Summer Summary 2017 pt.II: Eastbound and Down

In July, my dad said goodbye to his mother. The whole Butterworth tribe returned to the family farm in Lynn Grove, Kentucky; we sang hymns and shared some stories. I was reminded of this Robert Capon quote from his lovely cookbook Supper of the Lamb: 

"Why can't the vast technological resources of America bring us up to at least the level of our grandmothers?" 

In the South, when people are good, we say he or she or they "are good people." Linda Butterworth "was good people" and she knew how to host company and throw a party. I hadn't hung out with my cousins in years, but in the hotel lobby we drank Cinerator, played checkers, and laughed a whole lot. "Mama B." would've loved it.

Butterworth Farm, Lynn Grove, Calloway County, KY

After the funeral Josh and I drove over to the Red River Gorge. It was the least I could do for Josh being a good sport for cutting his Colorado trip short and attending the funeral of an old lady he never met.

There are few things I love more than waking up in the cool, dark morning air for an alpine start. It's hard to convince southern climbers to partake in this mountain practice UNLESS they're planning to climb 28 routes for their 28th birthday. And I was psyched to belay Josh for another year on another birthday challenge.

Miguel's Pizza, Slade, Powell County, KY

Here's how it went down: 

• 28 pitches (5.1-5.10b)
• 20 sport routes
• 8 trad routes
• 13.08 miles hiked
• 1 Miguel's Pizza with chorizo, avocados, and extra cheese

This is the only picture (and incidentally, the only route I climbed that day) I got of Josh in the process: #yolofreesolo on "Kate's First Trad Lead." Don't ask what grade it is, it doesn't matter. Okay, it's 5.1. 

"Kate's First Trad Lead," Muir Valley, Wolfe County, KY

After Kentucky, it was to Nashville to attend my girlfriend's brother's wedding. There were free margaritas and there was this girl. It was awesome. 

Nashville, TN

After the wedding, I stayed in Nashville for a bit for some very solid date-days. Becca and I looked at some fancy aboriginal art, ate some super delicious tacos, and climbed some chossy limestone. Kings Bluff is where I did my first lead-climb and Becca did her's while we were there!  

Kings Bluff, TN

July started off the same way it did last summer: at the Obed. This time, with Eli and Julia and their friends. It rained... a lot. But we squeezed in some climbing and a lot of laughs. Climbing with Eli is a rare treasure since he went back into the military. Apparently learning how to fly helicopters in Florida keeps him from climbing very much. He still on-sighted 5.10 in the rain though. Here, Julia charges up a soggy and steep warm-up at Little Clear. 

Little Clear Creek, TN

The rest of July was spent chasing shade at Pep Boys, Sunset, and Deep Creek. And I convinced Andrew to drive up to the Obed back to Little Clear for some good ol' clips and whips on steep jugs. I day-flashed some things I on-sighted years ago and I hung on some things I on-sighted years ago. That swimming hole though...

Little Clear Creek, TN

At the end of it all, I took Becca way down south to see my homeland. My folks made fish tacos, grilled shrimp and clams from the Gulf; locally raised sausage; corn on the cob, potatoes, and fried okra from the garden. I took Becca to one of my favorite places -- the Wacissa River.

I spent a lot of weekends canoeing and camping along this beautiful spring-fed river and it was so fun to hear her coo about alligators and  how clear the water is.
 

Wacissa River, FL

She didn't hate it...

Big Blue Spring on the Wacissa River, FL

*fin.

Summer Summary 2017 pt.I: Westward Bound

My trip west was under peculiar circumstances this year. Three days before my month-long adventure I found out my grandmother had a severe brain hemorrhage. Because of an unexpected rally, my father gave me his blessings to go ahead and go -- with the foreknowledge that I could be coming back home at any point. So after my last day of work I hopped in my Tacoma and headed west.

I stopped for a kush bivouac in Boonville, Missouri before pounding it out across Kansas and on to Salida, Colorado. Dirtbag road trip pro tip: Pilot Stations > Wal Mart parking lots. 

Pilot Travel Center and Convenience Store, Boonville, MO

Not all campsites are created equal....

Banks Gulch Trailhead, Mt. Shavano, Chaffee County, CO

After a couple days bouldering and milling around Salida and BV I headed up to Denver to meet up with my friend Barrett. We soloed the Second Flatiron in the AM and then drove up to Torreys Peak that evening. We ascended Torreys via the Kelso Ridge and it was a rad day in the mountains! (Read about it here.) 

"Kelso Ridge," Torreys Peak, Clear Creek County, CO

Kelso whipped me into shape for a week working back at Wilderness Expeditions. It was a blast -- albeit eventful week -- taking these kids from Alabama up one of Colorado's tallest mountains. We saw a mama bear and cub, had two moose wonder through camp, and a glissade "rescue" for a kid who slipped and slid down a snow slope. It wasn't bad, but to a 17 year-old kid from Alabama... he must've been scared. Anyway, Shavano is beautiful and the students were cool.

Colorado Trail, Mt. Shavano, Chaffee County, CO

mountaineering is sexy, Mt. Shavano, Chaffee County, CO

After eating my body weight in Moonlight Pizza at least twice, I headed to Boulder to meet Paul. We hiked up the East Face North Side of Seal Rock before I picked up Josh from DIA. The Seal is classic! The fourth pitch finger crack is the epitome of 5.fun.

"North Face East Side," Seal Rock, Flatirons, CO

Josh showed up and we had a few days to squeeze in as many classic easy pitches as we could before I had to head back for my grandmothers funeral. We played in Boulder Canyon and the Flatirons before heading to Colorado Springs and then on to Kentucky. 

"North Face Center," Cob Rock, Boulder Canyon, CO

Climbing in the Springs was... interesting. Fanny packs, wide brim hats, obese RV campers everywhere. We were even asked to explain our gear to a group of Asian tourists. Josh was peeved but I embraced it as a part of the Garden's experience. Our roles interestingly reversed. That's the price you pay for desert towers in city limits. 

a sea of fanny packs and wide brim hats, Garden of the Gods, CO 

"North Ridge," Montezuma's Tower, Garden of the Gods, CO

Oh, and I got a mullet.