climbing

The Holy of Holies: Idaho Edition

July 12, 2010 by The Noisy Plume

Sometimes heaven is a place on earth.

Welcome to City of Rocks, Idaho, USA:

The thing is, The City is one of the most beautiful places I have ever climbed. It looks like Tolkien’s Middle Earth. Granitic forms rise up and out of the sage, juniper and aspen stands and tower there, hundreds of feet above the earth in unique and beautiful forms. It’s nearly too much to bear. I don’t know where to look so I take it all in at once and feel a bit dizzy, a bit tiny and a little bit justified beneath all of that magnificent and exposed igneous intrusion.

I consider The City to be one of the Holy of Holies in this state of mine. The rumble and fumble of creation is heard here in the whisker twitch of a jackrabbit and the soft, slow crumble of gorgeously formed granite; firm in crystal lattice: like prickly liquid under the softness of my hands. This is living rock.

When I’m on it, something that once slept in me becomes wild and alive.

I become a wedge of lichen clinging to its surface; a burly little fern pushing up and out of a fissure.

I feel small and mighty. All at once. I’m part of a greater whole.

My perspective grows wide.

God feels bigger than ever.

I was in good company with people who climb safely.

My partner, Sue, pushed me to do routes outside of my comfort zone. And each time I sent a route, I howled at the top like a wild thing and shook my mane in the wind before looking out at the vistas below me. We perched atop rocks like wise ravens, like stone mavens. We felt the burn of rock on skin, felt the rush of tenuous grips, watched the clouds roll in and roll back under the hand of the sun. We pushed through mental barriers. We never quit. Not even once. We hid in a cave when it rained. We sweated like men, called out encouragement to each other and pulled past pigeon rookeries on our way to the top.

We watched the sun sink, we ate, we laughed around a fire and then in the morning, we did it all over again. Skin under sun on rock in wind.

We made gravity mad; no matter how she tried,

she couldn’t keep us down.

And then we jumped in the truck and traveled home

through the sunset

through the twilight

past the fields with their irrigation ballet

into sleepy Pocatello

onto our street.

And we wondered:

Why don’t we go there more often?

Hope your weekend was rad.

PLUME

PS Gosh. I. Just. Really. Love. Idaho.
It makes my heart sing opera.

Filed Under: city or rocks, climbing, idaho

From here to there and back again.

August 4, 2009 by The Noisy Plume

WITH RW ON FIRE AGAIN THIS SUMMER

I HAVE GROWN TO APPRECIATE THE SOLO ROAD TRIP.

IMMENSELY.

THIS WEEKEND PAST, I VENTURED OUT TO THE CITY OF ROCKS, HERE IN IDAHO.

CLIMBING PARADISE.

TOP NOTCH GRANITE.

ROPES.

SKIN.

SUN.

STONE.

I TOOK A MOMENT TO TOUCH A PIECE OF HOME, ON THE WAY. THE COMBINES WERE RUNNING FULL FORCE OUT IN THE VALLEY AND I WEPT AS I WATCHED THEIR SLOW CUT KICK UP DUST AND THE STEADY SPEW OF THEIR GOLDEN GRAIN, CHAFF FREE, INTO THE BEDS OF GRAIN TRUCKS. I PULLED OFF THE HIGHWAY AND BURIED MY SENSES IN THE FIELDS. LONGING FOR HOME. INTENSE FEELINGS ASSUAGED BY SIMPLY GRASPING ONTO BLOND STALKS IN THE EVENING SUNLIGHT.

WHEN I DRIVE A DISTANCE, ALONE, I BEGIN TO FEEL RECKLESS. THERE’S A WILDNESS THAT SURFACES. I ROLL THE WINDOWS DOWN. DRIVE TOO FAST AROUND CORNERS. PLAY MY MUSIC TOO LOUD. I WANT A VICE OR TWO. I CONSIDER BUYING CIGARETTES. IT’S THE WILDNESS OF THE WIND IN MY HAIR AND THE OPEN ROAD BEFORE ME THAT DOES IT…

AND THEN THE CITY OF ROCKS APPEARED.

SOLID AND STEADY IN THE EVENING LIGHT.

An anchor.

AND THE HOMESTEAD I DAYDREAM ABOUT

MADE A RUSTIC SILHOUETTE AGAINST THE BURN

OF THE EVENING SKY.

THEN CAME THE MEETING WITH FRIENDS. CLAMBERING ABOUT. HEADLAMPS ON BRIGHT UP THE BACKSIDE CLIMB TO THE TOP OF BATH ROCK AND LAUGHTER AND THOUGHTFULNESS AND HOWLING AT THE MOON AND THE SINGING OF OLD TIME MUSIC UP AGAINST THE NIGHT SKY. THE COYOTES SANG WITH US. THE GRANITE HELD THE HEAT OF THE DAY. WE SCRAMBLED DOWN INTO OUR BEDS AND SLEPT FULL. LONG. SLEEPS.

I FINALLY OPENED MY EYES TO THIS GRANITE PARADISE.

THE TOO WARM WARMTH OF THE SUN ON RW’S SLEEPING BAG (IN THE RUSH TO LEAVE, I COULDN’T FIND MINE AND HAD TO USE HIS…..IT SMELLED OF HIM — the perfect lullaby). THE QUIET CRUMBLE OF GRANITE CRYSTALS BENEATH ME AND THE VALLEY BELOW MY ROCK. [MY SALVATION?]

A FEW PITCHES AND LAUGHS LATER….

WE FOUND GERALD.

THE POOR CHIPMUNK WALKED RIGHT OFF THE SIDE OF A CLIFF…OR AT LEAST WE DEDUCED HE MET HIS END THIS WAY.

EM WAS BRAVE ENOUGH TO PICK UP HIS SMALL FRAME WITH A PAIR OF PINE CHOP STICKS (WE’RE SO INSENSITIVE AREN’T WE?). FEAR NOT. WE GAVE HIM A PROPER BURIAL….AFTER WE CLIMBED THE ROUTE WE FOUND HIM ON.

AND THEN ROPES AND A DREADFUL APPROACH HIKE IN THE BLAZING SUN.

…AND THE IMMACULATE VIEW ATOP JACOB’S THUMB BEFORE THE THUNDER AND LIGHTNING CHASED US DOWN. WE RAPPELLED FAST. HOT BELAY DEVICES, SINUOUS ROPES, BARE FEET ON SHARP GRANITE.

AND COLD BEER, CRACKERS AND CHEESE AT OUR CAMPSITE.

THEN THE CAPTURING OF BLUE.

[WINDHOVER, YOU’LL LOVE THIS…]

[FOR BEING SO LARGE IN SPIRIT, I SURELY AM SMALL IN BODY…]

MY GIRLS AND I IN OUR LITTLE HOLE. PERFECT FOR SLEEPING THREE, FOR LISTENING TO THE EVENING MUSIC OF THE VALLEY (SUPPLIED BY COYOTES) AND FOR WATCHING THE RISE OF A BLUE MOON OVER GRANITE.

AND STILL,

IN THE MORNING,

MORE SHADES OF BLUE:

FEELING SUNKISSED AND CONNECTING WITH THE SURFACES (and depths) OF THINGS

IN THIS TIME

AND THIS SPACE:

THINGS ARE RARELY THE SAME TWICE.

THIS GRANITE WILL BE WORN MORE THIN NEXT TIME I VISIT;

NEXT TIME I GRASP ONTO IT AND PULL DOWN.

AND THAT’S HOW LIFE SHOULD BE LIVED!

IN THE HOLINESS OF A TIME AND SPACE — KNOWING THAT IT’S A SACRED MOMENT. CONNECTING WITH IT FULLY BEFORE IT WASHES AWAY IN THE SANDS OF TIME.

AND THANKS TO YOU FOR ALLOWING ME A WEEKEND AWAY.

MY PERSONAL SPACE IS SACRED.

I NEED IT

TO REBUILD AND REFOCUS.

I NEED IT TO FEEL CONNECTED AT ALL THE BENDS OF MY MIND.

AND MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE, I NEED IT IN ORDER TO CREATE.

LOVE AND THANKS TO YOU,

JSL

Filed Under: CITY OF ROCKS, climbing, idaho

Les Nouveaux Bijoux

April 8, 2009 by The Noisy Plume

Thanks for all your well wishes for my climbing jaunt yesterday! I actually used to climb about 20 hours a week in my home town (gym rat) and even managed the climbing gym in Saskatoon for a stint. BUT. I’ve never been so spoiled in my life to have crags that I can BIKE to! I’ve been zipping about the wall at the University but moving up and over real rock was an utter delight yesterday. I could feel my climbing obsession welling up inside all five points of contact:)

[this is my patagonia supermodel pose…]

I used to be a she-beast.

For those of you who DO climb and know about ratings, I have bouldered V6…I’m no Lynn Hill but I could hold my own with a pack of climber boys. I think I’ve probably lost about 15 pounds of back and arm muscle over the years I spent non-climbing in Arizona…EW. That’s like 15 boxes of butter…gross.

The rock was warm yesterday. It was a delight to bask in it while waiting for a belay. Basalt is especially lovely for it’s bubbly texture. A girl can hang on with just her pinky finger sometimes. God bless volcanoes.

I love rock.

I considered majoring in geology for a stint…

…luck and divine blessing would have it that I would get to work with it anyway in my destined vocation.

[imperial jasper in hues of chocolate brown and sassy pink in a straightforward sterling setting IT SAYS SO MUCH WITH SO LITTLE: AN UNCLUTTERED AND CONCISE DESIGN]

[imperial jasper & sterling silver in a really fuss free setting THIS RING IS BEAUTIFUL]

[imperial jasper and sterling silver buttons]

Actually inspired by The Curious Case of Benjamin Button…which happens to be at the cheap theater here in town…this ring won’t make you grow young but I blessed it while melding its components and it will keep you young at heart.

And I saved my favorite for last!

Dendritic Opal and sterling silver. Scrumptious. I’ve got another cabochon similar to this one in a more elongated oval shape that I have been hoarding for a couple of years now. It is for me. But I cannot, for the life of me, decide what to do with it!

I feel a bit like I’m casting it’s twin out into the world with the fabrication and eventual sale of this ring. A bit sad. A bit glad.

I, most unfortunately, have to zip out into the valley for an hour or two this afternoon so I’m not sure if I’ll get all my rings listed before I leave for the day but I’m-a-gonna try. Thanks for your patience! And happy Wednesday!

Trills and Whistles,

PLUME

:::EDIT:::

Holy gosh!

I just finished updating the Etsy shop and a big thank you to all the ladies

who shopped tonight! I’m always blown away by how quickly things leave the shelves! Thank you thank you.

And a smooch and hug to the girls who were snaked:)

Better luck next time!

Filed Under: climbing, New Jewelry