FUGAZI

Fucked Up Got Ambushed Zipped In

The Weakerthans "Confessions of a Futon-Revolutionist"

Held like water in you shaking hands are all the small defeats a day demands.

10-6 or 9-5 trying, dying to survive.

Never knowing what survival means.

Leave the apartment to buy alcohol.

Hang our diplomas on the bathroom wall.

Pick at the plaster chipped away,

survey some stunning tooth decay,

enlist the cat in the impending class-war.

Let's lay our bad day down here,

dear and make-believe we're strong,

or hum some protest song.

Like maybe "We Shall Overcome Someday."

Overcome the stupid things we say.

Say I needed more than this,

say I needed one more kiss.

We left that light on way too long now.

Let's plant a bomb at city-hall and kill an MLA.

We'll talk the night away.

You call in sick, I'll quit the word-games that I play.

I swear I way more than half believe it when I say that somewhere love and justice shine.

Cynicism falls asleep.

Tyranny talks to itself.

Sappy slogans all come true.

We forget to feed our fear.

Ruby Crest Trail

So I just spent 36hrs on the Ruby Crest National Recreation Trail in the Ruby Mountain range.
The trail is roughly 40 miles long (depending on start location), 40 miles of some rough terrain. The first day I hiked from Harrison Pass to Overland Lake the "halfway" point on the trail. Which put about 20 miles under my belt.

At Overland lake I ran into some friends who had started a day earlier than I. We had great food some tequila and good company. The night was one of broken sleep and bad weather, my main companion was Milo the dog, who was quite restless. I think in total I got around four hours of sleep. Not a big deal, with the lack of sleep taken in stride I grouped with my friends, taking it from myself and the dog to five people and two dogs. The first half of the second day was fairly uneventful, wonderful scenery and arduous uphill slogs. Then 4-5 miles from our second campsite we were hit by a storm. The storm brought us driving rain, dime sized hail, lightning that was directly over us, and a 30 degree drop in temperature. The decision was made to push for Roads end and finish that day. Which would put me at another 20 miles the second day. Exhausted, damp, sore, but in good spirits I finished the trail in almost exactly 36 hours.

Next time I'm doing it in 4-5 days so that I can truly enjoy the beauty of the Rubies.

Writing

When I go back and read my writing I feel like an 8 year old. Well maybe that last post I can just blame on the cold.

Cabin Fever

So this last weekend was rainy and frankly shit all around. Friday night I found myself downtown watching the motorcycle jamboree get rained on. I myself ended up home quite late and quite wet. That turned into a wonderful cold the next day, one I am still fighting. I was house bound for the rest of the weekend. Being housebound I was able to rekindle my love of books. I finished one Gwen Moffatt's "Space Below My Feet", an interesting recount of her climbing career and her life outside the mountains. The next was Steph Davis' "High Infatuation" an interesting look into love and the interesting effects climbing and mountains have within relationships.

The final book was Bree Lowen's "Pickets and Dead Men" a disturbing recount of her three seasons as a Mt. Rainier climbing ranger.

Ely

So it looks like the world is taking me to the metropolis of Ely, NV for a year. Should be fun and quite, beautiful scenery, should be able to get a good deal of work done.

On a different topic.
You make me smile.

Utah

So its been a bit since the last post. Things have been happening I'm also very happy to say that the rut is gone and done with. I feel forward motion again in my life.

So over the past few weeks I've been to Carson City and become a Tread Lightly Master trainer.

That trip was pretty boring but there was good information to be had.

Then I returned to Elko work a few more days, and after no time at all I was on the road again this time to Escalate, UT and five days of backpacking in the Escalate river gorge. Oh yes and a the Master Leave No Trace educator course that the trip was centered around.

The trip was fantastic, I made several friends and contacts. The scenery was one that I missed greatly. I love lowland deserts and I'm starting to realize that's not the case with my current high desert surroundings.

"Here I take my belongings with me. The picturesque gear of packing, and my gorgeous Navajo saddle blankets make a place my own. But when I go, I leave no trace." - Everett Ruess