How Does He Do It?

Workin'

"How do you travel the world? I wish I could do that."

"Do it while you can. Life takes over sooner than you think."
"You must be made of money."

As a dedicated climber I hear the above comments so very often. What a lot of folks don't understand is that I am not made of money. In fact, I am the definition of a "dirt bag". I live in a one room shack full of climbing gear. I eat cheaply and work long hours to make my expeditions a reality. Many trips find me with only hundreds of dollars in my bank account, a tight figure when you're on the other end of the earth.

Most importantly, I don't let anything, money included, stand in the way of a dream. Yet I also balance that commitment with the terms of an idea presented to me in Morroco a few years ago: Inshallah. Inshallah means "If God wills" or "If God wishes". I scheme for the mountains of my inspiration, but also humbly know it is silly to force a plan. If it is meant to be, it will happen.

You can't walk through life alone and even though I fund most of my adventures, the support I recieve from my sponsors tips the scale in my favor. Without their help my life would be much different.

Pressing fruit with my friends Scott and Ashton during the 2010 harvest

In the past few weeks I have highlighted Mountain Equipment and Tendon as great proponents of my lifestyle. This time, I wanted to shed light on my biggest supporter and employer, Icicle Ridge Winery. I count the folks at IRW as some of my best friends. Their freindship and support of my dreams provides a solid foundation for my life. They encourage my climbing above all else and respect my passion. In turn, I work as hard for them as I can when I am at home. I can't imagine life without IRW. Thanks guys!

Hanging out with friends during the 2011 Blending Party

All photos by Lisa Adams