I don’t go big every weekend, but I usually get up to going somewhere. I pen this entry on August 6th, 2021, a sobering rainy weekend for road-accessible Alaska bearing no good outlets for recreation within in a 7hr drive circle. This is my first “off” weekend of the summer, but the grind continues in another fashion as I blow dust from my keyboard and sit down to pick away at a mountainous backlog of mountain photos.
I feel caught in a perpetual whirlwind of life’s demands. If its not this demand, then its that demand. Time at work, time in the mountains, time with God, and time for doing the everyday laundry list of chores. My schedule revolves around work. Mountains require consecutive days so there goes the weekend. And it feels as though my time spent with God is relegated a few time slots in between work and the bed, which, to put it even more blandly, is sandwiched in between yet more time slots divvied up for the laundry list. And then I feel squeezed pretty dry at the end of it all. Week in, week out.
God set amidst a pile of my dirty laundry. This paints an exaggerated, yet unsightly, picture. But it is true to some degree, and to any degree it isn’t good, and so I need to fix that. For me, its not a mistake in priorities -God is above all, period- but rather in managing time in a way that doesn’t reflect my priorities. And maybe my attitude toward how I view my time with God could use some tweaking…. Oh.. the ongoing struggle of my heart. But the Bible isn’t without guidance here. Matthew 6:31-33 “Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” First, seek God. Then all the other needs fall into place. It is a simple instruction, really. But harder to commit fully to heart.
Saturday May 22nd, 2021
I see Jordan, but where is Curtis hiding? 
The distant Sawtooth Mountains
Curtis Clowar, Jordan Osowski and myself went out and camped up behind one of the higher walls. Grapefruit is easily done as daytrip missions, but something about a sleeping bag is therapeutic. Like a life hack where you gain an extra two hours of sleep simply by contact with the warm down filled fabrics and having cooler air absorbed by facial vents. We hiked up to the high point for sunset and chowed down on some remainder of my pad thai meals still left over from the failed Sanford attempt. Indeed, sleep was well.
Sunday May 23rd, 2021
In the morning Curtis wasted no time getting after the climbing, self-belaying himself up the wall just below camp. Jordan and myself took turns too. We climbed some more at Falcon Rock (no pictures), and then found Peanutbutter area (didn’t climb). Then back to the car and then back to our beloved Fairbanks flatlands.
From Rocks To Rivers 