From the Archives - 2011 -2017 Blog

My First Triathlon & a Mouth Full of Lake Catamount

My first triathlon went well. It was not as good as I had hoped and not as bad as it could have been. I finished in 1 hour and 47 minutes,

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The Life of a Working Athlete August 10 2014

Bouldering – it is what we do, what we love to do, and what we work for; it is our reward, and it brings contentment, peace, and happiness.

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Taking Pictures Estes Park Museum's Bouldering Exhibit and Fall in the Rockies

I have always enjoyed taking pictures. I think it must have come from my father. He always had a camera ready to capture special moments,

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Tanksgiving Pizza

When we are in Hueco Tanks for Thanksgiving it can be a challenge -- the camper oven is just too small to get a proper bird into it so over

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Listening, Understanding, Forgiving and Accepting Your Maturing Athletic Self Confessing of Over Training and Getting Back on Course

October 15, 2014 Listening, Understanding, Forgiving & Accepting Your Maturing Athletic Self; Confessing of Over Training & Getting Back...

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Hueco Public Use Plan Under Review

n January 27, 2015, about 40 people joined together for the first meeting in a series of six to review the Public Use Plan, PUP, implemented

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Second Meeting of Hueco's PUP Review

On February 19, 2015 the “working group” put together by Texas Park & Wildlife Department, TPWD, met for the second meeting

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Difficult Decisions To return to Hueco or to stay at home listening to injuries 1 25 15

To return to Hueco or to stay at home—not something I usually ask myself. Life has presented me with some challenging decisions due to anot

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Swisslandia 2015

Ah, vacation land—what can I say, boast about the amazing rock in the Ticino Valley, the beautiful scenery, the nice people, the delicious w

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Piedmont Italy, Our Wine Vacation-from our vacation

In the back of my mind, our dream climbing trip to Switzerland included seeing more than just the boulders.

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Facts & Some Speculation About What is Going on With the Future of Hueco Tanks

Facts & Some Speculation About What is Going on With the Future of Hueco Tanks Facts: • The Public Use Plan, PUP, in Hueco Tanks is bei

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Not the Summer Fun I was Planning On

Remember the MRI I did not get after Switzerland? The one after my right knee made the loud popping sound—well I finally got it...

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Avoiding the bitching moaning blues—life of an aging athlete

Well, it was my turn, I guess, but from what I understand, tendinitis is not catchy. Adam’s “recovery” from a two-year battle with tendinit

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Recommendations from TPWD Regarding the Hueco Tanks Working Group

Last year, Texas Park and Wildlife Department, TPWD, held three public meetings and six meetings with working group members and TPWD staff

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Making lemonade out of lemons backfired big time in this situation | 3/17/16

We went into winter without travel plans for several reasons. I was getting over carpal tunnel surgery, and my plaguing elbow tendinitis...

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Moving Wood, Waiting for Answers - An attempt at invitro fertilization - A window to my soul | 6/24/16

Sisyphus was condemned to move a stone up a hill repeatedly. Today, I chose a similar fate for myself as I picked up as many logs as my fra

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Australia, Picking Up The Pieces & A New Hat and Awaiting an Accurate Diagnosis - Elbow Enlightenment | 7/28/16

Australia: was an escape--something to look forward to after getting the news that our IVF (in-vetro fertilization) attempt was not a succes

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Getting Back to Me!

All summer long I waved goodbye to Adam. Some days these goodbyes were filled with acceptance others were filled with bitter lament that I

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Phil | October 2016

I hate writing these words--Phillip Schaal is one of my first climbing partners, a great friend, a constant supporter and now is watching...

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Making Dreams Reality

For years, I find myself sitting in restaurants with Adam and friends, staring at every detail, thinking I like this, I don't like that...

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melissa i strong blog - From the Archives

+ a few added tidbits--pre-blog

Climber, Melissa I Strong contemplates rock wall

From 2011-2017 I periodically shared my highs, lows, adventures, recipes, and aspirations in my blog.

Overhead view of Melissa I Strong climbing

Some years ago I decided to chronicle my life as a working athlete.

It is interesting resurrecting these old post and visiting with the youthful and optimistic me.

What message would I tell the younger Melissa--simple "don't play with electricity."

I stopped posting with the accident -- turning my time to recovery and opening Bird & Jim. Pouring my words into Exit Wounds.