So for more then a week now I am living in JTree and am pretty much adapted to the life style here. As campsites are scars, I moved in with my neighbors, climbers from Alaska. Short days and bad weather drove them down to the sun. We cook together (I had some amazing dinners, and tonight Nasi is on the menu), climb together and share stories over the campfire. It feels like home. It is home.
The contrast is large with the life I used to live. Here we live with the day, without a plan, we wake up when the sun comes up, and we go to bed when we are getting to cold. Over coffee in the morning we make plans for where to climb, what to bring and what to wear. Its easy, simple and amazingly relax.
The contrast is large with the life I used to live. Here we live with the day, without a plan, we wake up when the sun comes up, and we go to bed when we are getting to cold. Over coffee in the morning we make plans for where to climb, what to bring and what to wear. Its easy, simple and amazingly relax.
The only time we all get nervous is when we have Town Anxiety, the plan to make it into town. As JTree has no water (no shower), no store or any other facility, now and then we have to make it into town to keep our lives on track. Lists are made, computers are found at the bottom of our cars and we lay awake at night to think over what else we should do in town. After living in nature for a week, town feels like an aliened place. Cars are soaring by, people are yelling and we have to force our selves to stay and do what we have to do. One thing is great though…a shower and clean clothes is on the todo list.
And that is something the real dirtbags will excuse themselves from. Most of them are drop outs from school/society, and live to climb. Camping is done in the back country while the budget they live on is low to not existing. They stop by for food, a little chat or some heat from the campfire. They are annoying, fun and weird, but always full of stories and an interesting bunch of people.
The fact is that I am still easing into this trip, and don't climb much. As we do a lot of "away from the crowed" climbing, we are walking quite a bit. It feels good after sitting for 3 months in the city, and its good to have time to see the nature all around us. Every day we see coyotes and the mouses, rabbits and chipmunks are running away when we approach. I have however finally lead the climb, I had for a while on my agenda. Its just all good and a place I don't wanne leave right now. It feels too good.
Dag,
Iris (JTree, 624 miles)
