What Les really needs..... (besides a haircut)

Good, objective advice, has never been so easy or cheap. Honestly, I'll never throw money away on Miss Cleo again. Simply google search "(your name) needs" Check out the top results, and see where your life has thus far been lacking. Let me know how you make out, here's mine. This was the best 5 minutes I spent all day. Besides brushing and flossing. Anyways, I'll get to work on this list tomorrow. Saban Beware.

1- Really, Les needs lookers.

2- I really hope Les can stick it to LSU's old coach, if Miles wants to be the love of Louisiana like Saban was, Les NEEDS to 1) beat Saban and 2) win a national championship. But I would say that beating Saban is a must.

3- Les needs to review section 5

4- Les needs to find a water source or suffer the ravages of dehydration. He sets up camp under a sheltering juniper tree near a stream and keeps the growing hunger pains at bay by drinking constantly.

5- Les needs not to be explicit on the server.

6- ...the meaning of LES needs to be reconsidered.

Happy Wildness Men ! [sic] - author unknown

We are happy men!

We love nature;

We live on hunt;

We live together;

We are mightiness;

We are bravery;

There is no polity, no war,

no money;

The only thing we want is to go along with themen we love

and binge together, live up together.

The only thing better than fully experiencing the soulful uplift from a poem of this depth (as you are likely just beginning to come down from now), is reading it off a ceramic mug you've found on your desk one morning at work. Many thanks to Rachel and Trevor for this inspiring post-birthday surprise!

Week-end climbing

Seoninsan Park

Sarah and Nic at Soksal Bawi

This weekend on the calendar marked the springtime get-togther for Korea on the Rocks, the foreign climbing community in Korea. We met the other climbers in Seoninsan park after a 4 hour train ride from the city. The scenery here is perhaps the most striking I've seen in the south half of this peninsula. Flat, stretching rice fields gave way through the window to rolling hills of cherry orchards, and then to the mountains of Seoninsan. After a bit of an epic approach, we arrived at Sokal Bawi, where we climbed until the sun touched the treed horizon.

After a soju, slackline and striptease-dancing (of korean male variety) -filled night at the campsite, we spent Sunday under cloudy skies and the rock at Halmae Bawi.

Gary high-steps to send.

Nicole in her element, working out forearm pump after another sweet climb.

Amanda from Busan wraps up another quality Sunday climbing session, at Halmae Bawi.

Bit of a story behind this one.... a few weeks ago Nic and I hiked up to the base of Seoninbong, a peak within Seoul, with the Korean members of the bouldering club we're with. After a humbling, but spectacularly moonlit slab training climb, we headed down to the campsite where for the evening. This table spread was the focal point of a mountain Shamanism ceremony staged later that evening.

This particular ceremony involved invoking mountain spirits with offerings of korean food dishes, Makoli (rice wine, lots of it) and money, which in paper envelopes was stuffed into the pig's mouth and ears. In gaining the favour of the mountain we request safe climbs, celebrate the companionship of mountaineering, and delve into fateful dialogue with nature. With the spirits on our side I safely multipitched the peak the next afternoon, with a team of perhaps the most accomplished moutaineers on the Peninsula. Mr Jung placed second in X-game climbing in the late 90's, behind one of Canada's most visionary climbers, Will Gadd. Jung and the others will be in Northern Pakistan in May to free the Trango Towers -so while Seoninbong was a challenging first multipitch for me, it was a hazy sunday cakewalk for them.

Easter Sunday climbing at Kanyeon, about a 2 hour train ride South and East of Seoul, near the city of Wonju.

The end of another full weekend in South Korea. Exhausted as I was at this point (still ahead of a 2 hour train ride on the floor), this really beats lying around after a night of Soju Koolaid in the big city.

Spring Time in Seoul

Spring time has arrived in Korea with the passing of March, bringing with her all sorts of natural vibrancy not seen since the turning leaves last fall. Trees have burst with cherry and magnolia blooms, a kind reminder that nature trumps society in producing the greatest beauty. These blossoms have been a revitalizing force for me - a lesson that with patience and awareness, brilliant things present themselves everywhere.