Perhaps It’s Time
- April 2011
- Hi Steph Simple Living Climb Travel
Hi Steph,
When i was in my twenties, i spent a lot of time in the Daniel Boon National Forest, camping and climbing to the tops of the natural arches there. My good friends mostly young guys just living for adventure would come along. There along the Red River Gorge was literally hundreds of miles of beautiful sandstone cliff lines. I loved climbing those cliffs, it felt like the most natural thing in the world to be against that warm rock and be at one with nature there. We were inexperienced but determined. I have never forgotten those days. Climbing those cliffs were some of the most memorable times of my life. I left the south, came west, became a wild land firefighter, moved to Ak, joined a Hot Shot crew there. I was living in my truck most of the time. I met a Smoke Jumper, fell in love, had two daughters, he died in a tragic accident five years ago. I am now and have been a yoga/meditation teacher for a quiet a few years. Yoga, trail running, and biking up McDonald pass are the things that remind me of my abilities, and those abilities need to be challenged often with respect to my body as a gift. Just recently I have met someone. He has introduced me to you. Not in person, but I have seen so much of your world in the last few months. I have never felt stagnant within my body, I am fit and strong in both body and mind, but when I watch you climb, I can almost cry. I get such a sense of excitement as I look at you climb, and with what you have to say. You woke me up to those days in the Daniel Boon. I want to explore this world of climbing again. I do not know where to start. I am a single mom, so those days of climbing cliffs like Chimney Top Rock are long past. But after all these years, I feel it strongly now that I have met you. Wow, thank you. Any advice for me as a beginner, with a connection to her wild and free spirit, and a big responsibility to two people other than herself?
You represent so much to the spirit. Thank you.
Shairon
Dear Shairon,
I want to thank you for your moving letter. I got it the day before I went to do a free solo, something where I spend a lot of time thinking about motivation and risk, and it really meant a lot to me.
I’m really sorry for your loss. The guy who took me climbing for the first time was Kevin Reese, and he was an Airborne Ranger, a wolf biologist, cancer survivor and a smoke jumper, a truly incredible person. Sadly, he ultimately passed away from brain cancer, leaving his best friend and partner Lisa, who was also a hotshot, so it reminds me of you in some ways.
I think it’s never a question of how to do things, but when to do them, if that makes sense. From what you told me, I know you can do anything you want to do. It sounds like you are ready to start climbing, with your girls.
I wish you all the best in everything,
xxSteph
Hi Steph,
Thank you for the note. I knew Kevin Reese pretty well. We met in Alaska, he was one of the most beautiful people I have ever known, inside and out. I was always so jealous of his hair. I remember the first time he told me about Lisa. He said he thought that Lisa and I in spirit could be sisters. When I did meet her a couple of years after I met Darrell my husband, I felt completely honored that Kevin would compare the two of us. I really liked the woman she was. I spent time with her when Kevin was really sick. A bunch of us, jumpers, hot shots and friends helped him grant his wish to build Lisa a little straw bail house in Boise. I have some really great photos of him on the roof as we all had such a thrill of a great learning lesson building that quaint little haven. Were you by chance there? Did you Suzie who River my older daughter was so tiny at the time sitting there in her car seat watching as we all as we acted goofy and drank good beer. I do not know if it was because I was nursing or what, but every time I saw the effort Kevin would put into that project when he was so tired, I just cried my eyes out. I lost touch with Lisa perhaps six or so months after he died. we had lunch and I remember her planning some grand adventure. I still think of her at the oddest times, like when I think I might give up on a really steep trail or something like that. Something about her always inspired me. If you are still in touch with her, please say hello to her for me.
I have recently met a wonderful man named Kelly. He was the person who told me about you. He came to my yoga class and asked if I had ever considered climbing. It actually took me by surprise because it has always been my little “want to be” secret. It’s strange how excited I get just thinking about getting out there and doing it for real. Perhaps I have a deep fear that if I really tried I would fail and that my pretty idea of it would be crushed or perhaps I am afraid I would like it so much that I there would be no excuse not to get my ass up there. What ever the case may be, I have waffled on the ide for many years.Kelly came for a visit a couple of weeks ago with a beautiful harness, and some nice gadgetry to get me started. I have a feeling his little nudges have a bigger purpose in my life than I can see clearly at this time. I notice now I am just bumping into climbers, with all sorts of questions. I feel this slow unfolding to a warm day soon my body next to rock, moving upwards, setting free my reluctance like letting go of a loved ones ashes.
Again your words, your depth, your body’s strength and grace,,,, you out there doing what you love. You are a light to so many I am sure.
A salute to your spirit.
Shiron
Steph,
Kevin Reese also took me climbing for the first time – Icicle Creek Canyon near Leavenworth. I’ll never forget him laughing (supportively, of course) at my jittery legs. Anyway, we worked together in Idaho during the summer of 1992 and he was c lose friend – I was very sad when he died. Anyway, it was nice to see your paragraph about him. He was a special friend
Thanks for that story 🙂 Kevin was truly a one of a kind person.
Hi ladies,
Every May/June, I feel Kevin’s presence in my life. I always google him just to see if I find anything. It was so wonderful to see that he has touched you all so profoundly in a positive way. Kevin is, was an incredibly special person. I met him in high school. We were together through high school, the army ranger years, his University of Maryland years, and when he decided to go to Idaho, he wanted me to go with but I was in graduate school, so we parted, not knowing what the future would hold. I am happy that he met so many great friends, fell in love with Lisa and started a future. I moved on as well, and I regret that when he would call my parents home, I did not take his calls. I regret that when I knew he was sick, I did not go to his side.
He was such a strong person, it is so hard to actually believe he is gone. But I know that he is watching out for everyone, putting his two sense in and continues to affect all those who had the honor to know him. He will always have a special place in my heart.
So nice to know others feel that way too.
He is very missed. Thanks for sharing your memories.
Wow I just stumbled on this by chance, and I saw the name Kevin Reese. I first met him through my uncle while climbing at carderock along the Potomac river. He had just gotten out of the 1st. Ranger bat, and he was finishing up school at u of md. His plan was to move to Washington state, and this is the last that I knew of him.
My uncle was a ranger instructor during the Vietnam error, and he happened to meet both Jim and Kevin while they were in 1st bat at hunter army airfield. My uncle happened to notice Kevin that day from on top of the rocks because of the large ranger bat scroll sewn onto his large Alice ruck. He hung out with us for a bit that day, and I always remembered him for some odd reason. He was true outdoorsman. Sorry to hear that he passed away.
Thanks for sharing the memory 🙂 Kevin seemed to make an impression on most people he met.
I just learned this week that Kevin died. He was the first person that I thought I had fallen in love with. It was a quick, fun, exciting, whirlwind romance, that ended as quickly as it began, but it was enough time to know how special he was. I wish we had found a way to stay in touch. It is nice to know that he did live such a rich and full life, touching many people along the way. He indeed was a special person. He’ll always have a special place in my heart.
Shiron,
You wrote the above two years ago so I don’t know if you will see this. I jumped out of Boise from ’93-’96, and I jumped with Darrell and Kevin. I have so many great memories of Darrell; he cracked me up, and we always had a good time together. I was so sorry to hear of his death. I will always picture him with that huge smile.
I was on a couple of fires with Kevin in ’95, and have some pictures of him from then. He was a fascinating man; I only saw him at the beginning of the ’96 season. Then we went our different ways, and I was back at school when I got the word that his cancer was back. He too left too young.