jfin is here…

Spent the weekend out at Smith Rock with Hill, Miles and Becky.

Smith is up in Oregon’s high desert, and is considered to be the birthplace of sport climbing in North America. Apparently over 1000 bolted routes within the area. An amazing place. Also the filming locations for parts of The Postman, but I don’t know if that is such a claim to fame.

Arrived on Friday evening, put up the tents, and slept. Then spent Saturday and Sunday walking around, climbing (sometimes), remembering how to belay, and lazing in the sun watching the others climb. Had good weather both days, although Sunday started cold and wet with snow up in the hills nearby.

So nice to be outside! Made it to the top of a 5.9 but have plenty of work to do. This will definitely be a fun way to spend summer. Squamish next maybe?

Photos here.

As of today I’m officially based out of our Seattle office. In Portland until Wednesday, when I head back down to San Jose to pack up before driving north over the weekend.

Listening to: David Crowder Band - Only You

From The Morning I Heard The Voice Of God:

It is a great wonder that God still speaks today through the Bible with greater force and greater glory and greater assurance and greater sweetness and greater hope and greater guidance and greater transforming power and greater Christ-exalting truth than can be heard through any voice in any human soul on the planet from outside the Bible.

You should go read it.

Since the start of November, I’ve spent a grand total of 22 nights sleeping in my ‘home’ bed in San Jose. Out of approximately 140 nights. Every now and then I kinda feel the urge but hotel living and travel isn’t tooooo bad, I suppose. New Zealand visit seems like a while ago now. Still working at the client in Portland at the moment, and spending weekends in Seattle.

Snowboarding in Mount Baker rain was fun this weekend just been, until it got REALLY COLD (or I suddenly got soft). Still, nice to hang out with Mike & Kirsty and realise how close they are going to be. :)

Looks like winter is slowly on its way out. Hill’s influence has led me to purchase some climbing shoes, and I’ve been spending one or two evenings a week bouldering at Stoneworks Climbing Gym. If nothing else, it has helped me realise just how weak my upper body is.  Was down there after escaping work earlier this evening, and I’m enjoying the left-over chalk on my hands.  Quite fun, I can see the outdoors version being a good way to spend summer weekends.

The Cricket World Cup is on. And nobody here cares. If I was down in San Jose I might get some vibes from the Indian community (they’re cricket-mad), but up here in the Pacific Northwest .. nothing. Had a few good chuckles at Macca today. Kiwi wit at its best. Go the New Zealand Black Caps!