2 for 1 zines yo! mixtape style.

A lot of rappers got their start on their own, selling mixtapes and CDs out of the trunk style. That's exactly what we've been doing w/ The Climbing Zine, and now for this week, we're offering 2 for 1 on The Climbing Zine Volume 4. Order it HERE via climbingzine.com.

Steve Jobs Wisdom

"Sometimes life is going to hit you in the head with a brick. Don't lose faith. You've got to find what you love, and this is as true for your work as it is for your lovers. Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe to be great work, and the only way to do great work is to love what you do."

-Steve Jobs

Back In The Saddle, Party Like It's Your Birthday (challenge)

"You're looking for something you ain't quite found yet," Last Thoughts on Woody Guthrie by Bob Dylan

Summertime is a season for joyous routine, get into a healthy zone, and stick with it. Last summer I failed to do that, but this summer I’ve got it back. Lots of writing, lots of sleep, and lots of climbing; climbing into that next level.

I write for many reasons, but one reason I write is that the story I want to read has not yet been written. Many years ago I lamented to a friend that there were so many books in the library, why try to write another? Later, after that thought had passed I would walk into the library and wonder why my book was not yet on the shelves. Today, my book is only on the shelves of e-readers, but someday it will be on the shelves of a library. They say there is nothing new under the sun, but I think my generation is proving that wrong; the future unfolds with new fresh ideas and ways of living.

I feel myself becoming more optimistic with each passing day, and I wish I could pass that along to those younger than myself. The world we live in is crowded, no doubt, but there is so much potential for new ideas, and new ways of living. The world may be a place of finite resources, but the heart is infinite.

I don’t use this blog to write about climbing as much as I used to, now that The Climbing Zine has its own website and blog, but sometimes I can’t help it. Climbing is what gives me a feeling of being alive, and begs me to continue to be optimistic; a pessimistic climber does not grow.

Currently I am training for a “birthday challenge”, a fun concept to try to climb the number of routes, for the age you are turning. I’ve written a couple blog posts for The Climbing Zine about it, and I’ll leave links for those at the end of this post.

In the midst of training for this challenge, I’m trying to tune my body to climb as much as possible, without bonking, or feeling overly tired. My training ground has been the Golf Wall, an overhanging chunk of limestone, just north of Durango. Lately the crag, and the friends I go with, have set the tone for living. Keep trying harder, don’t be afraid to fail, it only makes you stronger, and most of all enjoy the ride by living in the moment. Everything will pass us by, and pass through someday, sink deep into what is now… 

Blog posts on www.climbingzine.com: 

The Birthday Challenge

Just One More, B-Day Challenge Training 

Climbing Out of Bed Chapter List

Hey ya'll here's a chapter list for Climbing Out of Bed:

 photo by Braden Gunem www.bradengunem.com 

1.     Climbing After Kerouac

2.     Untitled Poem, Inspired by Hartman Rocks

3.     Wide Eyes, High Times and Hard Times, a Story of Climbing with Mark Grundon

4.     The Way of the Couch Surfer

5.     Weird and Wheeled Encounters in Hitchhiker’s Space

6.     This is Buildering

7.     A Climber in the Winter of his Discontent

8.     Somewhere in Between Dreams and Smog is Love

9.     The Underwear Model Story

10.   Wild Mountain Honey

11.   Hammer’s Time

12.   Wild Tom Mally

13.   Real Mountain People

14.   Naked Disco Dance Party in J-Tree

15.   Home is Where the Climbing is

16.   Climbing Out of Bed

17.   A Year in the Heart of a Climber

18.   Mary Jane, a Climber’s Thoughts on the Legalization of Marijuana

19.   Trying to Hang with Ben Johnson

20.   The Black Canyon, a Poem

21.   Zen Dishwashing

22.   The Freedom Mobile

23.   Last Thoughts on Adam Lawton

24.   Indian Creek Reflection, Before it All Slips Away

25.   Dumpster Diving Rap

Striving to Live The Dream

One of the biggest reasons I'm excited to be done writing my first book, Climbing Out of Bed, is that I can start writing my second book. It will be another epic adventure, and already, before having written a word, I am willing to suffer for it, suffer to make it perfect, and strive to live the dream.

That was something I really admired about Steve Jobs, the co-founder of Apple computers, who passed away last year. He wanted his products to be the best, and to delight consumers.

I want to do the same with my writing. I want to deliver prose and stories that send the reader into a state of meditation and engagement.

I also want to take this philosophy and apply it to other areas of my life: relationships, climbing, and even simple day to day interactions. I owe it to the world to give me best in everything. After all, what else are we here for?

On the other side of this, I find myself disappointed when others don't give their full effort into something. When service at a restaurant is sub par, or something isn't consistent at the coffeeshop I frequent. Like the tea I just ordered: light on the herb of yerba-mate, which makes the drink unsatisfying.

Anywho, after the stress last week of getting my book ready, I am recharging to begin another effort, another dream, for you.

Luke Mehall is the publisher of The Climbing Zine.  

Climbing Out Bed Released Today

Today is a monumental day in my life, my book, Climbing Out of Bed, has been published. I thought I would publish my first book years ago, but honestly I’m glad I waited until now. I’m 33 years old, not too old for this occasion, and not too young.

Something I really want to share is that although these words were written by me, they are now yours. The greatest gift of writing for me has been inspiring, motivating and entertaining other people. When someone reaches out to me and says they enjoyed a particular piece of mine, it is very meaningful to me. When I was younger it would go to my ego, but now I realize I am just channeling a gift. I don’t know where the gift comes from, God, past lives, maybe simply hard work and dedication, but I know out of everything I have tried, writing is what I’m the best at.

I am proud of Climbing Out of Bed because it is an honest collection of stories and poems, centered around climbing and mountain town culture. This morning as I was editing the book for the hundredth time, I was reminded of the Willie Nelson lyric, “I may not be normal, but nobody is.” Our culture is so different than mainstream America, and I like it like that. Not only that, we are not just some passing trend like so many other countercultures; we truly live and love for outdoor experiences, and almost everything we do is based around that.

Although the words in Climbing Out of Bed are mine, there are several editors I’ve leaned on heavily, some who have read this book many times over. Because I’m publishing it as an e-book, I was able to edit it down to the last minute. I couldn’t imagine the stress of self publishing a printed book. Typos are so damn elusive, and I am forever indebted to this group of people: Lisa Lynch, Karen Ast, Jen Panko, Lindsey Nelson (www.typoslayer.com), Al Smith III (www.whatisaldoingfuntoday.blogspot.com), Mike Reddy and Mary Burt.

I am also grateful for the photographers (professional and amateur) whose images grace the book: Braden Gunem (www.bradengunem.com), Mark Grundon (www.elpotrerochicoguides.com), Mike Brenneman, Greg Pettys, and Daniel Nilsson.

           

While the promotion has only begun, I am grateful the book is completed. My favorite part of being a writer is doing interviews with awesome people, and actually writing. I’m stoked to start on my second book, and start the whole process all over again.

You can find Climbing Out of Bed on Kindle, by CLICKING HERE, and I promise I’ll get the printed version out as soon as I can afford to print it.

Thanks for the love and support everyone.

Luke Mehall is the publisher of The Climbing Zine.