Decisions, Decisions

I was born and raised in Bend Oregon, but it is not where I feel that I grew up.  I feel that the place I called home for most of my adult life is the great town of Fort Collins, Colorado.  While living in Fort Collins I experienced everything a so called adult can ask for.  I bought a house, went to school, got married, got divorced, made many mistakes and made many a friend.  I consider the people I know from there as some of the greatest people in my life.  The community that I developed over a seven year period is something I cherish and I wish I could see them more often.  Then why don't you live there still you might ask?

Monkey face high line.  Pretty ugly backdrop!

There are many reasons for me moving back to my home town.  One of the largest reasons was family.  I had not lived in the same area as my family for so long that I lost track of cousins, grandparents etc.  A few weeks back it was my grandmas 90th birthday and it confirmed that my decision was for the best.  I was able to introduce Vanessa to my extended family and see many people I hadn't seen for years.  It's always hard to say bye for now to one set of friends and try to make new ones, but family outweighed everything and I made the leap to come back home.

Spring trail day at Smith Rock

With my family close, I have now found a new group of friends to hangout with.  Smith Rock is the local hang and climbing is the game.  The community here is small yet very tight.  Everyone knows each other and trys there best to support the best they can.  This community uses all means neccesary to support other climbers.  A good case in point is that I've never been around a group of folks that are more internet savy.  If you or anyone you know sends something at Smith its almost a guarantee it will be all over Facebook before you even get back to the car.  They are also some of the more sarcastic people I've met anywhere.  I guess it is hard to takes ones climbing too serious when the local area is known as a vertical mud pile. And generally has sand bag grades and very painfull climbing.

Ryan Palo before the send on Just do it

Ian Caldwell "the mayor"  doing trail work

  What does all this mean? I'm not a philosopher by any means, but I think it means that we should embrace change. I love the people that are far to many to count from the Front Range community, but embracing family and new found situations I have found a new group of people to call a community. As they say "if you could have your cake and eat it to" then I would have both communities here to hang with. I'd also be fat if I ate all the cake, so who knows... and i dont like fat so i guess i cant have both. Damn quotes and them screwing my strength to weight ratio!!!!!!  THE END

Racking up for the big rig

JPA "bouldering"

Central oregon bouldering antics

Kirk showing the arsenal of uppers and downers
you must have to boulder here

My sister and Mom

Pops and Brandon

The Ortman clan on my Grandmas 90th

Grandpa Don stylish as always.

Grandma listening to my niece and cousins
play for her bday.

Games with the fam.