Butt Kickers Articles

Building Bridges

I collapsed into the camp chair, every inch of my body caked in salty sweat. Sweating was almost useless in the humidity.  I had drunk at least three liters of water that day, but my mouth was still parched, unlike my clothes, hair, hat.  Clay’s hand were on his hips...

Les, In Remembrance

The Olympics always make me think of Les. I wrote this a few years ago and wanted to share it on the Life Bus. The fascinating--and frustrating--aspect of inspiration is that you never know when to expect it. Sometimes, when you most need it, when you're digging the...

Rock Climbing Italian Style

The biggest challenge with the whole language barrier is, when someone says something that doesn't entirely make sense, deciding if one should laugh, ask for clarification, or offer up a withering glare. For example, when I asked the bus driver which stop was for my...

The Marabana

Somehow, I never really connected that Cuba is a third world country.  That changed before I ever left Miami. Which was about twelve hours late. I'm not sure what time we were supposed to leave originally--some say the flight was originally scheduled for 11am, which...

Grand Mesa 100 – The Redemption

As I sat shivering in the front of the truck, the heat barely cutting through my drenched clothing, snow began to mix with the rain.  I was having a hard time feeling too bad about dropping from the race, but I knew the feelings would come. Stick it out and the misery...

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The Long Lonesome Trail – Day One

I love trails. I love everything about them.  To where they take me: tops of mountains, deep forests, sometimes nowhere in particular.  From where they take me: people, troubles, worries, life. I love them for the challenge: the rocks, mud, roots, stream crossing and...

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Frost Bit Butt

Frost Bit Butt

"You're slightly less incompetent than my last partner."  This adventure was equally the most amazing and most awful experience of my life. I never thought i would actually climb Denali (Mt McKinley to many), but there I was, at 14,200ft, being berated yet again by my...

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Running Away

Running Away

They say if it doesn't scare you to death, then your dream isn't big enough.  As I stared across the abyss laid out at my feet, I knew this dream was big enough. The Rim2Rim2Rim, across the Grand Canyon and back, has every element that makes a run a nightmare.  It...

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Setting The Pace

I'm nothing if not selfish. Isn't life just too short to spend time doing anything that isn't bringing you closer to the Life Bus, or finishing off that bucket list?  Work is compromise enough. Why would I waste any more of my life on anything that I just don't want...

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