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February 23, 2024
Ski Touring in the Northeast
Winter in the Northeast continues its warm spells and January snow washouts. It’s better for ice climbing right now, but the snow will come! Time to prepare for some skiing in the wilderness backcountry.
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February 1, 2024
Life in a Nutshell
“Mzungu” is Swahili for “wandering aimlessly”, describing the seemingly pointless travels of early explorers and missionaries. Embracing the word, I’m not just another foreigner but an adventurer, wandering with a purpose.
The chapter titles in Climb Like a Mzungu categorize common themes that occur on a climb. This lifecycle metaphor advocates for living an adventurous life and striving to reach new heights to realize one’s full potential.
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April 10, 2023
David Flinn out in the Adirondacks
Ice: the Final Frontier
Often I wonder to myself why certain people are drawn to frozen water. Not just from the perspective of an ice skater, but to that of those who search out vertical waterfalls. And not only to view the sparkling blue beauty, but mainly the desire to smash, thrash, and climb up these hunks of ice sculpture. One of my buddies loves the cold. All summer long he moans because he can’t wear his “‘fuzzy” pants. He mumbles about winter’s lack of bugs and crowds. If one mentions snow or ice, his complexion stiffens and a strange faraway look enters his eyes. Oh yes, snow and ice …
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March 5, 2023
Giant Mountain
An Adirondack Misfortune
Written by Alan Reno, 1984.
It started out as a disappointment, but it was perhaps one of the most fortuitous disappointments in all my experiences. Time, money, and commitments forced us to scrap plans for Wyoming and then Scotland and Wales. We were left with the need for an inexpensive climbing trip and the Adirondacks fit the bill nicely. Isn’t it strange how some of life’s best experiences aren’t planned?
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March 5, 2023
First Draft Book Review
Please watch this seven minute video to get a glimpse of the first printed draft of Climb Like a Mzungu. The video discusses: What the book is about Answers what is a Mzungu? Shows you select pages from the upcoming book Explains the 5.10 club, my email newsletter for book updates https://youtu.be/JjWe9WhXh4s
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November 27, 2022
Book Update – November 14
When I began writing ten years ago, I didn't realize the journey would be so hard. Making the book enjoyable, combined with the constant editing, has been daunting. I was clueless about the marketing effort required to make a bestseller. Even if I went the traditional publishing route, I'd still have to manage all the promotion work. But the goal is worth it, the plan is in motion. This week, I'm stoked that author copies are arriving from Amazon. It will be amazing to hold the draft in my hands, making it real after all these years. What's…
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November 14, 2022
Climb Like A Mzungu
As a young man, I gravitate to the risk and rewards of rock climbing, overcoming fear and death, only to learn my friends are more important than reaching the top.
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January 21, 2022
Lakadkh Gompas
The land here is very dry; the altitude over near meters. The hills of Kashmir attract all the snow and very little rain makes it to Ladakh. The sky is crystal blue, with rarely a sight of clouds. Over 2 weeks ago, a storm blew in and dumped enough snow to close up many passes. Mandi Road seems closed as well as many of the treks that are available.
A short jaunt up the ridge leads me to the mysterious third gompa above the town of Leh. Admidst the mud, stone, and rock, the wind tufts through the prayer flags. All the while I sit, soaking in the view of Leh, vaguely glowing in the distant sunset.
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February 1, 2020
Flashing Mount Rainier
It’s the need to break up the weekly routine that finds me out in Washington State. No traveling by the usual means; I hitchhiked across the Trans-Canadian Highway from Ottawa to Vancouver. Three thousand miles is a long way to go, but my lust for adventure and mountaineering has finally brought me to Paradise.
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January 30, 2020