Kalimera, part Deux.

Along with climbing nonstop we ate, and ate, and ate some more. Everyone I talked to before the trip said the food would be good, but underestimated just how good it would actually be. I should have known when the dominant plant species were oregano, thyme, basil, and other herbs.

I would have to say my favorite meals were chicken souvlaki and the Greek dinner for two (a combo of a little of everything to share). However, among all our eating adventures we came across something special. This something special consisted of two things that I live for separately, but have never thought of combining them, for whatever reason.

The Espresso Gelato is possibly the absolute best thing that I have ever eaten. Just look at it, beautiful culinary genius!

Some climbing days were a little warm so on those days we would climb half the day then walk across the street and go swimming and snorkeling.

On rest days we saw the sights, beaches, castles, churches, you know, old stuff.

Apparently it was acceptable back in the day for old JDog to cut peoples heads off and put them on platters. This is the point in the trip where we stopped asking questions about the Greek culture and made sure we were in crowded public places at all times.

On our last day, we rented scooters and visited the Sikati Cave. It was a really pretty ride in and a long but nice hike.

Pat and the Verm hiking into Sikati Cave.

The Sikati Cave when you walk up on it. Looks like a meteor hit the side of the hill.

The Verm down climbing into the Cave.

Pat climbing on Morgan 7b+.

Kalimera!

Ok, so I quit my job and went to Greece. Went with Pat and spent all of October in Kalymnos, the new world destination sport climbing area. Kalymnos is marked in red below:

It seemed like it took forever to get there. We drove Boone to Charlotte, flew Charlotte to NYC and NYC to Athens. Then had to spend the day and a night in the airport and got a flight from Athens to Kos then a ferry ride to the island and a taxi to where our flat was located. We would have gone into Athens to see the sights but the locker fees to hold bags were outrageously expensive and we had already blown a few hundred dollars on overweight baggage fees.

Our first day we took a nap, unpacked a little, and rented a scooter to see the island and get the lay of the land. We spent the first days going to places that you could not walk because we only had limited days with the scooter. One area and route that really stuck out to me when riding around the island was Eros 7b+ at Arhi. What an amazing route and great into to Kalymnos.

Early on in the trip Pat and I decided that we were going to sample as many routes in as many areas as possible, we would stick to the three try limit rule. This gave me a chance to brush up on my rusty on-sight skills and I spend the month on-sighting 5.12s.

We did spend a lot of days at Oddessy moving from one side of the area to the other. Here is a video Pat made of Orion 7c+:

Jessa Goebel, Orion 7c+, Kalymnos, Greece from Pat Goodman on Vimeo.

Well, I'm back on the blogger again.

Been climbing a ton! I've climbed so much lately that I am at the point that I actually hope it rains so I can rest. In the last few months I have traveled more than I have in many years.



August I traveled to New Hampshire to climb with Freddie Wilkinson and Janet Bergman and their dog Tagger. Also I spend a week guiding for the Kismet Rock Foundation which is a non-profit that gives kids from the city that have potential but not an opportunity to learn about the outdoors and climbing. http://www.kismetrockfoundation.org/. What a great organization, cant wait to guide for them again next summer. On the climbing front, I went up there to climb at Cathedral Ledge and look at Liquid Sky, New Hampshires first 5.13, and do Predator (5.13b)at Rumney.



Heres a time lapse of one effort on the ole' Pred from Freddie:

The Predator from Freddie Wilkinson on Vimeo.

Overall the trip was one of the better ones I have been on in a while. Had a chance to hit up Cathedral, Shagg Cragg (my favorite of the trip), Sundown, and Rumney. Hung out with good friends and met new ones, and ate great food. When I wasn't climbing I was just doing my thing raising hell, drinking, and what not.