Random Clips

I haven’t posted in a while and have a hadful of random things to talk about that have occurred the last month or so.

First is this video of my friend Tadd Maudlin, cruising on his sailboat off the coast of Belize, doing a dance that I used to do in college and most likely still do.  I’m very jealous of him – bought a boat and is cruising on it indefinitely with his girlfriend, they are now in the Carribbean off Belize – follow them on their blog at http://lastknownposition.blogspot.com 

 

Speaking of boats, mine was broken for two long weeks – the motor went out while we were sailing, so we had to sail her into the can with pretty much no wind – super fun and challenging.  Then I tried a zillion differnet things to fix her, all to no avail and making it worse over about ten days.  Called a boat mechanic named Doug Pietz recommended by my boat neighbor.  He met me out on the boat and proceeded to tear into the motor fearlessly – fixing three problems, each of which could have been a major issue on its own, all in the span of under two hours.  A true professional and it was really amazing to watch him work.  I was very impressed with his skill and his pricing and efficiency and fun attitude.  If you need boat engine work done certainly call him at 847 533 9030, he is spectacular.

This past weekend I went to another lake house, also in Michigan and on the shore of Lake Michigan and its spectacular giant sand beaches – they are truly stunning if you have a chance to check out the west coast of the lower peninsula definitely do, they seriously rival many of the great beaches around the world in my opinion in the summer, and also very cool to experience in the wintertime.  Stretches a couple hundred miles up the coast.  Here’s a view from the kitchen:

 

Took different crew sailing each day of the air and water show including Friday – very fun and gorgeous days.  Check the picture of the enormous American flag on a sailboat we saw. 

At the Air and Water Show in Chicago 2009

Went to Devil’s Lake one Sunday a couple weeks back to rock climb with some climbing friends, great time had by all.  Gorgeous, perfect day and terrific group of climbers.

This weekend we head to Lake Superior to kayak the Apostle Islands for five days, should be a great trip, sevn of us are going, really looking forward to it.

Went to a Purdue football game last Saturday, very fun to see all my old buddies and wander by my old apartment.   In college I managed to jump a car over the embankment shown below, they seem to have put up posts to stop this in the future.

Scene of trouble back in the day

At the Air and Water Show in Chicago 2009

Scene of trouble back in the day

22 Climbers to Jackson falls, So Ill

And no injuries!  And all had a great time!  Very fun weekend with True Adventures.  We had seven cars, three of which went early.  Of those three, only one was able to decipher the last bit of directions .2 miles is quite different from 2 miles.  No worries, we caravanned at the end and managed to pick them all up – cell phones are fabulous.  We also all managed to stay in the same campsite.  I love Jackson Falls as there are no rules, and even better no cost, camping is free, and the area is beautiful.  We arrived late Friday night and everybody managed to get their tents up and sleep. 

View of our campsite at Jackson Falls

 Will and I headed to the rocks early Saturday morning and got the ropes set on a few climbs.  It’s a bit tricky to get newbies into the canyon as you have to go hand over hand backwards down a knotted rope, maybe 30 feet down a steeply angled cliff.  Got everybody on the rock both Saturday and Sunday, lots of smiles and frustration and people accomplishing more than they thought and learning new skills and getting scared and stretching themselves.

Another highlight in my mind was the waterfall – falls about 25 feet into a small pool – that is great for swimming.  I’d say at least half of the crew went swimming.  And two of us jumped off the cliff into the pool, which was pretty scary as it’s only about 10 feet deep and has rocks around.  You need to hit your landing area fairly well.  Provided another burst of adrenaline for me.  I flailed on the climb Lovely Arete, though did managed to make all the moves actually easily, just was a weenie on lead, need more practice on on-sight leading.  Check the video of some other fellows jumping that gave us the inspiration.

In front of Lovely Arete (11a) at Jackson Falls, Southern Illinois

Lots of people got ticks – not tiny deer ticks that carry lyme disease, just regular ticks that are still not so great to have around and pull out of your skin.

Great weekend, Jackson Falls is terrific and all the folks on the trip made it that much better.

Bouldering (Climbing) at Hidden Peak in Chicago

Went bouldering again at Hidden Peak over the weekend.  I’ve never really gotten into bouldering but really enjoyed myself there.  There was a great vibe, lots of guys helping each other out, encouraging one another, and working out boudering problems together.  Picture three or five guys standing around and taking turns working out the same sequence of moves up a short rock climbing wall, each one falling off at the same spot, then gradually trying different ways of doing the hard move, and each one doing it better and better until it finally goes. 

“I toed in with my left foot”

“Crimp hard with your right”

“Set your feet after the dyno, then drop knee and reach up right for the sloper”

“Pinch with your right, cut your feet, right foot on the chip, left hand into the hueco”

Very fun with a great feeling of accomplishment after it’s done.  A decent workout with sweat and sore back and arms the next day.  I’ll be going back.  Bouldering works your core, and the climbs are much shorter, no ropes are used.  You simply jump off and land on the padded floor when you’ve finished a climb.   Density of holds is much thicker.  Means you can get in many more climbs, and typically the moves are more difficult and acrobatic in a more condensed fashion than a typical route.  Endurance isn’t key but core strength and crimp/grip power are.  It seems most of the great climbers are also accomplished boulderers.

I’d love to get a bouldering wall built in the first floor parking of Park Community Church, working on it.

Boulderers at Hidden Peak, Chicago

To get to Hidden Peak and info on climbing there:

937 W. Chestnut St., Chicago(312) 563-9400 CTA – Take the Blue Line to the Chicago stop. Cross Chicago and go north on Ogden. You will walk under a bridge and turn right onto Chestnut. Driving – 90/94 from downtown. Exit at Augusta/ Milwaukee. Turn left at the light onto Milwaukee. Follow to Chicago Ave. Turn left onto Chicago. Cross light at Ogden and turn left at Sangamon. Continue on to the end of Sangamon, and turn right onto Chestnut. 90/94 from the North – Exit at Ogden. Turn left on Ogden and follow it to the end. Turn right onto Chestnut. Head through stop sign at Sangamon. LakeShore Academy is on the right.  Has eight rope routes and 2,200 feet of climbing surface mostly for bouldering. Hours Monday-Friday 12 noon -2 p.m., 5 p.m. – 8:45 p.m. Saturday 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. Sundays 12-4 p.m. Fees Annual pass – $375 Day pass – $10 Lunch pass – $7 Children’s pass – $7 Shoes – $5 Harness – $2 Full gear – $6 Monthly pass – $55 10, gear punch pass – $40 10, punch pass – $80 Weights – $29 Please note – Hidden Peak is located inside Lakeshore Academy.

Ice Climbing Tomorrow With 17

Taking 17 (!) people ice climbing tomorrow!  Yikes!  Should be a great trip, have three excellent leaders heading out of the city around 5:30am to get to the icefalls and set the ropes for us.  The rest of us are leaving around 7:15am.   Below are a couple of the emails we sent out before the trip to give you a taste of it.

 

Ice Climbers - 

We had a spectacular response, the trip closed two hours after the signup became available.  We have a bunch going and are going to do our best to get everyone on the ice at least once, we think it will certainly be possible but we’ll need to be efficient in getting people geared up before climbing and “un-geared” after climbing.  Fun and positive attitudes will help it be a great day for all of us.

 

Seems we’ve been lucky and gotten lots of cold weather

 

Please email me your shoe size.  We have adjustable crampons and would like to batch people with similar shoe sizes.  We have a couple sets of boots with crampons that snap on to them that we can share if they fit.

 

Danger

Know that this is an inherently dangerous activity and you could certainly get hurt in any number of ways.  We’re going to do our best to be as safe as possible, but it is ice climbing, and ice climbing is quite dangerous.  On that note please sign and return the attached waivers to me via email or fax at 312 794 7094.  Make sure you do that before Friday or you cannot come.  If you’d like to back out no worries, just let me know and we can refund your money.

 

Directions

I’ve attached a map of Starved Rock State Park – when you enter the park,  you’ll need to sign in at a small blue cabin – it’s on the right just after the parking lot to the visitor center before you go up the hill – it’s a bit abandoned looking, there is a piece of paper on the porch where you need to sign in.  After doing that, continue up the road – go up a fairly steep hill, then take a left into a parking lot, park near the trolleys.  Ideally we will all arrive fairly close together and can hike down to French Canyon as a group.  If you’re late, the trail begins to the right of the cabins, by some totem poles.  Head down and go left when you see the french canyon, and go down some stairs.  It may involve some wandering to find it, I haven’t actually been there, only to Wildcat Canyon.  Map is attached.  Plan is to climb the easier French Canyon icefall and then maybe do the larger and steeper Wildcat icefall, we’ll see how the weather is, if the climbs are solid, and if they are available.  To get to the park itself, you take 55 south to 80 west to 178 south, exit 81, then follow the signs.

 

Clothing
Bring hiking boots (heavy snow boots won’t fit the crampons), layers!, rain pants/ski pants, rain jacket/waterproof coat/shell, sunglasses/safety glasses, a thin hat that can fit under a helmet, lots of gloves (especially water resistant/proof), extra socks, and maybe chemical hand/foot warmers.  You might also want another set of dry clothes for dinner and the drive home.

Food

You are responsible for your lunch, drinks and snacks.  We’ll have some food and some warm drinks and soup.  Afterwards we’ll meet at Duffy’s for dinner – you’ll drive by it on the way in, it’s in the little downtown area.

 

Other

If you have the Motorola Talkabout walkie-talkies please bring them, the two canyons are about a half mile apart.  We’ll use channel 7-7.

 

Please remember to thank Jeff and Chris and Drew profusely for going early and setting up the ropes for us and for spending their climbing day getting all of us on the ice.  Also others helping out such as Nadine who is coordinating the food along with Chris for us.

 

I’ll send out rough riding groups, but we can sort it out at the church – let’s plan to meet in the parking lot at 7:15am on Saturday.

 

If you want to go hiking before or after your climbing, it’s a beautiful place.  Right on the Illinois River.  Apparently the eagles winter there.  There’s also a pretty amazing lodge that you can check out (and use to warm up in if hiking and climbing and warm drinks and lots of layers don’t work for you).

 

I’m sure there will be more emails to follow, but this is the plan for now.  My cell should work there but may not - it’s 773-965-2546.  Jeff’s I know works in the park, he’s at 312-505-2813.

 

Looking forward to it! 

 

Tom

 

PS – This is a True Adventures ministry event, our basic tenets are to do especially adventurous and fun activities in the outdoors with Christians and non-Christians and share a meal together afterwards.  In the past we’ve gone caving, sailing, sea kayaking, midnight canoeing, mountain biking, and whitewater rafting.  Watch for more events this year.

 

And the second email a couple days before the trip:

Almost time to climb!!

We’ve been really lucky – the weather’s been amazing for ice climbing – and supposed to be cold through Saturday, where it should warm up a bit for us.  Should be plenty of great ice for us.

 

Plan is still to meet in the church parking lot (1001 North Crosby) at 7:15am and head out shortly thereafter.  At Starved Rock, let’s wait up for each other about ten minutes or so in the parking lot near the trolleys and totem poles and hike down together.  If you’ve missed us for whatever reason french canyon and wildcat canyon are fairly easy to find with some wandering and lots of stairs, cell phones and walkie talkies should work.  Our rope chiefs will be leaving around 5:30am. 

 

If you’re not coming please let me know – we have people that would like your spot.

 

Plan is to climb in the easier french canyon and then climb the more severe Wildcat formation - they may not be available in which case we may climb at Tonti canyon – which is definitely worth the hike even if we don’t climb there – two very cool ice formations in a pretty impressive canyon a few miles past French and Wildcat.  Coincidentally the Munising Ice Fest happens to be this weekend (not because of my brilliant planning, wish I could say it was) so fingers crossed there won’t be as many other climbers around.

 

Plan to head to Duffy’s for dinner in Utica afterwards, it’s a few minutes from the Park in downtown Utica, we drive right past it at 

101 Mill St
Utica, IL 61373

(815) 667-4324.

 

If you don’t have a fax or scanner, bring the waivers Saturday, no worries.  We’ll have some blank ones there if you need them.

 

Rides as follows, (drivers you’re responsible for finding your riders Sat am):

 

Rachel, Leah, Kristen in Rachel’s car (or Leah’s or Kristen’s)

 

Sean, Jason, Keith, Andrew in Andrew’s car

 

Katy, Amber, me in my car

 

Liz, Nadine, Colin, Nick in Nick’s car 

 

Chris, Jeff, John, Drew – our champion lead climbers are organizing themselves.

 

Did I forget anything?  If so let me know, any questions email or text or call me, 773-965-climb.

 

A brief lesson on what will happen if you haven’t climbed before.  First you will put on a harness around your waist and legs and snug it down.  Then you’ll fit the crampons (spiky metal boot thingers) to your boots and strap them on.  Then tie in to the rope.  Next put the ice axe straps on your wrists and take hold of the axe handles.  Check out your belayer’s setup and have him check your harness and knot.  Then cruise up to the ice and say “climbing” and wait for your belayer to say “climb on!”  And off you go, up the icefall.  Easy as that   We’ll show you how to do everything.

 

If you have happen to have “gaiters”, used for hiking in deep snow, bring them to keep from cutting up your pants with the crampons.

 

Can’t wait!

 

Tom

Chicago Ice climbing and Chicago Skiing

Heading out to go ice climbing at Starved Rock State Park tomorrow with a couple buddies, doing some recon for the Park trip on the 31st.  

Ice climbing in Antarctica

 Then going downhill skiing at Alpine Valley with six friends or soon-to-be friends on Sunday. 

Hucking off a cliff not in Illinois

 I’m pretty excited about winter being back.  Much prefer these real winters to the half-hearted winters we’ve been having.  You can now get out and do all sorts of fun winter activities.  An employee of mine is heading up to Wisconsin to go snowmobiling. 

Wisco Snowmobiling

 Good times!

Mountain biking, Sailing and the four hour work week in Chicago

The season is winding down here in Chicago!  I’m maxing it out – took about 12 people from church out Saturday.  4 pukers, all girls which was strange, not normally like that.  Then we got into an anchorage, grilled out, swam, everybody felt better.  Then back to the harbor.  hugely successful day for the True Adventure ministry, met some very cool people that I’m sure will join us on future expeditions and adventures.   One guy has a plane he flys to go climbing – good guy.  Need to get on a trip with him to the Red. 

Sunday got out mountain biking to Pelos with 2 buddies, Jon and Kevin.  Jon was horrendously hungover, I thought he was going to die – still drunk when he got in the car.  Turns out his dog had been hit by a car the previous day -  ouch, he was bloodied up but ok.  The ride was great – gorgeous day, lots of single track, and on mostly trails I hadn’t been on before, which is amazing as I’ve been there probably 50 times to ride.  Great day, new bike performed well.

Then yesterday went sailing for lunch to think over “the Four hour workweek” and fill out some of the sheet – Tim Ferriss is amazing – lives my dream – he’s a firecracker, filled with energy, and asks so many of the right questions and articulates so many thoughts I’ve had about life, love, happiness (= excitement).  what would you do that would excite you?  Every day?  The last time I really felt like that was traveling around the world for six months – hoever it’s been 7 years since then.  I need to do some more stuff, the city doesn’t give me life all the time.  Wilderness and adventure and experiences do.  The guy I report to for True Adventure always asks “What would give you life”.  Great question.  do stuff that gives you life, excitement.  I’m working on it.  got much of my work streamlined, more to go.

Then yesterday night too 2 girls from church sailing because we didn’t have enough room for them Sunday.  Was a blast, they are hardcore christians, which is all good, from my hometown, and totally game for adventures.  They’ll be coming to more trips.

Looking into the personal assistant thing out of India – we’ll see how that goes.

Mountain biking at Pelos

loaded up my truck with my girl, my buddy, his girl, his dog, and our two bikes and headed off to the forest preserve for some nature time.  We didn’t ride too hard but got some good time in nature, in the sun and fresh air and pretty surroundings, also a bit of a workout.  We ended up down a small singletrack which seemed to deadend into a very pretty pond, with geese and a large stork-like bird, can’t think of the name, flying in low, cool to see.  The trail seeed to end but jon, in his wisdom, led us through the tall grss.  I videoed it and anaged to wipe out on film, good stuff!  Very soft landing in thick grass.  It always feels good to me to get outdoors.  It’s peaceful, wonderful, and relaxes me.  I generally like some kind of adversity or challenge to spice things up, but that isn’t necessary.  Good for the soul.  We grubbed down on some Eatzi’s sandwiches we picked up ona  picnic table, then laid out in the sun and had some fun conversation.

Went to church tonight, Jackson was terrific as always.  HE spoke of five important things to his parishoners, volunteering, small group involvement, prayer, finances, and one other I forget at the moment.  He also talked about pride – how what we have is ours – but God brought it to us, and it’s really his at the end of the day – so be careful not to be to prideful and boastful, be chill, be cool, and be very thankful as much as possible, its a very easy way to improve your life and attitude.  Give thanks for everything you can think of that’s good – that get your brain in that mode.  Why not be happy?  Thinking of good things helps bring that about.

Good days, good life, good country,

Wedding in Mansfield, 95 mph, lateness!

It’s bad if you’re in a wedding and you’re late for it, right?  My good friend Persephone flew in from Utah (she isn’t Mormon) and we roadtripped down to Ohio together.  What a great friggin’ time.  Persephone was in the wedding as a reader, annd we were  supposed to be there at three – or two actually for the rehearsal.  Got some differnig opinions on the time to get there, so I thought we had extra and stopped by my Grandma’s in South Bend, she’s 91 and living alone, how cool is that?  Little lonely but her house means so much to her – it was great, I’m pretty sure we made her day.  Andwe stopped by again on the way back too, she made me a couple loaves of yum succhini bread.  Anyways – so that brightening of mine and my Grandma’s day nearly cost us some major wedding-day turmoil, however after driving exceedingly fast and recklessly – and stopping in a factory parking lot to put on my suit and P’s dress – we made it at 3:05 – and people were sitll outside, wedding actually got underway at 3:30.  WHEW!  Good times – P and I were looking for a little excitement and we essentially manufactured it.

Me and Persephone at a reststop

Me Grandma and P

 Sunday hung out with Lisa and Persephone at my place – wasn’t uncomfortable and Lisa was amazing about me spending so much time with Persephone and even crashing in a flea-bag motel with her.

Monday night climbed on my shift at Lakeshore Athletic Club – I teach two hours a week on Mondays and get a free membership, pro deals, a whopping 6.75/hour, good friends, and forced discipline to climb at least once a week.  It’s great.

Tuesday took the senior staff from Park Community Church out sailing.  12 of them and little wind.  Had a few near pukers.  The pastor’s wife Donna was so terrfic, brought all sorts of yummy food presented terrifically.  Jackson ws terrific too – we pulled in the sails and prayed for about 10 minutes – pretty powerful and memorable.  Also Jackson, the senior pastor, joined me on the trip out on the tender and helped get the boat ready.  Great time with him, great guy.  got to tell him about the adventure ministry I’m running, and give him more details of the caving trip and midnight canoeing trips we’ve already done – he didn’t know about them.  Because of near-pukers we called it around seven and picnicked on shore. 

I had a work meeting that night – really meeting guys out at the bar with a Forex trading manager I work with – it was fun but I stayed out way too late with him, 3:30 am – is that nuts or what??  Made it to work on time but was draggin and stil am today.  Skipped out on sailboat racing/beer cans last night as I had a late meeting plus was beat.  Ended up going to Columbia YAcht Club with Lisa and Alli and watching the fireworks (they shoot them off every Wednesday night and Saturday night in Chicago in the summer).  Good time.  Then headed home with Lisa, had a good solid conversation, dropped Alli at her new boyfriend’s though she doesn’t call him that yet.

Heading to Dave and Buster’s for dinner and games tonight – haven’t done that in I don’t know how long.

Sushi at Toro

Colin at The Other Side Had sushi with Lisa’s cousin and her boyfriend, was a good time.  I like him.  He’s a pretty cool guy, talks an awful lot about all his family money when he doesn’t really work…  but was a good time after he chilled out a bit.  Then went for drinks where Lisa waitresses, “The Other Side.”  Was a good time, I drank 3 beers or so and didn’t feel too hot this morning for my breakfast with the pastor at church who I report to for the True Adventure Ministry that I run for Park.  We had a great time he’s very cool and is taking a great interest in me and really helping me develop my bible study skills and deepen my knowledge and relationship with the Lord – so rare to find someone really into it, and even more rare to find somebody I get along with that wants to hang out.  Great stuff.  He’s giving us a budget to buy tents, sleeping bags, backpacks, and other gear.  But I digress massively- Toro was delicious sushi and very different and not expensive – try it if you have a chance.

I daytrade a bit for fun and profit – today was my best day ever – how cool is that?  I’m pretty pumped about it.  It’s my third best day ever in the last two weeks.

Tonight I have the Trading Tribe – with two other traders.  I feel like after seven years I am finally getting the hang of it.  It helps to have peer pressure and it helps to have others actually care about what you are doing.  It’s been fun, and profitable.  I’ve struggled with trading for a long time, and it’s very nice to have some success.  Seven years, I deserve a little somethin’.  Check out trading tribe and Ed Seykota sometime – it’s pretty interesting stuff – the idea is to feel your feelings at the tribe meeting instead of bottling them up where they teorize they leak out and cause repeated traumas or dramas in your life, which you really don’t want, but don’t know how to stop.  We also work on getting clear on our goals – if you don’t know what you want, it’s doubtful you’ll get it.  One of the Tribe guys is great the other is a slacker imho.

I forgot – at The Other Side there is this professional lifelong bartender named Colin.  He does this amazing trick where he puts a bunch of pint glasses on the bar and balances shot glasses filled with amaretto and 151 between them.  He then dips his finger in 151 and lights it – then blows it across the glasses – they all catch on fire, then he hits the first one and they all fall into the pint glasses – it’s pretty cool to watch.  I took pictures – video would have been better now that I think of it…  Colin at The Other Side

Buoy racing, chicago, girl buys me a guinnes

For the weekend just passed, I had some fun.  We did buoy races on Saturday, two of them.  So much fun, lots of action.  I was in “the pit” running the lines for the sails, putting up the spinnaker and dropping the jib, four times, much more than a long port to port race or even the Wednesday night beer cans.  Lots of fun.  Our foredeck guy was new, so the first time everything was tangled and we lost the race, however every other time he nailed it perfectly.  It was terrific and fun.

Went out that night with a high school bud and his wife and 5 year old son for dinner.  It was a good time, but I’d say we don’t connect like we used to, not that we were ever super tight, now it’s farther apart.  As a single guy, and then that I’m an entrepreneur and he works a job – that widens the lifestyle difference.  Met up with a few buds after for beers, then to bed.  Sunday drove a couple guys to the dock to race again – I wnated to go but didn’t as I thought I was burnt out on the boring races – was too late to say “oh you know what, actually I can make it now”.  So went to a street fes t with my hot little girlfriend and my best buddy from college, we had a great time and drank some beers.  Lisa’s not drinkgin due to the marathon.  Great news, her recovery from a 16 mile run was far faster without drinking – she’s pretty excited about that.  I would love to stop drinking and partying – but it is so much fun…  I think I’m built for it.  I’ve tried so many times to stop partying – but it gets lonely and boring.  I feel like non-partiers aren’t as much fun for some reason.  May not be the case.  On-going study of mine.  Anyways I’m drawn to fun people and I think the partying generally goes along with that for whatever reason – accelerates and amplifies the fun.

Tried to go to church Sunday but go thtere as it ended – duh, messed up the time somehow.  Park changes service times a bunch.  We’ll be getting a new building soon, that will help.

Friday hung with the same high school bud and another one that lives here – we all went up to his office in the Tribune – he has fun watching the what goes on in the Intercontinental hotel rooms from his office- pointed out a guy in his underwear that night – not too exciting.

Teaching climbing tonight, looking forward to it.  And looking forward to not having alcohol tonight.  I’ve been on like a three week bender it seems – summer is like that in Chicago, everybody goes out and has a blast, then people hibernate in the winter.  It works.

Went out last Wednesday with the captain of the boat I race on, after the race.  We’re sitting there and I point out a girl who I tell him is smoking hot.  John agrees.  We were drinking Guinness.  Not more than a minute later a waiter brings over two full pints of Guinness.  From the girls.  What the…??  If I had a dollar for every time that happened to me, I’d have a dollar.  In shock, we regained our composure and then after some debate and help from our waitress decided it was our obligation to go talk with them, not the other way around.  So we did, with pleasure, and the hot one was happy to talk my ear off – she was entertaining yet plastered and seriously a babe.  Loves to ski, her dad’s a big kayaker.  Hot.  Fun night.