I can't believe it's over. I've been training for the last year and a half, worrying, coping, persisting, growing... and now it's done. All my work and time and effort, coming to a beautiful resolution. I feel like I did when I turned 16 – like I'd finally crossed a milestone where I was “older.” Instead, now I feel stronger, wiser, more capable. The point is, I feel like I've actually changed.

This post is more than a trip report. It's a reflection on the time I devoted to making my life better, and the process of growing beyond my boundaries, something I feel is necessary for anyone who wants to change and grow.  


Note: Long post and SOOOOO many beautiful pictures below...

So I guess I'm sponsored... (See banner to the right...)

Earlier this year I was approached by Markhor Climbing to write gear-centric blog posts for them. They said they'd provide the gear. I said I'd provide the "OMG YES!" After a few months of finagling, dawdling, moving, and talking, I'm finally writing! I've been dubbed a "Sponsored Average Climber," and I intend to live up to that title the best I know how: by using their gear in an extraordinarily ordinary way. You can read more about the sponsorship here, or you can take a look at the small-time Markhor Climbing gear website and see what they are all about.