Traveling light

So I arrived to Toronto a couple of hours ago just to be informed that the airline didn't put my luggage into the airplane, so it didn't arrive with me. Great...

After writing the proper report and complaining at the baggage claim desk, everything I could get from the airline is that they located my things and are going to ship them in tomorrow's flight, delivering them to where I'm staying, until Wednesday morning.

Excellent! No toothbrush, hairbrush, deodorant or clean underwear to change in a couple of days. Which makes me think about next travel buying cheap clothes on the road and disposing them after a couple of days of use so I won't have to worry to carrying luggage at all. Very tempting idea...

Ok, seriously, what really concerns me aren't the missing clothes, but the few climbing gear that I packed so I could use it at the very end of this trip. Perhaps I should also get a disposable set of Stoppers and Camalots while on the road? I don't think so... :-S

Free as a bird

This photo speaks by itself...

All I can say is that this has been one of the most intense experiences of my life. Very short, but extremely intense.

So intense that I complained with Ramiro (the professional behind me) when he opened the parachute and interrupted the 30-second free fall to the ground and made the travel a light glide across the sky. Yeah, the effects of a sudden heavy dose of oxygen directly into the brain... haha :D

The rest of the pictures are here.

Massive headache

A very strong headache hit me today while at the office. So strong that I wasn't able to look at the computer screen, thus being unable to work effectively. No medicine did the trick so I opted to shut things down and run away towards home to get some rest.

Once at home, I was welcomed by Mokka who made me smile for a couple of minutes so I could forget about the pain in my head. After a 3 hour nap, I woke up to find myself pretty much recovered and ready to go to my parents place for dinner.

More Details on New El Cap Speed Record

On Wednesday, July 2, 2008, Hans Florine and Yuji Hirayama climbed the Nose (VI 5.9 A2, 2,900') on El Capitan, Yosemite. The team made multiple attempts in days prior, and on the previous Sunday had missed the Hubers' record of 2:45:45 by only two minutes (read the June 30, 2008 NewsWire article). However, their repeat attempt proved successful; they beat the Germans' time by two minutes to set a new record of 2:43:33. Florine and Hirayama had climbed the Nose four times over the course of the week, starting with a time of 4:48 on Monday, and paring it down to their record-breaking time by Wednesday...

Taken from: Alpinist Magazine.

More News from the Alaska Range

On April 19, 2008, a Japanese team comprised of Kei Taniguchi and Hiroki Suzuki climbed Ham and Eggs on the Moose's Tooth. The following day, they made an ascent of Shaken, Not Stirred (TD+ or V AI5, 3,100') on the same peak. On April 23, they climbed the relatively new route Freezy Nuts (TD+: 95 degrees, 800m) on London Tower. On the 29th, Taniguchi and Suzuki summited Mt. Grosvenor (8,460') via Warrior's Way (V M5R A0, 21 pitches), with some minor variations on the upper pitches...

Taken from: Alpinist Magazine.

Groundiving?

Yesterday we had a frustrated attempt to our first ever skydive.

Moni, Dana, her friends and I spent most part of the day in Cuautla, waiting for a bunch of jumpers ahead of us to perform their act until strong winds and a heavy rain appeared around 6 p.m. to crush every hope we had to jump off the plane.

Now we will have to go back next Saturday to do the jump very early in the morning, so neither crowds or weather get in our way. At least our place is very well reserved now. Another week of wait... :(

Florine, Hirayama Break Nose Speed Record

On July 2, 2008, Hans Florine and Yuji Hirayama climbed the Nose on El Capitan in 2:43:33, besting the previous record by just over two minutes. Florine and Hirayama held the iconic route's speed record from 2002 until last autumn, when Alex and Thomas Huber broke it twice, establishing 2:45:45 as the new time to beat...

Taken from: Alpinist Magazine.

It's personal: Tweitmeyer set to run solo Western States 200 to boost special trail status bid

Tim Tweitmeyer is poised to run 200 miles to deliver a message to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger in support of special status for the Western States Trail.

The five-time Western States Endurance Run winner and Auburn resident plans to run a route starting Friday that crosses the Sierra Nevada range using four major trails – the Tahoe Rim Trail to near Squaw Valley, the Tevis Cup horse ride trail through the high-country valley, the Western States Trail down to Auburn and the Pioneer Express trail from Auburn to near the California Capitol...

Auburn Journal - It's personal: Tweitmeyer set to run solo Western States 200 to boost special trail status bid