Life is quite hectic but fulfilling for me at the moment. Crispin Porter + Bogusky currently has me working solely on B-cycle, a bike-sharing program that seeks to redefine city transportation. My role includes composing marketing strategy, communicating with partner organizations, managing creative teams and coordinating B-cycle's digital presence. Next spring, we're launching 500 bikes and 50 kiosks in Denver which will be the largest bike sharing system in America. Find out more at bcycle.com.

I'm also applying to the MBA programs listed to the right which requires a significant amount of time. Nonetheless, the process is very rewarding for the self-reflection that it requires. I'm terribly excited to see where the next step in life brings me.

During my free time, I'm trying to stay fit in Colorado through biking and climbing. Unfortunately, my favorite exercise partner, pictured here, fractured her fibula in a recent climbing fall. Sonja will be in a boot for 4-6 weeks but will certainly be ready for more adventures come 2010.

Tomorrow is opening day at our local ski area. I won't make it out tomorrow but am already dreaming of the powder days. Let it snow!

Chiefshead

Chiefshead is a 13,579ft peak located 7 miles up Glacier Gorge in Rocky Mountain National Park. It has a 1,000ft face that is continous and of high quality. Alan Doerk and I climbed a route called Cowboys and Indians which is 11 pitches and given 5.11c. Alan was a great partner and we moved quickly although it was continuously difficult. The pitches were 10c, 10dR, 8, 10a, 11a, 11a, 10a, 10a, 11c, 9, 9. Getting down involved summiting the peak, traversing the ridge line and downclimbing a 1,500ft colour. The 7 mile retreat was a bit grueling but the day was worth it. All told it took us 17 hours car to car. Phew what a day.

Memorial Day Weekend

My younger brother Taylor came out for Memorial Day Weekend and we had an awesome vist. We climbed the 1st Flatiron above Boulder, raced a 1/2 mile luge course, rafted the Arkansas River and finally climbed 600 ft out at Eldorado Canyon. Check out the gallery by clicking the picture to the left.

Easter Weekend in Florida

I had a wonderful long weekend in Florida visiting my 90 year old grandfather and family. We made the most of the 70 degree temps by staying in the pool and on the beach. Click on the goofballs to the left to see the gallery.

Poudre Bouldering Weekend

I had a wonderful weekend of winter bouldering the other weekend. Check out the gallery by clicking on the photo.

Jaws in RMNP

This Sunday I traveled to RMNP to get on an ice climb called Jaws with Jesse Mattner. Neither of us had been ice climbing this season so we headed up to this classic WI4. An alpine start placed us on the trail at 8:20am to be the first one on the climb while it was still cold! Our plan worked out perfectly as we beat the crowds and cruised the route before the crowds showed up. Enjoy the gallery of pictures by clicking on the image to your left.

Backcountry Skiing Weekend

This weekend was my first chance to recreate since I've returned to CO. Last weekend was spent moving and this week was my first at work. This created a buzz of motivation to get outside. One of my fingers is a bit tweaked from climbing so I decided to switch sports and enjoy some backcountry skiing. It's a perfect activity to get some cardio exercise and enjoy the winter season while saving money on lift tickets.

I have an alpine telemark setup which allows me to use skins to climb and then lock my heels down for a regular skiing decent.

I am lacking ski partners for this area so I decided to backcountry at Eldora ski resort to avoid avalanche danger. Only 40 minute from Boulder, Eldora resembles the "big" resorts of NC. It boasts miles of groomed cross country trails some of which access the top of the mountain. (P.S. The picture shows only the lower 1/3 of the mtn.)

I climbed and skied the mtn once on Saturday and then went back on Sunday to step up my pace and explore new trails. I ended up taking the wrong trail and deciding to bushwack my way to the 10,600ft summit of Eldora. The picture to my left is me looking back after cutting trail into the 2ft of powder. 1 hr of grueling climbing eventually led me to thicker trees which made it even more heinous. I eventually summited and then took the correct trail for my second summit of the day. I'm psyched to get in better shape and explore some of the real backcountry skiing around Boulder. Let it snow.

X-mas 2007 Recap

My visit to Asheville for the Christmas Holidays was spectacular. I fully utilized the last of my time off before starting my new job at Crispin Porter & Bogusky January 7th. I was able to visit with family, catch up with friends and get quit a bit of climbing done. Click the happy stocking image to see a full gallery of family and friend pics.

Chattanooga Weekend

Chattanooga TN seems to beckon when I'm in the South. Housing both good friends and excellent climbing there is always time for a quick trip.

I only had time for a long weekend visit but was able to enjoy three days at Rocktown and one excellent rest day making Christmas cookies from scratch with the Laeser Family. Enjoy the gallery of pics by clicking on the image to your left.

Xmas 2007

I'm currently in Asheville, NC visiting family during the holidays. Conditions are a little warm but climbable at Rumbling Bald. Click this picture to view photos from my latest outing with David Gibbons.

Job Acceptance

I'm excited to have secured an Assistant Content Manager position with Crispin Porter + Bogusky (CP+B) in Boulder, CO. 

CP+B has offices in Miami, Los Angeles and Boulder and works with clients such as Volkswagen, Miller Lite, Coca Cola, Burger King, and Best Buy. 

I will be working on the Best Buy account when I begin work on January, 7 2008. I will be taking an extended trip home to Asheville from December 5 until January 4. I'm looking forward to catching up with my family and friends in the SE.

Asheville Visit

I had a wonderful visit to my hometown of Asheville, NC to interview with The Goss Agency. TGA specializes in Advertising Campaigns and Creative Development while also providing a myriad of other marketing functions.

Clear weather during the first part of my trip permitted a trip up Looking Glass with my older brother Beach and a visit to Grandfather Mountain's swinging bridge with my three younger brothers. The leaves were in their fall peak creating a sea of colors from the forest canopy. Enjoy the Gallery by clicking on the image to the left.

27th Birthday

I celebrated 27 like I was 7. Go-Karts, batting cages and putt putt. It was a great excuse to get some friends together for some fun times and excellent Red Velvet cake thanks to Dana. Check out the Gallery by clicking on Matt Samet and his newest friend.

Fall Weekends

It amazes me how quickly Fall comes and goes in Colorado. For this reason, I'm spending as much time as possible outdoors. Rocky Mountain National Park is perfect for viewing elk and Independence Pass' leaves are a bright gold. This past weekend's temps were perfect for sending some long standing projects at Independence Pass. Click on the image to the left for a gallery of some of the newest problems at Independence Pass.

OG 90

I just returned from my grandfather's, Otis Gene Austin, 90th birthday. With 25 strong in attendance it was a great family reunion to celebrate an extraordinary man. It also enabled me to return to West Virginia which epitomizes the south for me. Click on Otis and me to see the full Gallery of pictures.

Labor Day Weekend

I had an excellent weekend climbing at Independence Pass for Labor Day Weekend. We put up several new problems in the pine forest that feature good landings and great rock. Click here to download the new guide to Indepence Pass bouldering.

Colorado

I have returned to my home base of Colorado to follow-up the plethora of leads I accumulated during my travels.  My trip supplied a more detailed picture of where I would like my career to lead and the path I must take to get there.

One of my most important insights was learning of the Masters of Marketing Research degree and the various career paths it offers. I'm still researching this profession but think it might be a long-term option that fits my strengths.  

Ultimately, the trip provided a much better understanding of the ideal U.S. cities to reside based upon culture and outdoor pursuits.  The graph below is a synopsis of my complete comparison which you can download here.  I have included each city's respective cost of living index (COLI) for your reference.  Disclaimer; this comparison is biased and meant only to be a general comparison to pacify my desire to quantitatively compare.