The Christmas Blog

Wow it's been way too long. So this is the Christmas letter that you didn't get and were wondering where the heck it is. The year that was or will soon be, all that kind of stuff.

We started the year traveling in the United States. Shelley and I both competed at the Ouray Ice Festival and somehow managed to both qualify for the finals. Let's just say we were surprised. Very surprised but happy about it. After Ouray we headed out to California and Nevada to do some climbing and visiting. We had a great time in Vegas until Shelley got a bad bug and that kind of cut our trip short.

February saw us back home enjoying the winter. We also made a quick trip out to Vancouver to say goodbye to a friend. I can't say I'll be sad to see this year end, I didn't think it was possible to loose so many friends and climbing partners. We cherish the memories, but what we really wish for is that they were all still here to make more memories.

March and April were here climbing and getting in shape for a trip to Waddington with Sean and Louis. We also did a quick trip to Mexico to sit on the beach and have fun. We had a great trip, made some new friends and got a decent tan. It also prepared me really well for sleeping in a snow cave, well not really. You can read about the trip to Waddington somewhere on this blog.

In May we put the crop in and hoped for rain. It came, we don't call it monsonjune for nothing around here. If we could recommend a time not to come to Canmore, it would be June, don't know why but it likes to rain. We still managed to get out lots, just made sure we had the gore-tex. Shelley went to Arizona to visit her sisters and I stayed home and well.....Oh yeah sprayed.

We had a pretty quiet summer. It was another warm one but with the right amount of rain so things stayed pretty nice but not too dry. Harvest came early this year, and we were lucky enough to finish nice and early. I did a quick calculation and the combine ran everyday for 19 days, it was an amazing spell of good weather. We also picked up a new grain truck which made things much better for trucking. At the end we went for 36 hours straight to try and finish before the rain came. It was a great crop this year.

This fall we had grand plans to go somewhere but we just couldn't put it together. So we stuck around here and played. The fall in this part of the world can be really nice. Ice climbing didn't get a quick start but eventually it got going and is now in full swing. In fact it's an amazing season so far and we are having a good time. Shelley did a clinic for the annual Canmore Ice Festival and I hung around and chatted. I've been working on getting in shape for Ouray again. I realize I'm getting older but would like to have one more kick at the cat, so I'm trying to be in the best shape possible for it this year. Shelley will be doing a climbing clinic there this year as well.

Well that's about it. Bear is still with us. I have to say it's rather enlightening having a dog and traveling with it through life's journey. Unfortunately dogs age rather quickly relative to humans so in a very short span you get to watch a young spry dog, grow into a mature adult and then slowly get old. It's hard to watch but a good lesson too. Bear has aged gracefully and people still mistake her for a puppy, until she starts walking! There is a book out, called Marley and Me: Life and Love with the Worlds Worst Dog. I haven't read it yet, but from what I've heard it's a book for anybody who has ever had a dog. I think I'll wait and read it after Bear is gone.

As for the annual book recommendation, hmmmm let's see. We read some good ones this year but I think our favorite is Three Day Road by Joseph Boyden. It's really one of the best books that I've read in years.

Okay that's really it now. Shelley and I are hitting the road again and we promise to try and keep this blog a little more up to date. Have a great Christmas.

Shawn and Shelley

Now THAT is a haircut!

Our friend EJ is taking kemo right now so a bunch of us got togther and shaved our heads. For me, it wasn't really a big deal, just a shorter than usual haircut. But for some of these poor guys it was like cutting off their life blood. At least their's will grow back! It was a good time, thankfully the girls kept their hair. I've posted some pictures of the guys who had the most hair. Andrew had been growing his for six months, Mike scalp has never seen the sun and Louis is one scary looking dude with a shaved head. It was a good time and we're easy to spot now, just look for the ball caps!

Finally Finished Another Route

Louis and I finally finished our other route in the Ghost. This baby took a good four or five days of work since last summer to finish. We seemed to get busy on other projects and stuff like that. The crux pitch was Louis', he thinks it goes around 12.b (although I think it's harder but we'll have to see when some other groups do it) and we called it Goldie 5.12b, 150m. Here's the junk on the route. The first pitch is 5.10 with a couple of devious moves somewhere in the middle and a fun roof that you pull to big holds, 10 bolts. On the second pitch the crux is right off the belay, probably 11.b, steep climbing after that leads to the next belay, 9 bolts. The third pitch is the crux of the climb, 12b. There is a tough move a couple of bolts up, then head for the roof. Some really good rock and excellent moves lead to the crux, good luck on that one! 15 bolts. The fourth pitch is 5.11 as well, a tricky lieback leads to some techy face climbing and the belay. 9bolts. The last pitch is the easy one, it's 5.10 with two bolts and some gear. It will take gear to 3". You can rap the route with on 60m rope, but two gets you down faster.

Because Louis did the crux pitch he got to name the route, hence the deviation from my usual names(named after albums or songs). He named it after the girl from the movie Sin City. There is a topo at Louis' Blog at: www.mountainx.blogspot.com and I'll try and throw an update on our website as well, it's here. As with all our routes, the grades are just an estimate and until it see's some traffic just take them as that.

Shelley was in Arizonia in mid June, guess what, it was hot. Big surprise there. She had lots of fun with her sisters and she is working on a short blog of the trip. If i can tear her away from sudoku you might even get to read it.

Summer has finally arrived in the mountains. We've had some really nice days and the rains of June have made things really nice. It's as green here as I can remember, my memory isn't very good so who knows, but I think it's pretty green. The riding is really good right now. Trails are just tacky enough to make things perfect. The misquito's are coming to life, but we can never complain too bad because we know there are lots of places that have it much worse.

A bit of market stuff. It's been pretty wild ride in the last few weeks. Big down days, big up days. Sometimes it looks like the wheels are coming off and then it bounces back. The trend seems down but with all the negativity I'm thinking things will probably be okay. I read some where there are more shorts than ever, that's always a good sign for the market to move up. Google has been acting really good, it's back over $400 and that buy at $380 is looking okay. I'd stick with it, it seems to have good action right now. Canadian banks have been kinda weak, especally TD. Their last quarter was a bit of a disappointment from what I saw, although I thought it looked okay. The stock has been weak, but I still like it. I think anything under $57 is a bargin on that thing later in the year. How bout that Buffett? You have to respect that. How do you give away the second largest fortune in the world? You give it to the richest guy's foundation and let him take care of it. If you think about it, that's was Buffett has done his whole carrer. He has never been afraid to buy good a good business and let the people who started it keep running it. I think it's a good lesson on control that a many a business person could learn from.

Karen's celebration was really good, if you can call these things that good. There were lots of tears, but lots of good laughs too. Some of her students from Morley drummed at the beginning and end. That was one of the most intense experiences I've had in a while. It's a truly amazing part of our culture and to see it and be part of it in that setting was really unique. Karen would have loved it.

Friends

Two good friends Sue Nott and Karen McNeill went missing while climbing in Alaska last week. Karen was from Canmore, Sue was from Vail, and we had climbed with both often. Shelley and Karen went to the Ghost just before her trip and they had a great time. I heard all about the day when they got back, just the girls out climbing talking about girl stuff. Shelley climbs with guys alot, so I think it was always a refreshing change to get out with Karen. One of my best memories of climbing with Karen was in the Ghost as well. We jumped in the truck one day and decided to go solo This House of Sky together. It's a nice climb with lots of mellow climbing, and I remember Karen talking the whole way up the climb and the whole way down, plus the whole drive.

This winter while we were in the States climbing, Sue and Karen were in Canmore and I get a call on my cell. It was the girls and they wanted to borrow our truck. I told them where the keys were to get in the house and told them to feel free to use it. I'm still finding lip gloss, sunglasses and coffee in the truck!

Sue was a spitfire. Tiny but so full of life. You would often hear her before you would see her. Shelley and I always get to Ouray a bit early to train for the comp and hang with friends and we would always find Sue by following her voice. She would tell us her latest adventure, try and talk us into coming to Chamonix to hang out with her, and then we'd usually make plans for dinner. But not before she made sure to give Shelley all her old issues of Cosmo and all those other "chick mags"(her words not mine) she had floating around.

Sue spent some time in the past few winter's in Canmore and I've got to climb with her quite a bit. She was solid, fun to be around, always positive, and she wore perfume all the time. Seriously, you would go to pick her up to go climbing and she would have perfume on. I would just laugh, and it wasn't the cheap stuff either.

Sue and I did the Weeping Pillar together on one of her trips up here. As we were climbing the lower pitches of the Weeping Wall to get up to the pillar, we noticed these two guys giving it on an easier line. We thought, no way were they going to try and scoop us on the upper line, but oh yeah, there they were when we got to the base of it. To top it off, they were two French Guides from France with a bit of attitude. Sue had spent alot of time in France and I had just got back from a trip there, and there was no way we were going to let these two guys hose us. They had already started up the first pitch, so I grabbed the rack and started up to the right of them. The ice was perfect and I don't think I've ever climbed as fast before. Sue flew up behind me and we were already ahead of them. She grabbed the rack and headed up before the second guy had even got to the station. She was on fire and there was no way they were going to pass us now. The two French guides were pretty surprised to be passed by a redneck from Alberta and some chick with an American accent. Sue and I giggled all the way home that night about the look on their faces when she grabbed that rack and headed up. To top it off, we both climbed that day with our leashless tools and they had their leash tools. So not only had they come to Canada and got Euored, but they got Euored with style.

One more and I promise I'll quit. When I was in Alaska with Sean a couple of years ago, we sat out a storm waiting to get picked up. When the storm finally broke, we called to Paul our pilot and he said, to pack up, but he figured there was no way he would pick us up that day because of all the snow and our location. Sean and I packed up our gear and got it all ready and sat and waited. We called once and they said, no probably not but just hang tight for a bit yet. So we waited, hearing some planes but not expecting much. We were about ready to commit to another night when we hear a plane, we don't get too excited because we had been hearing them all day, but all of a sudden it turns and it looks like it's coming in. It lands and out jump Sue and Karen with Paul. We unload all their stuff, talk, hug (Sue had perfume on again) and pack our stuff into the plane. As we're taking off Paul says, ya know there are two places I never land after a big snow and this is one of them. If it weren't for those two girls you guys would be spending another night out here. Those two had bugged Paul all morning and he finally flew them in. They just had that way about them, it was so hard not to say yes.


The climbing world lost two really good climbers. We lost two really good friends. We're going to miss you.

Shawn and Shelley

Things I wish I'd known before.........

Did you ever start something and then go, oh man, I wish I'd known that before I did this, or hmmmm that info would have been very helpful YESTERDAY?

So I'm walking through Costco stocking up on the usual stuff and I see this really nice new tap for the bathroom. Hey, now that's a good deal, lets put a new one on. Soooo I pick it up and put it in, well now the little brass knobs don't match, nor do the towel racks. Okay lets replace them. Hey wait, the toilet paper holder is brass too, well that just won't do, let's replace it. But wait, it's set into the wall, oh well let's just pull it out. Cool now I have a hole in the drywall I have to fix and repaint. So one little tap turned into some major work. And guess what, it doesn't match the shower!

Wow we've been busy, but we're not too sure what. Oh yeah, Bob if your reading this, thanks for putting us onto Sudoku, now I have a wife who is scratching little numbers into squares and always asking, "were does this number go". Thanks so much! I think meth would be less addictive. For those of you willing to risk it, go to http://www.websudoku.com and try it. Try and just do one too.

We're finally getting some good weather again. The bike trails are in amazing shape. Been out riding quite a bit. I rode the upper bench yesterday. I know, it's closed but that's way too nice of a trail not to ride. Plus, when they stop golfing at Silvertip I'll stop riding up there, either that or til they catch me and give me a big fine. I can't believe that we actually stood by and let them get away with that.

I don't want to talk about hockey! Okay just alittle. The Oilers. I just can't bring myself to cheer for them, I'm sorry. It's scars from childhood I think or something like that. I will say this, they are playing really well and I like their chances. There that should have screwed them up. What happened to the Ducks? I think ya left your power play in Colorado or something. Anyhow, the only prediction that I'll make is that if the Oilers win the Cup, we're gonna have to listen to their fans yak and yak. I kinda know how the fans in Boston feel now.

Market stuff, can you say "ugly". The old adage sell in may and go way held up agian. I'm starting to like TD. What's not to like about that under $60? Did anybody see CNQ down in the mid $50's last week. Everybody loved it at $70, you should be marrying it at $55. Actually, if it goes back around that price I'd pick away at it. What else? Hmmmm, I still think Google under $380 will look good in the fall. How bout that Hershey Foods? Everybody thinks the US is going into a recession and now they want to own that. If you were smart enough to buy it in the low $50's I'd look at selling it if hits $60. Apple is starting to look like a good trade again too. Buy it around $60 and sell it around $65, it seems to be bouncing around there. Might not work if we get a big sell off, but I just don't see that happening unless something wierd comes out of no where and smokes us. Okay, enough of that.

Well that's about it for now, I'll try and get Shelley to post once and while, if I can pry that Sudoku book out of her hands.

What's That? oh Nothing Just a Flame Going Out

Okay, so the Flame's lost. Am I bitter, well no. Disappointed but I'll get over it. Here's a newsflash, we need to get another guy or two who can score so Kipper doesn't have to stand on his head every night. So who do I like now? Hmmmm, the Sharks and Oilers will be a good series. I can't bring myself to cheer for the Oilers, but they did a number on Detroit so ya never know. The Ducks sure looked good against Colorado last night, this was a team that was supposed to be tired too. In the East, well I still think any team that comes out of there is going to be in for a rude awakening when they meet their opponent in the West. I really think any of the Western teams can probably take out the best from that side, but you have to think the Sen's might just make it out (that's for you Bob and Shelley). Ducks win the cup (sorry Bob and Shelley). If your going to loose, you may as well loose to the team that win's the cup. And now a quick rant, it's Saturday night and there is no hockey, who is responsible for this, might it be the same guy who is getting the ref's to call more penelties that aren't penelties? Thanks Gary! Any more bright ideas. Don't get me wrong, I love the fast game, but do we have to let the ref's decide who wins? There has to be a better answer than this.

Market stuff, well look at that CNQ, poor cash flow #'s and cutting their drilling. Hmmmm did I mention that a few weeks ago? No, but I did say that they made me nervous. Cover the short and run. Okay, enough of that. The banks bounced back on Friday, finally. I'm starting to like TD at these prices. Google is acting badly, not doing much in a pretty good market. If it drops below $380 I'd start to look at it. I see the Starbucks CEO is thinking of retiring, might cause the stock to sell off, but if they replace him with somebody good, it could bounce back. I'd keep an eye on that. Poor Bill Gates, he thinks his life would be easier if he didn't have all that money. Well he's probably right, but he's not going to get alot of sympathy from the average Joe. Here's an idea Bill, get Vista out and quit yer snivelling. Seriously though, Bill seems like a good guy who has given lot's to charity and he's a smart invester(he's the largest shareholder of one of Canada's oldest companies), but Mr Softy has to start executing pretty soon or things could get ugly there. Here's something weird, the market is selling off Google because Mr. Softy is talking about getting into search, but Mr. Softy can't even get their opperating system out on time. Do you really think they can take the search market from Google when they can't get their bread and butter stuff going? Guess we'll have to wait and see.

Climbed with Shelley today in the Ghost, hauled a load in to Bastion Wall and did a bit of climbing. Louis and Joe were having a good time on Curio Emporium. Sun, hangin with Shel and good rock, doesn't get much better than that. For those of you coming to this blog from Live the Vision, hi. The picture is of the poster for the Fund Raiser on Saturday with the details. See Ya There.

Okay, well that's about it. I'm in for a week of listening to either classic rock, crazy right wing talk radio or sad Flames fan's whine on the radio about how their team let them down, while going back and forth in the field. I know, I know, ya all wish you were me.

The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

Well, we're back. It was not much of a trip really. We ended up hanging out in Tatla Lake in bad weather for a few days. When we finally did go in, it had snowed alot (some say 2 meter's). Once we were in, the weather got really warm and all that snow started moving. Moving snow is a bad thing, espeically when it's moving in large wet packs. On the day we did attempt to climb, it was clear and cold in the morning, but once the sun started hitting the slope we were climbing, things quickly turned to mush. Fortuantely we were able to find a safe place to build a snow cave by noon and we watched two avalanches shoot by us and clear the area where we had been just a few hours before. We spent a cold night in the snow cave and then got up early and ran for our lives and got off the mountain before the sun hit it again. All and all, we probably should have known better than to be in that postion with all that heat, but we got lucky. I pride myself in being a pretty safe climber but I think that was one of the more foolish decisions I've made while climbing. This was brought home even more when we got back and I heard about the accident on Deltaform that claimed the life of an American climber in an avalanche.

On a postive note, we did get to hang out with Jim and Jeany, these are Louis' future inlaw's. They put us up and put up with us for four long days. Amazing people who have built themselves quite the little piece of paridise out there in the mountains. All the people we met out in this area were really nice and the hospitality was pretty amazing. It's a long ways from anywhere, but they sure make up for it by being friendly.

I missed some of the playoff's but got back in time to see some of what's going on. Look's like the Flames have their hands full with those Ducks. I still think Darrel will get his boys going, and Kipper will pick up the pace a bit. Holy cow, did you see San Jose? The Sharks are for real. They could be tough. The Sen's are looking good, but let's face it, not much compition yet. The proof will be in the next round. Buffalo, is a bit of a surpirse too, but alot could still happen in that series. Montreal is giving Carolina fits, that one could get interesting yet.

I thought Shel's blog was really good, I'm going to get her to do more of them if I can. I think it will be her turn next week. A female prespective on the hockey is always refreshing.

A few things I've noticed in the market lately. Good Google #'s, but the stock has been weak after the big run up. Oil stocks were a bit weak this week. I think the Canadian oil and gas companies could get hit with the strong Cdn $, ya have to remember these guys did okay with the weak $ and now it's going the other way. How bout the Cdn $? Wow, 28 year high or something like that. I'm ticked I missed Hershey's under $50. It dropped there while I was away, I noticed it just before I flew out. It's another good name that seems cheap. Buy it under $50 and sell it around $54 for a nice little trade. And if your wrong hold it for the dividend. Oh well, maybe next time.

I'll post some pictures from our trip on the mac website. Here's a cool blog from a friend of mine, he's a really good photographer and he post's some of his pictures on his blog. It's http://www.restless-planet.blogspot.com/