Who am I? I keep asking myself the same thing. I will tell you what I know.

My name is Greg and I teach chemistry and biology laboratory methods at a state college in Washington State. A lover of the outdoors from childhood, it makes sense that mountaineering, bouldering, sport climbing, cycling and photography are deeply ingrained in me. I’m six-foot four and weigh 180 pounds. This blog was born years ago where I posted some research highlights, but now it is more for my climbing and other adventures. I am 35, single and paradoxically unavailable.

My goals in life are simple because the way I live my life is simple. I strive to:

• Live simply.
• Eat to live through good food.
• Grow my own food.
• Leave the smallest footprint possible.
• Live through adventure and exploration.
• Stop to enjoy flowers, pet dogs and stare into the sun.
• I do not want things.

Also, read my top ten page.

My attitude about climbing

Climbing up things has been one of the most therapeutic techniques I employ in maintaining my identity. I started climbing at 15, thanks to my dad’s inspiration and motivation. Over the years, I’ve focused on and then lost focus of climbing off-and-on; sometimes for college, sometimes for women, sometimes for laziness; but I always come back. Alpine ascents were my first true love. Sport climbing and bouldering are a new development in the last four years or so. They both allow me to center myself physically and spiritually, allowing me the chance to acquire personal achievements and balance.

My attitude towards mountaineering is one of purity. I go up high just to be there. Silent, alone, small, fragile. Being on the top isn’t as important as the trek. Sport climbing is a method of growth and personal discovery for me, I get to learn about my body, mind and awareness by pushing time to a standstill. Bouldering, my favorite activity, has become a social sport just as much a physical and mental challenge. It’s so much more physically demanding and for this it is more mentally challenging too. Socially, bouldering allows the crew to bond significantly; each member of the crew assumes the role of motivating each other to push themselves to their limit.

I dont really do grades or a huge ticklist. Climbing, when I distill it, is about the things I’ve just said. In my mind it is not about how many sends you’ve ticked, what grade you’re working at, or how much beta you can spray on people. I do see the virtue in recording grades and ticks, but only to monitor my own progress when I ask myself if I’m actually still pushing myself hard enough. That, of course, begs the question “how hard is enough?”.

The answer: I dont know.