Things we have done 30 min of the house.

Since returning from Ceuse, Dallas Milburn and I have been staying busy locally.  There is a lot climbing within a 30 min. drive of us.  It isn't the best in the world but it will have to do for the time we are here.  As I have mentioned it kind of reminds me a little bit of the RRG.  The same sandstone and is located in humid rain forest like climate.  The climbing on the other hand is a bit different, the routes tend to be shorter and more power based.  It is a fun time none the less.  There is also a ton of bouldering, although it has been hard to find.  The bouldering guide for the area is out of print and we can't find one to buy so it has been extremely difficult to find the boulders.  Asking the locals hasn't seemed to work either, all we have heard is "you'll figure it out".  Its kind of frustrating but what ever ill just have to walk a lot of cliff line and do it the old fashion way.  The boulders that we have found are decent, most of which are cliff bands with drop offs.  Think of the RRG and HP40 have babies, that's what the bouldering reminds me of. 

Me on some 13a

Dallas on Magnet Finger 13a

Climbing isn't the only thing that we have been doing.  Just the other day Dallas and I made a 5 mile round trip walk to a 12th century castle.  This castle over looks a the valley and all its tiny villages.  We were shocked and amazed at how old the castle really was.  There were stalactites 1 to 2 inches in length hanging from the ceilings and walls.  When you snapped a picture when the flash on the walls would have a crazy green glow from all the algae and calcium that has built up over time.  There were bullet holes and cannon balls all over the exterior from all the different wars in the past.  It was definitely an amazing experience, and nice it is just a walk from the house!

A wall in the middle of the woods on the way to the castle.  We think it was a Holocaust memorial wall where people were executed, felt super weird standing there next to a all the bullet holes in the wall!

 

One of the many passages through the castle

Outside of the castle, built on and around the cliff

Entrance to the castle with peep holes on either side

Stalactites

Stalactites

Thinking an air hole and or a hole for transporting things

Craziness on our walk back

Our living arrangements here are great.  We live on top of a very nice ladies garage which over looks a swimming pond with a Bar/Restaurant attached, and huge park with a ton of cool toys!  There are miles and miles of trails in the hills around us and there is even some rock, i guess we'll see if it is climbable in the future.  I am excited to take advantage of all the cool things later this summer.