These are pictures of climbing with E, Fred McGuinness, Amanda Hoffus, and Adam
in Canmore, as well as hiking in K-country with Jeanna Berg and E.
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E came down to hang out and do some climbing. We went out to Heart Creek since we were going to meet my
great friends Adam and Amanda, who were in the area escaping from life (and the visa-enforcing AmEan
Customs weanies) for awhile. This is E at the first wall of Heart Creek.
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Here Amanda and Adam try really hard to look like they're trying really hard to use the guidebook.
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I think in this picture I'm looking at a 5.12 climb and trying to sort out why the guidebook lists it
as a 5.9. It turns out I was looking at the wrong area (shocking I know).
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E was REALLY happy on this trip since he was checking out his new Forerunner 405 from Garmin. It's a
super sweet watch and has some sweet ADI content in it too. Fred's hanging out here saying, "Oh yeah,
I'm an engineer too and I TOTALLY understand all that shizzat!"
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We started our day on this wall, just across the creek.
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I must have told E, "Um, please try to look as gay as possible."
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It turns out that E's shoes are like 4 sizes too big. So, anytime I wanted to make him poop a little,
I put him on a climb that used some fine footwork.
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Yeah, I really do need a not-so-gay climbing helmet at some point. I'm just getting ready to hop on some rock.
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It turns out that Fred linked two routes with a super mean traverse that had no earthly right to
be strung together. The kicker is that E got to clean it. Did I mention that his shoes were too big??
This roof sequence was pretty awesome.
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I'm hanging out being a belay-beeatch. At least I'm tied in though.
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E brought a wicked hammock to chill out on. Fred's doing some very attentive belaying in it.
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This is Amanda Hoffus knocking out her first 5.11a lead climb. Incidentally, here was one of her
first climbs: LINK along with
a video talking about it.
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Here is E doing that move sequence that Fred made look easy.
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Since Fred was so relaxed belaying me, I thought I could do the same. Look ma, no eyes!
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Here's Fred looking like a big GQ monster. Yeah, yeah, put that six pack away and have another beer.
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This is a shot of the same 5.11a that Amanda put up. It had one really mental move that
really got you going, but otherwise, was totally fun.
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Adam King putting his 'send' shoes on. He knocked out some mean rock here and continues to climb
strong. Dude, you're welcome on the sharp end of my rope anytime!
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For a while now, I've been packing lunches with pickles in them. It turns out that people are either
pickle-lovers or pickle-haters. I definitely love the pickle and so does the entire Lynn family.
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E takes my "lovin' the pickle" comment a little too far.
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E is also a pickle-lover. I think I also brought some cheese on this trip too.
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I worked on a 5.11b problem that was a little above me. The roof immediately above me proved a little
much and so I had to use a little bit of Plan B and "Just Give 'Er".
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Some of the characters of our day - Miss Amanda "I climb harder than every one else and I'm still
the nicest person in the world" Hoffus.
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Fred "I ski like a madman and see no issues with a 60 degree chute" McGuinness.
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Me trying to find some white courage to get around the roof. It's definitely a sweet problem and
I'll come back to it at some point.
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I'm giving a big thumbs up to a sweet day with great people. Many more days like this make Paul happy.
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E enjoyed this area and wants more.
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Here he is putting some time into lead climbing. He really needs some new shoes though. I think his
new Chacos actually would have outperformed his climbing shoes.
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Fred took a nap in the hammock while we put up one more route.
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I don't know what to say about this. E really likes Spam singles. They bother me almost as much
as carnies, to be honest, but if he likes them, what do you say?
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After climbing, E and I went to try to track down the mystical Greek Festival. It turns out that I had
made up in my mind what the Greek Festival was, by thinking about how awesome Folkfest is in Saskatoon.
Calgary's Greek Festival closes at 9 pm and is mostly focused on families. Boo on that! Instead, E and I
wore tight shirts out and painted the town a fun shade of red. Hellllllooooooooo Rusty Cage!
Hiking with Jeanna and E up to Old Baldy
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In our hungover haze, it seemed like a great idea to get out on the hiking trail and get our parties
started. After a strong morning effort due mostly to Tim Horton's new breakfast sandwich, we got on our
way. This was also E's Chaco "coming-out" party. No, his Chacos aren't gay. It was their first trip
out because I finally convinced him that the true measure of a man's manhood is the contrast of his Chaco tan.
Jeanna, on the other hand, is far more man than we are since she had basically just flown in from Yemen and hopped
right into hiking. That's right folks, she's a rockstar!
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E and some nice mountains in the background. I think his sister makes better foreground to be honest.
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I'm sure I'm making some really intelligent point here.
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E helped me pick out this sweet water bladder. It rocks.
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The always-classy Miss Jeanna Berg. E and I were thrilled to have her join our crew for this day.
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E's head and mountains.
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If E were any less of a poser here, he would have to be the guy on CSI.
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We had a really nice hike up to near the top of Old Baldy Pass since the Galatea Creek trail was
closed due to mating season or something.
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Did I mention I love picnic lunches?
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So does Jeanna! A note for posterity here: after picking up Jeanna at her house, shopping at MEC, stopping
at my house to pick up food (and change our clothes from the night before), we finally got to the trail
sometime after noon. To Jeanna's credit, she didn't poke fun at us AT ALL! Yes, she's a better person than
we are FOR SURE!
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She really doesn't like the fact that I took a picture of her with SWEAT! Oh my goodness Jeanna, people
know that you are actually human and secrete moisture! It's the end of the world!! :)
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E on the trail back to the car.
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I think I'm doing some kind of yoga here. Really I am.
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E and I after enjoying a really nice hike.
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Natalia REALLY likes Caesars. Specifically, she likes having pickled vegetables IN her Caesars. Since I
didn't have pickled asparagus or pickled beans, pickles would have to do.
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This made both Natalia and Jeanna very excited.
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