Andrew's Journal

Ecuadorian Transition

Dec
17

January 11, 2014

Our last day in the Galapagos was mostly spent traveling. Waking up before sunrise to catch our boat back to Santa Cruz, we didn't get to see much more than a beautiful sunrise. The boat ride was again uneventful and we went straight from there to a car to the ferry to the airport. Still got some great views, especially of the clouds, but not quite as exciting as the last few days.

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Crabs Suck

Dec
17

January 9, 2014

I know what you're thinking. It's not that.

We started today by renting some bikes. We were to ride down along the ocean and take the path to the Wall of Tears, a large stone wall built by hand by prisoners formerly kept on this island.

Then they happened: crabs. Big blue ones.

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Getting Wet

Dec
17

January 8, 2014

Today's goal was simple: climb the Sierra Negra volcano to get a better idea of how these islands formed and see how the climate changes across the peaks. The hike would take much of the day but should also provide beautiful views of the islands. In theory.

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Santa Cruz

Dec
17

January 7, 2014

My dad and I awoke early this morning for our flight to the Galapagos. Landing on Baltra, we zoomed through baggage claim (carry on only) to meet Silvia, our naturalist guide for the day.

With Silvia, we got on the bus transfer to the Santa Cruz ferry. A short ride later and we were on Santa Cruz and met our driver. The plan for the day was to take a leisurely drive across Santa Cruz with a few stops before having lunch in Puerta Ayora and catching the ferry to Isabela, where we would spend the next couple days.

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Knifesmithing

May
13

Japan. A country with legendary swordsmiths who create deadly works of arts. A country where things are done the right way irrespective of time and cost. A country where traditions are built over centuries, and are lived rather than just respected.

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Grand Canyoneering

Jan
19

Some good friends came to visit me for the weekend. We started with the simple, exploring a few of the National Monuments nearby. After that, we decided to try something a little more adventurous: hike from the rim of the Grand Canyon to the Colorado River and back in a day.

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Ouray

Oct
18

Last winter, my brother and I went to Ouray, Colorado. A reasonable drive from my new home, I wanted to show my brother what I enjoy so much about ice climbing.

The Ouray Ice Park is an awesome place. This natural gorge has water pipes running along the top rim . Many years ago, some clever climbers decided to tap the pipes to run water down the cliffs. This makes for very reliable ice climbing conditions with some awesome climbs. As a bonus, the natural hot springs in town make an excellent way to relax after a day on the ice.

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New Beginnings

Oct
18

As some of you know, I recently moved to Flagstaff. Things have been busy and I'm way behind on my travel photos but even staying home can be an adventure. Simple yet special. These are some photos from near my new home--a bit of mountain climbing, playing in the river, the recent eclipse in Flagstaff's beautiful dark night skies, and even some ancient pueblo ruins. Lots more to do here--I'm looking forward to it.

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Old Photos I

Oct
18

Sometimes it's easier to just put stuff up than write about it. These are old ones from Toronto.

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Chimborazo and the Illinizas

Aug
02

Previous post.

January 6, 2014

Chimborazo: at 6,268 meters (20,564 feet), Ecuador's tallest mountain and, due to the equatorial bulge, the point farthest from the center of the Earth. Starting from around 4,800 meters (~15,750 feet), it's also quite a long climb.

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