Merry Christmas 2009

Year in photos:

(Unbable to view slideshow? Click here.)

A Year Unlike Any Other

Most years, writing this annual retrospective as a joyful duty; I cheerily report the year's highlights and touch lightly on set backs. This year has been an incredible year of change, good and bad. So much has happened, and honestly, all my "social networking" updates (Facebook, blog, etc) are fluff to the stuff that really matters. Ultimately, I can't think of 2009 without great sadness for two significant losses. Their shock waves are the extreme relief to this years topography; and they tower like giant totems around which all of the rest of the year's events dance. But I will say in advance, even in these darkest moments, Fred and I know we are truly blessed: because we have each other, because we have the best family and friends around.

Early this year we lost my Uncle Albert. He was more a big brother and mentor than an uncle. Just 12 when I was born, he was a huge part of my early life in Hong Kong until we immigrated. We reconnected in '86 and he's been a significant part of my life since; even standing in for my father (who passed in 2002) and gave me away at my wedding in 2004. In January, he was diagnosed with cancer and within 3 weeks he was gone. We went to St. Albans, UK, to be with him in his final moments but was there only in time for funeral arrangements and to give Andrew all the love and support we could. Devastating to be sure, but through hard times, you find the best of the best; the Ritchies, Andrew's family, are incredible people and I'm proud to count as family.

Funeral arrangements aren't something you think you can become "good" at nor something you'd do more than once a year...one hopes. Sadly, I offered up my experience when a dear friend lost her husband in a tragic climbing accident in August. The sadness of that loss for their family still makes my chest tighten and my eyes well up. However, my friends strength and perseverance is an inspiration.

The sweet to the bitter is that we've had so many amazing professional and personal moments to temper the set backs. In a nutshell, I have significantly increased my hours in business development which translates to lots of meetings, business lunches, networking events, community volunteering, committees, podcasts, tweeting, etc. On the personal front, I’ve logged significantly more days climbing, particularly outside. I credit this to the stalwart group of climbing friends I’ve made, their significant role in keeping me motivated and challenged, and Fred cheering me on despite not being able to get out himself.

Speaking of Fred, except for his one fabulous sailing trip around the British Virgin Isle’s, he’s had absolutely no time off and works pretty much every day (like right now on x'mas eve)! We have a great new strategic relationship with a local software company and this has kept him crazy busy. Rather than bore you with more details, I thought I would confuse you with random and meaningless statistics of our year!

For more senseless details of our lives, check us out here:

• Ida’s Blog – mostly climbing/travel related
• Podcasts – all about Colorado and technology
• Ida’s Facebook – lots of personal updates, photos, etc
• Fred’s Facebook – he uses it to spy on others and never posts anything himself except for snippy comments! ;)

I know it's cliche, but this year's events have made these truisms all the more poignant:

Live fully, love whole-heartedly, and dream big!

Much love to all you of near and dear to our hearts,

Fred and Ida

Cynical Pinnacle

Though the stars did not align for us to get out to Indian Creek this weekend, Dave, Wally and I took advantage of super weather Saturday and went to Cynical Pinnacle in the South Platte. Neither Dave nor I had been there. It was a steep approach but not as bad as Wally remembered from past trips out there.

We climbed Center Route, sweet 3 pitches to nearly the top of the spire. I lead p1, very nice with a mildly spicy layback finish. P2 was a very burly 9+…good lead Dave! P3 was a blast and Wally motored up it. At the top, there’s a “bonus” 11b, Class Act, to top out on the spire. Dave was the only one that managed to top out. Wally and I suffered from freezing our a$$es off syndrome and our hands became too stoopid and useless to master the thin traverse. Regardless, a super climbing day, especially for late November.

So how better to celebrate? Buck Snort!! It’s actually gotten better…microbrews on tap now! But being what it is, we ate quickly and decided to head out to better digs to celebrate. Just as we’re deliberating, I get a fb alert that Kira and kids are heading over to Mead Street Station in the Highlands so Ike can play with the band. Erin joined us there too. It was a fun surprise and we had a blast cheering on Ike and celebrating with Kira’s family. A super topper to a great day of climbing.



Having trouble viewing the slide show? Click here to view the album.

Devil's Tower

Another great climbing trip! I've never climbed at Devil's Tower before but Fred and I did visit it a few years back. This place has a special place in my heart (I love Close Encounters of the Third Kind!!!) but as a climbing destination, it has always intimidated me. In particular are the famous photos of people climbing El Matador and the extreme stemming up the 'elevator shaft'. Hmmm...my legs are a lot shorter than that...yikes!!



(Can't see the above slideshow? Click here.)

Day 1

We start on the northeast side of the tower, nice and shady (it was 90 the first two days). I lead the first pitches of New Wave and Broken Tree. Fairly easy leads but a big step for me who thought the most I'd do would be one lead on the last day after getting a feel for the place. The second pitches on both climbs are great. New Wave has a couple of tricky spots but nothing outrageous. Broken Tree is just a blast! I can actually see myself leading this...next year...I think.

Then we go further right to McCarthy's North Face. The longest single pitch I've ever led! It's nearly 70m (200'). It takes every bit of me to finish. Between all the other climbs of the day and the incredible rope drag forcing me to muscle through every simple move for the last 75 ft, I'm absolutely exhausted when I finally get to the anchors. Mentally, it felt more akin to a marathon than a climb. The crux is at the end and I think I'm powering through to a nice comfy ledge. I pop my head over and see another 10+ feet of a slabby dihedral crack climb before the anchors. Jerry speeds up the climb and it's an incredible work out belaying him and keeping pace. With the hour getting late and my exhaustion level, I do something I almost never do...opt out of a chance to even try the stellar 11A climb that follows. When Jerry gets to the "ledge", I rap down and watch Dave lead p2. It's a stout and strenuous lead for Dave and Jerry also takes a couple of falls on it. I have some regrets about not staying and giving it a run but it'll be another goal for next year.

We get to the camp site at dark...our camp mates are more than ready for dinner but we have all the ingredients! Dave and Jerry quickly whip up dinner - buffalo marinara pasta...delicious!! Later in the evening, we head over to the front of the KOA (the best one I've ever stayed at!) and watch the nightly showing of Close Encounters. I can practically recite the lines. Amazingly, I'm so tired that I'm dozing off near the end of it. I head back to my tent and sleep well.

Day 2

Beth, Jean, and I go to the northeast side of tower. The previous day, they had a miserable time climbing in the sun. Beth got sun stroke and had to call it. So today, it's all about what we can do to stay in the shade. Beth leads the first pitch of Broken Tree for a warm up. Then we head over to check out some climbs but settle on Mystic and the Mulchers which John and Bruce just climbed. This is suppose to be easier than McCarthy's North Face, but I find it very spicy with a heart stopping moment or two! It's a much thinner crack with narrow flaring spots - not gear friendly like all of yesterday's climbs! About mid way up, I place a RP, go for the move, my feet slip and I nearly fall. I manage to keep hold and scurry to a very secure stance. Looking down I see that my RP 's pulled out. I had run it out before that so if I had fallen without the RP, it would have been quite a whipper. I also didn't consider the length of this climb (about 140') when I started and took only about 11 or 12 draws. Do the math! Another stress factor is that I couldn't see the anchors for 99% of the climb and was very confused about how much further to go and how much more gear I needed to conserve or not. In any case, I finish the sucker with no draws left, only one medium sized nut, and a hand full of cams. Arg. Lesson learned on both fronts. Later I compare notes with Todd and he nicknamed the climb "Butt Muncher". Enough said?

After Jean and Beth run it, it's about 3 and no one is up for another lead. Dave and Jerry pop up and they say they're done for the day too so that cinches it...we head back to camp, get ice cream, take showers, and chug beers before dinner. Ahhh, dinner...nearly an epic of it's own! The short story is it takes us 4 tries to find a restaurant that's open and/or we want to eat at. We finally end up at the BBQ place just around the corner from the KOA, eat a very hearty meal, and wait nearly an hour for them to tally and add up our bill. It's about 10:45 before the dinner 'ordeal' is over and we're back at camp chuckling it up over wine.

Day 3

Not much to day 3 except the KOA's camp pony gets loose and 'wanders' into our campsite. Wander is an understatement since Bruce lured him over with bread and tried to get him to step into Todd and Kristen's tent while they're still asleep. Yeah - we laughed for a while about that! Dave R, Debbie, and Jean stay for more climbs. Poor Beth stays in camp due to a groin pull. The rest of us hit the road for the long drive back to town. I would have loved to climb some more...next year!

Penitente Canyon,

Memorial Day Weekend Climbing Trip

What a super weekend! The trip was organized by the Tuesday crew: Todd Felix, Wally Malles & family, Dave Champion, Jerry Nortshire, Beth Sholes, Bob & Lisa. Kira and kids also joined us. I carpooled there with Todd, Jerry and Dave - hilarious company. Had a blast around the campfire every night especially with the game figliano, beatleman (?), & swartz. The kids helped us channel Jerry Springer and updated this game is a very interesting way! What a blast.

Penitente climbing is short but hard! I loved the hueco climbs but found the thin climbs coupled with run outs very mentally challenging. Ultimately, I didn't manage to really overcome and lead strong. Next time! Fortunately, the other folks in our group are very strong climbers and I got a chance to climb some of the best climbs in the canyon. Two stellar ones are Not My Cross to Bear and Break Down Dead Head.



Couldn't find all the names of the climbs this weekend but here's my best reckoning:

Day 1:

L: How The West Was Won (nice way to start the weekend!)

L: 7/11, 2 takes (ignorantly was on the 11 side...good to know the name of this one before heading up it!)

TR: Concupisent Curds (hard time starting this but did ok on the rest of the thin climb)

TR: ? 10+ across the way and up the canyon a little from 7/11 (also a hard start and swam the rest)

TR: Looney Tunes (yet another hard start! The rest was thin and nice...fingers hurting now!)

TR: Not My Cross to Bear (almost flashed it! Completely lost gas 6' from the anchors and had to take 3 times!)

Day 2:

L: Mr. Wind

Nearly rained out, but wait for an opening and got a very short respite.

L: Ms. Cool, another spooky lead

Strung up the anchors to the left so we could TR that one...big mistake! The skies really opened up at that point. A small production to clean the route of our gear. It was a slightly overhung thin climb...could not get any where on my own and had to aid up to clean it. Lesson learned!

Day 3:

L: What the Hey (An 80 ft climb w/ 4 bolts...you do the math!! Scary for me and thin on top. Did it but can't say I felt any confidence booster afterwards)

TR: Break Down Dead Head (What absolute fun!! Very much like a gym jug haul climb. Screwed the crux near the top but finished easily)

L: ? climb right of Mysterious Redhead, bailed after bolt 2. Got very thin and just couldn't pull any of the moves clean, even on TR. :(

On the way home with Beth, we stopped off at Buena Vista to lunch at Mothers Bistro...literally the BEST quiche I've ever had. So light and tasty! A must stop anytime I'm ever remotely close!! I brought a slice back to Fred...yummmm he reports. :)

My Ongoing Adventure - Climbing @ Eldo on Tuesdays

Didn't think I could swing it this season but have managed to join the climbing crew and their Tuesdays @ Eldo. It's been great for me! Last Tuesday finally got to climb The Bastille Crack, an amazing classic. I lead p2!! The only other lead I've done is Boulder Direct, a very easy and benign climb. I'll have to back track and try to document all my other climbs this last month...but not today. Might start using fb to do that...hmmm...

Anyway, didn't make it out today with them, very bummed. But I clearly have climbing on the brain since I'm writing this. :)

Off to a 50th b'day celebration. What a daunting milestone. I had a little trouble with "40" (which surprised me!). What else to do but embrace it. Sigh.

My new adventure...IfThenRadio.com

I've been meaning to update my blog about this but finding the time lately is challenging!

I’ve gotten very involved with a tech association in Colorado, CSIA, and long story short, I’ve started a new podcasting venture with a friend called IfThenRadio.com. This is in addition to my primary business with Fred, VeriPoint. It’s been an amazing 5 months since we started in January. Though I never had any ambition of becoming a “podcaster”, I’m meeting so many great people through it and am enjoying it immensely. We are also so very fortunate that Fred’s brother, Will, has radio, music, and film experience. It’s completely because of him we have such high quality recording and mixing.

The podcasts to date are about technology companies and their affiliation with CSIA’s annual events. So far my very favorite podcast is one of newest releases on Kathleen Morten (included in the below newsletter) a local teacher who won “Top Tech Teacher of the Year” and her students. We have a couple of other podcast series in the works. One will focus on high level business trends and “Lessons Learned”. The other is an education series focusing on outreach programs for at risk or low income kids. A couple of the non-profits already lined up are OpenWorld Learning and JAG. In fact because of all of this activity, we are helping to organize a call to action and fund raiser for OpenWorld Learning. The best part is that up to $30,000 will be matched 100%! So if you’re feeling altruistic and want to give back to the community, please donate a few dollars to a great cause and an amazing program.