March 31:This was our first day without a home and a job. We worked on the van
until about 11:00am and then showered up, packed the rest of our stuff from the office and took off. We left Vancouver at about
2:00pm and made our way to the border at Washington. The stupid customs guy sent us to immigration once he found out we
had no job and were going to be in the US for 4 months. Immigration rejected us because they thought that we were going to leave
Canada and never come back...morons...I don't want to live in your stupid country (that's what I wanted to say!). Anyway, to make a
long story short, we ended up back in Cloverdale, a small town on the Canada side, looking for information to prove that we were going
to come back to Canada. We go some bank stuff and some school information. They let us though on our second try, after taking
our oranges, and we were on our way to Seattle. We spent the night in a Quality Inn parking lot.
April 1: We left Tacoma Washington at 11:30am and arrived in Redmond Oregon that
afternoon. We didn't do much but we ended up in the parking lot at McDonalds for the night. Big mistake! We were right beside
some train tracks and suprise suprise, a train went by about 5 times that night....I though we were dead!
April 2: We drove up to Smith Rock State Park and hiked around for a while cause it
was to cold to do anything else! In the afternoon the sun came out and it warmed up a little so we climbed a few routs. We slept in
Bend Oregon that night in a Quality Inn parking lot...man was it cold. We deceided to take off for City of Rocks Idaho because it was
to cold. (A point of interest: You aren't allowed to pump your own gas in Oregon or you get a $500 fine and speeding tickets are $50
for EVERY MILE over the speed limit!!!)
April 3: We left Bend at 10:00am and made our way through Oregon and into Idaho. A
really cool drive! It's like a desert with huge canyons and a 75mph speed limit! We went to look at the City of Rock and drove over a
dirt road for about 15miles only to find out that it was closed!!!! I had to have a shower (first one in 3 days) so we went back to a small
town and stayed at a campground. I shaved my head cause I wasn't sure when the next time I would shower was!
April 4: We left Burley Idaho and drove to Salt Lake City Utah. We drove around for
about 5 hours looking for a climbing store because it was raining and cold. What a shit hole SLC is! Out of town there's some super
nice houses, but for the most part it's a real dump. We tried to sleep at in Little Cottonwood Canyon but got kicked out by the State
Police at about 11:00pm. We had to drive down the road and park somewhere else.
April 5: We stayed in SLC and bouldered at Little Cottonwood. It was super cool, but
about 2 hours into our climb it started raining again! We decided to head for an indoor gym where we say Boone Speed and Jerry
Moffit (a couple of pro climbers) so that was pretty sweet! I though Mitch was going to faint.
April 6: Drove from SC|LC to Joe's Valley in central Utah and bouldered for the day. We
met some dudes from L.A. so we hung around and camped with them for the night. Just before we went to be it started to snow a
little but it didn't look like it was going to last.....
April 7:We woke up to a snowstorm!!! I don't know what the deal is with us and
weather, but we're not having the best of luck. We keep heading South trying to find warmer temperatures but aren't having any luck.
So we just went into town and messed around with the web page for a while.
April 8:We bouldered in Joe's Valley again but it was still snowing on and off so it was pretty cold. We camped in Orangeville on the side of the road (the streets in Orangeville are wider than an airport runway!!).
April 9:We started off bouldering again but weren't having a good time. Mitch's fingers were hurtin' and I was pissed that I couldn't get any problems that I wanted. Anyway, we ended up leaving for Moab Utah (about 4 hours from where we were). We got there in the early evening so we climbed a few routes on Wallstreet. The Jeep Jamboree was in tow so there were like 1000 Jeeps all "done up" in town. We camped at a campground and did some laundry.
April 10:We went to Arches National Park for most of the day. It was pretty cool but then when we went to climb it started snowing...hard! It turned out to be a blizzard so we headed for St. George Utah. We got into town and checked out some of the climbing areas and then camped in a Best Western parking lot. We hit up a driving range for an hour or so and hit the sack!
April 11:We climbed at Chuckawalla wall all day and then found our selves a library and check our email. After that we went to an all you can eat place called Chuck-a-rama. We stayed there for over 2 hours and ate. The waitresses were like "You guys have eaten way to much food!" So that was that and we camped at the Best Western again.
April 12:Climbed at Black Rocks all day and went to the driving range again. Camped at Best Western. We keep going here because they have a bathroom just inside the door so it's like we're staying there!
April 13:We climbed at Prophesy wall and Chuckawalla. Prophesy was a multi-pitch and I did my first lead and hanging belay...cool! I snuck into a campground and used their shower cause I was one dirty piece of work. We went to a movie "Along Came a Spider" and camped in the theater parking lot.
April 14:We took a day off and went to an Art Festival in town. It was pretty fun, we just sat around and check out all the chicks. You wouldn't believe the number of hot chick (in particular the Moms) in this town, man o man! However there was some messed up stuff going on so check it out! I went for a job and nearly killed myself, I have no stamina for that crap! Again with the Best Western
April 15:We (I) climbed at Turtle Wall. Mitch hurt his shoulder so he didn't climb a whole lot. We decided to leave for Vegas but I wanted a shower cause I wasn't sure when the next one would be. So I went to the campground again but I parked the van across the street and a lady at a hotel across called the campground and ratted me out. I was in the shower when the heat came down. Oh well, I sweet talked her and all was cool! Duravan started acting funny..surprise, surprise! We got into Vegas and had a look around. We tried to park in a casino parking lot but got kicked out. We just drove to another one and slept there, no problem!
April 16:We gambled all day, only on the craps tables and lasted about 4 or 5 hours on only $40. I finally lost it all, no big surprise and we wandered around for the rest of the day/night. We slept in the same casino parking lot as last night. They're open 24hrs so we could use the bathroom or gamble whenever we wanted.
April 17:I can't really remember what we did this day but I think we checked out Red Rocks and then went back to town and wandered around the strip for a while and camped out in the same spot.
April 18:We climbed at Red Rocks (Black Corridor and the Gallery) all day. Then we headed to the library and sent some email and then went to find a place to sleep in a subdivision. It was ultra windy and I though we were going to die!
April 19:We climbed again at Red Rocks but only at the Gallery. We took off and I showed behind the van in the middle of the desert...it was super windy and I almost froze! We went to the Suncoast hotel/casino and looked around. The cocktail waitresses there don't where a whole lot of clothes and they're all super hot...sweet. It was super super windy all night and the entire van was moving around. We camped in another subdivision again.
April 20:Took another day off and did some laundry. I dropped Mitch off at the library and I went to get Duravan fixed. In Utah they have these huge dips in the road for water runoff and we took one a little to fast. The box that we have on the back of the van smashed on the pavement and pulled some of the rivits. It took for ever but it's all good.
April 21:Well it rained last night (snowed in the mountains). Looks like the bad weather found us. You're not allowed to climb on sandstone in Red Rocks after it rains cause it falls apart in your hands so we couldn't climb today. We just hung out at the library all day and sent emails and read books. Pretty boaring but whatever!
April 22:Well maybe the bad weather didn't find us. There's not a cloud in the sky today and it's like 27degrees. We climbed all day and were going to get a hotel room but didn't bother cause we found free showers at the Las Vegas Athletic Club. That was the first real shower I took in over a week. I had one behind the van a few days ago but it's just not the same.
April 23:Climbed all day again. Did some pretty hard routs so that was fun. I got my ass kicked on a couple of 11's so that pissed me off, I'm sooooo weak! Then we just hung out at the library again, got some new books...some on investing and some on gambleing, one of those has to make me some money!
April 24:Didn't climb again today. The skin on the end of my fingers is falling off so we took another rest day. I think we're going to climb tomorrow and Thursday and then head off. I don't know where we're going but hopefully it's L.A. so I can try some surfing.
April 25:Climbed all day today, it was the best day so far. Although it was about 36degrees (no joke) it was still nice cause we climbed in the shade. We hung out at the library and I read about the stock market so I can invest all my money when I get home ($5)! We camped on the side of a main street...with the top up! Needless to say we were automatic heat!
April 26: Sure enough at 6:00am the cops showed up and gave us the boot from out camp out. I'm surprised we lasted all night...although I don't see the problem for just one night. But if it ads a little excitement to the boaring lives of the people in the suberbs to call the cops on us then all the power to them. Climbed very little today, just didn't have the motivation! Mostly just laid around in the sun and then had a shower behind the van again...all cleaned up and ready to leave! I think we're heading out tonight or tomorrow morning for LA. We ended up staying one more night and we slept in a casino parking lot...big mistake. I went in and lost another $20 on the Blackjack tables...damn!
April 27:We woke up to the dreadful heat yet again...like 98 degree! I had a look over the van before we headed off for LA and guess what! I found we had a radiator leak and I also found an extra part under the hood???? Yeah I don't know what the hell to make of that, it was just sitting there not attached to anything so I just threw it in the back of the van. We drove around LA for most of the day. It was super crowded and we ended up sleeping in Hollywood somewhere. BR>
April 28: Drove around LA all day looking for a wetsuit cause the water is super cold. We finally found one and then went to a library for the rest of the day. We also looked for good surf spots and slept in Santa Monica in some subdivision.
April 29: We surfed, or tried to surf, Santa Monica. Everybody was warning us about surf gangs and stuff and that we should be careful and stuff...well when we got to the beach there was this dude with Santa Monica tatooed across his back so we were like "Oh, great!". We started talking to him and he wanted one of us to draw his girlfriend on the bottom of his board for him and he said he'd "kick us down an eigth" which means he'd give us an eigth of an ounce of week/cocain whatever. We didn't! We slept right at the beach so we could get an early start on tomorrow.
April 30: We waisted most of the morning trying to find the right surfing area. We ended up at Venice beach which was super nice. We only surfed for a little while cause Mitch keeps getting sick from all the waves. We drove over to the CBS studios to get tickets to the Price is Right and ended up going to a taping of Polically Incorrect with Bill Mahar. It was kinda stupid but we met some chicks so that was cool! We slept in the parking lot right next to the studio so we could be there early.
May 1: They started numbering tickets at 7:30am but some people got there at 4:00am! We got there at 6:00am. It was an all day evert and I didn't even get to go on stage. It was still really fun to see Bob Barker in person but it would have been even better if I'd won a car! We met some more girls from Toronto and they wanted us to go out with them tonight but we were super tired and were trying to figure out what we were goingt to do for the next couple of days so we didn't and drove to Redondo beach instead.
May 2: We got up and surfed at Redondo beach for a while but again Mitch got sick. We called a guy we met in Utah cause he said we could stay with him for a few days. We headed to his place and then went to a rock gym and climbed for a bit and met up with the rest of the posse from Utah. We slept outside his house although he said we could sleep inside but I didn't want to spoil myself.
May 3:We were going to go surfing but Mitch and Brandon were kean on climbing so we drove up to the Horse Flats and they climbed while I sat around and read (and froze my ass off cause it was only about 10degrees out). Brandon took us out to dinner at a Japanees place and then we went out to the bars down on the boardwalk at Redondo beach. It was pretty fun but I'm not much for staying out late.
May 4:I just chilled out at the beach all day. I didn't do any surfing cause I was alone and didn't want to drown. Mitch updated the website. I watched TV for the rest of the day and that's about it.
May 5:We went climbing with about 6 other guys from LA at some area known as the Tram. This huge tram takes you to the top of a mountain to this huge boulding area so it was super cool. I didn't climb partly because my elbow was hurting but mostly cause I didn't feel like it. I felt like kind of a pussy but whatever.
May 6:Surfed all day today. I got up for my first time and I was super happy about that. Anyway, I stayed in the water for about 5 hours and by the end my arms were killing me. I think we just hung around and didn't do anything for the evening.
May 7:Went surfing for a while today but didn't last long cause the waves sucked. We just went back to Brandon's plance and chilled out. I went to do some laundry and the power went out when my stuff wat in the dryer...stupid LA. Then we went climbing at the gym and then rented a movie. We were supposed to go out but everybody was tired.
May 8:I thought I was going to die of the heat when I woke up this morning. It must have been like 30 degrees in the van. I got up and went to the beach but Mitch stuck around and messed with the web page. I was going to surf but there were absolutely no waves so I just sat around and read. .
May 9:Went to the beach again today and tried surfing but the waves weren't all that great. I mostly sat around and read. When I got back we went to the LA Rock Gym again and did some climbing. Had a pretty good time, although I'd rather climb 5.6slab than climb indoors any day!! .
May 10:Got up and decided we were going to leave LA today for J-tree. I shaved my head again cause my hair was bothering me. It was about a 3 hour drive and when we got there we just bouldered for an hour or two and went back into town to pick up some ice and water. The camp ground was full when we got back so we just pulled it into the parking lot and popped the top and went to sleep.
May 11:Didn't get up as early as we had planned but we bouldered till about noon when it got to be about 36 degrees. We just sat around and read mostly and then went back out when it cooled off a little.
May 12:Bouldered again this morning but then decided to go to town in the afternoon. On the way there we say a Rattle snake on the road so I pushed it off with a snow brush...I thought it was going to bite me! We hit up a library and there was a book sale so we snagged some books (I got some in investing) and headed back to the campground. Mitch sat around and read and I bouldered and then came back to the campsite and lit a fire and pounded back a 40 or Olk English!
May 13:We took the day off cause our fingers we killing us. Mostly we just sat around and read and I got super bord in the evening and went out bouldering alone.
May 14:We bouldered in the morning and evening again but I got blisters on the ends of my fingers so I didn't climb all that hard in the evening.
May 15:We were going to climb today but we (Mitch) was getting bord of J-tree so we decided to leave. We were just outside LA when we blew a tire and I mean BLEW A TIRE! (There's a picture in the summer2001 section). So we finally made it back and went to Brandon's house again...oh yeah, showers!!
May 16:Back in LA and I went surfing alone again! Mitch is being a real bitch about surfing so I don't even bother anymore. Whatever!
May 17:Same as yesterday but we had a little party at Brandon's house and then ended up going out to some dive bar. I got a little drunk for the first time in over a year and I knew that I was going to regret it....
May 18:Woke up this morning with the classic hang over! I shook it off by about 1:00pm and then went out surfing again...I'm getting a little better.
May 19:Surfed again alone.
May 20:Climbed at Black mountain with the boys from LA. There were about 7 of us so it was pretty fun. Did the usual Taco Bell run after climbing and then headed back to LA. Got home late so we didn't do much after that.
May 21:Didn't really do anything all day except send email and watch DVD's. I bought my stock today. $2400 of Nortel...lets hope it goes up!
May 22:We left for Bishop California at around 1:00pm. Good drive, pretty uneventfull. Got to Bishop and just went to bed. We slept in the Vons parking lot, it's open 24hrs so we have a bathroom anytime we need one.
May 23:Bouldered all day at the Sads. It was good in the morning but then in the afternoon it got ultra hot so we just sat around and read. We were going to climb again in the evening but didn't for whatever reason so then we went back to the city.
May 24:We didn't do anything all day. We spent most of it at the library reading and sending email. We played a little bit of tennis in the evening so that was a nice change. Slept in the Vons parking lot again.
May 25:Today's my birthday! I'm getting old...already 22! WE bouldered at the happies all morning, we got up at 5:00am to get there before the sun came up. We went to the library and checked our mail. Then we went to the park. In the evening we bouldered at the Happies again and I was going to go out to supper but it was to late. I showered behind the van and then we just headed back to town.
May 26:We just sat around in the park today, played a little tennis and then went out to supper. I wanted a big steak but the restaurant I wanted to go to was super busy so we went to Sizzler. This was the biggest disapointment in the world! A vegitarian could have picked out and cooked a better steak then they did!! Man was I pissed! I went to a rodeo in the evening, pretty fun!
May 27:Bouldered at the Buttermilks today at 5:00am again. Pretty fun and alot cooler, the rock is granite so that's a nice change.
May 28:Bouldered at the happies again in the morning and evening and that's about all.
May 29:Took the day off and went to Lake Sabrina in the mountains. It was way to cold to swim but we just hung out for the day anyway. We bouldered at the Buttermilks again for most of the evening. We played tennis till dark and then went for ice cream. I started a quarter jar for every time I say FUCK, and by the end of the first day I was already up to $5. We each got a litre of ice cream and took about 40 minutes to polish them off...I didn't quite finish mine.
May 30:We were up at 5:00am again. Mitch climbed at the Sads but I didn't feel like it. We went to the library and hung out at the park for most of the day.. WE bouldered at the Happies and I showered behind the van again.
May 31:Bouldered at the Sads, went to the library and then went to look for a swimming spot that turned out to be a swamp! I went in anyway but not for very long! We bouldered at the Happies again.