jbw life list - to present

The moment you stop challenging yourself is the moment you stop living life to the fullest.

[Starting in 1999, intentionally]

1. Complete a backpacking and rock climbing course with NC Outward Bound School. (6/99)
2. Climb multipitch rock routes in Linville Gorge. (1999, 2005)
3. Live in a college dorm. (1999-2000)
4. Swimsuit-model. (1999, 2009)
5. Go to a frat party. (1999-2000)
6. Surf the FL Atlantic Coast. (1999-2000)
7. Be a Young Life leader. (1999-2002)
8. Backpack Mount LeConte. (11/99 – 1st)
9. Attend a UF-FSU game in the Swamp. (1999 & 2001)
10. Work at a summer camp. (2000 & 2008)
11. Mountain bike at Tsali. (6/00 – 1st)
12. Rebound from the brink of death. (2001)
13. Raft guide on the Ocoee River. (2001-2010)
14. Hitchhike – and love it. (2001+)
15. Section-hike the Appalachian Trail. (2001-2005)
16. Watch the sunset atop Chilhowee Mountain. (2001+)
17. Kayak classic Southeastern whitewater: Ocoee, Nantahala, Tellico, Pigeon, Green, Little, French Broad, Nolichucky, Chattooga. (2001+)
18. Raft the Gauley River. (2001 & 2002)
19. Fundraise $1800 for charity. (2001-2002)
20. Run a marathon. (1/2002)
21. Winter-backpack the spire of the Great Smokies. (2002)
22. Partake in a glacier mountaineering course in WA’s North Cascades. (5/02)
23. Skinny-dip under a full moon. (2002+)
24. Backpack & bushwhack through Linville Gorge. (2002)
25. Live in a cabin down by the river – in the off-season. (fall 2002)
26. Sell cell phones in a mall. (fall 2002)
27. Live in a house of awesome, outdoorsy women. (2003-2005)
28. Help organize camps for youth with multiple disabilities. (2003)
29. Start an outdoor program at a college/university. (2003-2005 & 2006-2008)
30. Rock climb at the Obed/Clear Creek. (2003-2005)
31. Ice climb in New England. (12/03)
32. Lead extended backpacking trips. (2004, 2005, 2008)
33. Road cycle the Dragon/Hwy 129. (5/04)
34. Raft the New River Gorge at flood. (7/04)
35. Raft class V-V+ on the New River Dries at flood. (7/04)
36. Road cycle from south Knoxville to Elkmont and back. (2004-2005)
37. Instruct at the collegiate level. (2004-2005 & 2008)
38. Kayak-tour Fontana Lake. (10/04)
39. Cross-country ski from Newfound Gap to Clingmans Dome and back. (2004-2005)
40. Snowboard at Winter Park. (12/04)
41. Road cycle from Asheville to Mount Mitchell and back. (2004+)
42. Teach whitewater kayaking. (2004+)
43. Earn a graduate degree. (5/05)
44. Instruct for Outward Bound. (2005)
45. Kayak some of the great Western rivers: Animas, Green, & San Juan. (2005)
46. Row the Green River – Lodore Canyon and Desolation-Gray Canyon. (2005)
47. Explore slot canyons in Utah. (2005)
48. Soak in thermal hot springs. (2005+)
49. Be officially homeless for 13 months, living out of car, backpack, and dry bag. (5/05-6/05)
50. Live a foreign country. (2005-2006)
51. Travel solo in foreign lands. (2005-2006)
52. Study Spanish abroad. (12/05-1/06)
53. Get severe altitude sickness – and learn from it. (12/05)
54. Climb 5000m & 6000m peaks in the Ecuadorian and Bolivian Andes. (12/05-2/06)
55. Kayak jungle rivers and whitewater in Ecuador. (1/06)
56. Bike from the Andes to the Amazon. (1/06)
57. Surf in Latin America. (1/06)
58. Mountain bike the World’s Most Dangerous Road in Bolivia. (2/06)
59. Explore some of South America’s most fascinating archeological sites: Lake Titicaca, Islas Flotantes, Islas Amantani and Taquile, Pisaq, Cusco & local ruins, Machu Picchu (2/06-3/06)
60. Hike the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. (3/06)
61. Stay sane during a 42-hour bus ride. (3/06)
62. Become conversationally fluent in Spanish. (2006)
63. Cycle-tour around Pennsylvania Amish Country. (5/06)
64. Start my first full-time position. (6/06)
65. Work as an on-call, live-in residential hall director (and outdoor rec director) in a hall of 80+ freshman football players. (6/06-1/08)
66. Go on the best first date of all time: a cyclocross ride in Pisgah followed by sushi. (8/06)
67. Fall in love. (2006+)
68. Watch the Green Narrows Race. (11/06)
69. Run the Art Loeb in a day. (3/07)
70. Compete in an adventure race. (2007 & 2008)
71. Embark on a quintessential, multi-week Western road trip. (6/07-7/07)
72. Mountain bike the Western Meccas: Moab, Fruita, Park City, Bend. (6/07-7/07)
73. Visit some of the classic Western national park
areas: Yellowstone, Rocky Mountain, Arches, Mount Rainier, Mount St. Helens,
Grand Teton. (6/07-7/07)
74. Marry the love of my life. (11/07)
75. Ice climb in Pisgah. (2008+)
76. Go sledding. (2/08)
77. Backpack the Chattooga River Trail. (2/08)
78. Co-lead an extended backcountry, academic-based wilderness expedition. (4/08)
79. Canoe and backpack from the Little Tennessee River, NC, to Chattanooga, TN. (4/08)
80. Be a professional whitewater kayak instructor –albeit briefly. (5/08-8/08)
81. Trek in Peru’s Cordillera Blanca. (8/08-9/08)
82. Road cycle the Classica. (10/08)
83. Compete in road, cyclocross, and mountain bike races. (10/08-4/09+)
84. Develop & successfully implement a large-scale, county-wide, adventure-based outdoor recreation program. (2009+)
85. Direct a race. (2009+)
86. Climb Mount Rainier. (5/09)
87. Compete in a triathlon. (8/09)
88. Model [with Thad] in beloved Pisgah. (8/09, 10/10)
89. Complete the Double: Shut-in + Swank. (11/09)
90. Attempt Mexico’s Ixtaccihuatl and Pico de Orizaba. (12/09)
91. See the ruins of Teotihuacan. (1/10)
92. Mountain bike SW Colorado’s classics: Hermosa Creek, CO Trail, Phil’s World, & Telegraph trails. (6/10)
93. Circumnavigate Linville Gorge on bikes. (11/10)
94. Ice climb at Ouray Ice Park. (1/11)
95. Attend the Ouray Ice Festival. (1/11)
96. Ski in the San Juans – resort & backcountry. (1/11)
97. Build an igloo. (1/11)
98. Compete in endurance mountain races. (2011+)
99. Travel in the Ecuadorian Andes – with company. (8/11-9/11)
100. Learn to telemark ski. (2012)
101. Ski in the Utah Wasatch: Deer Valley, Solitude, Brighton, Sundance. (1/12)

Dear Tracy

You were so talented. I barely knew you, but you elicited a beauty of my soul that I never knew I had. I could literally feel the emotion in each one of your photos. You were so young and seemed so in love. You saw the brilliance in life and captured it permanently in phenomenal images that will forever be etched into our memories.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kk2-ZvWaobQ&feature=related

The Great Salt Lake

Thad and I are not renowned for taking decadent trips. Granted, we generally venture on two big trips annually to awesome locations. These adventures typically involve a decent of thrift, planning, and strategy.

Winter 2012's trip: Skiing in Utah

Day 1: Fly from AVL to SLC
Day 2-4: Ski at Solitude and Brighton; stay at Solitude (Note: Bert found us an offer of $468 for 3 full days of skiing at Sol/Bright and two nights at the ski-in, ski-out Inn at Solitude. Three SolBright lift passes for the two of us added up to exactly $468, so basically we stayed at a $265/night hotel for free!)
Day 5: Ski at Sundance; stay with Bri and Jeff in Heber
Day 6: Ski at Deer Valley; stay with Bri and Jeff in Heber
Day 7: Fly from SLC back home

Gondola at Deer Valley, UT

Rocking the ungroomed terrain

Brighton, UT, with Mt. Millicent in the background


Walker run, of course

This trip offered the first chance for me to really attempt telemark turns. Essentially lunging down the mountain all day is exhausting. Trying to do these turns, falling, and getting back up might even be more tiring! I started to get some solid tele turns by the end of the trip and could make pretty decent turns on green runs.

We really do have the best adventures. Thad and I always have so much fun together, even when we are annoyed with each other!