I am Steve O'Rourke. My son, is Abe, who goes to college at nearby River Falls. My daughter is Laurel who is married to Bill Stieger; they live 25 miles away in River Falls with Grandson Isaiah. I am single and live in Baldwin, Wisconsin, a small town on the western Wisconsin prairie, 25 miles east of Minneapolis / St. Paul. I have lived in this rural community since 1977. I stick many items on my refrigerator---photos of friends and family as well as quotes and adventures I've gone on. I look at a homepage in much the same way except that it is open to the public. It seems to me to be an exercise in measured REVELATION.
I am a Quaker, looking for the Inner Light in other humans, but I am not a pacifist. My religion is important to me, but I have not found my way to that historic position. In the past 15 years my favorite activities have been swing dancing, and rock climbing. These have been the two major metaphors in my life. Each winter I teach swing dance classes in Western Wisconsin. In the spring of 1999 I began doing a lot of serious road biking! (At least serious for me!) Gradually, I've been getting into self-supported bicycle touring as well.
In the spring of 2000, I went on a journey to Ireland. Here is a description of this initial contact.
Considering my growing involvement in biking and the trip to Ireland in 2000...I decided to take a solo bike tour of Western Ireland in May of 2001 which went very well. In late August of 2001 I drove up to Western British Columbia and pedaled for three days on the Kettle Valley Bike Trail, an abandoned railroad right-of-way in the mountains. Also, in mid-October of 2001 I took a 8 day trip to Scotland as well (no bike) and checked out future bike tour possibilities there.
I've a few Links regarding planning a bike tour that might be of interest to friends.
Currently, I'm working on building a small sailboat, a "Weekender". Information on this plan can be found at the Stevenson Project Website.
Here is a sampling of some noteable trips I've taken in the last couple years.
For additional photos, click Here.
Here I am on Top of Grand Teton, Late in the
day at the end of August, 1998 (6:00 PM). I am looking grim because
I anticipate that my friend and I are going to have a long descent in the
dark! (We did.) For the last 8-9 years, a number my friends and I meet
at the Tetons in late summer and attempt various routes. In August of 1999 and 2000
we went up to the Bugaboos in British Columbia before drifting back
down to the Tetons. When in the Tetons we always stay at the American Alpine
Club Climber's Ranch In Mid-August of 2000 I went up to British Columbia again with a friend and climbed the NW Ridge of Mt. Sir Donald and the East Ridge of Mt. Temple.
I'll be the first to admit that I was never a great acrobatic rock climber. I was never strong enough or svelte enough for 5.10+ moves. Often I was the second in the team. My goals had more to do the the asthetics of high places as well as the camaraderie, being out in open spaces with good friends. In late 2000 I tore my right shoulder's rotator cuff; a sign of aging tissue!! In 2002 I will be 50 years old---a milestone of sorts. I seem to have been making a transition to bike touring. Technical climbing may be in my past althought hope springs eternal. (I haven't sold my ropes nor gear at this point.)
Transitioned to Geocities in March 1998
Additional homepage links at http://www.airstreamcomm.net/~stevorke/
