Work, Work, Work and TRAINING

So, all work and no play makes Burt a dull boy. I have been working a ton lately trying to keep up with all that is going on. That being said, its only 27 days until i start the climb on Rainier. ARGH!!!!!!!!

So, I am training in my free time. The pack is up to about 47 pounds with weights and a full camel back. I went out for two hours yesterday around Hemlock Hills near my house, as its the hilliest area around with some steep sections. I played hockey friday night, hiked for 2 hours on saturday, and hiked the treadmill for an hour today.

While hiking the treadmill, I played Grand Theft Auto IV. Anyone played it? Pretty wild. I opted not to kick the guy off the roof, although I have certainly gunned down and driven over my fare share of pedestrians! Pretty wild game, the graphics are great. I also just finished Call of Duty 4, which might have been my favorite video game that I have ever played. The multi player is awesome also even though I tend to survive for only a few minutes.

Burts Famous -- well actually his toilet photo is

So, funny story. I am on Facebook, duh. One day I get an email from a chap who asks about my photo, the one to the left for a book he is writing.

Of course I don't trust him and ask him to prove who he is. He works for the BBC, is British, and is writing a book and wants my photo of a LOO! He checks out and tells me he will get back to me if I make it in.

I just found out. I made it in! I am a professional photographer now!

I will put the title and link in when the book comes out. I haven't signed over the movie rights yet, so if you are interested, let me know.

Onward and Upward

Wow, long time no post. Its been a while but I am back in the saddle and training for Rainier. Everything I do, I do it for you...just kidding (shout out to Bryan Adams). Everything I do, I do with a 40 lb pack. Whats in it? All my gear PLUS a 10 lb dumbbell (my 7 year olds favorite word).

I am hiking as often as possible on weekends, and during the week, playing hockey, doing stairmaster and treadmill on highest level with my pack on.

So, why no posting? I have a new area of responsibility now. I don't usually blog about work, but I work for Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc (can I get props for using the trademark correctly?) lead a team of people responsible for brand interactive marketing, website initiatives and call center strategy. In addition to that team, I am now leading the Marketing for Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG) our loyalty program. So, needless to say, I have been busy. Very busy!

But, that doesn't put my climbing ambitions aside, I just have to work harder to realize them now.

Anyone know of any good soft shell pants?

Scott Waxenberg is the greatest husband ever -- or, What Shmoopie has told me

T Shirt ideas for our New Company:

1. If you can't bag it, fuck it!
2. Fuck it or bag it
3. Got Bark?
4. Designed by Tim
5. Eisenhower sucks (bites, is a jerk...)
6. Jackson Rules
7. Paper, plastic bag with Steve (ask Scott)
8. Peak baggers do it multiple times

Who is better than Scott Waxenberg -- or, how do I get the shit smell out of my clothes after using a composting outhouse

More Randomness:

1. Scott learned about the sound of rain on a tent and its non corrolation to the strength of the rain shower outside the tent
2. We woke up at 5:45 and I made everyone go back to sleep, finally waking up at 8
3. Scott had to use the outhouse twice in the dark
4. Grey jays are beggar birds

Scott Waxenberg is God - Or, don't climb 75 degree slopes wearing snow shoes

More Random Thoughts:

1. Not sure what kind of president Pierce was, but his mountain rocks!
2. Scott Waxenberg don't need no stinkin' snowshoes
3. If you fall into a deep hole wearing snowshoes, its help to have Steve Nishiro there with a snow shovel to dig you out
4. Climbing 7 hours a day for 2 days is hard
5. Peanut Butter sandwiches are nature's perfect food
6. I hate Eisenhower
7. There are a lot of peaks and knobs now named after Dillon
8. I fell in Moose shit
9. My sleeping bag could keep a family of Inuits warm for a year in theArctic -- a little too much for 40 degree weather!
10. It rained on Sunday
    
    

Scott Waxenberg is awesome - or, don't fall in moose poop and rinse your hand in icy cold streams

Random thoughts from NH:

1. Thank god we had a 2 person tent big enough for one person
2. It was beautiful -- around 40 degrees.  we were well prepared with sleeping bags rated to -20
3. Sara rocks!  She set us up from the EMS office in NH.  She is, in essence, the Russell Brice of the Presidentials.
4. Scott drew WAY too many parallels to Brokeback mountain and Deliverance, but he truly loves his smoochie (I had to say that)
5. Nothing tastes better than Beef Stroganoff, Chicken Teriyaki and Chili spiced Ramen noodels from foil bags
6. With all due respect to President Eisenhower, his namesake mountain SUCKS
7. We were going to get there but weather set in and Eisenhower mocked us.  BASTARD

Scott Waxenberg is my hero, or what I learned in the Presidentials April 2008

So, where to begin.  This post is way overdue but work has been insane lately and unfortunately, i have had no time at all to post.

Mark, unfortunately, never made it to NH.  He was stuck in O'Hare for 11 hours.  Ergo, the dedication of these posts to him.  The irony is that Mark is truly my climbing partner, although Scott is coming on strong, and of the three trips we have planned, we have only climbed together once!

So, what follows will be a number of random thoughts from the NH trip distributed across an equal number of random posts.

Peak Bagging in the Presidentials NH, April 2008

From Mountain to Great Big Mountain

The odyssey that is this week begins! Tomorrow, its off to Scottsdale Arizona for the Freddie awards, the penultimate awards show for travel loyalty programs. GO SPG!!!!!!!!!!!

While there, we have an event with an agency where we will have a healthy breakfast and then go hike up camelback mountain. Fun!

On Friday, after a hopefully hugely successful night (GO SPG!!!!!! -- did I already say that?) i get on a flight at 7:35 am and fly through Cleveland to Manchester NH on Continental. I then rent a car, drive 2 hours and get to North Conway NH at about 8:30.

Saturday morning, we meet at EMS, plan the weekend, hike in and camp below tree line overnight. Sunday, we wake up and go PEAK BAGGING!

This time, I will be smarter and not drive home sunday night, but I will head to the best nacho place ever where we had brisket nachos last year. Wax and I then drive home on Monday.

What a week!

A psychological look at the amassment (is that a word??) of gear

First of all, I have no idea if its legal or not to use the REI logo. But, if I was them, I would love the fact that people want to add their logo to blogs! Being a brand marketing person, I would love that!

So, what is it about climbing and hiking that makes you want to amass gear? I am at a strange point right now. I get daily gear mail from REI and EMS, but I honestly don't think that there is anything left for me to buy!!!! OY!!!!!

I recently bought a -20 sleeping bag from EMS for my upcoming NH trip and my Rainier trip in August. Thats about it! Aside from a tent for camping with the kids, I don't need anything else. Is it time for a new hobby?

Just kidding. David Brashears started a facebook group called why we climb. Its interesting in that a) he is world famous and extending himself into social networking with the likes of yours truly and b) for a middle aged mountain climber it forces me to look inward into why I decided to take up this hobby.

My answer? The solitude. There is nothing that I can think of that disconnects you from everything as well as being dependant only upon your self, carrying everything that you need, and trying to overcome a big challenge and return safely!

Campus Tolerance

A break from climbing posts. My mom has started a group, Campus Tolerance, that tracks bias incidents on campuses in an attempt to expose colleges and universities that have bias issues. Read this, its from the facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Campus-Tolerance/15798722323?ref=nf)

There is more bias and hate on college campuses than people realize. We set out with a pilot study to develop a tolerance rating, that allows prospective students to gauge how comfortable they will feel in a university environment and which universities they may want to avoid. We have just started releasing results and are looking to scale the research from 3 to 200 schools.

If you are interested, please become a fan of the facebook page and spread this around.

Thanks!

Ode to the Presidentials

So last time we climbed in the Presidentials, we had a severe lack of respect for Mt. Washington. Leading up to it, I worked out for a week and expected to summit and walk into the gift shop to buy souvenirs on the summit jockeying in line with tourists in shorts and hawaiian shirts. We were so wrong that my favorite Dillonism was uttered after he had completed a marathon about 3 months earlier. "Marathons are for P_ssies".

So, no more lack of respect. I jumpstarted weight loss with South Beach. My wife finally yelled at me for not eating carbs 10 days into it so I am now on brown rice too. I was "not" myself. I am also working out again hiking and walking on max incline on my treadmill while wearing my 35-40 pound pack. And, most differently, I am on a homeopathic cleansing protocal that I don't understand but my wife tells me to do it and I am smart enough to just shut up and listen. I will tell you though, that Arnica does wonders on your back pain.

Check out this new web browser!

so, I downloaded this new browser today.  Its AWESOME!!!!  Its called Flock (www.flock.com).  It allows me to track all of my friends while I surf, view any media streams I choose, customize feeds, publish to my blog, etc.  Climbing mountains is getting easier every day!  Thanks Flock!

Blogged with the Flock Browser

Conquering Mt Treadmill in the Family Room

Last Friday, my climbing partner Mark and I did a conference call with the nice folks at the EMS climbing school in North Conway NH. We decided on the weekend of April 5-6 and are going to do a hike up to below treeline, a night camping in the snow (i am hoping for a miserable night with tons of snow) and going peak bagging on the next day across some more of the presidential range, including Mt. Madison and others.

So, I have to drop at least 10. South Beach Diet, here I come!! I have also been working out with my pack, until, I slipped on the stupid F'ing dog toy on the stairs and broke/sprained my toe. OY!!!!

I am working on it, but staying on the diet and looking forward to the next workout.