After a very long day at work, it's horrible to be confronted with a 20 mph head wind and thick, suffocating smoke. AZ is on fire and Albuquerque gets screwed.

So a couple guys in a beater low rider flipped me off, yelled at me, and then hit me with something off my helmet in the back of my head. I got the Nebraska license number and filed a police report. Maybe something will come of it, maybe not.

Cool sport: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DBbpEIoZz9c

Exhausted from trying to ride with Mike and the other "casual" cyclists at lunch on Friday, I biked downtown and had sushi with Nate, Todd, and Kat before watching Hangover 2. Took the ham radio class Sat and Sunday, with a nice trip down to Marble with Nate to have an Amber and play hacky-sack. Climbed and descended La Luz quickly with Leigh and Nate on Sunday night (partly by headlight) to train for Rainier and the La Luz Trail Run. Looked at houses on Memorial Day Monday, lunch date, and mountain biked, bbq'ed, and fixed the van transmission with Jason.

I have completed the AMRC final test and am now on the team. Thanks to all the team members, especially Justin, for putting the classes and trainings together.

Also, this weekend I received my ham radio license so that I can better communicate on missions.

The most interesting statement from the 3 day class was about why we can't find intelligent life in the vast cosmos. The answer: because as soon as life reaches a certain level of intelligence, the species has the ability to wield too much power in order to fight for the limited resources, and destroys itself. Intelligent life is self-extinguishing.

Truches' 4WD roads/rocks caused a fracture in the van's transmission pan. It's a sad day in the life a the mountain machine, but I've got a replacement part on the way.

I found out by backing out into the road and then not being able to use any gear or reverse. Had to slowly push it in neutral to the side of the road through the intersection. (Glad I live in a unbusy portion of town.)

Attempted to climb Truches Peak with Nate and Megan. Epic fail.

Late departure from ABQ (7am); didn't find the right trailhead, bushwhacked for a ways, found the trail but it was covered in dead trees - requiring an obstacle course-style of trekking, then the postholing began. We gave up at around the base of the true climb.

Moral of the story: "Oh the summit ridge looks passible" != "Don't bother with the snow shoes."

http://www.summitpost.org/truchas-peak- ... eak/151757

Full

Did around 50 miles of backpacking through Buckskin Gulch and Paria Canyon over 5 days/4 nights with Lisa and other CS company. Good time. Check out the pictures on the photoblog.

Did a couple climbs on big block leading the sport pitches. Not terribly hard, but I'm glad I knocked them out without getting cheese grated on the limestone. Info:

Big Block 1 - 5.7+: A very short route to the highest point on the Big Block. Very crimpy but it is about 15 degress less than vertical. Up 3 bolts to chain anchors.

Big Block 2 - 5.7+: Another short route just right of Big Block 1. Same angle and crimpiness as the first. Up 3 bolts to chain anchors.

Kevin led a couple great climbs in the Sandias yesterday. It totaled 7 hours worth of rope work. Some pics in the photoblog.

Estrellita (5.8): http://www.mountainproject.com/v/new_me ... /105789299

Miss Piggy (5.8):
http://www.mountainproject.com/v/new_me ... /105994499

Those are about as hard as I want my trad climbs to be. 2nd'ed them cleanly though.

Top Roped the 1st and 2nd routes on the High Wall at Big Block. Good climbing. 5.10a and 9+. http://www.summitpost.org/big-block-5-7-5-12a/484469

Took a trip with a large gang of Albuqerquians to Moab. Great time even though it was rainy 2 of the 3 days we were there.

Shots of us canyoneering are on the photoblog.
http://adventurejay.com/photoblog/index ... p;pagenum=

Well, I like them: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zrnd63DAH8o

Floated the Rio Grande from Paseo Del Norte to Rio Bravo on Saturday with Jason, Nate, and Dusty. ~500 cfs means lots of walking and dragging. http://waterdata.usgs.gov/nm/nwis/rt

Sunday - Frontier, biked with Nate for the Albuquerque Ride for World Health Solidarity, and then hit up the Earth Day event in Nob Hill.

Monster bootleg: Heatbeat & Exit vs. Matias Faint vs. Daft Punk vs. Pendulum vs. Energy 52 - Go vs. Paradise Garage vs. Last Breath vs. Aerodynamic vs. The Island vs. Café del Mar (Heatbeat Mashup)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PwlnW6OqUu4

Plus, Heatbeat feat. Jeza - Light Up (Rough Mix)

Catching W&W's set live on ASOT 500 from Den Bosch. So far so good. Love their sound.

Got up the La Luz in 2:30 with a 35 lb pack for the AMRC agility test. Best time out of everyone in the class! Looks like I'm starting to find my form for Rainier.

If you are basing radiation safety procedure on an internet PNG image and things go wrong, you have no one to blame but yourself.

http://xkcd.com/radiation/

Monday - Kelly's with Nate (2)
Tuesday - BBQ at Jason's (5)
Wednesday - Pre-St. Pats with Matt Brake (2)
Thurs - St. Patty's Day - Climbing comp with Todd and Kat, BBQ at Mandy's with Dom, Nate, and Jason. Late visit with Mike. (11)
Friday - Pizza and Explora with Nate, Megan, Todd, Kat, and Sarah. Saw Lisa, Micah, and other CSers at museum. (2)