Crack Machine

Martin taking a crack at the Sonnie Trotter’s ‘Crack Machine’ movie.. a video by iwona_kellie on Flickr.

Martin taking a crack at the Sonnie Trotter’s ‘Crack Machine’ at the Stonemaster Series, first day of our climbing course in Squamish..

Karate Crack trad route in Smith Rock, Oregon

rock climbing trip to Smith Rock, Oregon..

Karate Crack is a great route! Strangely enough during my trip to Smith Rock, I’ve seen Karate Wall receive more rappelling traffic during the time we were there. Stream of climbers rapping down the wall after climbing up the Cinnamon Slab located next to it.

Great line, although I’ve read that (I have not done the climb myself yet) the climbing is more enjoyable at the cracks of the Lower Gorge.

I also have read that cams work in the crack, but a rack of hexes might work even better! Lots of pods make cams prone to walk, where hexes would hold much better, like a bomber! Be sure to protect your second on the traverse and down-climb to the chains!

The anchor location on this route is bizarre- the bolts should be at least three or four feet higher than they are. As it is, the person cleaning the route should be fairly solid at the grade as they are effectively on lead for the last few feet of the climb and the consequences of a fall are fairly high.

Great crack for tuff! If you can’t find the bolts at first glance after traversing right, look down and right (behind you), and there they are.. and the pigeons too.. A little funky crack, but fun..

ski day

day of skiing on Cypress Mountain..

Recently, I took on skiing as my new hobby. As a previous very happy snowboarder, I wasn’t sure how this skiing thing would go on.. would I be able to learn it at all.. would I enjoy it?.. With many doubts about the whole experience, first I started with a lesson for beginners on Cypress Mountain. Plowing style skiing went relatively well, and I HAVE TO SAY, getting off the chairlift on skis was bliss!! (In comparison with getting off a chairlift on a snowboard..). All I had to do is to stand up, nice! After that, I took some lessons with my ACC club, and skied every weekend on Cypress for the past five weeks. Now.. I am starting to go down ever so scary Black Diamond runs.. skiing is fun!

Sonnie Trotter: find an edge.. even if I don’t get my feet off the ground, I just hang there until I get pumped for about 25 seconds.. I just try to stress my fingertips..

Sonnie Trotter: find an edge.. even if I don’t get my feet off the ground, I just hang there until I get pumped for about 25 seconds.. I just try to stress my fingertips.. a video by iwona_kellie on Flickr.

An evening with Sonnie Trotter, where he shared his passion for high and wild places. Trotter talked about his background, how he got started, where some if his favorite places to climb are and what he’s been up to most recently. With recent first ascent in Squamish, the Canadian Rockies and a first repeat of the notorious Prophet on El Cap, it was quite a thrilling night.

Trotter is an ACC member and climbing guide living in Squamish BC, but is currently on the road in the great south west with his wife Lydia. Rock and Ice calls Trotter one of the greatest free climbers in North America. You can read more about Sonnie at: sonnietrotter.com

a call from the DOCTOR’S OFFICE (that you don’t want to hear):

a call from the DOCTOR’S OFFICE (that you don’t want to hear): a video by iwona_kellie on Flickr.

Beginning of March 2010 a snowboarding accident left me with serious tear of my ligaments in my left knee. Because I was told that I would have to wait for MRI through the BC Health system for about a year, I decided to cough up some ‘dough’, about $600, and get it done through the private facility. The MRI showed I had a tear of my PCL and MCL After my MRI I had appointment scheduled at the Dr. Chin’s office at the Joint Preservation Centre of BC of UBC. He hoped that I didn’t need surgery, but he said that time will show. I had a follow up appointment, except Dr. Chin did not show up for that one, he send some other doctor in his place.

This is Dr. Patrick Chin’s secretary Joyce message left on my cellphone with regards to my knee injury follow up on my second MRI that was done at the beginning of January 2011. Technician at the UBC’s MRI facility told me that I will be contacted by my doctor in about 10 days after this MRI. He did not tell me the results. Now it’s almost end of March.. I left three (one per day) messages on Joyce’s (Dr. Chin’s secretary) answering machine. This is how CANADIAN HEALTH CARE does not CARE! Listen:

El Potrero Chico

… with climbing legend, Magic Ed.. “El parque recreativo Potrero Chico” is located approximately 30 km north-west of Monterrey, Mexico. The nearest town is Hidalgo, though accommodation (both camping and rooms) can be found at the border of the park. For more information, see “Potrero Select” written by Magic Ed, or “The Whole Enchilada” by Dane Bass.

Polish trends..

St. Roch’s Church in Białystok

My sister Ewa, who lives in Poland, and I were talking on Skype this morning. She was telling me about some of the Poland’s recent trends. For example, about Polish people becoming more open to gay marriage. As you know Poland is a predominantly Catholic country. One of the examples is this joke told by one of their comedians:

“Mother talks to her son about him getting married. She says: my son, why don’t you get married? Our neighbour’s daughter, she is pretty, she can cook, she can clean, she has nice big boobs, she dresses nice… Why don’t you marry her my son?

Son answers her: But I would much prefer to marry John…

Mother says: but my son, John is Jewish!”

climbing is boring..

.. some people yawn.. some people check out their cameras.. and we don’t exactly know what others are doing.. lots of time to do many different things while waiting your turn to climb..

David, Nadine and Jason. Rock Climbing @ Star Chek, Cheakamus Canyon.

‘show and tell’ on how to put a very heavy backpack on.. ?

nothing else is needed to be said.. just watch and enjoy! And practice!

my first Whistler-Blackcomb EDGE Card

After falling on my chest while snowboarding in Whistler last Saturday (just had to use my new crisp EDGE Card!), I could not laugh, sneeze, get up while lying in bed.. so I decided on Thursday that it’s time to check what the heck is going on with my ribs. My boss drove me to the Burnaby Hospital and dropped me off at the Emergency. After being quickly admitted, first.. I waited in a big waiting room; then I was transferred to a small waiting room where I was to change into a ‘very stylish blue gown’, got checked again, and… waited waited and waited. Then Mr. Doctor came in, checked me out, and sent for x-rays. I waited for an x-ray for a bit, but not too long. Very nice lady x-ray technician took two photos of my chest and sent me back to the big waiting room. Luckily, I didn’t have to wait for my doctor for to long.. X-ray didn’t show any fractures, sweet! And, feel lot better today, which is even more sweet! Lesson learned: I need to snowboard more, so that I am better and never fall again 😉