Flobots - Handlebars - Fight With Tools
Strangest thing...I had...a not bad day.
It was as follows:
I woke up at 7a to pack my rope, water and a bit of food for day 2 of climbing in Boulder Canyon. This trip was to one of my favourite areas, Avalon, with the particular intent of working on a route I'd tried and failed at over a year ago. Joe and I reach the crag in due time and warm up on a 14 bolt 10...something. A really fantastic climb which we agreed would have most definitely only been better had it not been a bolted sport route. The weather was fantastic, partly cloudy and cool, things were looking up. We decided to move straight over to the route we intended to work, Ripcord, which is rated a 5.12b. Set the rope at the base, grabbed some quickdraws and took off. Before I knew it, I was at the top of this route which had given me a lot of problems the last time I'd been on it, and I hadn't really even felt like I worked hard at all. Well...that was my project for the day...now what? Joe started working Ripcord and was getting REALLY close. Flying through my own crux section and getting stopped by a slightly off kilter move higher, which I had walked through. Joe tried and tried and eventually we decided to give him a break, and upon finding we had more time than we thought before we had to leave, he'd be back to it that day.
Meanwhile, we supposed it was my turn again. I'd know that there was a 5.12a on an arete' just down the slope, but we didn't have a guide so I ended up guessing...The first route I climbed was a bit strong on small near horizontal seams, but once I was done I shouted down while cleaning the route, "I think that was an 11..." Onsight.
I lower to the ground and decide to do the next in a series of 3 routes right away. "That COULD be an arete' right?" The second route felt harder less good feet to stand on, but I was stopping and rearranging my draws and goofing off on it the entire time...whenever I said, "yeah! NOW it's getting spicy" the next move was to a huge jug or changed directions to avoid the blank areas...it was a good climb, I enjoyed it, but again, I said, "I'm pretty sure that's an 11..." Onsight.
The third and last route held much of the same, the feet were better, but the hands were worse, and the crux sequence fell near the top, with a sequence of LONG lock-off moves...when I was done all I could say was, "well ONE of them had to be the 12!"
The routes ended up being, in order, Freefall 5.12a (my "strongest" onsight to date), Super Natural 5.11a and the area classic Strange Science 5.11c.
Now if it didn't make me feel so awesome to have onsighted 5.12, I would contest that the 11a felt harder than the 12a, but then again, I climbed them back to back without rest and no doubt was more and more fatigued...who knows, take it as you will...i'm going to.
Joe and I started planning a movie for the Gym potluck which will hopefully be hilarious, look for it to be posted here in a few months.
We also spotted a huge roof crack which we'll be working on tuesday of this week upcoming. From the looks of it, I wouldn't doubt for a second it's 5.13 or harder as a trad route, which means BALLS hard. we have no business on it, which will make it all the better.
After taking off from the canyon we stopped at a Brewery/restaurant called the Mountain Sun, had a pint, and were off home. pretty good so far.
Then it was a lot of waiting around, I started some screen printing for some climbing shirts and tried not to think of Sam. It didn't work all too well...we are falling right about at the 1 year anniversary of when I told her that I'd fallen for her...I've been trying not to dwell on not knowing what to think of the past year, but I'm human, and weak-willed at that when it comes to Sam, so I really ended up thinking about it a lot more than I'd have preferred.
After blowing some time it was off to Mugs to meet Mesa, who may ACTUALLY read my blog now and again. who knows, but just in case, Hi Mesa. For seeing her so seldom it's always surprising how easy we fall into talking about each other's lives and situations, et al...granted most of it was me talking about...me, and trying to keep the virtual ADHD at bay. She's uber cute and nice and tends to know what I mean when I spew a million thoughts out an instant, and tends to know what to say about any single thing.
After she left I came home to finish a bit of screening, briefly point out to Sam what day it was, and type out the blog. (I know I probably shouldn't have done the second one...I don't know what difference I think that type of thing will make...)
but hell...
I still average well today.
one last thing...I switched to some burt's bees soap which i found at whole foods market...my skin has Seriously never been so soft. If anyone wants a sample...feel free to rub up against me. =)
Strangest thing...I had...a not bad day.It was as follows:
I woke up at 7a to pack my rope, water and a bit of food for day 2 of climbing in Boulder Canyon. This trip was to one of my favourite areas, Avalon, with the particular intent of working on a route I'd tried and failed at over a year ago. Joe and I reach the crag in due time and warm up on a 14 bolt 10...something. A really fantastic climb which we agreed would have most definitely only been better had it not been a bolted sport route. The weather was fantastic, partly cloudy and cool, things were looking up. We decided to move straight over to the route we intended to work, Ripcord, which is rated a 5.12b. Set the rope at the base, grabbed some quickdraws and took off. Before I knew it, I was at the top of this route which had given me a lot of problems the last time I'd been on it, and I hadn't really even felt like I worked hard at all. Well...that was my project for the day...now what? Joe started working Ripcord and was getting REALLY close. Flying through my own crux section and getting stopped by a slightly off kilter move higher, which I had walked through. Joe tried and tried and eventually we decided to give him a break, and upon finding we had more time than we thought before we had to leave, he'd be back to it that day.
Meanwhile, we supposed it was my turn again. I'd know that there was a 5.12a on an arete' just down the slope, but we didn't have a guide so I ended up guessing...The first route I climbed was a bit strong on small near horizontal seams, but once I was done I shouted down while cleaning the route, "I think that was an 11..." Onsight.
I lower to the ground and decide to do the next in a series of 3 routes right away. "That COULD be an arete' right?" The second route felt harder less good feet to stand on, but I was stopping and rearranging my draws and goofing off on it the entire time...whenever I said, "yeah! NOW it's getting spicy" the next move was to a huge jug or changed directions to avoid the blank areas...it was a good climb, I enjoyed it, but again, I said, "I'm pretty sure that's an 11..." Onsight.
The third and last route held much of the same, the feet were better, but the hands were worse, and the crux sequence fell near the top, with a sequence of LONG lock-off moves...when I was done all I could say was, "well ONE of them had to be the 12!"
The routes ended up being, in order, Freefall 5.12a (my "strongest" onsight to date), Super Natural 5.11a and the area classic Strange Science 5.11c.
Now if it didn't make me feel so awesome to have onsighted 5.12, I would contest that the 11a felt harder than the 12a, but then again, I climbed them back to back without rest and no doubt was more and more fatigued...who knows, take it as you will...i'm going to.
Joe and I started planning a movie for the Gym potluck which will hopefully be hilarious, look for it to be posted here in a few months.
We also spotted a huge roof crack which we'll be working on tuesday of this week upcoming. From the looks of it, I wouldn't doubt for a second it's 5.13 or harder as a trad route, which means BALLS hard. we have no business on it, which will make it all the better.
After taking off from the canyon we stopped at a Brewery/restaurant called the Mountain Sun, had a pint, and were off home. pretty good so far.
Then it was a lot of waiting around, I started some screen printing for some climbing shirts and tried not to think of Sam. It didn't work all too well...we are falling right about at the 1 year anniversary of when I told her that I'd fallen for her...I've been trying not to dwell on not knowing what to think of the past year, but I'm human, and weak-willed at that when it comes to Sam, so I really ended up thinking about it a lot more than I'd have preferred.
After blowing some time it was off to Mugs to meet Mesa, who may ACTUALLY read my blog now and again. who knows, but just in case, Hi Mesa. For seeing her so seldom it's always surprising how easy we fall into talking about each other's lives and situations, et al...granted most of it was me talking about...me, and trying to keep the virtual ADHD at bay. She's uber cute and nice and tends to know what I mean when I spew a million thoughts out an instant, and tends to know what to say about any single thing.
After she left I came home to finish a bit of screening, briefly point out to Sam what day it was, and type out the blog. (I know I probably shouldn't have done the second one...I don't know what difference I think that type of thing will make...)but hell...
I still average well today.
one last thing...I switched to some burt's bees soap which i found at whole foods market...my skin has Seriously never been so soft. If anyone wants a sample...feel free to rub up against me. =)
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