one is the loneliest number...

okay so it's not that bad, but i'm seriously surprised at how busy horsepens 40 isn't. last year the place was packed when we showed up on boxing day. there were alot of "regulars" living there. this time, i am on one of the three occupied campsites. the other boulderers are all teenagers out on school holiday. it was cute when a kind 14 year old sent my problem, and gave me beta suitable for six foot tall teenagers. thanks... no, really...

bouldering by yourself is seriously overrated, as far as i'm concerned. i bouldered yesterday but am limited to problems that i don't need a spotter or the pad moved/ an additional pad. on the other hand, i'm committed to finishing slopey top-outs since falling is NOT an option (see above comment about needing people to move the pad over for me in case i fall).

i do have a few projects on the go, which is a sure sign that i set my sights a bit too high for my first day climbing in a new area. the first project is a big move from a sit start to a sloper (of course). i've worked it from the standing-up-pretending-i-got-the-move point and was able to pull through to the finish. time will tell if that sit start is within my reach. i found the other problem/projects at the end of the day and could actually pull the sit start, just not any other move.

i only bouldered for a few hours, but am so incredibly sore. i feel like i just started climbing! my legs hurt, my back and arms hurt, and my fingertips are RAW. today has been a rest day. i ran out of things to do at my campsite and got sick of people looking at me ("what's that girl doing by herself??"). no pictures to post just yet for the following reasons: a) there is no one to take pictures; b) it's weird if i take pictures of other people and given their ages i think it's probably illegal too; and c) i did take a couple pictures of the sunset but didn't bring the cable to upload them from my camera.

this entire trip is still highly surreal. i'm sitting in a cafe in gadsden, alabama. by myself, of course. i have quit my job and am living from my savings. i am sort of on my way to move to BC, but maybe i'm just on my way up to the red river gorge for the spring. it's a very strange sensation to go from knowing what you're going to do every day of every week, to being surprised how today turned out. am i really on a trip just to climb? how is this possible? i'm getting some good dirtbag techniques, like spending lots of time in the heated washrooms in horsepens... i can charge the laptop while i'm there and warm up. i am moving so slowly these days since i'm not in a rush to get anywhere. the more time i can kill, the better. this is a huge difference from having a few people to hang out with at night. sitting around by yourself... the time really drags.

i have found a great antidote to feeling poor - go to the dollar store! these people are really and truly poor. seeing the kids playing with the one and two dollar toys... and this is their reality for christmas. so i'm doing okay.

happy birthday to betsy! she rolled over to 140,000 km two days ago! she got a full tank of supreme gasoline and her semi-annual car wash to celebrate.

damian flies in on sunday - needless to say i'm quite excited to see him again. i'm really looking forward to seeing all the people that are going to meet up with me on my trip! i will have lots of problems to show you. i have met someone down here who is embarking on a similar roadtrip on jan 10, and we may meet up for a roadtrip in january sometime. if anyone is thinking about travelling south in the next few months, please drop me an email and we'll see if it's feasible to meet up.

that's it for a few days - it's a 30 minute drive from horsepens to get a wireless connection.
merry christmas, happy holidays, and a thrilling xmas to all.