Back to school again, after a week of break I am now back in Boulder for the last stretch of school before winter break. The past week I was able to be back in Colorado Springs with my family and had a great time climbing at the gym there for the week while I was back. While I was there I had the opportunity to work some with a girl who I have previously coached along with a girl who was in town for the holidays from New Jersey. Both strong young competitors looking forwards to competing in regionals...

I haven’t climbed on this cliff for a long time. I’ve already done most of the good lines, all other projects are wet most of the time – an excuse can always be found. Stop – there is one route left: Klem Loskot’s balcony project!I’ve tried this route three years ago but back then I had no idea how the moves could be done. Klem hasn’t done it, so maybe it’s a little bit harder…After a DWS-trip to Mallorca in 2005 I lost contact with Klem, probably caused by his climbing break and my absence because of the university....

When November in Colorado rolls around, the leaves have fallen and the rockies are permanently white. It also means that the single greatest holiday is right around the corner: Thanksgiving. What could be better than a day devoted solely to the mass consumption of turkey and pumpkin pie? Well, actually, a day devoted solely to the mass consumption of turkey and pumpkin pie spent in Hueco Tanks, Texas!

While I write this, thousands of files are being transferred in a rush as late payments skim the loan deadline; the dollars transferred determining admittance into my local community college.  And, while I write this, new projects and searching for climbing fills my mind, pushing structured education out of thought.  I am finding within my mixed lifestyle the best way to balance school and climbing is total devotion to each in its respect, denying any mixing between the two passions, the rigor and repetition of junior college courses being absolutely anathema to climbing’s electricity.

I meant to write a blog part of the way through my trip, so that I could provide maximum detail, but I was pretty busy and lazy, so that never happened. On the plane ride home I ended up writing it, so it all worked out.

It's been nearly 6 months since I've stepped foot on US soil and it's been a wild ride to say the least. I would love to continue the adventure, but if there is one thing I've learned on this journey it's that other countries don't want you sticking around for more than 3 months. I barely escaped before the visa cutoff in South Africa and in a few days I will be doing the same in Europe when I jump on a plane for San Francisco. Better to be safe and bail than get fined and...