Year in Review 2021

Here’s to 2021! It was a bit better than 2020, though the pandemic still raged though vaccines gave us a glimpse of and hope for the future. In some ways, 2021 felt circular; for Andy and I it started and ended with New Year’s Day and New Year’s Eve summits of Percy Peaks in Nash Stream Forest near Stark—it seems to have become a tradition. The biggest event though, was that Cora came into our lives. We adopted the (relatively) mellow and very cute, small brown dog—maybe a border collie, Australian shepherd mix—in mid April. She quickly won over numerous fans for her softness and cuddle-ability. Work continued on the house, trips to the mountains and the desert were made. Worked a few NOLS courses in the canyon country and one in the Winds. Rocks were climbed and the ups and downs rolled on.

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New Year’s Day of 2021 we biked down Nash Stream and…

hiked up Percy Peaks!

Spent a day skiing with Josh at Waterville Valley before heading west.

Andy walking on Squam Lake.

We did some costumed canyoneering in Tucson and

here Andy scouts out the first rappel.

We climbed

In Cochise…

We inherited some plants; a year later most are still alive!

I took a stab at making furniture

Partly assembled

and mostly assembled and functional.

The 4.5 year long bedroom project continued to progress…

I insulated and …

hung drywall!

Of course there were side projects galore; here I ripped off the paneling behind the oven and . .

installed everyone’s favorite: beadboard!

Then I installed a backsplash that was similar to the sink side of kitchen as well. Still lots to be done, but it came out looking decent.

Spent some time winter rock climbing in Sinks.

COVID still dictates masks on NOLS bus rides, which I took on a long ride to a Southern Utah Canyon course.

We circumnavigated Jacob’s Chair . . .

cooked in the open air . .

walked down a canyon and . . .

got snowed on!

Another beadboard side project: before . . .

and after!

Andy and I explored Red Canyon in Wayne County and

and dropped a nice slot canyon at the Sunglow Campground!

We also camped and climbed at Indian Creek for a few days.

As usual, snow came late to the Lander area, but it is always appreciated.

Cora!

A beautiful, loving addition to our lives!

Another COVID informed NOLS course, this one at Split Rock in Central Wyoming.

More side projects! 😉 Tried to repair the window in the shop and found a rotten wall. Booo.

We ate a lot of waffles in 2021.

Andy and I visited the Winds; here we are at the base of Sundance Pinnacle.

I worked a portion of a Winds Rock Climbing course; this is in the Middle Fork Valley…

which allowed me to summit Pronghorn Peak with some students!

Andy and I hiked into New Fork Park and climbed Cruise Control; here, Andy leads pitch 2

Another side project; I ripped the trim off the door, repaired the door and window (seen here is the final door product) and

built an awning over the entryway.

Andy and I hiked into the Deep Lake area and did a long day up on the NW Ridge of Temple Peak…

and here I coil the ropes at the top of the ridge.

We built a Cora backyard fence. . .

and made a gate!

Cora and Andy!

Andy had a garden!

Took off the west door and painted the door and muntins.

Door project complete-ish.

Lots of Cora walks, this one in September on Lander’s Bus Loop . . .

and this one in Sinks Canyon.

In November I worked another NOLS canyon course, this one in the Dirty Devil Region & after close to ten years worth of NOLS courses, finally broke my ukulele 🙁