It has been an exciting past few months and seems there is more goodness to come. Hate to be cliche, but I guess I will start this story from the beginning. So at the start of Sept I finished my job washing windows out in AZ. My good friend Colin and I had a send off climbing trip. We went to Sedona (for the first time). It was so beautiful out there as you can see from this picture.
We did two climbs, which we have been dreaming about for a long time. One in particular was noteworthy due to the fact that it was first climbed back in 1957. It is a tough route both physically and mentally, and to picture it climbed so long ago without all the climbing gadgets of today, makes you really appreciate the feat.
This was the last climbing I might be getting to do in AZ for a while. After Sedona I blasted off to Bremerton, WA.
The job in WA was pretty interesting. As you can see, there is a cliff right along the side of this very busy highway. We went in and cleared out all of the shrubbery along the cliff top and bottom. The next step was to rappel down the cliff with rock bars and knock down all of the loose and dangerous rocks. This was pretty dicey at times as you might imagine. After the rock face was cleared we had to drill these huge holes (sometimes up to 16 ft deep) on the face and the top. Then we used a crane to place these giant mesh panels which you can see in this photo.
The project was pretty cool and it was fun and unusual to be climbing around on this mesh covered rock face. The weather was pretty good too. We only had one day of real Seattle rain. The big downside of this project was the forest of poison oak we had to deal with. There were literally 15 foot tall trees of it and we had to not only cut it down, but then continue to work in it. Our ropes were in it, our harnesses, clothes, everything. I literally had poison oak rash from ankle to face, and I mean EVERYWHERE in between. Here is a picture of my leg, which endured the worst of it.
The project in WA ended in the beginning of Oct. I was lucky enough to pull some more work with another company. This was the most amazing thing I have gotten to do in rope access yet. I went out to Vermont and got to work on my first wind turbine. It was such a beautiful time of year to be there too. There were so many times where I was rappelling down the side of this turbine with a picturesque view all around and wondered how I was getting paid to do something so cool.
After a few days in Vermont, I was flown out to Sweetwater, TX for some more turbine work. It was very cool because there were thousands of wind turbines around. I worked there for a few days and then went to visit a friend in Austin for a few days.
It was exactly a year ago that I first even heard about rope access. In that time I have done high rise window washing, rock scaling, and wind turbine work. The work has brought me to 4 different states, and I am near getting my level 3 certification. I am very proud of these things. Anywho... that about catches you up to right now, but let me tell you whats to come.
Right now I am finishing a coffee at Colins house in AZ. I am heading up to to Zion National Park for a week of climbing and fun. Wallin' with Colin. Got some big plans and big routes in mind (I'll fill ya in later). After climbing in Zion I am going to be heading to South Eastern Utah to a place called Indian Creek for a week of crack climbing with my old buddy Johnny Ray(perhaps you remember the name from my very early posts when I was living in Vegas). After a week in Indian Creek I am heading further east out to Denver, Colorado. I will get some climbing in but ultimately will be moving there. I am suppose to be working a job in November, painting the Brewers stadium in Milwaukee, WI.
So lots going on, and lots more coming. But I gotta wrap this up... the road is a calling and I've got promises to keep and miles to go before I sleep. Hope the multiverse is smiling upon you all.
Much love,
The Danimal
