Eternal Sun Shining on a Spotted Mind

I just had a great conversation with my friend. One of those conversations where you find the depth inside the other persons soul and your own. I felt like the old wise man telling my young protege secrets of life. The words I used seem to move Zack everytime we converse, he's open minded and has respected my opinions since we met at Sheppard. The conversation inevitably led to religion. Eventually I corrected him on misconceptions he has on the Mormon religion. I always attempt this whenever I'm asked about the church. I'm not active but I do know more than others. I'm always amazed with the crazy, off-the-wall notions others have, and I always try to correct them. During this interaction with Zack, I actually ended up giving him a copy of the Book of Mormon (yeah, I do have a few). It wasn't to convert him, thats not my intention, but instead to let him make his own opinion. The fact that he was willing to do this amazed me. HE asked for the copy, I didn't offer it. It's good to see that there are some people who are willing to seek truth for themselves and not believe what the world tells them.



On a different note, I went Mtn biking today. I learned the lesson to always have a bike tool with me. Though, I only learned this after going over the bars on a steep descent because my stem was allowing the bars to move. Altogether the ride was good. Single speed is once again the way to go here. There are short technical climbing sections and I have yet to wish I had a lower gear. I guess my style is to stand up and crank through so it works well.

The Florida wildlife is different and is taking some getting used to, strange colored spiders (no banana spiders yet), little snakes everywhere, and pesky centipede alienish things that seem to love jumping onto me. At the least I'm more aware of my surroundings.



After riding today, I returned to base and set my slackline up behind the softball field on a couple of trees. My improvement is quick, and I have made a new goal...slackline Lost Arrow Spire.

When I was walking the line I got a visit fromm the Security Forces. Mostly because they were bored and saw something out of the ordinary. Two of them came over to me with their hands on their guns (I'm not sure why). They said I was damaging the trees and needed to take the line down. I proceeded in using my tongue a bit and telling them how wrong they were and how the precautions I was using to protect the trees fully comlied with the Sierra Clubs standards on preserving nature...(yeah, a lot of BS). It worked though and they let me keep it up. They were intrigued on what I was doing. The older, and wiser, one was amazed on how I could walk up and down the line. The younger, cockier one wasn't. He said it looked easy and that anything a California hippy could do, wasn't that hard. I asked if he wanted to try. Of course he said no, but his older wiser partner called him a chicken .....

This did the trick and the guy tried one time to stand up on the line. (I put the line up higher than most, about to MY waist) As the cop tried to stand up, his foot slid over to the opposite side, relieving all the weight on the line. NOw when this happens the line shoots up to its original heighth with a sudden snap. His legs were on either side of the line and the line shot up into...well, you know. He didn't feel to well. It was a good laugh for all but him. The cops left afterwards with the older laughing at the cocky young guy. I tried not to laugh, afterall he could see me around and give me a ticket or something. I told him that the same thing happens to me all the time, but it doesn't. Anyways, it was definatley a good day after that. Love y'all

I had surgery this week. It was periodontal, basically a skin graft inside my mouth, they removed skin from inside the top of my mouth and moved it to cover up exposed roots on two of my teeth. It looks pretty nasty, I'd give a picture, but some of you are squeamish. Anyways, the cause is apparently from my braces. When I was told to brush really well, I brushed too well and succeeded in exposing the roots of my teeth in 6 places. This surgery only fixed two teeth. That means I get to do it again two maybe three more times. They just have to wait for the skin to grow back so they can take it again. Now you may ask...Did it hurt? ...does Logan lack a brain? YES, it hurts, but worth it, I got two days off work. Thats all, good bye.

When I say Bow, you say Wow, Bow...

Its been a good week. I finished the engine swap in my truck, I went Mtn biking, I got up on a slackline again, and....I SAW LIL BOW WOW IN CONCERT!!! Yeah, I know, why would I do that? It was actually a volunteer thing. I worked as an usher at the Pensacola Civic Center for CSC, you know, the dudes in the yellow shirts, I'm sure you remember them from the Hollywood Bowl, yup, I was one of them.


I guess I'll start with the Bow Wow show. First off I've never seen so many people in one place with gold and silver teeth (and kids with mouthguards that flashed lights), I've never smelled weed on so many elderly people, and had no idea how hard it is to hold off hundreds of adolescent girls trying to storm a table for an autograph. We literally had a human chain surrounding this guy because he wanted to be nice and sign autographs for fans. It got so out of control maintaing the crowd we had to cut it short as his bodyguard literally carried him out before he was overwhelmed by the love sick fans who had lost all control of sanity. To say the least, it was...interesting. That will be the last time I ever go to a rap show. The performance was boring too, every artist sounded the same, they all used other musicians music just with more bass, and all they did was run around stage grabbing their balls. I guess I'm just too white to understand all of that.


I also finished the truck, it runs great, a huge difference. Here are the pics of the old motor and the new one, yup, it was time for that old one to go. I learned alot during the process, especially how important ground wires are. If one isn't working, electricity goes where it not supposed to, like me. I found a spot with the electricty from the battery going straight to it. It was a "shock" to find. But instead of fixing it right away we decided to scare my friend. There was four of us working the truck. Our brilliant idea was to form a human chain, (thus reducing the amt of shock to each person and making it safe...ish.) We did this, called another friend into the garage, when he came in, we connected our chain to the power and grabbed the victim. Immediatley, all our bodies seized up. Lets just say it was a lot more than we expected. Finally, we were able to break free. We had a good laugh and for some reason felt quite energized after that.


Now I also got my bike, it is sweet, the difference is amazing with the taller tires, and not having to worry about shifting was awesome. A bit harder in places but totally worth it. It just felt more pure riding. It's been awhile since I've hit up a trail so I totally needed this. Afterwards, I set up a slackline on the banks of a lake in the woods and walked it until the sun went down. It was really a great way to spend a Friday evening.


This week was just what I needed, that bit of adrenaline I've been missing is at my finger tips again. I cant be happier.

Donkeys and Reindeer...Are they the same, or both just mystical creatures only seen in movies and fairytales?

I'm glad some of you are writing, its awesome...as for the stories, they'll be here soon. No time to write much now, but just think of what Kelsey wrote about males and TBI...? 18-25 yrs, right? NO common sense? I think you're right...3 car batteries and a charger hooked to a human chain...(more details to come)...I still have 15 months until I get my common sense. Until then, I'll try not to kill myself. Oh yeah, lesson learned...its not good to not be able to let go of someones hand...like when its connected by electricity, hurts a little bit...but stimulating. The fun will be shared when I get a chance, promise.

C'mon

Alright, here it is. I could give an interesting blog here. I have a new bike, a new motor with interesting stories of fires and electricity flowing through bodies, etc...but I haven't seen any posts recently from anyone really, Eric, yeah, he has an excuse and he's been good, but the rest of you...if I'm going to put time into this, provide something interesting, I request the same...so those of you who are lacking in the blog area (a great way to still be in touch with eachothers lives) ...( Bells, Dad), post something, tell us what you did no matter how boring, I know I like to, and look forward to reading everyones new blogs, no matter what its on. So if y'all (:>) want more from me...you gotta do the same. ps NO EXCUSES!!
LOVE Y'ALL

Tis the Season

I've been thinking...there is no climbing in FL whatsoever. It blows, I love getting out there, being high up trusting my life to a thin rope and a few metal objects jammed in cracks and a person, usually Rob. Maybe not the best person to put my life in the hands of, but so far so good.

The seasons are changing (its crazy I can actually tell that because I hardly know what seasons are being spoiled in So Cal most my life), but the season of climbing is here. Right about now climbers are leaving Hueco Tanks, J Tree, Moab, and heading to the Big Walls. Yosemite being the prime place to test ones Huevos, climbing thousands of feet above the Valley floor, looking down on all the pitiful tourists in their motorhomes, taking showers, eating fast food. Although the Valley is set up for all this, the thrill from challenging gravity far above from where most visitors to Yosemite will ever venture, is still there.

What is the draw? To know that tourists are watching you with binoculars from below saying..."that's crazy" (and I still do that), or bragging rights being able to say you've done something very few people will ever be able to do...NO, the draw is the purity of life felt as you escape everything. Being in the "zone" as you meet mother nature head on. Scaling her obstacles, battling the weather she throws at you, whether the heat or cold, being absolutley free from everything caused by life. Up there the only problems in your way are what you have voluntarily created for yourself. And when up there, there is no easy way out. Trust me, last time on Leaning Tower Rob and I tried to take the easy way out and we suffered. Life lesson? Maybe...but the fact is Rob and I are heading to the Valley, natures theme park, the greatest place I have yet discovered, to tackle, to conquer, to finish what was started on our first trip. From now until July, my mind is set on prepping for what will probably be my only climb this year.

I will return to Leaning Tower. I will climb Leaning Tower. I will strangle the ring tailed leemer which ate our breakfast at the base last time (hes still there from reading other peoples writing), there will be no turning back, no giving up. If a rope breaks, I will proceed, alone if I have to, to the top. This wall has haunted me in my dreams since my first time on it. It mocks me. In order to move on in life, I must climb this. But the scary thing is, once this is done, I want to do it solo....and then it will just get worse from there. The bug will reappear and bite me with a vengeance.

But I will be happy.

A Tragic Demise

Yes, this is a big turtle. No, his head is not in his shell... a sharks stomach...more likely.

In Mexico, tax breaks are being offered to ride your bike once a month to work. Not bad.