First day in the rock gym

Well Saturday Isaac and I spent the day in the rock gym with Matt and Kimberly, a couple cool cats who should be in on the tower climb this summer. They were very patient; teaching me some basics and watching me shake like a leaf. I think I caught Matt looking at my ass a couple times, which gave me the confidence I needed to reach the top on a number of runs. I considered the day a success since I didn't fart on anyone while climbing. The machine evolves.

Video of our guide on the tower

Email Communicato From the Administrato

The following is from a series of emails between Frank Sanders (our kind guide) and myself. The important thing to take away from this is, contact Frank and get signed up now! Sorry for the weird format on the letters, pasting from yahoo screwed it up.

Make your reservation at http://www.devilstowerclimbing.com/

"Frank

I am so stoked about my climb on the Tower this July. I made my reservation a couple days ago to climb with you on the 4^th of July. As you know I am currently trying to learn the basics of climbing to be as ready as I can be for the summit. You mentioned the possibility of also climbing in the evening and watching the fireworks from the top. I have been daydreaming about this ever since we spoke. What I am wondering is what you need from me, concerning ability, so that I can go on the night climb.

Also, not everyone in the group is going to want to do the night climb. I mentioned that it might be possible for us to summit during the day and then summit again in the evening, and they would just miss out on the evening summit climb. Am I speaking out of my ass, or is that a possibility?

Third, … I may have four more people coming. Hope you don’t mind. I will have them contact you and then I will get out of the way.

Last but probably not the last, I was wondering if you would mind me writing about the whole thing on my blog Laphingprophet.blogspot.com. I would love to write about you and the whole experience if you don’t mind. I can change your name if you like or I can just not write about you at all and only talk about the Tower. With your permission I will publish everything including your response to this email so that my friends can just check the blog and I don’t have to chat with each of them. Though I have been talking about this nonstop.

Thanks for your time; I am super stoked for this climb

Michael J Munro"

"Oh Mike,

Soo good to hear from You...and soooo Good to hear that You are
stoked!!! Hope that You have time/effort to get to You nearest rock gym, and
get in some climb time, before You get here in July !!!

In terms of Your time here, I look forward to learning/ practicing
with You & Your partner(s) on July 3 !! Then I hope that we can get up like
super early (3:30 a.m.) on July 4 and go together to find the Top of Devils
Tower. As all goes well we should be back down, here, for lunch and a
nap/siesta. When the day cools off, (4-6 p.m.) lets get back up on the Tower
again, taking perhaps a light jacket, and for sure, headlamps. We can find
the top again, or that just isn't in the cards, we can climb partway up, to
Teacher's Lounge, on the north end and await the coming darkness and the
fireworks. ?Ever look DOWN on fireworks??? Well, You will.Soooooo we WON'T
be climbing up in the darkness, simply rappelling down with headlamps on, in
the darkness.

This kind of schedule will accommodate You, friends, and whatever
skill level or energy levels You both might have!!! Stick with me, I promise
to show You a good time!!

Please have Your friends contact me, just as You did. I WILL BE GONE
FOR THE NEXT TWO WEEKS, returning ~March 9. So please let them know that I
won't be responding to them, until then....Its not that I don't love them,
its just that I won't be here..OK

They can contact me, and we will schedule, and they can post their
own deposits !! OK??

Oh Mike, I'd be flattered and delighted if You might put me, and the
Tower, and the Lodge, and any pictures in Your blog. No Problems there, my
Friend. You might check out www.camsforthemiddleclass.blogspot.com (scroll
down past "Beach Day").Met Steve and Steffi here, on the Tower, last
September. They are just Great folks !!! Since that time Steve has decided
that he wants to be a Guide, so, as You can see/read in the blog, he has
been pursuing that course very energetically...and effectively !!! You will
quickly see that he certainly has the "eye" for the picture frame...and....
he has a great style of writing !!! You might also click on
www.climbing.com/shop/guidezone/index1.html for more !!!

Mike, I'm always "jazzed" for climbing....but You, my Friend, have
taken me to a new peak

Please know that You are Loved and Admired for ALL that You do

BLESSED ARE THOSE WHO LIVE OUT THEIR DREAMS

Frank Sanders"

If you can't get it up for this?

Devils Tower part 1

Today I spoke with an old friend of mine from WY who runs a Devils Tower Guiding company as well as a B&B. I set my date to climb the tower July 3rd and 4th. I am stoked because we are going to do a night climb and watch the fireworks from above.

However, when I told my climbing partner, (we will call him Sally) Sally said that there was no way he was going to climb the tower at night. Let's see, according to the moon we should have a crescent for our climb. That should be awesome, clouds or no clouds. I am in! After a heated therapy session we decided to summit on the 4th in the morning and at night. I may just have to meet up with Sally at the bar after the second summit, where we will celebrate.

On the Rainier front, I have decided to get an instructional day and then perhaps try and get some guide up a smaller more obedient mountain like Hood, Adams, Baker, something like that, and God willing Rainier will be mine June 2011. We will see.

Anyone wishing to make donations to my adventures please note that I am in need of a cold weather sleeping bag for backpacking, crampons, harness, chalk bag, climbing shoes, etc.