Tibet Music Event

Ah, I just found this saved in the guts of my Blogger dashboard. I had started the post but never finished.

A few weeks ago, Kristin and I hosted a wonderful musical performance in our backyard by Jamyeng Yeshi. The Crag Law Center brought Jamyeng to perform at the Clinton Street Theater following a showing of the Unwinking Gaze - a new documentary on the Dalai Lama. We organized the event as an alternative to the opening night of the Olympics.

Jamyeng was born in the Amdo region of Tibet and escaped through Nepal to Dharamasala. For the past few years, he has lived in Canada and performs traditional Tibetan music, often with his friends and/or family members. The Tara Cafe Project helps to promote Tibetan music and culture and helped to set up the weekend. Here's a couple of pics:

From Tibet Music in the Backyard

Me getting happy with the beer situation.

From Tibet Music in the Backyard

Jamyeng

From Tibet Music in the Backyard

The crew that help set this up - Jeff Alzner, Karen McDiarmind (with the Tara Cafe Project), Jamyeng Yeshi, and Brook Kirklin

Jeff and Brook just completed a movie about Mike Bearzi - Via Bearzi

Jamyeng and some other musicians associated with the Tara Cafe Project contributed to the wonderful soundtrack for there movie, which got accepted to Telluride, Ester Park and many other mountain film festivals. Jeff and Brook put me in touch with Karen, and we set something up to help Jamyeng promote his music.

From Tibet Music in the Backyard

Jamyeng with the hosts.

From Tibet Music in the Backyard

Alzner with the hosts.

This is a bit delayed - but thanks to Jeff, Karen, Brook and everyone else that helped to pull this off!!

Climbing in Leavenworth!

With a planned trip to Squish scuttled by the construction-induced rockfall on Highway 99, we shifted focus and set sights on Leavenworth for a long weekend of cragging.

We started out with a little gear fondling.




Kristin Vanna Whiting the new car camping tent. Of course the tent pole would break less than two days after purchase - perfect. Note - the Columbia Bugaboo II should be avoided.



Obsessing over the rack.



Modeling the rack



Oh yeah Vanna White eat your heart out princess!

Eventually we did get on the rock.



Heart of Gold, 5.10-, 4 pitches.

Saturday offered the best weather, so we headed up slope for some slab climbing before the temps hit the roof.



Looking up the Heart of Gold Pitch - 5.10a. The pitch ends right before the roof. You pull the roof on the 4th and final pitch and find some more 5.8-9-ish slab moves to the final anchor. The route is a bit contrived, because you can bale into the gully at any point, but the climbing is really fun on solid rock with fun slab moves and good views of the Icicle.



Seeking shade.



The shirt fits the scene eh? Wrong forest though.



Kristin topping out.



Roto Wall later in the weekend with temps soaring.



Kristin racking up for Slippery Shoes - super slippery in 85 degree temps!



Blazing saddles! "98 degrees in the shade."



We finally wised up and sought out the shade of the Pearly Gates.



Kristin cleaning up the namesake route of the cliff - Pearly Gates, 5.10c - with a few visual effects.



Topping out on Cloud Nine, 5.9+, 2 pitches - super fun!!



Icicle Creek cooled off our overheated bodies.



Washing away the sweat and sterilizing the scrapes. Kristin needs a manicure!

On the last night, we put down a few cheap glasses of wine at Gustav's and sought out new routes at the Leavenworth Family Fun Center!



Kristin threatening the photographer - she wouldn't really would she?



Working the angles!



Oops!



Yeah that black ball belongs to the Stiller fan.



We finally found the gnarly new routes we were looking for after the third tee! I dubbed this the Windmill Arete, v7+



The exposure was terrifying!



Kristin reenacting the crux moves from the Pearly Gates.



Hmmmmmm .... ut oh. Kristin contemplating the next bold high ball effort.



Law breaker!! Run!! The 19th Spend the Night in the Hole, v12 (high risk landing)

On the last day, we headed into Seattle for some niece time on a hot summer day.



Nadia getting her bubbles on.



Their friend Marianna showing off her snow cone.



The nieces celebrating a perfect trip to Baskin and Robbins!!

Slabs, cracks, boulders, and new routes at the Family Fun Center!! Der Leavenworth comes through again.