Day 59 Taco Bell…
(The short video is up on the site!! Thanks for all the help Brett!!)….will be missed. Yes, we love Taco Bell. However, while we are in Bishop we will only be able to satisfy our craving for bean burritos when we send hard projects (that means climb something hard for the non-climbing reader). This has been pretty hard to get used to after our daily dose of Taco Bell we had in Oregon for over a week. We actually got someone to google Taco Bell locations for us in Reno so we could have our second/last helping on our way to Bishop.Anyways, enough of Taco Bell. We are currently in Bishop loving life. We’re camping in the Buttermilks for free amidst amazing free-standing boulders. Climbing is going pretty well and we are filming a lot more. We actually bought a 10 ft. ladder for filming from Ace Hardware on Tuesday. You should see how crazy the Civic looks with a box top and a 10ft ladder strapped to it. I’ll post a picture of it for ya soon.So, I almost forgot to mention the epic climb of the Monkey at Smith Rocks. Last Thursday, Eric and I decided we would climb the North Face route of the Monkey. It is a mixed route of trad and sport climbing. It is only 3 pitches but amazingly it took us about 8 hrs to climb. It should have only taken about 2 or 3 total. To make a long story short, 40mph wind stopped all communication between me and Eric on the last pitch. I was hanging in the abyss, couldn’t get any slack in the line, and basically freaked out. I finally got back to the climb, totally pumped out and barely made it to the top. Meanwhile, neither one of us had a shirt, food, or water…this was awesome….freezing, dehydrated, hungry, and tired. From the top we had 3 raps to get down. For some reason there were no rap rings, so we had to leave some gear behind in order to get down. After the first two rappels the wind twisted our ropes and we basically couldn’t get them down. With much hardship and a partially cut rope we pulled it down…..then rapelled off it to the ground. A little scary but we made it. The actual climbing went really well and we did make some wise choices that saved us from further hardships. Without the treacherous wind the climb would have been flawless but what kind of story would that make?? Thats basically the epic in a nutshell, however, there are some details left out. It also sounds better with our animated story telling:)There are some pictures of our epic, bishop, and some slab pouring we did at Mark and Sierra’s house, so check them out.A few last shout outs:Mark and Sierra, thanks for everything. Hope to see you guys again soon.Michelle, hope your shoulder gets better.Portland crew, it was awesome seeing you guys again. What a great weekend. The waffles were amazing. Thanks to each of you for the hospitality.Charley, where you at??Stuart, same question.Frank, hope to see ya in Hueco.Prairie, coming to Bishop??Anyways, that’s all for now. Hope all is well. Taker’ Easy-Matt
yo… so i just had the pleasure of watching your gangsta vid… oh my… so funny and so awesome and so just exactly what i needed today. you don’t even know how appropriate the timing. but that is neither here nor there… i just want to say thanks and i miss you guys and the footage from Bishop is making me crave some time there… i might have to show up after all… take care guys and stay well.
-audrey
audrey said this on October 11th, 2007 at 11:21 am
Eric, I loved the video! Josh Lowell has nothin’ on you! I’d love to meet up with you somewhere, Hueco might be sweet, unless permits are a huge pain? Things are going pretty well in the NE, though it seems we might be in for a rainy spell.
Anyway, Take care,
Tyler
Tyler said this on October 9th, 2007 at 8:33 am
ballor!!! i’m missing you buddy. glad that last climb ended safely. bishop’s in california right? well, if you make it this way please let me know cause i’d love to see you and i’m sure kevin could take you climbing around here…hell, i might even rope up with y’all! things are pretty good here in gunnison. i’ve been mountain biking quite a bit lately which has been awesome.
bip, bop, boop brother!!!!! love ya
peace, brian
bwheels said this on October 8th, 2007 at 11:29 pm
Great video guys! Glad to hear all is going well!
Take care!
kari said this on October 8th, 2007 at 5:39 pm
the video looks awesome guys. i have to say that i am incredibly jealous of the amazingness you seem to be experiencing. but, i guess my own personal voyage will begin soon enough.
p.s. the pink bandana and jersey trash glasses look wonderful on you eric. can’t wait to buy you a drank while you are in town in a couple of weeks.
bryce said this on October 8th, 2007 at 2:12 pm
we miss you; was actually in your old apt in the Belvedere the other day - it’s for sale. the manager(gene, i think?) says hi, hope you are staying strong with “the climbing thing” and “the beard thing.” his words, not mine.
see you in december?
Lee said this on October 8th, 2007 at 11:21 am
the web guy got the vid working…check it out on this website now.
Brett said this on October 6th, 2007 at 8:05 pm
my laughing is uncontrollable… CHARLIE wow he is alive!
The video is classic Eric… Matt I am beginning to see Eric’s taste in music rubbing off on you eh?
I love you both very much and miss your faces tremendously…
Matt the girl hunt is still on, I haven’t given up.
Eric, you know what I want to say but should I say it then suprises would be runined.
I am jubilant, however… fantabulously jubilant.
Best Birthday present EVER!
ciao,
Squwa
Gina Marie said this on October 6th, 2007 at 10:23 am
Big Fish, Little Fish, Put in a box…. love it…..
While Michelle should gain roalties for this high quality footage, what ever happened to the original score? Seriously though, you guys are such ganstas.
And while you two are off on your own thug life adventures I’ve stolen Alyx as my new friend and she’s going to be a crusher next time you see her, I think we’ve got her hooked.
Brilliant boys, don’t stop being wonderful, you do so so effortlessly. And Eric make sure to win that lottery we talked about… Africa is looking mighty plausible… or was that HP40….?
alana
Alana said this on October 5th, 2007 at 11:52 pm
Parental units (being that I hatched into Rock Climbing this past Saturday with the help of Eric and Matt) –
I climbed my first, actually, I climbed two, 5.9’s today (complete with grunts, squeals, and kicks). Alana was the real trooper (complacent to belay me and instruct me numerous times). It wasn’t ‘blazes of glory’ but it was exhilarating.
Onward, and well, I guess upward? I just wanted to share the news . . .
Nice video posted above . . . and keep the stories a-comin’.
My Love to you Both!
Alyx
alyx said this on October 5th, 2007 at 10:52 pm