Alright, my yearly blog post!

I came here to put up something about my upcoming trip for a mountaineering expedition to India and realized it's been almost exactly a year since my first, and only blog post. That's pretty pathetic considering blogs were designed to be easy, timely and informative. None of which this blog is. Wow, a year! I've experienced and seen a lot of different places and things since my initial post here....

• Climbed a 13,900+ foot peak in Colorado in winter with Bill and Dan
  
• Ran my fastest marathon (3:38:29) in a trail marathon near Salida, CO
• Saw my brother, Dylan, get married to his wonderful wife, Amber
• Climbed a great 12-pitch Sandstone route in Red Rocks, NV
• Directed the Los Alamos Mountaineers annual climbing school
• Drove all over the southwest with Allison on a week-long climbing trip
• Enjoyed some wonderful spring snow climbing in Colorado with Bill
• Celebrated our nation's independence with family and friends climbing at El Rito, NM
• Finished the Hardrock 100 for my second time finishing 18th overall in 33:36:20
• Climbed the Ellingwood Arete on Crestone Needle in the rain with Aron
• Traversed between two mountains in the Elk range in Colorado that few will likely repeat
• Battled the Incredible Hulk with Bill and really enjoyed it!
• Lost a wonderful friend
• Climbed not one but two routes on the Shield in the Sandia Mountains of New Mexico with George, Aron, Bill and Dan
• Slithered and rappelled through some awesome canyons in Robber's Roost country, Utah
• Experienced Thanksgiving in Las Vegas with Allison, her mother, Minesh and Laura
• And headed south to Mexico to climb for Christmas with Allison and Bill

It'll be hard to top a year like that! I had so many wonderful times with friends and family and am so thankful for the life I've been able to lead. The loss of our friend Greg Bayhurst in 2007 was definitely a low-point but at the same time, it was a reminder that we should all live our lives to the fullest and enjoy this time we have on the beautiful and mesmerizing planet. And with that sentiment in mind, I'm reminded why I came back to post here on my blog...my upcoming trip to the Indian Himalayas...