Click to read our individual diaries:
Meghan    Danielle    Rory
 

Danielle Jablonski
 New York, NY

Birthday: September 13
Hometown: Townsville, Australia
Bio: Click here
Contact: Danielle@alt9.net

 
Diary entries:
 
Week 1  Week 2  Week 3  Week 4  Week 5  Week 6  Week 7  Week 8  Week 9  Week 10  Week 11  Week 12
 
Week 2     May 23 - 29
 
DATE: May 24
ENTRY: In Kentucky. We’re staying at a campground called Miguels. It’s pretty famous around here. More camping with lots of people. It shouldn’t be too long now before we’ll have a little more space when we camp. I’m sure most people have more sense than to go south and west in the middle of summer so we should have a lot of space to ourselves.


Here's Miguels!

Took a shower (finally) at a cool hostel someone had told us about the day before. We got into a great discussion about local access issues with some people at the hostel. It was a reminder about how many issues there are. I think we need to make even more of an effort to talk to people everywhere about that kind of thing.
 
DATE: May 25
ENTRY: Back in the car, heading to Nashville. We decided to leave this morning instead of tonight because it rained like crazy overnight and we figured that the climbs at our level will be too wet. I keep hearing about all these huge overhangs that stay dry in the rain but I think they’ll be out of our range. So we packed up everything wet and threw it in the back seat and we’ll have to dry everything off in Nashville. Camping in the rain sucks. 

Yesterday was an amazing day of climbing for all of us. I lead my first route outside ever and it was 9+ (!!), Meg lead her first 11 (11b!), and Rory and I both top-roped the 11b (I sat on it, Rory sent it). Pretty amazing! It’s so much harder to get in a lot of climbing when you are outdoors. It takes so much longer to set everything up. There are many perks though – the scenery is beautiful and it’s peaceful and quiet (mostly…). We found a really amazing area a few minutes past our climbing area and took some cool photos with the fish eye. Was a great way to end the climbing day.


A view from within the cave

I also set up some rigging yesterday for the first time and got up to take some photos and video of Meg and Rory climbing. It’s pretty funny that I can feel safer hanging by myself 40ft up than I do leading anything. Maybe I’ve found my calling :) 

I’m worried we’re all going to be so unhealthy by the end of the trip – we go through so many bags of chips and so much trail mix and m&m’s when we drive. And jars of peanut butter!!
 
DATE: May 27
ENTRY: Lots of recharging batteries and catching up on sleep. We saw The DaVinci Code yesterday - I thought it was pretty good which is a nice change from most movies based on books (in my opinion...). Had some drama with a suspected lost wallet after the movie. It turned up but it would have been a huge nightmare for the trip! But other than that momentary stress it has been some good down-time. Had a great dinner with Carolyn, Becca, Annie, Larry and Amanda. Really great West African food! Yum!


Yay for good food and great company!

Did a little climbing today outside the city and planning to head to Little Rock City outside Chattanooga tomorrow to do some more. Hoping to bring along Meghan's mom and sister - still trying to convert them to rock climbers!

 
DATE: May 28
ENTRY: Frustration... We decided to stay in Nashville an extra day to sort out some issues that have come up since we left. In one sense it worked out well because the weather turned really bad so there would have been no climbing today anyway. On the other hand, Meghan and I ended up working all day, writing emails and finding maps and directions that we didn't already have, and dealing with computers and the internet not working. Hmmm.

We'd been hoping to at least get to the gym or go to the museum or library. Something. It's hard not to feel like we wasted a whole day, even though I know that one day is really not such a big deal in the scheme of things.
 
 

 

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Favorite trip music:
John Butler Trio

Favorite climbs:
The one I led

Favorite Snack:
m&ms

Sandwich:
PB (no J)