Today we were able to get outside and do some top rope and sport climbing. It was my first "official day" in Colorado and it was so nice to get outside and to actually climb again. Since I left my job and my gym I haven't touched rock in two weeks. Which is weird because normally I am very strict about keeping up my fitness when it comes to my climbing but when it comes to this sport, in particular, it's difficult to do depending on what variation of climbing you decide on. For bouldering my issue is that I don't have a crash pad and if I did I might be more inclined to climb things without question....well some question but not a lot. WIth Top rope or sport, I don't have the full gear I need and I don't have a partner on hand at all times to just teleport my way when I want to go outside to climb. Both things are problematic. 

Really it means that 90% of the things I may want to climb I cant and I don't feel like I am a good enough climber to just go and solo a bunch of things and hope for the best. Knowing me I will break something, roll an ankle or worse...accidentally kill myself in the process. I would do that. I would accidentally meet my end. 

Of course, that comes with climbing in general. There is a chance of messing up and hurting yourself to the point of not surviving but for the most part, I am good about being cautious with what I choose to do when it comes to the sport in general. 

Today we had four of us and we did some ropes. We don't get ropes often if at all back home so it's difficult to practice and today was a nice way to get warmed up again on the idea of doing the ropes in general. I felt good and I sent a 5.9+ for the first time which is actually pretty difficult grade. I'm not sure how accurate it is but that is ok. I will take whatever the grade seems to be. Plus I got to enjoy the wonderful view I got while we hung out and took turns. It really was a beautiful day and I felt good about getting outside and enjoying the company. I even made a new friend and I always enjoy making new friends on trips like this. It just means more options for when I come back to the state. 

Yesterday was our last day in Arkansas and now we are on our way to Colorado. I'm not gonna lie I'm a little anxious about this next stay only because my friend's apartment complex doesn't allow guest parking and so i i ha to park on the street. Normally i would say hell no but, because i want to save some cash I decided to give it a shot. Of course that means emptying out the van and making sure all the windows are covered but i I think all in all it should be alright. 

Of course i I could also be wrong. That has happened before. I just how I'm not cause it would be nice to hangout and not have my stuff get stolen. 

Keep your fingers crossed for me that this goes smoothly. We're in Colorado for a few days and i can't wait to climb, hangout and just enjoy the time there. It's been almost three years since my last adventure in that direction so I'm excited to explore and see more of Colorado and what it has to offer. 

Stay tuned for more stories tomorrow. I have a lot to catch you up on.  

If you have been following my blog for some time now you know that when I go on big adventures that something always happens to me. Always. There are no excuses and whatever this Earth has in store for me...well it really knows how to put my buttons and get me going in certain ways. For instance, in Iceland, I did a hike on the side of a canyon, fell into a river, got three to four miles out, and had to turn around and high tail it back to my camper. In the process, I almost died and by some miracle and survival instinct I made it back soaking wet and pissed off. I cried in anger when it was all said and done. (If you want to read that post click here, your in for quite a treat)

Yesterday was no exception. Right now we are a week into our two-month journey and everything was going well until...I made a decision. A decision that made me go bonkers. I lost my drone, on the side of a mountain. We were at a white mountain and the hike around the top of the ridge is about two miles. It's beautiful with no guard rails and its a little narrow in some spots. It has plenty of ledges for you to stop and enjoy the view and lots of picnic tables. There's even a campground and some cabins. 

We get up to the top and after a pretty tricky drive, we rest and hang out for a bit before hitting the trail. The view was spectacular and after a half-mile I pulled out the drone. I sent it up and started to video. As I was bringing it back the drone took off on me trying to figure out where I was....even though I was already having it come back. I stared at the drone as it flew around and finally settled on a landing sight. I watched as it went down the ridge, snagged a tree, and heard a sad thud. 

shocked, unsure of what to feel, and just confused Lylah, and I did the rest of the hike and I kept looking over the edge to see if there was a way down. Maybe I could rescue it. Maybe I could get down there, find it and come back up before the park closed. Just maybe. So the entire two miles I planned and looked around. Once we got done with the hike I put Lylah in the car and did my first attempt at rescue. 

Now I know what your thinking. Why would you do that? you're crazy? Its a mountainside, there is no way you can get it back. Of course, I knew this but something in me told me to go look. I know where it landed, I had a location and there was a trail down there along the ridgeline. I just had to get to it. So I went down this trail and quickly realized I was out of luck on this side. I thought that if I went from the trailhead that cuts between the ridge and the road that I could get there that way. I somehow got lost and in my attempt I got filthy. 

Defeated I went back to the car. I turned on the AC and looked at Google maps. There was a road down the mountain that looked like it would be a shortcut of sorts to get to the done landing point. SO we went down, I parked the car, got out my walking stick and starting climbing the side of the mountain. The first half wasn't bad. I got to the trail in about ten minutes. Despite the spiders and brush, I was able to get through. The second half on the other hand was brutal. Webs, rotting trees, plants I didn't recognize, and so on. All of it was unfamiliar and despite the disgusting amount of sweat, I felt I kept going. I was covered in webs and I told myself I could find it if I just made it to the ridge. 

And I did. I made it there. I followed the ridgeline and tried my best to find the drone but despite all my efforts, I couldn't locate it. After about fifteen minutes up there looking for my lost drone, I realized I had to head back. It was getting dark and trying to make my way down the mountain in the dark was a bad idea. I didn't know the area and I had no way of knowing what would happen. So I made my way down. It was harder, I fell a few times, I got tangled, pricked and thrown around but I managed to get back to the car. Guzzling water I found a campsite with a shower and scrubbed my body raw. After all, I don't know what poisons could be on my skin. 

So with my defeated self, I went to bed. Yes I lost my drone and yes I tried to make a dumb rescue attempt but I'm not one to just let things go like that, especially if I know the area it landed in. I felt so close but sadly I didn't find it in time. Someday I'll replace it and next time I use it I will keep it closer so if that happens again it will land somewhere I can get it back easily and without having to try and go up the mountainside

These past few days I have been spending time at my dad's place. We have been catching up, drinking, watching movies, and just enjoying the time we have together before I really take off. Well, today is that day. Today I get to go to my next destination. Ozark National Forest in Arkansas. I have never been there and I figured I might as well make some stops at new places along my journey to Oregon. That is my final destination and I can't wait to see it with my own eyes. But of course, I first have to make it to Arkansas. From where we are in Tennessee its about 10 hours to get there so today is a long day but that is totally ok. 

While I am in Arkansas I will be doing plenty of hiking that is dog friendly so Lylah gets to run around and enjoy the great outdoors. We will be there for a few days and then we move on to Colorado which is another ten to twelve-hour drive. It's a drive I am sure I will not enjoy seeing as I have to go through Kansas and the last time I went through that state I almost died of boredom. There is literally nothing in Kansas. Its the worst state I have driven through besides Texas and I really am not looking forward to doing it again but it is the fastest way there. 

Things shall be interesting and I am excited to see what happens next. 

Onwards we go on this amazing journey. 

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While I am away on this journey I do have art pieces for sale and all of them are ready to go to new homes right now. Click here to go to my gallery today. I also would appreciate donations. All money I get sent my way helps me on my journey and will make things a little easier as I go. I have videos coming out soon of hiking, and of course my last video about Colombia. So stay tuned for those! 

All right you guys. Good news for not only myself but for you as well. 

The van checks out. 

We did the inspection this morning and they found minor things that need to be fixed. Nothing crazy that needs to be really done at the moment. All I know is that I can live in it for two months without any issues. It really gets me excited about future travels, the conversion, and just all these ideas that are in my head. Of course, that means that Todd will be sold, and as much as I hate that I am excited to sell it and get some money back for it. Right now the van isn't in my name but I am going to be getting it tomorrow, insurance, and all. It's exciting to think that in about twenty-four hours I can start really looking at my dream as a whole. I know that there is a lot that needs to be done and I know that it will be sitting in my driveway for a little bit before it gets any real work done to it. When I get back I will be slowly but surely changing things out in it and making it into my own personal van. 

So if you guys want to follow along make sure to keep this in your bookmarks and also make sure to follow my Youtube channel where I will post videos of my adventures as I head out west. 

I'm so ready and excited.