Most of you have probably heard by now about the tragic death of rock climbing legend John Bachar. Bachar revolutionized the sport of rock climbing. His free soloing (climbing without ropes or other means of preventing a climber from falling) gained himself, and the sport in general, national media recognition and coverage.

He was tragically found dead this Summer at the base of Dike Wall in Mammoth at the age of 52, presumably having fallen to his death while free soloing. I say presumably because no witnesses have come forward, so officially all we can do is speculate.

Bachar was famous for challenging rock climbers to keep up with him while he free solo climbed, offering up to $10,000 if they could stay with him for a day of free climbing. Reportedly, no one took him up on it.

One thing you'll notice is that many of those who push the envelope wind up making a mistake or otherwise suffering an untimely misfortune at some point that costs them their lives. Even speaking outside of rock climbing, there are examples like Tim Treadwell (the Grizzly Bear guy) and Steve Irwin (the Crocodile Hunter).

One of the hardest things about living in San Diego is simply deciding what to do with your free time. The relatively mild temperature year round allows residents to take advantage of nearly everything Southern California has to offer at any time of the year. And as someone who has trouble deciding what to have for lunch each day, deciding how to spend my valuable free time around here is a daunting task at times. Often times I just pack up the Chevy Tahoe with all kinds of gear and head out, letting the traffic lights and freeway congestion determine where I end up.

Last night I decided to do just that, pack the Tahoe up with enough outdoor gear to enjoy a free day in San Diego no matter what direction I ended up going this morning. I packed up surf fishing gear to go after Leopard Sharks, bouldering gear, snorkeling stuff, hiking boots, and a snake hook. I had the whole county covered, from the mountains and desert to the beach (and even beyond). I had the alarm clock set for 5 am, giving myself enough time to wake up and arrive at a destination by sunrise.

Aside from rock climbing, another outdoor activity I enjoy is trail running. I am not a huge fan of running itself, but I find it enjoyable depending on the location and surroundings. About a mile from my house is Mission Trails Regional Park, 5,800 acres of sprawling hills, meandering creeks and a sanctuary for local wildlife. The park is surrounded by the San Diego County suburbs of La Mesa, El Cajon, and Santee. It provides a place for the animals and plant fauna to flourish, and for people like me to escape from the hustle and bustle of Southern California to enjoy some peace and quiet.

I generally choose to run at either dawn or dusk for three reasons. The first being that during the Summer it is just flat out too hot to enjoy during the day, the second is that the trails are less crowded with mountain bikers, and the third is that you often get a glimpse of the wildlife as they also too like to avoid the heat of the day.

I'm excited to have the opportunity to share my outdoor experiences with you, and I am humbled by your willingness to take the time to read them. I wanted to provide you with a little bit of background information on me, so that you know what to expect, and maybe get an idea (or a warning) of where I'm coming from with my blog.

First and foremost, as an administrator of this website, I have a vested interest in growing not only the content of the website, but embracing this online community, and the community of California rock climbers as a whole. I was introduced to rock climbing just a couple years ago, by my childhood friend and co-creator of this website; Mike.

I, like 99% of the general public have always shared an admiration for climbing and those who pursue it. The thrill and the perceived (but hopefully not real) danger involved make it a sport fit to entertain even non-participants. As I began to participate, the perception of danger was replaced with the empowerment of knowledge. A great appreciation of the skill required to "succeed" in this sport swelled to a point of almost obsession.