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 I climbed the Direct Route up the First Flatiron today, complete with a near-death experience (go HERE for a better account).  On a ledge 2 pitches from the summit, I felt the most bizarre buzz of electricity-literally a flash of warmth, an audible buzz, followed by the standing of every hair in my body.  This happened probably four times before I reached the summit, where I was quickly joined by Brandon.  While setting up the rappel, we were hit by lightning.  I’m feeling very lucky, because according to Wikipedia, 9-10% of those struck by lightning die, and the odds of being hit in the first place are 1:700,000 (although I suppose one could cheat those odds by hanging out on the summit of the First Flatiron in a storm).  Needless to say, we both have Powerball tickets for this weeks drawing.

 

 Perhaps the strangest part of the experience is the lack of introspection that I felt.  There was no moment in which my life flashed before my eyes, merely a heightened sense of the dire need to get off of the summit before lightning struck again.  Despite being cold, wet, and terrified, I have never moved so quickly or efficiently in my life.  Never again will I turn down an opportunity to bail off of a route when conditions become potentially life-threatening.  On the bright side, I can make another check on my to-do list.

 Today marks my Two-Year Anniversary in Colorado.  (You can read about Year One here).  It has been an eventful year, but instead of writing about it I’m going to let the pictures tell the story.  Coincidentally, I purchased my first dSLR almost a year ago (and my second today!), so there were quite a few pictures to go through.

As soon my D1x arrived, I peeled out of the driveway with Jeff and caught the sunset at Pawnee Buttes.

Finally, a gas grill.  It has changed my life.

 First camping trip of the year in RMNP.

I went home for the River Festival, built my stage, and came back the next day to this.  I miss thunderstorms.

Moonrise as seen from Horsetooth Rock.  Too bad there were too many clouds to see the moon.

 

 The first picture pretty much sums up our trip to the Great Sand Dunes.

 Ryan and I thought that it would be dry enough to backpack the Rawah Trail in July.  Wrong.

Jenni, Aaron and I climbed Castle and Conundrum Peaks.  And glissaded down.

 Backpacking Take II.  Success.  Along with summits of Chiquita and Ypsilon.

 

Mile High Music Festival brought these two together in my living room.  Now they’re married.

 

Kelso Ridge to Torrey’s.  Epic.

 

First trad climb in Gregory Amphitheatre, followed by Standard East Face of the Third Flatiron.

 

 Watched a triathlon and a bet-gone-wrong.  Yikes.  Still have those tan lines Aaron?

 420’s and bouldering at Independence Pass.

 

 Joe’s Valley.

 

 Fall trip to Boston to see Joe, then bouldering with Aaron in Lincoln Woods.

 About this time I became obsessed with off-camera lighting.  My first big project was a CFL.

 

 We met Aaron and Dan in California for a weekend of bouldering in Bishop.

 

 After Christmas, I climbed my first pitch of ice.

 

I took a few days off to check out the X-Games in Aspen…

…and then had the best powder day EVER at Steamboat.

 A new light bulb made an appearance with my bamboo.

Jeff and I launched carbonartphoto.com.

 In Ouray, I was lowered into a 135′ canyon with 2 ice axes.

 Deadpoint Magazine published one of my photos from Lincoln Woods.

 

I passed my 5th cume.

 In April I finally broke down and pieced together a rack…and then took pictures of it.

 

 Jeff and I shot our first wedding of the season.

 

 Spring climbing.

 

 Then Felix came for a visit…

…and the next week I passed my orals.

 

So ends another spectacular year in Colorado.

Yeah, we climbed at The Bog last weekend and frustration was abundant.  I don’t think you are truly trying until it looks like you’re taking a crap.

 

and my favorites…

 

 You don’t have to ride a bike to realize that this guy is incredible.  Watch and be amazed.

It is raining outside, I just tied a pair of aiders, and I needed a break.  Enough said.