Monday December 24, 2007
Happy Holidays!
Right now, Mike and I are
spending Christmas in Las Vegas with some friends.
We’ve already had our Christmas celebration with
some of Mike’s family up in Canada complete with
Turkey dinner, yummy butter tarts, and a small gift
exchange. This means I won’t be without a
‘traditional’ Christmas experience.
J
After the holidays, we plan to meet up with
other friends back in Hueco Tanks in El Paso, Tx.
Early February my cousin, Alina, gets married in
South Bend, IN after which, Mike and I will likely
migrate back to Vegas and the St. George area. If
anyone is headed this direction, drop a line and let
us know!
This past year, Mike and I spent some time climbing in some classic areas of Australia: The Blue Mountains of New South Wales, Arapiles of Victoria and the Grampians also of Victoria. Mike even found himself written up in one of the climbing magazines of Australia: Crux 4. Arapiles was by far my favorite climbing locale. To read about that trip, visit my website journal at http://www.audreysniezek.com/writing/Journals/2007/austpt1.htm. After our early departure due to extremely inclement weather, I returned to Seattle, taking a 2 month contract role back at Microsoft. Mike returned to Vancouver for 1 month then continued on to other climbing destinations like Rifle where an article on his appearance there turned up in the local newspaper. We met up again at the end of August and began our trek back east for part II of our road trip together.
Firs we headed to Boston where Mike’s brother, Frank, was getting married. Then, we went north to spend some time with Mike’s family out in the countryside of New Hampshire. From there, we went south to spend some time at the New River Gorge in Fayetteville, WV and finally to settle in at the Red River Gorge in Kentucky. On our way through the country, we took advantage of opportunities to visit with family and friends in various locations along the way. My sister and her family even took the time to come to Kentucky and camp with us over a long weekend. Unlike the previous year where we tailed some friends to various destinations, this year, Roctoberfest at the Red brought many friends to us! For nearly 2 weeks, Mike and I were on the go with Roctoberfest events and the aftermath of stray athletes. Even after many of the athletes had left, between our local friends visiting and 2 Canadian boys staying on, our time was never uneventful. By the end of the fall, Grandma’s Boy was deemed the most quotable movie, ever! and Mike and fellow local and friend, Kenny Barker, had put up some new routes.
After the Red, we headed south to Tennessee to check out the local crags in that area. We were fortunate to have friends host us (inside, with a bed and everything! ;), and even some locals take us out and show us around. We did some quick sampling of the local crags before heading to Hueco where Mike flew out to Vancouver and Finland on business. I was fortunate two Canadian friends were lingering so I had company all the way to Albuquerque the following week--where we split off separate ways: me to Vegas and them to Vancouver. After arriving in Vegas, I went north to Bishop, CA to spend some time with friends there (who drove out from Columbus and with whom we are spending Christmas). After my short visit with them, I returned to Vegas where I flew north to Seattle, then to Canada to meet up with Mike before returning to Vegas via a short layover in Seattle, again. Whew! This last bit of our trip has been the most hectic. I’m very lucky I even made it back to Vegas after realizing I’d made a mistake with my booking. L Apparently, I have a flight to Vegas the 23rd of February. Try finding a flight to Vegas, same day and on the eve of Christmas Eve! Mike and I were traveling separately and were humored by the outcome of our independent travels. From Kelowna, I was to depart first, by 40 or so minutes. Mike and I went out to our respective planes at the same time and he still managed to leave before me. I’m pretty sure he made it to his destination in Vancouver before I ever left the Seattle airport. Then, on our way to Vegas, he left Vancouver at 11 something in the morning and should have arrived in Vegas around 9pm with a bit of a layover in Portland. I thought I had a flight out at 8:50 to arrive in Vegas about 11pm, but even with my booking mistake (i.e. I had no flight for the 23rd of December) I managed to snag a flight at 6:50 that night and arrive just after 11pm. My bag arrived just fine and despite flight delays, I made it to Vegas relatively without alarm. Mike on the other hand, didn’t arrive until after I’d already claimed my bag and only to discover, his bags didn’t arrive with him. After sorting that out, taking a shuttle to our hotel, and spending waaay to much time trying to check in, we finally managed to crash well after 2 in the morning.
I’m looking forward to a bit of an unconventional Christmas here in Vegas. I was able to dig up an old dress to wear when I was up in Seattle and with no Holiday parties to dress up for this year, it’s the perfect excuse to dress up!
I will continue to send out warm thoughts to everyone and I would enjoy hearing how the year has been for you or anything that you would like to share. Please stay in touch.
Wishing you the best this holiday season and into the New Year!
Audrey
