So Sad

We drove up to Idaho, about 20 miles from here, to drop our adorable cats off with a family that lives on a farm up there. We were excited to give them to a family that we thought loved animals, so much so that we decided to drive up instead of letting April's coworker take them up there. The family is April's coworkers sister. They have two small children, a couple of dogs and 5 or so cats and the live on a rural highway that people haul ass on. We left sad, April crying and me feeling like a jerk. The family must like cats, but I think they felt as though they were doing a good deed, but could really care less about them. The cats they already have are really small, and 4 of them are half grown kittens and the other is there mother. I believe that if you care about pets you will get them fixed, so that was one big reason we felt so terrible about leaving them there. The Mother of the family said that they go through a lot of cats because they chase mice from out of the adjacent wheat field onto the highway, so another great reason for this horrible feeling. Also the mother cat was very upset about these two new cats showing up she even chased our girl cat around the house within 5 minutes of us showing up, I guess our cat which is twice the size was too unsettled to attempt to stand up for herself because she was scared out of her mind. I really just hope that this decision was better than taking them to the pound where they would likely have been put down, or end up at an old ladies house with a huge heart and tiny house. After we get back from California I think we might go up and check to see if the cats have settled into this new life and if not try to find a different home for them, if you know anyone that loves cats and hasn't already overloaded their household with animals please let us know so we can 'rescue' them.

Also I would encourage people to take a stand against the rascist/right wing propaganda machine that is Fox News. People that scream hate speach like Bill O'Reilly are holding this country back. To see Nas talk about this subject go here: http://www.hulu.com/watch/27867/the-colbert-report-wed-jul-23-2008

Also to learn more about this one-sided 'news' network go to http://colorofchange.org/

New Games

Today we had some input on what to bring to Belize with us, one item was soccer cleats. So I looked around the internet to see what soccer boots would cost and decided to check out a local outdoor store called Al's which had a pair of leather shoes marked down from $60 to $20 that fit me, so now I have a pair of bright white soccer cleats with bright red swooshes that represents that they are a devil brand. I also picked up a really nice looking soccer ball and shin guards from Ross for much less than suggested retail. I figured April would get upset if only the boys were playing soccer so I headed back to Al's and convinced the sales guy that the same model but for females should be marked down as low as mine were, so now April also has some fancy footballer boots.

April got to help watch kids at a summer program today so after she played with the children I made her play with me, by kicking the soccer ball around a local school field which was very fun but hot. Hopefully by the time we get to Belize we'll be able to kick the ball straight, and in the direction we intend. We also played with our new 200 gram frisbee which is nice when it is windy and easier to chuck for long distances. So maybe I'll get off my ass a touch more often before leaving.

Waiting and waiting

So far I've sold about $1600 worth of stuff on Ebay, some stuff went for far less than I thought it would and some went for more than I actually paid for it, so goes the free market. I also went to SLC for the weekend with April. We went for two reasons first to see the Band of Annuals play with Hello Kavita and Will Sartain, and to sell my fixed gear bike. The show was great although everywhere on the web claimed the show started at 9, but as most SLC'ers know the Urban Lounge doesn't start shows till 1030, so we got to bed around 2 that night. We stayed with our friend Jon that we both met when we were living in Yosemite, the same time that we met each other. Sunday Jon talked April into hiking up to Blanche Lake up Big Cottonwood Canyon, so I got to hike the 3 miles with them so Jon and I could climb Sundial Peak. Some might think that because I ride bicycles around and climb 3 days a week I would have a touch of fitness, but this was proven wrong as I crawled up the trail Sunday. I did make it, but I definitely need to be much fitter which might be why April says I have to run with her in Belize. Monday April and I had an interview with our Peace Corps Belize training official, she was really nice and the 'interview' was for her to establish what needs we have for training so we don't waste each others time going over redundant information. I am really excited to go to Belize, I wish we didn't have to stress out about all of this everyday crap like emptying our house. After our interview we ate lunch and took a nap on the floor of Jon's house which he shares with 5 other 24 year old friends, 4 of which also work at BD. After our nap we rode our bikes the 8 miles downtown to hit up a swimming pool then we headed back which is all up-hill for 8 miles, good thing cycling is a lot easier than hiking. Soon after getting back to Jon's I got a call from the kid that wanted my Fixie, so I headed over to his house to make the lucrative exchange, lucrative for him. If you ever have a bike you love don't sell it unless you have to, they go for approximately half of what they are worth monetarily and about 1/10th of what they are really worth. So we ended up going back downtown to meet up with April's friend Heather that used to live in Logan but recently decided to go to Culinary School in SLC. Heather is a really nice girl and it was fun to see her again, probably for the last time before leaving.

Sun Dial Peak, the route started around the lowest point of the wall, bottom right

of face in pic and ended before the actuall summit (picture from http://www.panoramio.com/photo/3251693)

When I thought we were headed for Jamaica I was super stoked and read every touch of info about it, made contacts with people and even invested in some equipment to establish climbing routes down there. For Belize I've emailed a couple of PCV's, but mostly I've just stopped worrying about what it will be like and I'm just waiting to find out in person. For Tucson I've been looking at all the pictures of Mtn. Biking and climbing going on there, I'm not to keen on the heat of summer, but the 9 months of perfect climbing/cycling weather is getting me stoked, I've already been looking at what I would want for a bike down there even though I know that by the time I get back the bike industry will probably look a lot different, which would be great since it currently looks like crap. I'm actually thinking that there is a strong likelihood we will stay in Belize longer than 2 years, I'm not too sure April is dying to do so, but 2 years probably isn't enough time to ween ourselves from all of the material comforts we deem necessities right now.

Hanging Out

Since I don't have a job right now I've been sitting around the house trying to not spend any money, which isn't going so well. I have been climbing 3 whole days per week most of this month, last night I even dragged April up to China Cave where I'm working on a route that I have no business getting. I think April went just so she could use her new Chacos. I bought April a pair of Chacos for $66 w/shipping this week even though we get a bigger discount from Chaco ($47.50) once we actually get to Belize, which sucks because we would have to get them shipped to a U.S. address ($5) and then have someone ship them to Belize ($24), overall it was cheaper to get them sooner ($10 difference) and April gets to wear them for a month longer (priceless). I brought my camera along last night so we could show off the beauty of China Cave:

April on the 5.9 gear mixed route

April with her new Chacos

Todd Parr on his Project: Tweak (5.13d)

Mr. Yuck sorting gear

I realized my bike-construction skills are not up to snuff.