End of the Summer, beginning of the fall

Miso escaping Kentucky's typical 90 degree and 100% humidity weather.

Photo credit: Erica Toivonen

Every year at Miguel's brings a completely new crowd with a totally different attitude from the previous years. Some years are low motivation years, others high. Fortunately this year was a high motivation year for those living in the Gorge. This year was full of total joy and sending enthusiasm. Everyone was eager to venture out to the crags even on the most God awfully hot days. (Nothing like going though a gallon of water a day and not peeing once) I've always just treated the summer as training, but this year I watched people reach new grades and personal goals that inspired me to try and do the same.
This was also one of the more productive years. The Ventura's bought one of their neighbor's houses and completely refurbished it as a rental house for climbers in time for Rocktoberfest this weekend at the same time as finishing up the shower house that now has hostel style bedrooms above it. The below pictures are from the "Raising the Roof" party after the roof had been finished at the neighbor's house.

Some of the gals from this past summer.
Photo credit: Sara Purcell (well at least her camera)

The hardworking men!
Photo credit: Sara Purcell

Along with all the Miguel's productivity, crag maintenance was not left behind. This year's Johnny and Alex Trail Day was a HUGE success. The PMRP's trails were spruced up and belay stations were made safer. Massive amounts of people attended from all over the US. My 8-year-old sister, Julia, even attended and did her part.

Julia signing up for the trail day.
Photo credit: Elodie Saracco

JR doing his part.
Photo Credit: Stephanie Carson

Our Home in Kentucky
Photo credit: Erica Toivonen

Something a little unique about this year was that I lived in a house! Jordan, my boyfriend, and I were lucky enough to stumble upon a fantastic opportunity for any dirtbag couple. Keith Ladzinski, a well known photographer in both the climbing and skating community, owns a house down at the Red and he was looking for some climbers that would be willing to watch the house so rednecks wouldn't burn it down...FOR FREE! The only catch was that we had to pay utilities. But seeing as we're dirtbags and don't use as much modern commodities as normal people, that was not an issue at all. (Not to mention we were living there for free) Out of the three years that I've spent living down at the Red this was defiantly the most clean I've ever been. It's going to be rough having to go back to the car and tent life after living the cushy house life.

So that catches us up to speed to where I am currently. We are now well into the fall which is both a blessing and not. With the fall comes the good climbing season, but school also begins as well. I am currently living in an apartment in Columbus, OH and commuting to the Red for the weekends. I have once again rigged my school schedule so that I only go to school Tuesdays and Thursdays to maximize my outdoor climbing time. I still work at Miguel's on the weekends and Vertical Adventures on Wednesdays. It's all a bit hectic, but worth it all the same.