Pulling Plastic??

Time to try to get strong - ish.

Joannie, Scott, Cierra, Joey and I climbing indoors at Rock Sports - Reno. Celebrity appearance by Dave Nettle.

March Madness. Canyon's, Boats & Bikes.

Doug's solo sojourn. March 2016

Video's:

So while Joannie visited friends and family in California, I packed up for a quick multi-sport trip to the Death Valley/Las Vegas area.

Some of the things I learned or re-learned on this trip.

• People really DON'T know how to shit in the woods. (Or in this case, desert)
• Don't forget your sunscreen!
• Death Valley is not the only place experiencing a super bloom.
• Mylar party balloons end up in the most otherwise pristine areas you can possibly imagine. Resist the urge to use them.
• Somebody is missing a Samsung Galaxy S smartphone I retrieved from the bottom of the river. 
• I still hate plastic water bottles for use in the U.S. Resist the urge to use them. Really, if you don't live in Flint, how bad do you really NEED someone else to bottle your water?? Rather than me go on a diatribe, just google alternatives to bottled water.
• You'll find natural beauty in the most unlikely places.
• Don't buy the 'Manager's special' in the meat department. 
• Yakima kayak tie down straps pretty much suck.
• Bighorn Sheep are amazing!
• There's usually someone better than you at the thing you do best. Unless you're Alex Honnold or Tommy Caldwell.

Got all that? Good. Ok, now kick back with your beverage of choice and enjoy. (As long as it's not commercially bottled water. Flint, you get a pass...)

Canyon descent: Pagan, near Eureka Dunes, Death Valley
River paddled: Colorado below Hoover Dam, aka Black Canyon
Trail ridden: Bootleg Canyon trail system, Boulder City Nevada

Dropping into the canyon

Looking back up into the upper narrows

The final rappel

Campsite

Leaving camp in the morning

We're not the first ones here

The Frogman Petroglyph

Riding buddy at Bootleg Canyon