.  As I crawl out of bed and begin to gather things to go brush my teeth in the Starbucks bathroom I wonder,  "What are they thinking?"   I know for a fact this one forty something business woman saw my entire morning routine.  Wake up, change, gather computer and toothbrush, quick mirror check, and just like that I was one of them.  I'm in Pontiac, MI trying to decide if these business dressed, clean cut nine to fivers have any idea of a life outside of the box. 

After an internet session and some breakfast the only other thing to do is drive.  You could be 1, 2, 5, or maybe even 10 hours from the next appointment.  The feeling is that of a modern nomad, only with a destination and a home to return to.  So, maybe it's not that nomadic but your rarely in one spot for more than a day or even a few hours.  Arriving at your destination is a relief.  Driving is done!....for the moment.  Now the work begins.  Although, at times it's hard to decipher when work begins and ends.  Set up is hard work but then again driving vast stretches of unfamiliar roads ain't easy.  I have 6 duffle bags of demo shoes weighing in around fifty pounds each.  The constant loading and unloading is rough.  For the most part, the places I visit have nice employees, like you and I, that offer a helping hand when they see the luggage.

Once your at an event or gym or wherever you may be you are there to represent.  The morale and energy of the rep are very important personality characteristics that the customers feed off of.  I've come to realize that people are sold on your personality just as much as they are the products.  With that, I can say that it is very emotional labor.   Just like a server or a stewardess I am there to make sure that whoever's experience with the brand was a good one.  Whether I'm biting my lip the whole time or just totally enjoying the scene I must not gripe or wine.  Who's gonna listen anyway? So at the end of the day I pack up and move forward toward the next stop.

While the drives are long, they are good for reflection and thought.  This is when you are alone, sometimes very alone.  Times like this are good for recharging and catching up with yourself from being engulfed by the gym population and trying to meet their demands. As you drive onward it's hard not to wish you were home with the ones you know and love and in those comfortable and familiar places.  I can't say that I'm the type that gets "home sick" but at times I feel like I've left so much behind.  Even though I know my return home is coming, I can't help but hope my life at home is in tact as I left it.

Through all the people you meet and have conversations with, many of them express envy and aspire to have this life.  The life desired by many, had by few.  They inquire as to how I got here and if this is all I do, driving around from place to place climbing and doing events.  I tell them, "this is what I've always wanted to do and made sure that it was known."  I was brought on as a team member and proved myself worthy of work and independence.  Not that I don't have confidence or faith in my ability to make money climbing, I just don't really see it as a reality.  I think the percentage of climbers that are able to achieve a sustainable income is under one percent.  So, I have taken on this job under Kurt Smith's agency to support the "rock star" lifestyle.  I may not save a lot of money or have much for retirement savings, but I am living the life.  I'll never forget what a nurse told me one day as we were casually talking while in the doctors office.  In context, it was basically that she always believed to retire young and work old.  It made me think how precious life is and how many things there are to do now that I won't be able to fully enjoy later.  And I have taken that with me.  I really am fortunate to be working with the people behind the scenes of such a great product and those providing a medium to practice such a great sport.  It is a pleasure to trade smiles and share stories of experiences from our common endeavors with each and every one of you.  


That's all for now.

Cheddar

Life on the Road

I guess I'll start this where I left off.  In the last two weeks I've been climbing non-stop, setting at UrbanRocks, and am now on the road.  After an amazing three days of climbing and partying at the New River Rendezvous I am now on the road doing Evolv demos in Cincinnati, Pontiac, and Ann Arbor.  Prior to the trip I was battling the conditions of the changing seasons.  I had given myself one month to send my little project in Little River Canyon before it got too hot.  After multiple frustratingly wet days, you know the ones when the cliff is sweating due to the extreme change in temperature, I was still able to one hang it.  Then a dry spell came, which was all I needed to dispatch The Man Show .13d.  My hardest route yet for sure.  Not only am I proud to have sent it,  I no longer have to drive an hour and spend $20 on gas.  Yeauh!  So, from here on out I have decided to climb in town until gas gets cheaper and the temps get cooler.

Brent is always psyched.  I was fortunate to have him rally with me on so many questionable days.

And until the temps do get cooler you can find me in the gym or under the shady cliffs of Chatty.  June 3rd is the first of three comps in Evolv's Summer Series at Urban Rocks.  The comp is gonna be high energy with professional setting and formats with an Evolv shoe demo at each one.  Get psyched.  Here are a few pics from the SCS Youth Regionals last weekend.

As for the Rendezvous, I met a lot of awesome people in the industry and climbed on some kick ass cliffs.  The whole Southern Fried Team Evolv was there in full force kicking ass and taking names in the Redpoint, Boulder, and Dyno comps.  Word!  Here are some pics from the event.  I somehow left my camera in the car on both crag days resulting in an unprofessional iphone photo shoot.  

Peep it.

I'll be back Friday night, just in time for Chandler's graduation.  BIG DEAL!  All is good.  I think I'll have a Part 2 of this post ready in the next week or so looking into the trials and tribulations of the life on the road as a rep/climber.  

PeAcE YaLL.  

Shaman Field Tested

Here is a clip I made to get some media out for these cutting edge shoes.  The Shamans are the best shoes I have ever worn.  No questions asked.  I feel like I have the equivalent to Ferraris on my feet.  Smooth lines that contour your foot provide the highest performance and support in all the right places, which is made possible by Evolv's new triple velcro closure and the "love bump".  From my experience climbing in them the last two weeks I've noticed that the quality and durability of production has risen to a new level.  Check your local gym or retailer for availability.

Hope you like it.

  http://evolvsports.com/shaman.htm