Merry Christmas and thanks for reading!!

This will by no means catch us up on what's gone on, but I just wanted to say to you all, thanks for checking in! Merry Christmas to you all and I hope that you are spending some quality time with family and friends today. I need to get back to that myself, but first let me say thank you to everyone who we have visited so far on this trip, thanks to my family for being so supportive, thanks to all of you reading and trying to keep track of us. We have some of the most amazing people in our lives and I am reminded of it daily.

Just a few highlights from the last few weeks that I'll try to expand on in a future post...

I climbed Time Wave Zero (the big long 23 pitch climb) again with a girl named Joi and then we went on to climb the first eight pitches of Yankee Clipper (31 pitches or approx. 3100 ft in a day) . We climbed fast and simul climbed the majority of it (both of us climbing at the same time with the rope length and gear between us). I don't often climb with women, and I love it. Joi challenged me and impressed me more than I would have imagined. Keep an eye out for that girl, she is doing big things.

Jay and I climbed a multipitch route called Sendero del Diablo and I onsighted an 11c (pretty hard) but also had a bit of a urinary tract infection which made it interesting a little higher up... The last few days in Potrero I was OVER climbing. It was a new feeling for me.

We tried to do some Christmas shopping in Hidalgo, but it's just not a tourist town. We did our best and covered the immediate family at the Pharmacy and the Remata.

My friend Phil never showed up and so we left him a present with Joi's boyfriend Pete, who will be in Patagonia the same time we will.

Getting out of Mexico was smooth but the highway wasn't.

We found a Chiminea for Jay's parents for Christmas.

We stopped at my Aunt Marcy's and spent the night in Tucson and Brutus got to hang out with all the cats. He entertains us to no end. Marcy was great and we were lucky enough to thank her again and explain to her in person why the Rialta is SO PERFECT!

We woke up my friend Don really early on Saturday morning and made breakfast at his place in Phoenix. It's always good to hug Don.

OK, I must go walk the dogs. I am missing a lot of you right now. It's good to be at Jay's parents house, but I wish our families all lived closer and I could see everyone today. I don't know if the Bartalon Christmas Eve party happened last night, but I was thinking about you all.

Congratulations Blake and Emily!!! ;)

Peace and Love to you all!!!

El Potrero Chico.

We've been in Mexico for a bit over 2 weeks now. The climbing is HUGE limestone walls that go on for miles. We had hopes of climbing a 23 pitch route called Time Wave Zero at some point in our stay here and after climbing a few long moderate routes and a "forced" rest day, we did it on the thrid day we were here. It was an early morning (4 am) start and it was foggy at the beginning of the day, but it cleared up and got hot and sunny. We probably would have liked it to stay a little cloudier, but the movement of the clouds coming south into the canyon made for some incredible pictures. This was the longest climb that I have ever done and we gained 2100 ft of elevation. It only took us about 6 hours to climb to the summit because we linked pitches and even simul climbed a little. The day after we did Time Wave Dave Carmona, Tom Kraner, and Nate Godfrey flew in to meet us. We picked them up from the airport and after a bit of a confusing departure (you have to pay for parking inside the airport before you leave) we made it back to the Potrero for dinner at Checo's. The guys rented a Casita for the week, so we stayed in the Rialta in their driveway. The casita was great (by Mexican and our stardards) with a flush toilet uniquely painted purple, a full kitchen, electricity, and three beds for the guys. All five of us got on a multipitch climb called Space Boyz the first day that they were able to climb and we made it tot he 7th of the 11 pitches before we decided to call it a day. It was a good intro to see where everyone's level of climbing was and also have some social time. I had the pleasure of my first ever 5.11d onsight (which Nate hung the draws on for me) on the climb called Don Quijote. Nate was the super star rope gun onsighting 12a Fear of Flying and then doing two more 12s after that. Jay and Dave went to try their hand at Time Wave Zero (a second time for Jay), but unfortunately Jay's shoes fell off his harness. They ended up doing Estrellita that day instead (14 pitches). My friend Marlin came into town a few days after the other guys arrived which made us an even number, and one more to drink the wine, tequila, y cerveza. It was quite the party while the guys were here, and I still feel like I am recovering. Marlin just took off this morning and I have three blood blisters on the tips of my fingers. :(

So, Potrero is an interesting place. It could easily be compared to Miguel's in that there are a lot of climbers hanging out and camping, but there are multiple different campgrounds to choose from ranging from $3-$5 per night per person. Some of the campgrounds have their own restaurant and even spanish classes and climbing shools, while others don't have much of anything. Most do have community kitchens and restrooms with hot showers. Jay and I prefer a small campground right at the edge of the climbing area called Azucenas mainly for the privacy and the solo shower/toilet/sink.

Some of the things I've climbed thus are: Treasure of the Sierra Madre (7), Black Cat Bone (9), Time Wave Zero (23), Space Boyz (7 of 11), Snot Girlz (7), Don Quijote (1), Bad Cop No Donut (1), Flying Scorpion (1), Mugre Mugre (1), XL Puff Sneakers (1), Mr Fluffer's Wild Ride (1), Aguja Celo Rey (2), and Off the Notch (1), Marklar Man (1), Marklar (1), and Fear of Flying (1). I'm onsighting almost all 10's now and most 11's which is harder than I've ever climbed!!

A few things I've learned without taking a single spanish class:

Caguama-- large (approx 32 oz) beer that are bought at a "deposito" on the way back from climbing and continue to be consumed throughout the evening. You get 7 pesos back when you retun the bottle.

Alacron-- spanish for scorpion, which stung me the first night we got to the Cerro Gordo Casita and then a few days later was shot in a film container of Tequila by Jay.

Brutus-- a pack dog at heart who went on a three hour walk about and nearly caused me to have a heart attack.

Sombra-- shade, what we like to climb in.

Thanksgiving in South Padre

We drove straight through from Tulsa to South Padre Island where my friend Molly and her husband have a condo on the water. Her brother Willy and her nephew Ben were also celebrating with us. We jumped out of the Rialta, Molly handed each of us a Corona with lime, and we walked the 5 minutes to the beach. Brutus and Ben were in the water, Ben in his skivies (he's 6 and 3/4 years old).

We awoke the next morning to a cold and windy Thanksgiving. Willy, Jay, Molly and I braved the gail force winds and went for a jog on the beach. We then headed back to the condo and proceeded to cook a HUGE feast. It was excellent and everyone contributed in some way, but Willy did the bird in style!

Padre Island was some of what I imagined it to be (reminiscent of spring break on the east coast or Daytona Beach) but also very relaxed. This is not a high time of year for that area and we enjoyed the peace, but the weather really didn't work for us enjoying the beach much. Highlights of Padre Thanksgiving include Pirate's Landing, Farkel, Polar bear dip, sea turtle rescue mission, and just good old fashioned quality time with Molly, Tom, Willy and Ben.

Thanks Molly and Tom!!