Check this out #1

Photog Extraordinare, Adam Bove, was in Ten Sleep and graced us with his presents.  Check out the fruits of his (and our) labors here for shots of our day climbing at the Ark Sector.  This guy knows his stuff.  Enjoy!

Click Here:  http://coreshotmedia.com/?p=908

"Let's talk about Ten Sleep" or "Now That's a Big Horn Dolomite!"

Here we are standing atop the Ten Sleep Canyon, sector Ark to our right (Big thanks to Adam for his candid shot of us taking in the benevolent majesty that is the buttery goodness of Ten Sleep).  This image was taken on a rest day when we spent five hours hiking the canyon searching for the Ark.  Needless to say, when we came back the next day to climb, we knew right where to hike, and the long overhanging 5.12's sculpted by the rock gods themselves were ticked off faster than you can say 'Eat Beef'!

Our campsite is directly past my right wrist in the photo.  Free camping, free water, and loose stock bumping into our van in the morning--paradise.  The temps are perfect, seemingly dry and low 70's in the shade, and it has only rained once during the day since we arrived.  The shade however completes the best part of Ten Sleep--most climbing sectors do not receive shade until after 2pm, so we have plenty of time to cook breakfast and chuck cow pies at each other--after they've hardened into organic frisbees thank you very much!

Make no mistake, though, the rangers have been making their rounds doing routine check ups and performing short surveys that will most likely end up with the Park Service installing toliets and charging for these amazing campsites.  Better get while the gettin's good!

At first we weren't too impressed with the Big Horn Dolomite (apparently a close relative to limestone) of Ten Sleep Canyon, but then Dr. Jose prescribed us some of the steeper walls and we have been hooked.  We will most likely be staying another week still before moving on.  

Today for instance, is a rest day, and we are in the small town of Thermopolis.  Home of the free 20 minute hot springs soak and the free showers!  We were told some treaty with the Native Americans demanded the sulfer bath be free forever, so we are taking full advantage of only being an hour away.

Any way you cut it, Ten Sleep is definitely the dope shinto!

Amanda acclimating quite nicely to the alpine setting of yet another classic 5.10 in the Mondo Beyondo Sector.

Don't let the fisheye lens fool you--this is a .12a slab and my toes are in some serious pain!

Ten Sleep, Wyoming

After a departure from Nashville, we headed up to St. Louis to visit the dopest guy on the planet, my brother, Matt Livasy, for an evening.  It was too short a time as we left the next day to visit my even more amazing parents for a few days, getting all of our gear ready for the journey.

Two days later, we pulled into the Big Horn Dolomite of Ten Sleep Canyon in Wyoming.

The dolomite is closely related to limestone it seems, and the climbing is very technical face/slab--pretty much the exact opposite of what I typically look for in sport routes.  However, it is still fun to work on weaknesses and also hang out with the prestigious Dr. Riofrio and his gang of friends.

Spirits are high, weather is cool, and photos to come soon.

Community

Last night was my going away party at Climb Nashville.

I was completely touched by the turnout, and had a wonderful time.  Saying 'thanks' would not be a sufficient method of conveying exactly what it meant to me, however, I do feel the big love coming from this family of many different folks all sharing the commonality of being able to say:  "I love rock climbing!"

So to everyone who came out, those who couldn't make it, and to the staff of Climb Nashville, thank you, I'll miss you, and I'll see you later!

We should be departing in less than a week now, the van is coming along (pictures soon, I promise!), and Amanda and myself are looking forward to life on the road!