Helter skelter in the summer swelter

Happy September 1st!

In my world, fall begins September 1st and lasts until Thanksgiving.

But it ain't been feelin' like fall.
Feels like 100 degrees.

Which it was today in Spearfish when Sassy and I rode bikes up the canyon and met up with Tess and Cody to do some climbing.

This was only my second time climbing, but I'm quickly falling in love.

I've got this thing where I can try and try and try to make it past a spot, and fall and swing and try and fall again and again, and just as my muscles are exhausted and shaking and my fingertips feel shredded and I'm about to call it quits for now because I've about got nothing left, I say OK, just one more try and it always seems to be on that last ditch all-or-nothing effort that I finally make it.

And oh that feeling of exhilaration and success.

It's a cool combination of daring, strength, problem solving and grit (and finesse, but I haven't figured that part out yet).

We had a great afternoon.

It's been quite a month, August.
After the Rally, which ended on the 12th-ish, it's been one thing after another. I was afraid camp, as fun as it was, would make me miss out on summer with my town friends and all that that entails, but August saved plenty of summer for me.

 
The other day, I looked back at my calendar and realized for the past ten days straight I'd done something fun and social every day.

I'm not typically so social, but it's sure been a great month and I've loved every minute.

Like, really.

Not so sweltering for these couple of days around the 15th - see? Jackets! It felt like fall!

The "Mean Girls"

There have been many bike rides with various people - big groups, core groups, just me, just me and another. There have been dinner and beers and laughs after, as is tradition.

This one night, I went alone to movie under the stars in the square. Just me and my lawn chair and my little dinner of steak and...all these people.

They played MIB I. "'Cause I thought it was odd that he asked me for sugar water, and not lemonade or ice water or regular water or tap water."

And then towards the end of the movie Matt, Alaina and Sean showed up looking for me.

I tried to take a group photo.

It took a few tries.

Oops, I cut me out.

Oops, cut Matt out.

Ooh, fuzzy Matt.

Close enough.
I think it's funny how Sean's smile fades a little more with each picture.

And then they said "Hey, we're right downtown by the theater, want to see a movie?" and though I'd just seen one and it was ten o'clock at night, we did.

 

Well, that was my photo dump of the pictures I've acquired since being back home.

And now...I'm in Spearfish watching a movie with Sassy, going to crash on their couch for the night.

And in the morning - the Five-O! (Good luck, Cory and Timmy and all the others!).
(As for me and a few others, we plan to take a short-cut ride to the "Bacon Station" at around mile 30, and then hang out eating bacon and waiting for our friends to ride by.

Sounds OK by me.

Happy last few days of summer, everyone!
Pack in every last magic moment of summer adventures.