So far I have talked about the wondrous life that is created by black smokers, or hydrothermal venting if you prefer. What I have not mentioned is what Miss Del Sontro informed me about the techniques...

Part Two Unfortunately I am unable to show you a black smoker in today's blog. If I were one of those crummy, backhanded journalists who gain the faith of the person that they interview and then...

One of the truly wonderful things about being a free lance writer is implied within the job title: freedom. I can pick and choose the stories and adventures that I bring to you. When friends and...

Part 4/4 "CONNECTING PEOPLE TO CULTURE". THAT IS THE MOTTO THAT HEADLINES YOUR WEBSITE, TIPTOTIPTRIP.COM. DO YOU FEEL LIKE YOU SUCCEEDED IN THIS MISSION? IF SO, GIVE AN EXAMPLE FROM YOUR...

Part 3/4 WHAT WAS YOUR BIGGEST PHYSICAL CHALLENGE THAT YOU FACED DURING TIP-TO-TIP TRIP? I can't answer for Scott, but for me my biggest physical challenge was my knee. We did a lot of hiking in...

Part 2/4 WHAT WAS THE MOST SIGNIFICANT SETBACK OR DELAY AND HOW LONG WERE YOU DERAILED FOR? Our biggest delay started in Panama and ended about three weeks later in Ecuador. Shipping the car was a...

Time to take a detour from my search for waves and mysticism in Costa Rica. My next several entries will be parts of an interview with an incredible man, Zack Hill. A good friend from a past life,...

PART THREE Is there politics involved in the sense that maybe speed climbing does not necessarily have the "cool" label as far as kids are concerned compared to, say, skateboarding or...

PART TWO My best memory of watching your travails was seeing you hit the big red button on top and floating down with your arms above your head and your fists pumping after another victory . . . Give...

PART ONE Speed climbing is a different kind of sports activity. It combines many of the traditional aspects of rock climbing, but adds a competitive and "fast-twitch" vibration that etches...