Yup, More Climbing!

So yup, more climbing! I know, I don't work. Actually what the real reason is- I haven't started work yet. I start on Wednesday, the 1st. So we have had a lot of free time, so we go climbing a lot! 

All I really have for you is some pictures. So Enjoy!

Me climbing in Ouray

Me coming down from a 5.7 climb in Ouray

Brad trying to get the 5.10 in Ouray

Mark trying to get the 5.10 

Brad finally getting the 5.10 climb in Ouray

A waterfall we found driving to Ouray

Bag bouldering at Unaweep

Brad bouldering at Unaweep

I start work on Wednesday. Be praying for working with the kids, that Brad, Bag, and I work well together. And that we can plan some great events for the kids this summer. 

Climbing and Bouldering

I thought first I should update you all on how Ben, the kid who fell off the cliff is doing - Brad talked to his mom this evening and he is doing better! Amen! But he has a broken nose, jaw, femur, shattered knee cap, two broken wrists, and shattered every bone in his ankle. But he is doing better! An answer to prayers that he is doing better.


On the other hand today Brad, Nick (a guy from church), and I went climbing and bouldering. Climbing was fun, I enjoyed it. We all know I am short, and I could not get the first hold on the boulder we were on. So Brad moved a rock over for me to step up on, I got about half way up, then couldn't reach the next hold. We then drove somewhere else and went bouldering, which I did not try because Nick and Brad were having a hard time getting it, and I know that I do not have the upper body strength to do what they were doing. Another time I will try another boulder.
We are going climbing again tomorrow, so maybe I can get some pictures of me climbing tomorrow. Otherwise here are some from today, kinda out of order, sorry.

"Welcome To Grand Junction!"

Well, "Welcome to Grand Junction!" was a phrase I heard multiple times yesterday afternoon. Not just because it was my first full day there, but I had quite an adventure yesterday, let me tell you....

Brad, Teri (Brad's wife), Bag (the other intern), and I went on a hike at Rough Canyon yesterday afternoon. We were expecting a nice little hike, hopefully to find this 40 foot waterfall at the end of the trail. We hiked for a while, and decided since we did not see the waterfall yet, we would turn around. It was starting to get dark, it looked like some rain clouds were coming, and the hike back was all up hill. We decided to take a break and get some water while enjoying the view --

view from one point of the hike

Just one of the MANY trucks that came with Search and Rescue

We then noticed a girl hiking towards us by her self, she, Sara, got to us and asked us if we had a cell phone, a friend she was with was climbing and fell off the rocks and needed an ambulance. So Brad called 911, while Bag basically ran as fast as he could over boulders to Ben who had fallen. Teri, Sara, and I decided to head that direction back to where Ben had fell. Brad got off the phone with paramedics, and said that someone needed to meet them at the trail head and bring them to the right spot were Ben was. So Teri, Sara, and I hiked back to the trail head where we found the fire department and search and rescue team. They made a plan, and pack all their equipment, and Teri and I hiked back out again to take them to Ben. Brad met us half way, and showed the search and rescue team where Ben was. Teri, Sara, and I stayed back a bit from the accident to where some other search and rescue guys were to show the next group of search and rescue guys where to go exactly.

It started getting darker, and sprinkling rain, Teri and I thought it would be better for us to head back to the trail head so we were not hiking in the dark because we did not have a flashlight with us. One of the search and rescue guys hiked back with us to make sure we were ok. We ended up staying at the trail head with a bunch of other search and rescue, paramedic, police, crew waiting for Brad and Bag to come back since they were still with the paramedics who were with Ben. 

It started raining pretty good, and was dark by the time Brad and Bag got back to the trail head. They said Ben was pretty beat up, it looked like he got in a car accident. Broken femur, both wrists broken, few broken ribs, busted teeth, and gashes on his head. But after falling 70 feet, it is amazing that he was alive, conscious, and talking. That was a blessing! 

All in all it was a amazing, crazy, heart racing, adrenaline pumping, evening. I had some time sitting at the bottom of the boulders were Ben was to talk to one of the search and rescue guys, and got to hear about what they do, which by the way is all volunteer. About all the different teams they have; ground, tech, communication, scuba, it was cool to hear all about each one. 

With us deciding to head back instead of going to the waterfall, was also a blessing, we never would have found Sara, and never would have been able to call 911 for them. She would have had to head back to her car herself to get her phone and call 911 which would have put everything back a good 45 minutes. Which means they would have been looking for Ben in the dark. It all just came together that we decided to turn around at that time. 

As far as we know Ben was air lifted from the trail head to the hospital, we even heard the helicopter going to the hospital. We have Sara's number and hopefully we will be hearing from her at some point on how Ben is doing. 

Please be praying for Ben as he is a college kid here in Grand Junction. It is going to be a very long recovery for him to deal with. Also be praying for his family, when his mom got there she was very shocked and crying. Be praying for peace with his family as they deal with this. As well as for the doctors who are working on Ben. That they have the wisdom to know what to do, and help Ben through his surgeries, and recovery. I will update you all when I hear how he is doing.

So yup, many a times yesterday did I head "Welcome to Grand Junction!" from the search and rescue guys that asked if I was a student with Ben, or how I knew him. They all laughed when I said I just moved here, less then 24 hours ago from the time of the incident.

IM HERE!

So, I made it this afternoon to Grand Junction! Somewhere around 1200 miles later.
It was an interesting drive from Boulder to Grand Junction. I went through mountains and canyons, at one point there were signs that red "Falling Rocks" "Avalanche Area" and "Runaway Truck Ramp", not too sure about the last one.... But anyways, a lot of steep hills, and making it through Vail after they just got a ton of snow, was an answer to prayer. It was a very pretty drive, I hit a good amount of rain, and some sleet, but all in all it was good.
So I went straight to church, where I met Brad the youth pastor and Andrew, or Bag is his nickname, the other intern. We took a tour of the church, then headed to the Duffy's who is the family I am staying with. Janie and John are the parents, and Bonnie who is 8, and Danny who is 7, and Banjo the dog. They seem to be a great family. I have a nice little room in the basement with my own bathroom which is nice.
After I moved everything in; Brad, Bag, and I went out to dinner. Then I just came back to the house the family had just finished dinner and the kids were playing outside. I talked with Mrs. Duffy for a while just to get to know her more, and she asked me a bunch of questions as well. She seems so great, and like a fun family. They are leaving for 5 days on Thursday, so I will have the place to myself and Banjo the dog of course. Banjo is such a cute dog, I will get a picture up soon. But I will say she is no Cali or Kaia, I do miss both of them lots. I eventually got unpacked and mostly everything situated in my new room.

Here are two pictures from my drive to Grand Junction- the first is the first mountain I saw with snow on the top, the second is the sleet storm I came up on.

Red Rocks

Full day today in Boulder! We first had Gibson's baseball game...

Then went to Red Rocks for a hike....

Then went to a candy shop, out for dinner, and some shopping. (sorry no pictures of those...)

Hiking was so much fun! It was a nice easy and short hike, but such a great view once you get up there. There were also rocks to just boulder on too, which was great as well. Climbing with the kids was a lot of fun, and they knew exactly where to go for great pictures, and little caves to climb in. It was great. I defiantly got sunburned, you are so much closer to the sun here. Whoops. :) But it was still a great fun filled day. We came back after some shopping, where I found a old belt buckle that says Colorado on it, and watched a movie - 17 Again - and now it is not even 10pm, and I am in bed falling asleep. 

Tomorrow we have Luke's football game, and Gibson has a double header football game. So another great day in the sun. Then I head to Grand Junction on Monday!!

Boulder, Colorado

So today I left Laura's house and made it to Boulder, Colorado. It rained basically the whole way here... I even passed through a town that still had snow on the ground. Not really what I was expecting, but its Colorado isn't it.

I am staying in Boulder with family friends, the Siegert's. They used to live on the same block as my parents and I used to babysit their three kids; Lily, Luke and Gibson. They are so grown up now! It's crazy, but I have loved hanging out with them even though I have only been here for a few hours.

Phil, Luke, Gibson and I went out to eat tonight at Smash Burger. Lily is spending the night at a friends house, and Susan got home late from out of town. It was delicious, then we went to some soft service ice cream place, were you serve your self the ice cream and toppings, and its 40 cents an ounce. That was delicious as well. Then we came back home, played some XBox with the boys, then watched a movie. It is great to hang out with the kids, and that they are so grown up now. 

While at dinner, both Luke and Gibson kept coming up with all these different places they had to take me this week. The list was huge, it was so great to hear about everything they wanted me to go to. So it looks like I will have a fun packed rest of the week and weekend. Filled with rock climbing, hiking, Estes Park, Denver, Luke wants to go rafting. Who knows what will happen. 

I will be taking my last trek to Grand Junction on Monday, finally at my destination! I am sure I will update again before that. Hopefully get some pictures from Boulder up too. 

NEBRASKA!

I made it to Nebraska yesterday evening. Spent the evening with Laura and her family. Now off to a beautiful morning in Lincoln, Nebraska with Laura.