i'm back!

Phew!  It has been a whirlwind the past few months and I do apologize for being so absent in posting.  I hit the ground running once I returned from Vegas on Oct. 30th meeting the kids on their return from England with their Dad.  We did Halloween on the 31st of course and I was back at work the following day.  Between then and now, it's been non-stop catching up on the homefront, dealing with head lice that my children somehow picked up (nasty gross little buggers and for any of you parents such as myself who didn't want to use chemicals call LiceSquad.  Trust me.  These folks are amazing), a gallbladder attack that laid me out for weeks, my daughter's fourth birthday, and a calendar launch........  and climbing of course.  lol

But first things first.  And one thing at a time!

Vegas!  I have to say apart from childbirth, and moments on the job, my experience climbing in Red Rocks was the most profound and challenging, intimate, and life-changing thing I have ever had in my life.  The unpredictable desert climate, the alpine start, the winds, fatigue, long approach, all these factors humbled me to the core.  And I still can't put into words how I felt.  It was exhilarating, difficult, exhausting, frightening, satisfying and beautiful.  I think the best way to explain is to show you the photos........

I trad seconded the right hand crack in the shadows and suffered from hypothermia.  Multipitch is exhilirating but long, long days.  14-16 hour days.......  Then on a following day smartened up and sport climbed the left face in the sun which was much more comfortable even though it was a tougher grade:

On our "rest" days we climbed single pitch on the red rocks.  So beautiful.  You can get the idea of scale looking at my climbing partner in the photo.

Photo shot between my legs from a hanging belay station.  We're probably about 800 feet up with still lots more to go.  I love seeing the climbers below us moving up gingerly with concentration.

More red rocks.  So prehistoric looking......

Summit!!!

And the climb that started it all...........  left face.  Which is where I fell in love without even trying.