How to make climbing a 14er pay...kinda.

Read all of the way to the end - Duluth Trading.

Another Bottle Opener & Updates

OK, its been a while, but we've been busy...bla-bla, bla bla bla.

Since the dresser, I have only been making bottle openers. This one is made of Padauk and is going to a neighbor that made be a couple of knobs for some planes in need of new ones.

I have a couple of ideas for future ones and will keep you informed. I would like to dye a tiger maple one next time.

Marlys and I had a number of folks stop by at the turn of year on their way either to or from the southwest. They couldn't have picked a nicer winter (so far) for coming by since it has been comparatively warm and we have had little snow (La Nina) in the area.

Derek also spent most of the month of December with us, which is probably the most he has been home since going off to college in 2006. He had a happy surprise when he got back to NMSU in January, in that they informed him that he would now be a full Teaching Assistant(read more money, real good news for Mom and Dad), and would now be teaching three classes.

Beyond that Marlys and I have been going to training given by the local Search and Rescue Team (since October actually), which maybe we will get voted on to someday. The training alone though has been invaluable; so far we have worked on high and low angle evacuations, medical triage and limb splinting, participated in a mock mission, had a introduction to avalanche beacon usage and search techniques, completed our initial FEMA Incident Command System classes (online via the Emergency Management Institute) and map reading.

Next week, we are going up to Monarch Pass for on-snow avalanche training (day before we head for Hawaii) and next month additional classroom and field map training.

As I mentioned the training the folks on the SAR Team have given us has been great, and we will use it, because we are going to try and go up one 14er a week this summer, when we are around and conditions permit. We have added Antero, Shavano/Tabeguache, Belford and Oxford to the list.