Getting Ready

Holy cow, its the first post!  This trip has been planned for so long, that i wasn't sure it would actually happen.  

Ok, what its all about is going on the big adventure of a lifetime - the infamous gap year!  We're going climbing at some of the best places in Nth America & hopefully Europe (if time permits).  I'm planning to share the awesome experiences from life on the road, and what I don't have, I'll make up for sure!

With access to a wide variety of global experts, I'll also share links on music, the economy (ours, US & Europe) and anything cool or funny that I happen to see.  I'm mostly going to post pics of our travels but I just won't be able to resist a few bad puns.  Lets face it, you'll be missing the Dad-jokes too!!

Anyway, this first post comes to you live from Natimuk, Victoria 3409.  A beautiful town of over 500 people near one of the best climbing cliffs in Australia, Mt Arapiles.  Its amazing here and home to many a climbing hard man & woman (I don't fall into either of these categories).  
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Our house in Natimuk

So how do the vertically challenged prepare for such a gruelling climbing road-trip?  Training, training, training!  But, its unfortunately pouring with rain at the moment, so there is no climbing being done at all.  But on the positive side, its freed me up to lounge around like a good dirt-bag climber should, so getting lots of good practice at that before i go.  Also, lifting jugs of beer will help build my finger strength, right?  But on the serious side, we will be doing a couple of days of rope mgt and rescue with a friend of ours before we go.  Best to be safe.  As soon as the weather clears, we'll be back out there climbing too.

Mt Arapiles - the view over to The Bluffs

Given that I have all this new found 'head space', i also thought that i should put it to good, rather than evil.  I'm preparing a list of all time classic books to read while I am away (there is no way we can climb every day).  What needs to go on the list?  Let me know some of your fave books that you think are 'must reads'.

So whats left to do?  We've got the Rock & Road Guide to Nth American climbing, so we've started ticking off the must see crags.  There is so much to do!  Just need to pack for the trip now.  Item number one to be packed?  The hairdryer of course!