Photo by my brother, although that's not me on it. I have video but no photos of me on it yet.
Training tip #1: if you can't make it to the gym because you don't have enough time, climb trees. If you look hard enough you might find a tree as good as the one I found in my backyard:
Training tip #2: if you can't find a good tree, try climbing your house:
September-October: Stopped climbing at rocksport to boulder at my local bouldering spot and at Hesters to build strength.
November 2: Started going to Rocksport again. My endurance was shot, I couldn't send almost all of the 10B's. I decided to project a new hard 10B and got it on my second go though. Overall I was really blown about how bad I was climbing.
November 4: I was able to send a lot of the 10B's I had trouble with before because I was learning to shake again. I wasn't happy with my climbing since I couldn't send the 11B I used to be able to send with no problem.
November 5: The same as above, and I started to reproject an overhung 10B which is more like a 10D or maybe an 11A.
Weekend: I didn't make it to the Gorge because my caving club was doing a chili cookoff and Sunday we did a trail day and then a cave trip.
November 9: Finally sent that 11B, but I barely made it. I still couldn't send my reproject 10D/11A.
November 11: The 11B was feeling much easier, and I finally sent every 10 in the gym, including my reproject 10D/11A.
November 13: I started working on a new project, a crimpy 11 with what feels like constant sustained 11 moves. I did pretty bad on it.
Weekend: I had to take care of my operated on dog, but at least I was able to go on a kick butt hiking trip in Indiana on Sunday.
November 16: I felt a lot better on my new 11 project, and made some new progress. I climbed another 11 though and it kicked my butt.
November 17: Had an extremely sore rest day.
November 18: I kept jumping on my project, and almost made it on my second attempt. I climbed some easy stuff and got back on my project and sent it with tons of energy left, I was doing pullups on the finish jug.
November 21: Finger Injury
November 28: My brother came in to town and I have been busy partying with him, but I also wanted to let my finger heal. Well I got in to the gym today and my finger is back to normal, if only I could say the same for my climbing.
November 30: Still climbing like crap
December 2: It's my birthday, I had to go climbing at least for a little while. I got on a new 10D and had a pretty good first go: I pulled the roof, flew past the first crux, but the second crux got me, and I was one move from finishing too. I also onsighted a new 10A, and the two new routes made for a good climbing birthday present.
December 4: I did a couple warmups and sent that 10D, although it felt a lot harder than that, and I know a few people who agree with me. I also realized I climbed 3 days that week and decided to start doing that for now on.
December 7: I was projecting this 11A in the gym forever, and taking a break from it I managed to almost onsight(I know I know) the 11C next to it, but I missed the finish jug. I ended up getting the C second go. Now most people think the 11A I was projecting should be the C, and that the C should be the A, but then again I know a lot of great climbers who still haven't sent the C, and so maybe it is a C.
December 9: So they put up this new 11B, and I thought the crux was so ridiculous it would take me 100 tries. I got the crux on my second attempt thanks to some great beta, but I ran out of steam on my second and third try right after getting past it. After that I just kept working on my 11A project, but I would either mess up the dynamic move to the pinch, or I would get past it and then my foot would slip when reaching for the cheese hold.
December 10: I did some warmups and sent the 11B I thought would take me 100 tries on my first attempt of the day, totaling 4 tries. After that I pretty much worked on my 11A project non-stop.
December 11: I had been working my project for 3 days in a row, for 4 hours a day. I'm matching on the crimper and I stick the dynamic move to the pinch, which I hate so much. I meticulously toe-in on the shallow edge on the cookie and stick the move to the cheese. My feet peal, I think to myself "well I need to switch feet anyhow" and the adrenaline takes over. Project sent.
December 14: I did some warmups and then went strait to my old 11A project and sent it without my feet peeling. I also did the 11C again and sent it, and I was just having a great day.
December 16: I noticed a new 11A(that my friend and I feel is soft for the grade) today next to the 11B, and I totally messed up the onsight. As soon as I got let down I treid it again and ran out of steam. I did a couple easy routes and came back to it sending it for a total of 3 tries. I decided to go back to this old project I was attempting. It's overhung the whole way and for me it has 4 cruxes: The start is a boulder problem, later there is a dynamic move to a great pinch, then there is a move on this crap block, and finally the hardest part, the move to the finish hold: I'm cranking on these two half-pad incut crimpers in order to do the dynamic move to the finish, and I bend my fingers with my left hand and throw with my right, but I miss the finish hold(another almost send). I get let down and I notice my three fingers in my left hand feel numb and hurt. I ignored it climbed for 4 more hours that day, and I even tried that climb 2 more times. I learned that instead of using three fingers with my left hand to make the finish move, I squeeze my pinky on the hold too, and it makes the move easier.
December 17: I wake up and notice the three fingers in my left hand are stiff as hell. Later that day I realize only my middle finger had been injured.
December 19: Just a finger update, I haven't been climbing since I want to let that finger heal. It's doing a lot better now, and I'm hoping it should be good and healed by monday.
December 23: It took almost a week for my finger to heal, and after it fully healed I waited a day and then got back in to the gym and just took it easy.
December 30: That finger injury combined with being busy almost all of Christmas Break sure put a hurt on my climbing, my project kicked my butt.
January 3: Still climbing crappy. I climbed in the cave today. It didn't go to well because I wasn't even able to clip the forth bolt after hang-dogging.
January 4: I was climbing better, but I was still not even close to being satisfied with my climbing.
January 5: Where is my rest day? O well I was finally climbing good again; I sent all my old projects, and I even worked in the cave. I hang dogged on a few of the bolts, but at least I was able to finish the entire route this time.
January 11: I was climbing much better than I thought I would; I almost sent my project but missed the finish jug again. I was physced to see that there is a new hard line up that is full of slopers, but I didn't notice it until the end of the night when I was too tired to even get the third move.
January 11: Warmed up, got on my project, grabbed the finish jug with one hand and I went to match on it but the old barn door got me.
January 13: Today was the day, project sent. I had been meaning to get the Girls of Climbing calendar, and today I had some extra motivation to buy one since Elena Bakanova was there to sign it. Had I bought Rob's Rachel Goldman autographed one, I would be up to two autographs now.
January 16: I started a new project: a slopey overhung 11. I took a few hangs but at least I eventually made it to the top.
January 19: I messed up the beta on my project, and by the time I realized what I did wronge I was pumped. I let the pump go away and onsighted a couple new 10's, and a new 8.
January 21: I had a good climbing day. I ran a couple laps on some 11's a couple times, and so I can tell I am making progress.
January 25: I hate climbing on Mondays, I always feel tired.
January 27: I finally got the cave in two hangs.
January 28: I went bouldering at KD's gym and I had a great time but eventually it got freezing and we had to call it quits.
January 31: Just a typical day at the gym, and still no progress on that project. I started two new projects(so that's 4 total including the cave), and I was actually able to make it to the top of one of them for the first time ever.
February 2: All of my projects kicked my butt, but other than that I had a good day climbing with a friend I hadn't seen in a long while.
February 3: Had a fun bouldering session at KD's. My brother climbed with us, and I made up a couple boulder problems for him.
February 5: I didn't send any of my projects today, but I can tell I'm making progress on my purple one.
February 9: Today felt like a repeat of the 5th.
February 11: I finally sent my purple project, and I also got the cave in one hang.
February 16: The cave kicked my butt, I need to get in there more.
February 18: I finally sent the black 11B, and the red 11A back to back.
February 22: I felt like I was climbing pretty crappy.
February 23: A repeat of yesterday with only a slight improvement.
February 25: I was pretty happy with my climbing today.
February 28: I was fianlly climbing how I would like to be climbing, but since it was my fourth day in there in a week it figures.
March 2: Climbing pretty strong, but I know I've had better days.
March 4: OMG, rocksport finally has a bunch of new routes up. Too bad I was climbing crappy today; I didn't even onsight the 10C, but at least I got it on my second go. I also messed up my onsight of another 10 on the over hanging wall, and I blame the awkward crux. I tried that route again and messed up at the crux again and decided to move on to another route. ;) I almost onsighted a new 11A, but as I made the move to the finish hold, the top of my shoe caught on a sloper that was above it, and it stopped me a few inches short of grabbing the finish hold. I tried the route a few more times but I never had enough strength left to stick the finish jug. I was definitely having a bad day, and the only thing I did onsight was a crappy 7 and 9, o well. At least I have a few new 11s to climb, and one new route is even labeled "5.12", but Rob thinks that it's just a high 11.
March 8: I couldn't believe it but 2 more 11's were put up and a new 10. I warmed up real fast and sent that 11A on my first try that day. Next I took out the 10 with the awkward crux. I decided to try the new overhung 11 with the intent to onsight it. I went for this heal hook and I just didn't have enough core strength left in me to hold it, and I fell. The new 10 was a simple onsight, it's rating is probabely 9+/10a, the votes seem to be half and half right now.
March 9: I decided to do a 10 minute bike to my local bouldering spot. The weather was amazing, and I finally got to climb on some real rock while being outside under the bright blue sky. I noticed that my endurance had doubled since I had last climbed there, I was running lap after lap, all while using the smallest holds I could use. The best part of the day was when I decided to finally top out this project I had there. You start with this traverse, and you get to this rail, and then you make a huge move on top of the slopey topout. You feel around for the crimp, and next you swing your other arm up there on top of the other crimp. Normally I just downclimb after that, but this time I highstepped with my right, and started feeling around on some rock looking for a way to pull myself on top of the slopey topout. My adrenaline was pumping, I didn't even have a boulder pad below me, no spotters, and the landing had patches of hard rock, and it was steeply sloping downhill about two feet from the cliff. I find a sidepull, and I felt totally relieved the second I felt how positive it was, and I topped out.
March 10: I went to RS to boulder, and I couldn't believe it but I finally sent my boulder project. It must have taken me 20 tries, and the only reason I think I finally sent it is because I feel a lot stronger than I did when I tried to climb it all those other days.
March 11: Since this was my 4th day on, I told myself I would take it easy--ya right. I worked on my new black project, and made some progress, but I just didn't have the strength to pull off the crossover move. Next I worked on my old slopey 11 project, but it kicked my butt as usual. I worked on my black project a few more times, and every time the crossover move got me.
March 12: 5th day on, I decided to boulder for a while and I couldn't believe it but I sent my yellow green project that I thought would get taken down before I had a chance to send it. I then took out this blue problem that had a hard finish move that I always botched. I did some route climbing, and I actually made the crossover move on my black project, but then my hand popped off and I cut my knuckle good on the hold. I went back to bouldering and again, I couldn't believe it but I sent this yellow problem that I thought I would never be strong enough to send. The crux is a big right hand throw for an incut crimper and then both of your legs swing way out and you have to crimp for your deer life. You get your feet back on and you finally get to throw with your left. That route really makes your hand sore once you get down. I'm sure it makes for strong fingers though. When I got home that night I felt fine, but only for a couple hours. After that my entire body turned to mush, and I have never felt so sore before in my entire life.
March 13: I woke up and I was still extremely sore, and I didn't get out of bed until 1:00 p.m. It's 5:00 now and I feel good, I could go climbing if I wanted to, but my GF decided I have to take a rest day and go tomorrow.
March 15: O no I'm sick. I went to RS and climbed anyways. I told myself I would take it easy but ended up trying my black project three times that day. I didn't even think I would be able to drive home afterwards I was so tired.
March 22: My black project is still stopping me at the crossover move, but I almost made it today I think. Considering I took a week off and I was still sick, I was climbing way better than I thought I would.
March 24: I finally made it to the gorge this year, but I didn't get to attempt Twinkie since I have a cough and breathing problems. I don't even think I'm sick anymore, and I think my cough and breathing problems are because of post-nasal drip. Weather.com has been putting out warnings the pollen has been so bad. Since I wasn't feeling that good, and since someone in our group was brand new to climbing, and I was also with a couple other beginner climbers, I just climbed a couple easy climbs. Boilerplate lived up to it's four star rating, the colors and non chalky holds were amazing. I went to climb some of the easy stuff at Gold Coast, but Lucky Duck Soup had a waterfall dripping next to it, and Norway on my Mind's start had some broken feet, and the tiniest crimps, and I knew nobody else that I was climbing with would be able to climb it anyhow. I also thought the route looked crappy and not even worth climbing. We hiked over to Solar Collector so I could take some pics of people climbing, and I got some good ones. Next we decided to go drive to the other part of Pendergrass, which I loved because I got to drive through the creek. We climbed Swap Meet and I started feeling sick and bitchy so we decided to quit climbing after that. We took a hike around the Motherload and I got some cool pictures.
March 26: Even though I was having breathing issues, I finally sent my black project at RS. I also onsighted a new 11, and a new 10. I was also happy that I was able to send one of my old slopey 11 projects. The day was going great except for all the coughing and not being able to breath because of all the chalk in the air. At the end of the day I went to climb this slopey "10B" that has a 11B crux if you are 5.8 IMOH, and I fell on the crux, and my partner said "it's about time you fell, you haven't fallen all day". His reaction when he found out that I warm up on his projects was very familiar to me. I mean heck it was just recently when someone climbed one of my projects(one that I feel like I will sever send) 7 times in a row without falling. I think when people feel envious of someone else in the climbing world, it really just shows that they have a major passion to be able to climb as hard as the people they look up to.
March 29: Diagnosed with Mono. It feels kind of cool to know I sent my project while I had Mono, but I found out that I'm lucky I didn't rupture my spleen(mono usually makes it larger and more prone to rupturing if you are doing vigorous activity). According to an article I read it may take a month before my spleen returns to normal so that I can do vigorous activity again. I looked up vigorous activity and it's just activity that really gets your heart pumping, like running. So my plan to keep climbing is to just boulder, the theory behind it being that doing a few moves isn't exactly an aerobic workout.
March 31: I took it easy the day before, but I couldn't take it, I had to climb, and so I went tree bouldering in my backyard for a couple hours.
April 1: Today I bouldered long and hard at my local bouldering spot. I told myself I wouldn't do any endurance training but I ended up doing some anyhow. For the endurance training, I only stayed on the wall half as long as I normally would, and I just used all of the hardest holds to make sure I still got a good work out. I also did plenty of strength training, and I definitely gave my fingers a good workout on all the crimpers.
April 2: I woke up feeling yesterdays workout, but it was just too nice, I had to go to my local bouldering spot again. I took it kind of easy and did a lot of deadhangs on the slopers and rails, and I spent some time making up a couple new problems. I started to miss the Red, and then even the gym; I wanted to climb something high. I decided to go to the park and do some lead solo tree climbing. I got a couple pitches in, each getting me at least 50 feet off the ground. Like always, it was nice hanging out in the tree tops just enjoying the view and the breeze.
April 3: I went to Lake Mcneely to go for a hike, and during the hike I remembered that there is about 9 boulder problems there. One boulder problem at the cave is too easy, one is really dangerous and I didn't do that one, and then there is an easy little traverse. There is two total choss boulder problems near the dam, but if you only use the bigger rocks for handholds nothing will pull on you. The top-outs on those two problems are the best part of them. The other 4 problems are easy, but amazing. The only hints I will give is that the ridge is near the dam, it's back in the woods, and the wall is dark looking. The wall is limestone, solid, and extremely featured, it reminds me of coral. Needless to say but I'm saying it anyhow, it's a very cool rock wall. The only problem with that wall is that there are often mosquitoes there, and my guess is that the best time to go there is when the sun is directly overhead.
April 4: Went to my local bouldering spot. Since I had a spotter I decided to climb the hardest problem there again, and the second ascent went quite smoothly.
April 7: Went to my local bouldering spot and made up a couple new really hard problems. One involves doing the hardest iron cross move I have ever done (you can only use three fingers from each hand because the holds are small), in fact I think I slightly hurt my shoulder doing it. The other problem is crazy good; you make this really hard move to a this half of a golfball feature, and then you use it to do this really long gaston to this little pinch feature. You match pinching with 6 fingers total, and reach real fast for this vertical slopey crimp. You reach above that with the other arm to a tricky pinch. Then with the hand on the crimp you move to a big pinch. You match on the big pinch and finally throw for the finish hold and top out.
Why the Gumby Twinkie Experiment is on Hold:
I came down with mono. I went to the gym not too long ago and climbed real hard, and the next morning I woke up with a pain in my side. I thought I ruptured my spleen (Mono gives you a 50% chance of an enlarged spleen that will now go below your rib cage, and is prone to rupturing from impact or strenuous activity), and so I went to the hospital and they had to do a CAT Scan on me to make sure I was ok. The doctor said it was either the enlarged spleen bothering me, or I pulled a muscle climbing. One thing she didn't tell me that I read at one of those MD websites is that you can get a small rupture or tear, and it will just barely heal. A lot of athletes have then gone back to their activity and ended up tearing it again, and it is usually a full blown tear and they have to be rushed to the hospital since it's life threatening. Well the doctor told me to take it easy for the next 6-8 weeks, and not to climb. Since the enlarged spleen goes away 1 month after you feel better from mono, I figured I will start climbing again after the first month instead of the 6-8 weeks, which is in a week. I'll admit I have done some bouldering at my local bouldering spot over the last few weeks, and it feels like I haven't lost much strength or endurance. I'm mainly just worried about climbing with a harness because when you take a fall it could possibly push on your enlarged spleen. I read that is one of the major concerns when you climb with mono. Hopefully I will be back to climbing 11's at Rocksport in no time (and maybe even the new 12). I went there recently and I have some great news; a guy I know there is also projecting Twinkie, and would like to project it with me once I get better. He said he can't climb in the cave without taking a hang or two, and so far his projecting of Twinkie has led him to believe that he has a better chance of sending Twinkie then sending the cave. This is probably due to some of the crimps in the cave, and it makes for some hard 11 moves while being extremely overhung. He even said he has to skip one of the crimps by highstepping and making a big dynamic move to the hold after that.
May 4: I showed up early at Rocksport and couldn't find a climbing partner so I bouldered. I sent the hardest boulder problem I have ever sent there for the second time, and so I was happy that I don't think I lost any strength during this whole mono ordeal. I couldn't send these two technical boulder problems I had sent in the past, I guess my skills need some freshening up. I ended up climbing some routes and I felt crappy. I normally do after I boulder for a long while which was the case. I onsighted a new 5.9, and a new 7, lookout! I got my but kicked on the 10C though, and so I am worried my endurance has taken a big hit.
May 5th and 6th: I went on a kayaking/camping trip. The first day I was totally beat from climbing the day before. The next day I felt good, and I got so pumped a few times surfing in a couple tricky waves. I swear that sport is great for arm endurance if you are in to the whole surfing aspect of it.
May 7: A much needed rest day, I was sore from sun up to sun down.
May 8th and 9th: Climbed at the Red. I was mainly out there to teach my friend how to lead climb, and so we climbed easy stuff the whole time. We went to Practice Wall and practiced on the 5.6. After that we went to Bruise Brothers. He Redpointed Send Me On My Way (5.9-). I figured it would be a good route since it requires no endurance. The next day we went to PMRP and warmed up on Lowered Expectations (5.5), which didn't warm us up what so ever. After that we did 27 Years of Climbing (5.8), and I was happy my friend was able to Redpoint it since it actually requires some endurance. We climbed a few routes at the Shire, and my friend was so beat he took a hang half way up the 7 on top rope, but it was probably because he climbed off route for a minute there, and I never saw him shake once. We climbed 5 routes each day, and at least I got to climb one new one(the 9 next to the 7 and 8 at The Shire). I was pretty happy with my endurance, I never did take a hang on anything.
May 11: Went to Rocksport, did some stretches and did some easy boulder problems. Next I decided to get in the cave. While waiting the guy who went before me missed the clip on the fourth bolt(which I think clipping that bolt is the crux) and sent Tim Black right under the first bolt. The guy leading was real close to decking, but that didn't discourage me. I made my usual run and clipped the fifth bolt and had to take a hang. I almost one hanged it but I forgot the beta on the second to last move and took another hang right before the anchors. After that I onsighted an easy 10A, and a solid 10A. I almost onsighted a new 11-; my hands were matching on this sort of slopey half pad crimper match hold, and I just didn't have the core to make the last move, which I figured out was the crux. I kept resting on the crimper and trying over and over without hanging, and even though I realized that I needed to toe in far to the left, and then backstep far to the right, my pumped up arms and tired core wouldn't let me get both legs up to make the move, o well. All in all I was happy with my climbing, I think the Red got my endurance back fast.
May 13: I had a fun day at the gym. I warmed up and got on this white 11 that I hadn't sent yet, and as I was toehooking and pulling my body to the right my toe came unhooked and I fell. After I tried the move again I figured out the toehook was unnecessary and I just had to make a long reach strait up. My friend Nick and I climbed with his friend, a brand new climber, Becca. I couldn't believe it but she was sending every 5.9 and under climb we put her on. She even used nothing but taped holds, which I have never seen a brand new climber do.
May 14: I got to the gym early and bouldered since nobody was even there yet. I finally resent that technical problem that gave me problems last time. I made up a new boulder problem, and I was starting to think I didn't have enough finger strength to do the first move, but on my third try I got it down perfect. I kept working on the problem and finally sent it. I climbed a bunch of other crimpy boulder problems until my fingers felt numb. I was worried for a second I might have injured all of them. The next day I woke up and found that my fingers were still numb, and that lasted most of the day. At least I'm sure I built a lot of finger strength that day.
May 17: Went to the gym as usual, and I warmed up and got in the cave. I took a hang at my usual spot(the fifth bolt), and then messed up the beta right before the anchors and took another hang. I sent that white 11 on my third attempt total, and so I was happy about that. I got on a very hard green 11+, and I had a pretty good run on it for my onsight attempt, but the crux which was about 2/3 the way up shut me down. I tried to at least learn the crux, but after a bunch of attempts I decided I was so tired I might end up injuring myself so I baled. I sent this orange 11 which I have only sent about 5 times out of the 50 I have climbed it.
May 18: I was pretty beat today but went to the gym anyway since Nick wanted to climb. I have started working on a white 11+, and as usual the crux shut me down. After some experimentation I learned how to do it pretty good, and I feel confident it won't be long before I send it. I climbed and climbed until Nick left for work and then I found someone else to climb with so I climbed some more. I got in the cave and I made it to the fifth bolt, but I was so tired I ended up resting at the forth bolt, and then I rested at the fifth bolt. At least I made a good run from the fifth bolt to the anchors and I got my beta for the roof back. I climbed a bunch of routes after that. After that I went to do my boulder problem, and I noticed my start hold was missing(maybe I should have taped up the problem). I added a big pinch that you can match on, I also needed a big hold so you can hand foot match on it. Both of my thumbs hurt right now, and I think all those big pinches I got on today is to blame.
May 20: I had an awesome day at the gym. First I warmed up on this 5.8, but I deleted so many holds there were a couple 11 moves involved. Next I warmed up by upclimbing and downclimbing this 5.10 that starts off super overhung and then it gets way less overhung halfway through. I was pumped when I got to the bottom and so I thought I overdid my warmup. Well apparently that wasn't the case, because my next climb was on this black 11 that I projected back in the day and I usually don't send it to this day. Since I got mono, the crux always seems to kick my butt, but I keep working on it, and so I would consider it my reproject. Well I finally got it for the second time. My friend nick told me that he has never seen me send the orange 11, and so I sent that for about my 6th time total. Next I did laps, first I sent this black 5.11B, and then I immediately jumped on this red 5.11A, and I finished it off with a overhung 5.9+. After that I started working on cooling down.
May 22, 23, and 24: I went to the gorge witha bunch of friends. The first day we just hiked to Cloud Splitter and went backwoods camping. We partied like crazy, so crazy the next day I woke up with the worst hangover I've ever had. It pretty much ruined my whole day, I was going to climb all day and even go night climbing. Instead we went swimming at "Jump Rock" and went for a hike to the Beer Trailer Crag just to check it out. Then we went for a 2 mile hike down some abandoned road. On Monday I went to Roadside with my brother and climbed the 7's and an 8(Valor Over Discretion). It got so hot we both felt like bailing. I left my camera on top of Cloud Splitter last time we were there, and so I dragged my brother back up there, only this time we took the less than a mile, shortcut trail to get there.
May 25: I went bouldering at my local bouldering spot. A big hold blew on me while I was cranking on it, there was an explosion of dust in the air. I landed it perfectly and the only battle wound was a scrape on my arm with a few tiny pin holes with blood coming out of them. Now it's been a day later, and you can barely see any marks at all. Two of my fingers hurt last night when I got done bouldering, and today they are still pretty stiff and achy. I was on so many crimps yesterday I couldn't figure out how I messed them up, and then I remembered the two finger hold. You are doing this traverse and your only foot is way to the left, you are holding on to this two finger hold with your left hand, and a knob with your right hand, well when you go to let go with your right hand and feel around for the hold around the corner, almost all of your body weight is on just two fingers on your left hand.
May 27: My fingers felt fine today so I decided to go ahead and climb. I worked on my white 5.11+ project and I felt like I made some progress on it. After that I took it kind of easy because I was worried my finger injury might come back. I have a new endurance project, I sent my old black 5.11 project and decided to jump back on to see if I could send this hard overhanging 5.10(it feels more like 5.11A), but I only made it half way up.
May 28, 29, 30, and 31: The Louisville Grotto (a caving club that I'm in) held an event called Speleofest. Every day we went on a long, hard caving trip and then drank a lot of beer at night. It wouldn't have worn me out so much had I just gotten a little more rest each night, o well. We had a good band play, Bluegrass anyone?
June 3: Climbed at Rocksport for 5 hours strait. It went well, I almost thought I had my white 5.11+ project in the bag, but I forgot to bump my foot up on a higher chip in order to finish the crux move. O well I won't forget next time. I have been running laps on everything I can in order to increase my endurance. It's going good, sometimes I impressed myself, other times I was mad I didn't o better. The next day when I woke up every muscle in my body was mush. I wasn't in any pain, but I was just tired as hell all day. Well I have to finish packing for my camping/climbing trip to the Red, later.
June 5 and 6: Climbed at the Red River Gorge. I went to practice wall to teach my girlfriend to lead belay and lead climb, she did great. After she got tired I decided to take on Beta Spewer 10B and I flashed it. The flash wasn't because anyone spewed beta at me but because I had already practiced the first 12 feet a couple times while I was waiting for my girl to get done cleaning. Next I decided to go for the redpoint on Mercenary of the Mandarin Chicken 5.9+. I took my first lead fall on that climb, a real static swinger it was, my big toe felt it good. Well I sent it, and right after I sent Beta Spewer too, and so it felt like another 10B to me. While we were leaving I saw a black bear, the first wild bear I've ever seen, and I've been to Yellowstone twice. The next day it rained in the morning and so we slept in until about 12:00. By the time we got to Muir at about 1:00 it was done raining and the weather was awesome, it wasn't hot at all. We climbed some easy stuff and then I decided to attempt Rising 11A. I used to joke about climbing it after I was done with the 7 but never had the courage. One day I top roped it and sent it on my first try, but it's a lot more scary on lead. I clipped the first bolt, and then kept feeling for the next jug and all I could find was crimpers. By the time I found the jug I was so pumped I didn't even bother trying to clip the next bolt. I was so mad I didn't even bother trying to finish it, I just unclipped the bolt and downclimbed to the anchors on the 7 which was one move away. Next we did some easy climbs and I decided to go and climb Red Eyed Brew. IMO it's sandbagged, that 8 got me pumped pretty good, and the crux, or shall I say cruxes are loaded with slopey holds. The last time I climbed Redriveroutdoors.com 10A it had me scared and then kicked my butt. I even cheated right to finish up the route. This time as I was being lowered off of Red Eye I swung over to the crux of Redriveroutdoors.com to practice it, and I climbed it like it was nothing. When I went to actually lead it I got stuck at the crux for a bit and then I realized there was a great foot chip somewhere that I was missing, I finally saw it behind the rope and then I raced to the top for the send. No perfect climbing day is complete until you're done with your Miguel's Pizza.
June 10: I went to Rocksport, warmed up, and tried to send my white 5.11+ project. I got throught the crux for the first time, but then I didn't see a left foot chip and tried to highstep to a handhold instead and lost the send. I was so mad I just lowered and stood there for about a minute and hopped back on. Pulling the roof felt like the hardest thing I have ever done. I was holding on to the slopey crux hold with almost no energy left, and I just went for it; project sent. I then ran some laps; I did an 11A, 10A-B, 10A, and 5.9 all back to back, and when I finished I was dumped in sweat. I started working on a new project, a harder 11+ and after a few hangs I made it to the top. I still haven't been able to send my endurance project; this 5.11 followed by a 5.10C that actually has a 5.11A crux. I always send the 11 and then fall at the crux on the 10C(with an 11a crux).
June 13: Rocksport again. I made some great progress on my project, I almost sent it on my forth go, just two moves from the finish hold. I did some laps; 11B, 11A, then a 5.9+ never falling once, but I still wasn't able to send my endurance project.
June 16: I took the GF to my local bouldering spot and she loved the place. She got some of the harder problems in just two or three goes which I thought was pretty impressive. I sent all four of the hardest ones(two V0+'s, a V2 and a V3) without fail. Shortly after my tricep and lat were killing me. After advil, a massage, and some rest I felt a lot better. Next I went for a bike ride and ended up doing a ton of power endurance training on my boulder trees at the park. I even found an awesome tree where I can dyno to this giant pocket, fun fun fun.
June 17: Went to Rocksport and didn't do as well as what I wanted to, I blame the bouldering the day before. I failed miserably on my 5.11 project, and I also messed up on my endurance project exactly where I always do. At least I was able to run laps on a bunch of other stuff.
June 18: The GF and I went lead tree climbing. We had an awesome time with the non-existent sport. Well tree climbing is popular, but I've googled lead tree climbing so many times and the only thing I could find was some guy wining about how he would never climb over his last piece of protection in fear he might fall and hit a branch below. He has a good point, I mean the only reason I use a rope is so that I won't end up falling 50 feet. 90% of the time I'm lead tree climbing, if I fall I'll hit a branch below, the secret is just not to fall.
June 19: A well needed rest day... nope, I went on an extremely butt kicking cave trip. The crux was when I was in a tiny virgin passage hammering the floor repeatedly in an attempt to get to a much bigger virgin cave passage. Well I never made enough progress so I could fit, but I did find a new drop we can do in order to get to some huge virgin cave. It looks like at least a 50 foot drop, but it sure does suck bringing vertical gear in to that cave, and so it might be a while before I can convince my brother and my friends to do it with me.
June 20: Rest day, I went to the Makers Mark distillery in Bardstown (the oldest distillery in northern America) and went on the free tour. They don't dip the bottles on the weekend, and so make sure to go on the weekday if you go. The heaven Hill distillery is on the way, and it's definitely worth walking in there and taking a look around.
June 24: I'm climbing well at Rocksport today but not good enough to send my projects.
June 25: I went night lead tree climbing with my GF. We had a great time but there was a lot of mosquitoes chewing us up, even with the bug spray on. Well only the belayer was getting bitten, not the climber.
June 27: I went bouldering at my local bouldering spot during sunset. I have been training power endurance, and I'm always really sore the next day.
June 29: I went to Rocksport. Stretched, did a couple boulder problems, and then got in the cave. I did pretty well at first and almost made it to the 5th bolt, but I got pumped and took a lead fall. After that it felt like a big repeat of the 24th.
July 1st - 3rd: Went to the Red River Gorge. Day 1: We got a really late start and got to Muir around 4:00 p.m. The plan was to go to The Great Wall, but I decided to warm up on International Pancakes 5.8- over at The Hideout first. I used to always try and warm up on Glory and Consequence 5.7 at the Great Wall, but I always got flash pumped on that overhung route and had to take a hang. After IHOP I did La Escalada 5.6, and after that I finally sent Glory and Consequence. I was feeling nice and warmed up and so I jumped on Dynabolt Gold 10A and got the onsight. It got late and we sped back trying to get to Miguels so we could get some pizza before they closed. Day2: Didn't get up too early, and we went to Sky Bridge for a hike. We sat around there for a while resting and enjoying the weather and the arch. Next we went to Muir and climbed Face Up to that Arete 5.8 at Indy Wall. Next we went back to The Great Wall and climbed Legends of Limonite 5.8, and I finally did the direct start, which I thought requires less technique but more strength than the normal start. We left a tiny bit earlier this time and made it back to Miguels on time to get one of those large pasta bowls, I love those things. Day3: Woke up sort of early again, and hiked to the top of Natural Bridge. Since it was getting hot we decided to go swimming at Jump Rock in the Red River. I coincidentally met up with a few friends there and we decided to go and hike to the top of Cloud Splitter. I took them the short way and kicked their butts with my pace, but at least I gave them a few breathers. It was so hot on top that we didn't spend too long looking at the view before we decided to hit up the sandstone cave/shelter thing there. After that we went to Phantasia, climbed Lord of the Flies while we were being attacked by sweat flies (no bull). I went and drooled over Twinkie for a couple minutes and we had to split if we wanted to get back to Miguels in time for Pizza.
July 4th - 5th: Went on yet another camping trip to the Louisville Grottos caving nature preserve. We got in some easy caves to avoid the heat. We had an awesome dinner thanks to potluck, and the gourmet bacon cheddar burgers we bought at Kroger. We had an awesome firework show, and we must of had a couple hundred mortars, some were huge. We drank plenty of beer after that and my GF and I got so tired that we called it a night at around midnight. The next day we went on yet another easy cave trip, and after that shot some guns, then went home.
July 6: I went bouldering at around 6:00 p.m. and boy was that a mistake. I had to run in to the shade and cool down after every problem I did. I should have waited until sunset to go, but I ended up going for a long bike ride at that time instead. I did a lot of upside down tree bouldering at the park, which I can always feel in my shoulders afterwards. Even though the sun was down I was boiling hot, but I found a hose at the park to cool off with.
July 8: Worked on my project at RS and did a lot of other routes.
July 13: I went to RS, did some stretches and ran about 7 laps around the island. Next I onsighted a new 5.9 like it was a joke. After that I mostly worked on my project.
July 15: I went to RS - stretches - warmed up - and onsighted a new 10B. I made a tiny bit of progress on my project, and figured out some new beta that helped me with my footwork on a spot that I always fall on.
July 16th - 18th: Went to Karst O Rama, a huge caving event near Rockcastle County. On Friday I went swimming all day, and then did some repelling and some SRT work at the entrance of a cave. It was awesome because there was a solid layer of fog on the ground. Next we walked around Great Saltpeter Cave drinking beers. That night involved live bluegrass music and a lot of beer courtesy 2 kegs. Later I took the hayride around the area and we cheered at every campsite we came across. Next I jammed out with the Mud Hippies, I played the tambourine lol. Since the hayride wasn't running anymore it was a long hike back to my tent, and I didn't have my headlamp on me. I was surrounded by extremely thick fog, it felt just like the gorge, well I was practically in the DB National Forest. It was the coolest walk I have ever taken. Saturday I went to Pinehill Cave and did a kick butt trip. We had another party night, live music, and 3 kegs. Sunday We went to Sinks of the Roundstone Pit and Cave. First we dropped the 100 foot pit. I opted to climb up about 90 feet, do a changeover to repel and then climb it all over again. The pit was hot and full of moisture, I'm sure the humidity was just about 100%. Next we walked not far from the pit and did the normal cave. There were 4 other groups of people in there when we went, and so it didn't feel very wild, especially with all the vandalism inside of the cave. It was still a great cave trip though, that cave is huge inside.
July 20: I went to RS, warmed up and climbed in the cave, I one hanged it. Next I got on a new 5.11. It spit me off quick, and it took me 10 hangs to finish it. Next I did an easy route and after that I got on my project. I did ok on it. Later I got on my project again and I think I almost sent it, well maybe, I sort of flailed at the second to last hold, but then again the rope was pressing against my arm. I said almost because for the first time ever I fell because of technique and not because I was pumped. I got on my project a third time and didn't do too well. I decided to finish it up and then work the second half of the route three times in a row. I figured out some great beta on the last move. My foot would always slip off this hold and so I thought I would practically just have to campus the last move. I found out that instead of using the slippery hold that I could just toe in on this other hand hold instead. It basically creates a foot jam in the hold.
July 22: I warmed up and then got on my project. I was making the move to the finish hold and the rope got in between my hand and it stopped me from grabbing the finish jug, don't you hate when that happens. My GF finally sent her project, and I had a good feeling about mine. I was extremely confident and knew I could send it, and I did. I got so in to that project I never wanted to project anything else, and now that it's over I am going to start on a few new projects there. I ended up climbing that new 5.11 there and got through it with just one hang. I hope to send it my next go.
July 27: I was feeling strong on my project. I will be honest and admit what happened next; I made it past the crux and still felt good when my GF informed me I tied in to the wrong rope and I might take a big swing if I fell. I felt my project wasn't worth getting hurt over, and I was also climbing right in front of Rob and I didn't want to make a fool of myself in front of him either (or piss him off), and so I let go early. I tried to onsight the new yellow 11, I did well for the first half but the second half kicked my butt. The crux is really hard, you have to make a huge dynamic move with one arm, and your only hold is a tiny pinch that's situated sideways. My hand kept sliding down off the pinch. After about 15 attempts I got the move. I got on my project and felt tired, and later got on it for a third time and it kicked my butt.
July 29: I was about to send my project and I felt great for the move I always mess up on, but my right foot slipped on the yellow sloper. After I got let down my GF reminded me that I didn't clean my shoes like I normally do. She said she reminded me right before I started climbing, but I must have been in the zone because I never heard her. My next attempt on my project felt a lot harder, and just like last time my third attempt kicked my butt.
August 1: I went bouldering at my local bouldering spot. It was pretty darn hot and so I tried to do a good workout fast. I kept working on my left open handed crimp since that was the thing that would help me most with my project.
August 2: I am noticing some tendentious in my hand, I'm sure it was because I didn't warm up good enough during my bouldering session.
August 3: Went to RS. You would think I learned my lesson, but no. I did a real crappy warm up, well actually this time I over did it by bouldering too much. Fey gave me a catch on my project. I finally slapped the red hold I could never get to without taking a fall, but I think that I was too afraid to lock off my crimp, either that or I should of just had my thumb over my index finger as I went for the hold. I kept bouldering and over did it again, and Fey offered to give me another catch, but as usual I felt real tired on my second go. My third attempt was the worst I have ever climbed it, I was totally out of steam and so I went home.
August 4: Still feeling the tendentious in my hand.
August 5: My hand felt great and I felt full of energy. I warmed up with Fey and got on my project after doing two warmups. The first half felt easier than it ever had before. I pretty much walked up the whole route except for the crux at the end, it still felt hard, but I had plenty of strength for it and got the send. I ended up starting a new green project that is really overhung, and 80% of the route feels like one hard move after the other. I did well on it, and I think it will go down pretty quick. Next I worked on my yellow project. I finally made it all the way to the crux without falling, and I got the crux after my third try. I feel it will fall pretty quickly as well.
August 7th and 8th: Went to the Red River Gorge to go climbing with my GF. On Saturday we did Eureka a 4 star 5.6 and then drove to PMRP to do Boiler Plate a 4 star 5.8. By the time we were done with that it was time to go to Miguel’s and get some pasta bowls. On Sunday we went back to PMRP to get on more easy climbs. We started out on a 5.5, did a 5.6, and then I onsighted First Time, a 5.8+ that I think deserves 4 stars. Next we headed over to The Gallery to climb 27 years of climbing a 5 star 5.8. There was only one group in front of us, but it was all first timers top roping, and while we waited I jumped on Murano, a 10C that used to be rated 10B. I pink pointed it, I know I know, but I felt the draws that were already hung did make a big difference. I was stuck at the crux for a while on that one, and I could tell if only I were a bit taller it would have been a lot easier for me. After over a two hour wait we finally climbed 27 Years of Climbing, at least the weather felt great during the wait. After that we ate lunch and then went to Rival Wall to climb Rorschach Inkblot Test, an 8+. Unlike the first time I ever climbed it, this time I had a lot more trouble with the start. Maybe I shouldn't have kicked the stack of rocks down the hill after all, I thought to myself. I then remembered how I did it when I onsighted it and tried the jump start. I got that move on my second attempt and sent the damn thing. MY GF choose to be aided up, and I explained to her that the comments for the route were full of A0's and so I wouldn't give her any crap this one time for doing the start that way. The bugs were insane at that wall, and even though the sun was behind the trees it felt hot as crap. After we did that climb it was time for some Miguel's Pizza, and so we headed out. Even though it was yet another gumby weekend, I had a great time climbing such high quality routes. I was proud of my GF for sending everything we got on, even if she did top rope most of them. Hey you got to start somewhere.
August 10: My new yellow project at RS went well, but the green one kicked my butt. I was feeling really worn out today. Normally climbing at the Gorge makes me feel stronger when I get back to the gym, but this wasn't the case at all.
August 12: I was so close to sending my yellow project, and just like last time my green one kicked my butt. I lead a 10A in the gym, and half way up I realized I was going to have to make some funky hard clips, it definitely wasn't designed for leading, but I got the Redpoint anyhow.
August 13: I was feeling strong today and had to go back to RS and show that yellow route who's boss. It spit me off my first go but I made some progress on it and figured out some new beta. On my next attempt I sent it, but it wasn't easy and it didn't go down without some yelling during crux sequence. I didn’t even bother getting on my green project and decided to get in the cave instead. I think my yellow project wore me out because it took me two hangs to finish it, and I felt tired the entire time.
August 16: I wanted to climb but RS was closed because they were finally painting the new bouldering wall. I decided to go to a new secret bouldering spot I found with my GF. It was full of problems, and the rock quality is amazing; limestone full of crimps, slopers, jugs, and sidepulls. The left side is easy but challenging for beginners. The far right is the V2, next to that one on the left is the V1, and the long traverse is a V1. The V1's don't look very hard in the video, but it's the handholds that make them hard. There is one where you wrap your thumb around a tiny nubbin and you pinky and ring finger can hold on to a small edge. The traverse also has a sloper and a slopey crimp. The V2 is made difficult due to the slopey holds during almost the entire second half of the climb. The landing zone for the place takes a little getting used to since it's on a hill, this can be seen at the end of the video (which is the V1 without the direct start). I wish I could tell everyone where this bouldering spot is, but sure enough we didn't climb there a single day without a caretaker coming by and giving us a speech about it being private property. He said he wouldn't call the cops, but if he keeps seeing us there all the time... Well I hope you enjoy the video:
August 17: Rock Sports new bouldering wall looks great, it's orange! I did pretty good today despite getting my butt kicked earlier from installing new shocks in my uncles car. I warmed up and then sent one of my old black projects that I have only sent a few times before. Next I tried out a 12 I have been putting off for a long time. I had a pretty good go at first and made it over half way up without falling. Ron thinks it isn't really a 12, but after I experienced the second half, I bet to differ. I pretty much hangdogged the crap out of the second half, but at least I was able to do every move on the route eventually, and so I still have faith that I might be able to send it someday.
August 19: I was so close to sending my green project at RS when my foot slipped, and I had plenty of strength left in me too. Next I resent my yellow project. After that I got on a 12 and I made a good run about half way up and then it hit me; the lactic acid. The next thing you know I was hangdogging the crap out of it, especially at the crux. I eventually made it to the top, and at least I was able to do that.
August 23: I went bouldering at my local bouldering spot for a while and then went to the park to run laps on my boulder tree.
August 24: I went mountain biking and then went to the park to run some laps on my boulder tree.
August 25: I went to RS today. I did some stretches and onsighted 3 new boulder problems (V1ish) and I got this V2ish problem on my second go. My green project went just like it did last time, I had plenty of strength left and my foot slipped. The stupid foot chip isn't even flat, and it appears to be specially designed just to make your foot slip off of it. There was also a foot chip out left that looked turned. You stand on this sharp edge that just chews your shoes to shit, and so I fixed it by roatating it. I didn't think my project was worth tearing up my brand new shoes. I think that's how it was originally anyhow. I then sent another hard 11 and after that I was pretty beat so I just climbed some easy stuff and called it a day. It also became apparent I shouldn't have climbed yesterday. I will surely take a rest day tomorrow.
August 26: Woke up sore, but I felt a lot better later on in the day and so I went lead solo tree climbing. I was double roping up to my anchor point with a heavy pack on my back (it had my 60 meter rope and lots of Poweraid in it) and I strained my left tricep. I didn't notice until later that night though, and so I still got to climb a couple trees that day in the beautiful weather.
August 27: Ya my arm is still really sore, but I guess that's what I get for not stretching and not taking a rest day yesterday. My plan was going to be to take a rest day yesterday and go to RS today, but I decided to take the rest day today since I was going to the Red this weekend.
August 28 RRG: On Saturday I went to Castle Arch, and the breeze flowing through that thing was great. It felt like a desert on top of it though. Next we did a hike along some creek near the upper Red River. On the way to the trail we saw a bunch of people with headlamps and informed them that going in to caves in DBNF is a $5000 fine (or something like that) because of White Nose Syndrome(the disease that's killing all the bats that cavers might be helping to spread). I felt for sure we would have the whole trail and creek to ourselves and then we heard a bunch of campers making noise. It turns out we knew a few of them and talked with them for a while. The creek adventure wasn't that great but finally we came up on a great waterfall. The walls were blood red and it was quite a great sight to be seen. Some retarded campers have set up a permanent campsight back there, including a packed up tent, pots and pans, and tons of trash. Our friends we talked to earlier said that they always camp on this exact trail every year and that camp sight always has all the crap at it.
August 29 RRG: We went to Muir valley and climbed a couple of freshly bolted up 8's. Next we went to Practice Wall and climbed a bunch more 8's. To prove I'm still a gumby Crescemdo (5.9) kicked my butt as usual and I took a couple of lead falls on it. First I fell because I never found the three finger pocket. The second time I fell it was when I went out left on a sloper and was making the big reach and I came off the sloper. After reading the comments, I'm going to just go out right after the second bolt next time I get on it. I hate the feet during the crux too, they are either tiny or slopey. I'm sure it feels like a 9 by time you clip the anchors, but that crux is definitely not a 9 if you go left, that's all I know. After that we went to Guide Wall and climbed the tall 7 and 8+. I was happy that my GF lead every climb that day, and the only thing she didn't redpoint or flash was the 8+ at Guide Wall. My brother never fell once all day, but he top roped everything saying he didn't want to get hurt the day before he started his new job. With such a good excuse I never gave him any crap for not leading. All in all it was a great day, I got to get on three routes I had never been on before, I worked on a hard route, and I got to climb 7 routes (with a group of three mind you).
August 31: I went to RS. I warmed up with a about 5 laps around the island, and then made up a couple of new boulder problems. Next I jumped on my really overhung 11+ project and got the send. I tried climbing in the cave as fast as I could and got to a new place that I hadn't gotten to before(without falling yet). I was making a big move and took a pretty nice lead fall. I was in shock for a few seconds afterwards, it was my biggest lead fall yet. Rob recommended I climb slow and breath more, and so I'll stick with that idea. I got on it again after a long rest, but didn't do as good as I did the first time. After that I was pretty much beat and went home.
September 2: Went to RS and climbed a bunch of 11s. After that I tried a couple of my bouldering projects with no luck, but I made some progress on one of them. I think it's a V4 or something like that. I think I climbed for 4 hours in total, and now I'm extremely beat.
September 3: I went solo tree climbing and decided to attempt a tree that I thought would have a crazy hard crux on it. After I go it I realized there was a small branch I could use and it wasn't that bad. Later on in the climb I did find a pretty good crux though. It didn't have any branches for hand holds, and you have to lean in to the main tree and reach for a crimp and then highstep. It turned out to be the best tree I have found so far for leading, and I think the total height was about 70 feet. After that I climbed a tree I have climbed before, but decided to climb a different side of it. It had a cool crux where you lean way back, make a clip, and then pull a cool crux move. The route had no decking potential, and while downclimbing I decided to take my first solo lead fall there. I figured if there wasn't any danger in decking on a branch, what the hey, I might as well see what it's like. It went good, scary, but good.
September 4: I went to a cookout at Big Rock. We did some big tree climbing. The first pitch was achieved with a balloon launcher. The second pitch was done by throwing a bottle with a string attached to it. It ended up getting dark on us and when we tried to pull our rope it got stuck because of the rope pad. We ended up attaching 4 ascenders to the rope and had 4 people pull, and it came down, rope pad and all.
September 5: I pretty much did an exact repeat of the 3rd but I brought my GF along to show her my twn new climbs. We had fun, and the weather was amazing.
September 6: I went to Muscatatuck Park today. First we did the 5 mile loop on our mountain bikes. There was a new trail there with tons of berms. It was really fast, my brother and I loved it. Next we bouldered for a long time, and I kept working on a pretty hard one. You have both of your arms pulling together on two slick totally vertical walls. You have to pull hard as crap or else your hands will slip off and you fall strait back. The feet start to run out near the top, and that was giving me trouble. There is this angled crimp right before the top out ledge, and every time I grabbed it there wasn’t any higher feet, and I would always come off. One time I tried skipping the crimp and dynoing to the ledge, but I was still a few inches short. I'm going back there pretty soon, and I hope when I go back I send that thing. After that we went to some nature preserve and did a hike along the Muscatatick River.
September 7: I went to RS. I did a very long warmup since I knew I would be getting in the cave. My first go at the cave went just like it always does, one hung it. I decided to try out some of Rob's advice and take a hang from the third bolt and then try to finish it up from there. Normally I hang at the fifth bolt which is about half way. I was able to climb from the third bolt to the anchors, but it wasn't easy. Next time I'll try resting at the second bolt and finishing it from there.
September 9: I finally sent my project in the cave at RS. My GF sent one of her 10A projects too, it was a good day. A guy told me that he has been projecting the cave for some time and isn't anywhere close to sending it, yet he has sent Twinkie.
September 14: I went to my local bouldering spot and climbed there for a long time. I couldn't believe how easy my hard problems there felt. They used to really hurt my fingers and sometimes I would have days where I couldn't do this really hard lockoff, but it sure wasn't a problem today.
September 15: I flashed a couple of new 9s at RS. One was hard and one was simple.
September 16: I really needed a rest day today, nope went for a long bike ride and then did a bunch of power-endurance training on my bouldering tree.
September 17: I woke up sore as hell today.
September 21: I went to RS and worked on 3 new 11s. I didn't get the onsight on any of them. The cruxes for each one were really hard. Cranking on a shallow two finger pocket was a new concept for me. I ended up sending two of them on my second go but the hardest one didn't go down on my second try.
September 21: I sent that hard 11 at RS for a total of 4 tries. Funny enough Rob rated it as a 10+. Me and one of the better climbers at RS laughed and everyone we talked to agreed that it was off by a full number grade. I had to incorporate some creative shakes in order to have enough energy to do the mantle on the sloper. In the middle of the mantle you have to lock off your left arm and then reach up to a full pad crimp. Three things make the move really hard: the sloper, the lockoff, and the fact that your only foot is this handhold that you can't step on top of because of the way it's designed, and so you have to step on the side of it. If you put too much weight on that foot it will pop, and so the mantle is pretty much a pull up.
September 26: I went to Rock Quest in Cinci with my girlfriend. It took two hours and 10 minutes to get there. I loved all of the lead climbing there. I onsighted 6 9s, 2 10s and took a few whippers on a hard "10". I think the ratings for the top ropes are sandbagged pretty hard. Almost all of the 9s seemed to rated correctly, but the 10s were really hard, either that or I was really tired. Afterwards we were going to visit my girlfriend's brother who lived near by, but we never ended up doing that because we climbed for so long. We might as well of went to the gorge, we're such gumbys. We did get to eat some amazing pizza afterwards, and it was right up there with Miguels, no bull.
September 28: I went to RS and bouldered my butt off. I started feeling like I was weak sauce since I kept failing at every problem I wanted to do. Around the end I went and climbed a bunch of problems that I used to think were kind of hard, and I walked up all of them with no problem. I concluded that my poor climbing was due to the problems just being really hard compared to what I was used to.
September 29: I woke up and boy were my shoulders and arms sore. I finally ended up feeling better and so I went to RS. I got on a new crimpy as hell 11 and I only made it up half way and bailed out since my fingers weren't warmed up enough. If it really is an 11, it must be an 11D or something. After that I did some lead climbing on one of the new 9s and one of the old 9s. Ya that should help me send Twinkie... Well it's going to be a while anyhow, I'm getting ready to go to Maryland for a week. Not to climb, but for a friends wedding, and just to chill. Maybe these tendons will do some healing while I'm there not climbing. I'm sure I'll find some building, monument, or statue to climb, and I'll try not to break any bald eagles off of the ones in DC. Just kidding, I'm pretty sure it's illegal to climb monuments and statues there.
October 8: I went to my local bouldering spot. Everything felt proetty easy, but i could tell the week off put a little hurt in my climbing.
October 10 RRG: I went to Pistol Ridge and onsighted every sport route there. Just kidding, I never ended up climbing the 10 because I wanted to climb It's a Wonderful Life and it was getting dark.
October 11 RRG: I went to Phantasia... you know where this is going, yup I got on a sweet 8 there and two 9's. Well I finally got on Twinkie. It went good, but I could tell I was really weak from not training all week. I'm confident that I have the slab down perfect. Well I made two attempts that day, let the counting begin.
October 12 RRG: I went to Animal Crackers wall and onsighted all the 8's. Next I went to the Boneyard and onsighted Cinderella.
October 13: Well after climbing for three days strait in the gorge from dusk till dawn I was pretty sore. Well my GF had class at Rocksport and I decided to go anyhow since I was feeling a lot better late in the day.
October 14: A much needed rest day... nope I went tree climbing. I solo lead two 70 foot trees. I was able to see downtown from the top of one of them. Next I did some tree bouldering for a long while.
October 15: I am pretty sore today, and I'm finally taking a rest day. I hope I heal fast, because I'm heading back to the gorge tomorrow.
October 16 RRG: I went to the new Land Before Time Wall in Muir. I only climbed the 8 and 9, and they were both great. Next I went to Sunny Side and climbed the 9 and the 10B to the left of it.
October 17 RRG: I went to Phantasia and my GF finally redpointed that hard 8 there that was upgraded to a 9. Next we did Creature Feature. My brother said he had been working out and really wanted to get the send, even if it was on top rope, well he did it and was quite proud. I got on Twinkie and made some progress. The crux I was working out was even harder than the last one. You pinch this big ole pinch as hard as you can and do a one armed pull up to reach the next two holds that have tick marks on them. I really don't like tick marks, they disrupt the natural feel of the climb imo.
October 18 RRG: My brother and I hiked to the top of Eagles Nest and did a 10 foot rappel in to the Eagles Nest. Next we did a 250 foot rappel using someone elses ropepad that they left there. We met a random person there who was doing the same rappel we were, and afterwards we convinced him to go to Miguels for pizza with us. At first he was reluctant to go, but after he tasted his first bite ever of Miguels Pizza he said "I sure am glad I decided to come with you guys to eat".
October 20: I went to Rocksport and climbed in the cave a few times. I tried the black route in the cave but I don't think I'm ready for it yet. Clipping the 4th bolt off of that crimp was a little too pumpy for me.
October 21: I went tree climbing and tree bouldering. My left arm was giving me issues by the end of the workout.
October 22: I went tree climbing and tree bouldering again. My left shoulder was still giving me issues.
October 24: I went to my local bouldering spot and felt fine but then I went tree bouldering and my left arm started hurting again. I am going to take it easy on bouldering and just stick to route climbing at RS for a while. Hopefully that won't bother it.
October 30 RRG: I got on Twinkie today. With the nada tunnel closed it took 40 minutes to get there from the Slade exit. I didn't make it any further than I had before, but I finally ended up making it to the chains. I learned that everything after the fifth bolt on the roof is all jugs. Now that I know this I have some crazy new motivation to climb my hardest to get to that fifth bolt (on the roof) without falling, and then ride the jugs out from there.
October 31 RRG: My GF had a hurt shoulder and so I went to Roadside and climbed some easy stuff with her. She really loved Roadside and the slab climbs there thanks to their really cool (Limonite?) features.
October 27: I Climbed at Rocksport and started a new project, but I felt so weak on the tiny crimps and it kicked my butt.
November 3: I climbed at Rocksport today and tried to climb a bunch of my old projects and I failed on almost all of them. I almost sent green in the cave but fell during the last bolt, which was a first because it's all jugs up there.
November 4: I had an epiphany, I realized Twinkie is never going to go down unless I start training like how I used to. Today I got on all of those old projects today and sent a couple of them. I climbed and climbed until I could barely climb a 5.10.
November 8: I climbed hard today at RS and sent some more of my old projects went down, but I failed on some of them too. I climbed a crap load of 11s until my arms were totally shot.
November 10: I felt really strong today and sent the green in the cave. I jumped back on to see how far I could get and made it up half way. I sent one of my old really overhung projects and that felt great. I lead a couple of 10s and each one had a really hard clip to make but I ended up keeping my cool and redpointing both of them. Next I climbed a few 11s and did some bouldering.
November 11: I climbed at RS again and kept working on some of my old projects. I decided to lead climb a couple of 10A's, all of which had at least one really hard clip to make, but I ended up redpointing them both.
November 13 RRG: I got on Twinkie today. I didn't make any new progress, but I think I found a way to make the crux easier thanks to some beta I received. I felt extremely sore after just doing the slab. My conclusion is that I should have taken two rest days and I climbed a little too much this week.
November 14 RRG: I woke up and it was raining. I hung out and played some cards and Jenga. Finally I had Miguel's pizza for lunch. I kept trying to check the radar but the computer was messed up. I decided to take on the task of fixing it. I figured out that a program running in memory was using up 50% of the CPU and 1.2 gigs of memory. That's the most memory I have ever seen anything use up. I googled the program running in memory and it was Ad-aware. A program that claims to remove spyware but was found out to actually be spyware. I removed it by starting up in safe mode, ending the task, and was finally allowed to delete the program manually. I was rewarded with a free pizza for my efforts. Next I decided to go hiking, hoping the rain would quit by the time we drove there. It did and the hike went great. Next we decided to go to Bluegrass Bouldering in Lexington. Yes I was at the gorge and left to go to a gym, I'm such a gumby right. The gym was great though, and my girlfriend who bouldered for the first time loved it. Afterwards I was suffering from some a shoulder problem I had been experiencing on and off.
November 15: I have decided to take a two day rest to help my shoulder get better.
November 17: Today I went to RS, and it's amazing what a two day rest can give you. I sent my last two old projects, both of which were some of my hardest ones. I decided to lead this "10B" that most people would agree is way harder than that. There was one really hard clip off of a slopey hold to make, but I made it and got the redpoint.
November 18: I wasn't feeling too great today but I went to RS anyway. I decided to take it kind of easy by climbing mostly 10s. A few of those 10+'s sure do feel like 11s though. Afterwards I did some route climbing I made up a few boulder problems and got all of them except one. As great as the new bouldering wall looks full of neon holds, I won't be able to make the comp due to twinkiedom.
November 20: After a full rest day I still woke up sore as can be. I knew there was no way I could get on Twinkie. I went back to sleep and didn't wake up until 1:00p.m. I decided to go to the comp just to hang out.
November 21: I finally felt good today and went to RS to try out the new bouldering area. I felt I did a good job of tearing up the new problems. I onsighted 14 of the problems (24 if you count the kiddy problems lol). I also sent two more problems that took me 2 goes each. I also have a bunch of projects now, I'm excited.
November 22: Today while night tree climbing at Rogers Park, a cop came by and told us that for now on we will need to find somewhere else to tree climb because of liability. I guess we supposedly can't climb trees at any Louisville metro parks, even though I have never seen that rule in writing anywhere. I think he's full of it. This reminds me of the no kayaking at Cherokee Park but you can at Floyds Fork park thing.
November 26: Well I finally sent this one boulder problem at RS that was giving me a hard time, you have to dyno to this large slopey jug and your legs flying behind you tries to rip your hand off of it. I also unexpectedly sent my first advanced problem. I thought it was real hard, but Rob said he thought it was soft and a lot of the people in the comp who were at a lower level than advanced ended up sending it. I still have a few projects left, and they feel super hard for me.
November 29: Today I went and developed a new bouldering area. I had a great time climbing on real rock in the 60 degree weather, and Limestone is always a nice change from all the sandstone I climb at the Red. Here is a 1080p video I made of the problems:
After that I went to RS and took out one of my super hard projects. It took every bit of juice that I had. There are only 2 more Intermediate problems left that I haven't got. One of them feels like it is going to go down soon, but the other (I10) is so hard it might take me a long while. From what I can tell all of the other advanced problems look extremely hard as well, but I haven't been on 80% of them.
December 1: Today I realized that all of my newest posts should go at the top and not the bottom. O well I'm not going to individually cut and paste 300 lines of html. I also went to Rocksport today. I felt extremely strong and managed to do 2 dyno problems that usually give me a hard time. Next I sent my boulder project. Normally every move on it felt hard as crap, but today I didn't feel any of them and walked right up it. After that I decided to lead a new 10 and got the onsight. I also top-roped a new 10 and sent it. To make sure I did a good job training today, I got on 20 other boulder problems and sent all of them except 1, and I even started a new advanced boulder project. I'm one move away from getting it, but it's the hardest move on the problem. My girlfriend has been taking down all her bouldering projects, and it's great watching her put her heart and soul in to each project she ends up taking out.
December 2: Well it's official, I'm not a gumby anymore; my girlfriend got me a Squid for my birthday. That means no more leaning over a cliff to try and clip the rope back in to the first draw on Twinkie between burns ;) Would it be more or less of a gumby act to start clipping the second bolt on twinkie now(like some people recommend)? Maybe I am still a gumby.
December 3: I went to RS and realized there was a new lead route, and it was one that I had suggested too. It's not in the cave, and it uses the start of one of the new 10s which was also my idea :) I tried to lead it, made it to the fourth bolt and my right arm felt as stiff as possible so I yelled take. I thought the end was going to be hard as crap like everything between the 1st and 4th bolt, but it was easy as crap. I highly regret yelling take, but that's what I get. I also worked on my new advanced bouldering project.
December 3: Late at night my ring finger started hurting pretty bad. I think it was from my bouldering project. I have decided to take a few days off and see how it does.
December 6: My finger is feeling a lot better and I've decided to climb through the injury, but to stay off my bouldering project. I went to RS and tried to lead the new lead route again, but I couldn't do the last hard move right before the easy section. I also started a new hard as crap 11+ top rope route. I didn't send it but at least I eventually made it to the top. There was 6 new bouldering routes and I onsighted 4 of them, and the other took me 2 goes. I didn't bother trying to get on the advanced one because of the finger injury.
December 8: I went to RS and was happy to see a new 11. The crux is really hard for me and I wasn't able to do it since my fingers cramped up on me. I worked on my other 11+ project for a while and found the crux to be extremely hard, and I'm not the only one. I finally figured out some beta and I hope it will go down some time soon.
December 10: I went to RS and got on the newer 11. I was finally able to do the crux and finish up the route but I didn't send it. Shortly after I tried it again, and while doing the one arm crimp pinch pullup move, my hand popped off and I took a ton of skin off two of my knuckles, it sucked. I climbed the rest of the day with bandaids and tape wrapped around them.
December 11: I have no idea why I went to RS today, I was really sore but at least I got some bouldering in.
December 15: I have been really sore for days now, but I finally felt better today. I decided to go to Hesters to check out the bouldering problems there. I wasn't impressed, almost everything there was extremely hard for me. I sent 3 easy problems and 3 intermediate problems though.
December 17: I climbed at RS today and had a great time. I just bouldered and I got a repeat of a a problem that gave me a hard time the last few times I was there. After 20 attempts I sent a double dyno problem someone showed me a while back. I also sent someone's new bouldering route that is rated E for excellent. I worked on an advanced problem I had never tried before, and if I can end up getting the dyno down I will get the send, but the hold you land on sure does hurt your fingers. I didn't end up leaving until I was weak sauce, and so I know I got a good workout in today.
December 19: Bouldered at RS. I worked on a couple new red problems but didn't achieve much. To get a great workout I decided to climb every blue and every green (except for i10 which I haven't sent yet).
December 26: Bouldered at RS. I sent a couple hard problems and one problem that I have only sent once before and always gives me problems. After that I made up a few problems and it didn't take long before my grip went to nothing. I was very displeased about this, but I figured it was due to not climbing for an entire week strait. I decided to start traversing around the island to get my endurance back up.
December 28: Bouldered at RS. Well today was a great day. I made a little progress on a couple of reds I'm working on and I was able to work out for about four hours without my grip disappearing on me. I even managed to do the double dyno problem around the end of the night. I also worked on my endurance and managed to traverse around the island for 30 minutes.
January 5: I did lots of route climbing at RS today. I finally sent one of my projects which has been labeled a 10. The crux could be a 10D if you have good crimp strength and have the beta down perfect.
January 7: I bouldered a lot at RS, and I wasn't feeling very strong. I climbed a medium 10 route and didn't even send it, but I messed the beta up and so I blame that.
January: 9: I went to Rockquest in Cinci. I started off by top roping a bunch of routes. When I finally felt warmed up enough I started leading leading. I did a few 9's and sent them all. Next I onsighted a hard 10. The moves were amazing, heck all of the lead routes I climbed that day were amazing. Next I bouldered on their new bouldering wall. It's an island in the middle of the room. You can top out and there were tons and tons of routes. There were about 4 beginner routes and tons of intermediate and difficult ones to choose from. The last thing I did was an overhung 9+ sport route which felt very hard for me considering how worn out I was. I managed to get the onsight but my arms were totally pumped afterwards.
January 11: I went to RS and top roped a ton of easy routes to get warmed up. I slowly stepped up to harder routes until I felt I was finally ready to take on the new lead route. I failed and failed again. It felt like the crux was trying to clip the fourth bolt. The clipping jug was more of a three finger pocket, and your stance is pumpy with one of your key footholds being a slippery devil. On my third try in a row I finally got the Redpoint. I would rate it as a 10D or an 11A. As bad as my endurance is lately it's hard to tell. I have heard at least one other person say they thought it was an 11 though.
January 12: I should have stayed home, but my GF and I decided to go to RS for a second day in a row anyhow. We both felt really tired but after a long warmup I finally felt good enough to take on a hard route. I decided to top rope a hard overhung 11+. I barely got the send; on the second to last move I was sure my hand was going to slip off this hold but it stayed on there long enough for me to grab the next one which is much better. Out of the 30 times I have climbed it I think this was the fifth time I ever sent it.
January 15: I climbed at RS today. I started off bouldering and felt pretty crappy. Next I did some route climbing and felt a little better after that. I started bouldering again and slowly I felt stronger and stronger until I noticed my crimping was solid. I decided to take on my latest 11+ project that always shuts me down. For the first time it didn't, I made it all the way to the end and when I threw for the finish jug my arm was so pumped I didn't have any grip strength left at all to stick it.
January 17: Climbed at RS and felt pretty crappy. I worked on an advanced boulder problem that I'm projecting, and never managed to stick the dyno crux move. I went to do my 11+ project and got shut down so hard you would have thought I didn't have a lick of beta when I hung dogged the crux and repeatedly fell. Later that night my throat hurt and I felt nauseous. Then the coughing started. It's amazing how weak being sick can make you.
January 22: Today was a glorious day at RS. I stretched like crazy, and did a few boulder problems to warm up. Next I climbed some crimpy routes to get my fingers ready. And finally, I sent my project. I almost got on this new 11, but it hit me that I should save my energy for my project, and I had this feeling I was going to send it. I worked the first hard crux and threw for this bad hold but didn't hit it with three fingers and a thumb pinching it like I normally did but I only got two fingers on it. I almost just let go but my GF was cheering me on and I realized my heel-hook could do all the power in order for me to get to the next hold. I remembered how my left hand had nothing left at the end of the route last time I was on it and I shook off my left arm constantly on the way up. I grabbed that finish hold and squeezed it so hard and let out a big cheer. It wasn't the most endurance intensive route I have ever projected in the gym, but it sure did have the hardest crux on crimps. After that I started working on my new project, an 11+. The first crux is hard, but the second crux is insanely hard due to a horrible foot that would be great if it was level, but instead it's turned 45 degrees. There is a higher foot-chip but I can't hold on to the slippery crimp and work my foot up high on the foot-chip without my hand popping off that slippery crimp. After a few falls a learned a way to get past the crux. You use opposing forces pulling your hand on the slippery crimp and your right foot together so hard that your foot doesn't slip.
January 25: I worked on my latest project today at RS. I made a lot of progress and made it all the way to the major crux, but never got my hand on the slippery crimp. Almost every move on the route feels hard as crap to me, and my fingers go numb every time I am done climbing it. Later I was congratulated by one of my heroes at the gym for climbing that route so well, and that made my day. That is until I tried Robs new route which he stated was a 10B. I got on it and fell about 15 times in a few minutes working on the crux. I never was able to do it. I saw a guy who normally climbs 11s getting down from it and I asked him if he sent it and he said no. I then asked him what he thought the grade was and he said it was definitely a 10B. I nagged him a bit more and he said it was 175% a 10B. Next I worked on my project and got shut down at the first crux. I just didn't have my crimp strength and must have exhausted it. Later I saw a guy who climbs 11s take a ton of falls at the crux of the 10B and he also gave up. I asked him about it and he was sure it was an 11. I saw Fey take a bunch of falls at the crux and then a bunch of other hangs working the rest of the route and so I asked her what she thought and she replied "a hard 11". I will have a better idea of what the route is rated next time I go and I'm fresh, but my guess is that the crux is a hard 11 move and from what I've seen the rest of the route is 11A.
January 26: I went to RS today even though I probably should have taken a rest day. I did a ton of stretches and then did every blue boulder problem followed by the majority of the green boulder problems. I sent a new green boulder problem. It took me three goes. Working out the beta from the second move to the third move took me a while and took plenty of pondering, but I figured it out. Lastly I worked on a couple of my red bouldering projects and made a little progress on both of them.
January 30: I went to RS today to work on my 11 project. I made some huge progress on it and was only a couple moves away from the send. I saw the guy who claimed one of the new 11s was a 10b and decided to interview him:
GTE: So after talking to someone here at RS, they said Rob was most likely kidding about the 10B rating. Were you in on the joke?
Sandbagger: No I think it really is a 10B.
GTE: I have asked around and everybody who has been on it thinks it's a hard 11. So what grades do you usually climb at the Red?
Sandbagger: Just 10s. I really haven't been climbing at the Red very many times, I mainly go there to go backpacking. I guess the route is probably an easy 11.
GTE: Do you have any projects at the Red?
Sandbagger: There is about four 10s that are really run out with an R rating that I want to get on but I might not have the time to get on them. I might be moving out to Montana to do trail work for a company soon.
GTE: I love Montana, especially Missoula. Have you ever been there?
Sandbagger: No and that's the town I would be moving to if I go.
GTE: If you go be sure to try out the white water park in the middle of town, it's called Brennan's Wave. You can kayak, surf, and even boogy board Brennan's Wave. Also be sure to go tubing down the Blackfoot, and bring some beer of course. Are you concerned about how much snow they get there?
Sandbagger: No they really don't get that much.
He seemed to have gotten distracted and so that's the end of the interview. Later I saw Rob try to send the "10B" and even he fell about 3/4 the way up it. Considering the last time I saw him climb it was on a orange/open/v7+ boulder problem, it makes me wonder if the new boulder wall has gotten his endurance down so low he can't even send a 10B right now... joking. Later I saw sandbagger almost send that "10B" but he grabbed the top of the wall instead of the finish jug. Then even more later I saw him get ready to lead the fairly new lead only 11 route. He told me he still hasn't made the fourth clip yet. He was doing great but after he made the third clip he got his leg in front of the rope. His belayer yelled up to inform him of it but he didn't listen. He made the fourth clip but I noticed he Z-clipped and I yelled up at him so. He had a decent amount of steam left and tried to unclip the fourth bolt but never succeeded. After hanging he realized unclipping the third bolt would have saved him more time. It looked almost impossible to Z-clip but we figured out what happened. His leg behind the rope had raised the third bolts quickdraw high enough to make it all possible. Later a funny thought crossed my mind: maybe he hates Z-clipping and that's why he wants to project a bunch of run-out routes at the Red. NOTE: I'm not hating on the guy, and I in fact felt his pain on both of his almost sends considering that has been the way things have been going for me lately at the gym. Generally I like all climbers even if their personality sucks or whatever, I'll still be cool with them.
February 1: Today I went to RS even though my forearm was pretty sore still from the last time I went climbing. I must have stretched for 30 minutes. Next I did some dead hangs and then I did something that I don't normally do. I jumped right on one of my old red bouldering projects. It was the one I hurt my finger on a while back. I kept trying it over and over but didn't make any new progress. Finally I got some expert advise from one of RS's best climbers: Andrew. He informed me to square up when doing the move where I kept falling at, and sure enough it ended up working. The only problem was that after sticking the move my foot fell off and I was hanging there with no feet on the wall and pumped with two more super hard moves to go. After that I kept at it, but my energy faded until I wasn't even able to get half way up it without falling. Then I cut my fingers flailing and decided it was time to go home and rest up for tomorrow’s workout.
February 3: I went to RS to work on my project. I warmed up for a long time and finally got on it. The first go didn't go too well. I kept doing the first half of every move statically, and then did the rest dynamic. I fell at the same old crux. After I finished up the route I decided to repeatedly do the crux. I learned that the trick was to move your body to the far right in order to utilize the slanted foot better. I also learned that in order to do the last move it was much easier if I highstepped with my foot pointing strait down it gave me a lot of extra reach without any delay so that I could do the move dynamically. Well sure enough on my next go I sent it. The last couple of moves felt like some of the hardest I have ever climbed. After that I worked on some of the other new 11s but didn't accomplish anything. Finally I decided to do some bouldering, mainly to work on my project. I never made any progress on it, my grip strength just wasn't as great as I needed it to be to get through the crux.
February 4: I went to the park to use my new Metolius Rock Rings. It went good and by the end of the workout I was able to do plenty of pullups using three fingers with one hand and 2 fingers with the other. I did plenty of frenchies and by the end of the workout my arms were pretty beat. All of the laps I did around my boulder tree took a large toll on me as well.
February 6: I have been pretty sore over the couple of days and even this morning. I worked on some routes at RS with no luck on one of my projects I got on. After that I decided to boulder. I got mentally prepared for my red advanced project that I once got a finger injury on. I got to the crux and thought "I don't have this". Then I thought to myself "try you're hardest anyhow". I squared up, and bam I hit the crimp and my foot didn't fly out from under me. I had rehearsed the rest of the beta for the climb about a week ago and knew just what to do. I hesitated at the last move and had my doubts again. It's a huge move with the consequences of a higher than usual fall without the aid of the new giant bouldering pads Rob had built. I flew through the air like a suger glider and yelled like crazy when I stuck the finish hold. I consider it my first real red boulder problem since the other one was so soft it was easier than some of the greens I've sent.
February 9: I went to RS today. I'm glad I took 2 rest days because I sure needed it. I finally sent my easier route project of the two. Rob was telling me that he thought it would be around an 11, but a girl who supposedly only climbs 10s sent it and said it was a 10B. Rob was very surprised at this. Fey informed me once that the girl who sent it was kept very tight while she top roped it and this might have given her an advantage. I found the crux to be super hard; not on my arms or shoulders but on my fingers. The beta I had to come up with was very inventive as well. The beta Rob was telling me didn't work out for me at all. After I got let down I belayed once and decided to keep pushing myself so I climbed this 10. Now this 10 really is one of the biggest jokes at RS. Jesse said he thought it was a full number grade off and I agree. Not only is full of crimps but it has a really hard mantle near the end. After that I was pretty much spent and climbed a lot of true to the grade 10s.
February 12: I went to RS. At first I couldn't believe how tired I felt but I finally got warmed up. I decided to lead this 10 I had never lead before. It felt really easy and afterwards I decided to lead the black lead only route. It felt pretty hard but I redpointed it. After that I kept pushing myself and I top roped a hard 11 and barely got the send. Finally I tried to lead another hard very overhung 11 but ran out of steam. I tried doing some of my bouldering projects but was too tired. I made up a new one but never was able to stick the finish hold.
February 14: After a romantic picnic at the park I decided to try and boulder the limestone bathroom walls(not the one at Cherokee Park). I was able to do the first 2 problems I made up, but the third is real hard. I must have gotten on it 20 times. It starts out hard, then gets really hard, and finally gets insane hard. I was able to do all the moves but never linked them up. There is tons of two finger moves, slopey crimps, and awkward body positions that I actually really enjoy. I didn't have climbing shoes on, but I had an old pair of tennis shoes with the laces pulled as tight as possible. From what I have learned in the past, tennis shoes make everything way harder. My fingers haven't had a workout like that in forever. It's not the equivalent of campusing on crimps, but it is surely like having a heavy weight vest on. I can't wait to come back with some climbing shoes and try to take this thing out, and maybe I'll make a video. Well to conclude I think it's hilarious that the bouldering project I'm the most psyched about is a bathroom problem at the park, but it's the real rock holds and movement that count.
February 15: I went to RS and after doing some stretching I realized my pecks were really sore. It must have been from all the odd moves from yesterday. I started on the boulder project I made up the last time I was there and didn't send, but this time it was easy and I got it first go. After that I made up another one with some heal hooks. I got on one of my advanced bouldering projects and it felt harder than usual and my heel cut as usual. I tried it two more times with the same results. Next I decided to work on a newer advanced problem. First I thought it was way too hard but ended up learning that the secret was to heal hook on this hold around the corner that I didn't notice for my first couple of attempts. After I figured out that move I had to learn how to use this upside down sloper. I got stuck there for a while but finally figured out the only way to get to the next hold was to use the bare wall. I finally got the send on it after about 6 total attempts. I was feeling good about my send and I only rested for about a minute before going back to my advanced project. I had an epiphany right before I got on it and realized I should place my heal on there sideways and then roll it in order to get it stuck in place. It worked but after that I feared I wouldn't be able to make the next move which I have never been able to do, but I made it too. Next you do three more super hard moves and by the end of it I was totally beat. After that I did some top roping and sent a hard 10. I tried doing the really overhung 11 but ran out of steam on the second to last move, it was more of a case of bad foot placement. I climbed a bunch of other 10s and called it a night.
February 16: I solo lead a tree at the park and bouldered a couple of trees as well.
February 17: RRG: It felt great to be at the Red on a 70 degree weekday. I went to Phantasia to work on Twinkie. I felt pretty bad on my usual warmup: Lord of the Flies and so I could tell I was still sore. I definitely shouldn't have climbed even a single tree yesterday. I only got 5 hours of sleep and I think that was taking a toll on me as well. I onsighted Overlord. It would have been a lot easier for me if I had trusted some pockets that I saw out left, but I never even tried to use them. My GF worked on her project (Creature Feature) for a while, and it seemed like she almost sent it. The slab on Twinkie felt a little harder than usual since I forgot my beta. Personal note: Step your left foot up but leave some room to the right of it for my right foot. Left hand on slopey three finger hold and then cross with your right on to the shallow but positive slanted crimp. Step your right foot to the right of your left foot, and put your left higher to the left and then make the move as fast as you can. The beginning of the roof felt harder than usual, and the sequence after the first bolt on the roof felt even harder and I took a nice little fall. I finally figured out the beta for the crux thanks to a video I saw: http://vimeo.com/16854959. The crux felt better than it usually does. The move to the ledge felt easier since I am now making the move as fast as I can. I crawled in for the coffin rest but didn't like it at all. I think my foot even got stuck in there, and I was practically ready to roll out of there and take a fall, but I went for the next clip and made it. I remembered to take a draw with me since clipping the anchors is so hard because those hooks don't like accepting my rope very much. By the time I made it home that night I had never felt so sore in my whole life.
February 18: I could barely get out of bed but later went on a long hardcore mountain bike ride and now I'm feeling pretty good.
February 19: My legs are really sore today, from mountain biking I'm sure. I went to the park and sent my bathroom wall project. It felt an entire number grade easier with climbing shoes on. I stretched a little and just hopped on it. Not only did I send it but I kept going around the corner and did the other half of the wall where I stopped at some type of water meter that I didn't want to risk damaging. After I climbed it I got the worst flash pump ever. I was able to wait it out and boulder for about another hour. I couldn't even resend it though I was so pumped. I think I will rate the problem a Rocksport 5.11A equivalency, but it might be 10D I don't know since I didn't warm up and then I got flash pumped. Since I sent it I will go ahead and give up it's location: it's off of Rock Creek Dr right near Canons LN. You start on the men’s side at the front of the bathroom. The first was a Sycamore Tree. After that I lead soloed a couple of trees. The first was a Sycamore Tree. It wasn't very tall but I had never rope climbed that type of tree before and it was also right over the creek. So much so that I had to take the brake end of the rope and direct it through a branch so it wouldn't be sitting in water. After I climbed it I noticed some of the white powder stuff on my clothes but that was to be expected and it easily wiped off. The next tree I climbed was a huge one on dog hill. I had only brought my short rope with me so I did the tree in two pitches. The view at the top was even more amazing than the last tree I climbed which was over the creek.
February 21: I went to RS. I didn't warm up very good and I paid the price for it. I tried working on my latest project but I still can't get past the crux. I almost think it's because of my gumby shoes, but it's also a matter of reach. I feel too short like the move is near impossible for me. After that I went and had ribs, hung out for a while and went back to RS. I bouldered with a few people and I showed them all of the problems I made up and got a bunch of compliments. We added a dyno to one of them and had a contest to see who would sent it first. I came in last but I was so close to sending it first multiple times. I talked to Fey and she told me she is still projecting that hard 11 route I worked on a little while back, not my last one but the one before that. She told me I am the only one who has sent it, but I know that's not true because I saw Christian send it. I told her my beta on it and wished her luck. Even Rob told me he hasn't been able to send that route yet, but I doubt he has given it very many goes. Later I saw a guy I know working on the Red advanced boulder project I recently sent, and I knew he is an avid boulderer who has been to HP40 many times before, and so I asked him what he thought it was rated. He was sure it was at least a V5, and from my experience with bouldering that is the grade I would have given it or harder. All I am sure of is that it's harder than a V4 and he agreed. One of the guys I was bouldering with showed me a problem he made up and I might start projecting it. The top pout is ridiculous and everybody had a good laugh watching people try to do it, but nobody could.
February 24: I went to RS and had a much better day climbing this time. I finally sent one of this reproject I have been working on. Next I tried my project but still couldn't do the crux move. Later on I made up a couple new bouldering routes and worked on them with a random person. I have decided to up my training by spending about 4 hours at the gym each time I go.
February 27: Today at RS I made some progress on my project. I saw this guy climb it and took note of the way he held the hold I hate so much and then discussed some beta with him. I jumped on the route and was finally able to make it through the crux and I climbed all the way to the third to last move.
March 1: Today at RS I stretched for a very long time and was feeling great. I kept getting on my project and kept falling on the third to last move. I finally made up some beta for the move that makes it a lot easier, but by the time I figured that out I was almost too tired to even make it past the crux let alone finish up the entire route. I think this project will go down my next visit to RS. My 4 hour plan is working great and I can tell I'm getting a lot stronger. At the end of my visit today I had enough strength left I campused this problem I made up twice in a row.
March 2: Today the GF and I went on a hike and I showed her these 5 romantical waterfalls I recently found. I was surprised how great they were all running but not too surprised considering most of them are spring fed. The weather was perfect and we regretted not going to the gorge for a couple of days, but not too much since tomorrow I'm going to this new sort of local bouldering area that my brother and his friend found. Here is a picture of one of the waterfalls I saw today. My brother took this picture the day after that big storm. Today it didn't look any different:
My GF made me this video. I'm adding it to this website because it contains a reference to it:
March 3: I went to the new local bouldering area that was recently discovered today. I made up 4 problems and onsighted the hard one my friend developed up a week ago. The place has the potential for at least 50 problems. Most of the rock was wet from the recent rain but the rock was dry wherever it faced the sun. There is a few boulders and walls that will make for some pretty nice highballs, and there is lots of normal sized boulders as well. I made a video: The first climb is just a warmup on one of the highball boulders, but I don't top it out or even come close to topping it out. In the second climb I found a safe way to top it out. The direct line would need to be cleaned on top(moss) to top out. The third climb is the problem my friend made up a week ago. There is two different way to start it and I chose the hardest full of slopers for my onsight. I think around the end of the sloper traverse I ended up using some holds that they delete to make the start "V6". Here is the 1080p video:
March 11: I have been sick for a while and then got bronchitis. I went to RS today though. I didn't warm up very good. I got on one of my red projects and almost stuck the move that always gives me problems. After a few more attempts I got real tired. I tried to climb for four hours today but after that first hour I didn't feel strong at all.
March 12: I went on a kick butt hiking trip for my brothers birthday.
March 13: I kayaked 11.75 miles of Floyds Fork. Most of it was flat water and so I was sore as crap when I got home.
March 14: I finally got a rest day in.
March 15: I went to RS today. I warmed up for a while and then started working on my project. I made some progress on it and now I'm just one move away from sending it. I must have gotten on it 6 times, but it's not overhung so it doesn't beat you up after each burn.
March 17: First I went to Fishermans Park with my GF for a picnic and we lead a Sycamore tree that overlooked the lakes. It had one good hard section on it with a nice clean fall zone in case you messed it up. After that we went to RS. I warmed up fast and then got on my project(sandbaggers 10B). I sent it first go with not an ounce of energy to spare. The hardest move on it might not be anything over 11A, but it's the amount of endurance you need that makes it so challenging. All of the slopey footchips assure you won't get a good rest in, and it's one hard move after another.
March 19: I went to RS. I warmed up and got on a new project. I know a good climber who called it impossible, and after trying it I almost agree accept for the fact that I have seen a person send it before. After that I decided to start working on a very old project I had. It's one of three projects that I have given up on at RS. As usual it felt hard, but nowhere as hard as it used to feel. I think I might work on this one instead of the new impossible route.
March 20: RRG: Rest day, nope it's time to climb in the gorge. I was with my brother though and so I knew it would be a pretty easy day. We climbed a couple of 9s and then I onsighted a 10. We decided to go and climb Boltergeist(10B) since he had never done it before. He would have sent it but a foothold broke and he got a little scraped up. Someone said that it was the longest top rope fall he has ever seen, which made sense to me considering 180 feet of rope was out(top roping a 100 foot route and he was 20 feet up).
March 21: RRG: I was pretty beat this morning thanks to two strait days of climbing and hiking in and out of Muir, but we decided to go on a crazy hike anyhow. We hiked up this creek. The walls were steep and we had to constantly climb over boulders. Two hours and 2/3 of a mile later we got to a giant waterfall which was great. I figured out that we averaged 1/3 of a mile an hour. After that we went to Tower Rock and I discovered a couple of boulder problems there. I made a video of one of them:
March 22: Today was super nice so I decided to go to my local bouldering spot. I didn't warm up very good and got flash pumped but it went away after a long while. I sent all my classics and decided to make up some new ones. I invented my hardest one yet, and it's probably a V4. After that I made up a cool one that uses a mono pocket. I got on the wall and heard a car stop right behind me, in the corner of my eye I could see that it was a cop. I decided to jump down and then just ignore him. He drove away and I laid down on my boulder mat. Sure enough he came right back and stopped behind me again. I ignored him again and he eventually drove off. I fear my days climbing here are numbered.
March 24: Rocksport: I have decided not to project the new "impossible" route and instead project a route that I gave up on about a year ago. I have only given up on 3 projects and this was one of them. To my surprise the first half of the route felt much easier than it did a year ago, but the second half still feels really hard.
March 25: I went to Tennessee to do some vertical caving and climbing. It rained and rained and when it finally quit we tried to drop a 160 foot pit. As soon as we got it rigged it started to pour so we pulled out. Shortly after it started to hail.
March 26: We went back to the pit and dropped it and after that we went to Foster Falls. It's an incredible place and the sandstone doesn't look like the Red's, it's a lot more blocky. Some areas of the wall were too chossy to bolt, and others are great. In the photo below you can see the choss, but the route I'm climbing is to the right of the choss, and that's why you can't see my rope.
March 27: We drove to Alabama and dropped a 219 foot pit. It was definitely the greatest scenery I have ever seen. It looked like a giant canyon with waterfalls pouring in from two different places. The entrance is so big that you don't even need to turn on your headlamp.
March 28: I was going to take a rest day but I had an urge to climb, and so I did some bouldering on my house. I made up a bunch of new problems, one of which was pretty hard; it took me 10 tries to get it. By the time I was done bouldering on the rough rock, I looked at my pads because they felt stingy and they were all red.
March 29: Rocksport: I made a little progress on my project, but the last few moves still feel extremely hard. The body positioning, the crimps, and the lockoffs are harder than what I'm used to.
March 30: It was nice outside and so I decided to do some bouldering on the side of my house. I made up a bunch of problems, and finally came up with a really hard one. It took me 10 tries but I finally got it. Afterwards my fingers were sore as hell. The pads on my fingers were red and felt really stingy.
March 31: Rocksport: I got to the gym and warmed up pretty fast. I tried to onsight a new 10, but messed up by not noticing a super high foot I should have used which would have created more opposing force on this slanted handhold. After that I got on my project and did pretty good but just couldn't stick the third crimp during the upper crux. After that I started working on an advanced boulder project. I used to stick at it but now I think I have a shot if I just keep working at it. The hardest part is when you are upside down on this crimp rail, then there is a mandatory foot cut while you throw for this crimp. The pads on my fingers were now worse than they were the day before and by the end of the 6 hour session my fingers were really sore.
April 3: My fingers definitely needed two days of rest. I started out the day with a couple tree climbs with my GF. The strong gusts of wind made it very interesting. After that we went to RS. I forgot to stretch but it was so hot out that I already felt warmed up. I did a couple warmup routes anyhow and then it was off to working on my project. My first go went good but I fell where I have been falling lately. After that I had an epiphany, to bump my left hand up instead of trying to go up with my right hand. My next go it worked, and I was sure I was going to send it, but when I went up with my right hand I had to do it extremely fast and I hit my elbow hard as crap on a jug for a different route. It was hard enough that it actually drew blood. My next I was just too beat, but I feel confident that it's going to go down my next visit. My fingers feel stronger than ever, and I've decided to add my house bouldering to my training routine, even though the rough rock does take a toll on my pads.
April 5: Rocksport: I warmed up and then sent my project. I have decided that whenever I send a project I'm going to jump right back on the wall in order to build up some more endurance. I ended up climbing 25% more of the route after I got let down. I decided to work on this older route that was rated 5.12 after seeing my belay partner get on it. I gave it a good go but fell at the crux. I got back on it and flew past the crux but fell at the end during another crux. After that I worked on another one of my projects and finally made it to the last move, but I never was able to do the dyno. After that I kept getting on that other project and finally got it down to one hang. Finally I ended the day with some bouldering, and I learned some new beta on one of my bouldering projects, but it still feels too hard for me. After the 6 hour session I was totally beat.
April 6: I woke up feeling like crap but later I felt better and decided to do some bathroom bouldering near Senica Park. I resent my old project and then kept eliminating holds, but the wall never could spit me off. After that I went to Big Rock and did some bouldering. I found a few great problems on the wall a couple hundred feet away from Big Rock. I need to bring my bouldering pad if I'm going to top any of them out though, they are pretty tall.
April 8: RRG: Went to Military and Redpointed all of the 9s. I had already onsighted the two famous ones there and had some beef to settle with the warmup: Mercy Miss Percy from a couple years back. After that I onsighted the 10A there and called it a day.
April 9: RRG: Took a rest day and hiked about 6 miles of Auxier Ridge to look at the fire damage. It didn't mess up the scenario too bad, and we saw some interesting things, like holes in the ground left from trees burned down to nothing but their solid cores.
April 10: Went to Muir Valley. I onsighted Getting Lucky in Kentucky (10B) and my GF onsighted it on top rope. She was proud she onsighted a 9 on Friday and so this came as quite a surprise to her. After that I took out both 9s at Techtonic Wall. The Really Tall Cool One was wet which added a cool challenge. Again I had a beef to settle with that one from a couple years back. After that I went to climb Boltergeist but it looked like a creek, and so I onsighted the 10C next to it. The slab moves on it were quite tricky, mostly because of the slight spray coming off of Boltergeist.
April 13: RS: I warmed up and got on my 12A project. It hurt my shoulder a little bit. After that my shoulder felt better and I got on it again. Rob gave me some beta on the crux which helped a lot. On my third go of the day I sent it and didn't even feel pumped when I got to the finish jug. I forgot to get back on it to see how far I would make it though. I also onsighted a new 10C. I thought it was quite pumpy, and my guess is that every move on it is 10C. Rob said the route was quite sustained.
April 15: RS: I warmed up and there was a new 11 there. The setter said it wasn't a gimmie 11, and he wasn't kidding. It was very bouldery and extremely crimpy at the end. I ended up getting it at the end of the night on my third go.
April 16 - June: OMG mad rain. My kayaking spirit has been revived. I managed to get 2 new creeks on Americanwhitewater.org in the Louisville area, and I also got the first descent on a steep creek in Louisville which I haven't added to AW yet. I need more pictures and the water to be higher to get better descriptions of the rapids. To keep myself strong for climbing I went to Rocksport a little, Hesters a little, and did a lot of local bouldering. Here is a video of me climbing at Cherokee Park:
July 6: I went to the Red recently but just did a gumby trip since my brother was in town from Cali and wasn't a very good climber. So what's up with Twinkie? They took the perma draws off of it, and I don't really feel like spending the time to hang draws and clean draws on that overhung beast. I think I'm going to try and send this easy 12 over at Left Flank Rob told me about. He said if I can climb that 12 at RS I should be able to send that thing. I finally realize if I'm going to try and break in to 12s, it shouldn't be something that focuses on my weaknesses like Twinkie did(severely overhung). I don't even own a good pair of shoes for overhung climbing, probably because I don't ever do it except for when I boulder or climb Twinkie. I guess I am accepting defeat for now, and I'll come back to it when I'm stronger. I still have the goal of breaking in to 12s though, and that should keep me training.
September 22: I ended up going to Left Flank, but never got the chance to climb Wild Yet Tasty. I spent too long doing warm up climbs and I wanted to hike Indina Staircase before it got too late. I ended up finding a video where an 8 year old sends it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EIraRNA2sLA. I started thinking maybe it's too easy of a climb, and then I found out that kid has been climbing for 6 years(twice as long as me) and then there is the little fact that his dad is Eric Hörst, the author of my book How to Climb 5.12. Greg who is the park manager at Muscatatuck Park said it has a v4 boulder problem on it, and so that led me to believe that it can't be too soft for the grade even though plenty of comments for the route state otherwise.
Mainly in the gym these days I just boulder. A couple months ago I took out as many V3s as I could, and then they put up 3 V4s, a V5, and a V6. Each one took me two days of projecting but I ended up getting all of them in the end. Recently they set a few new problems, I would rate two of them as v3/v4s, and one as a v5. I took out the V3/V4s pretty quick, but the V5 took me two days. The crux is a huge dyno to a sloper. It might have even been a V6 for someone my height, and I can imagine if you are tall enough it might only feel like a V4.
This last weekend I went to Muscatatuck Park to do some bouldering. I had a project there that I never sent on my last visit (Johnny's Lunge) which took me many attempts to get. The ratings there seem much harder than what Rocksport rates problems. One thing is the footholds, they are almost always bad/slippery. The other would be the crimps, some are incut, some are slippery, almost all of them are very thin, and most of them seem to be between a 3 finger crimp to a mono. Here is a video I shot while I was there:
September 27: Well RS added even more new boulder problems in the lead climbing cave area. I ended up onsighting a V1, a soft V3, a V3, and a hard V3. After that I set my sights on a new V6 which ended up taking me two days to get. It was pretty soft for the grade; the first crux was really hard, but the second was only slightly hard. It felt easier than the last V6 I worked on and it's more comparable to the V5 at RS. There is a new V7 there that I plan on working on, and another new problem that is at least V6, but probably closer to V7 if not harder.
October 19: I went to RS to reproject this V6ish climb and I hurt my finger. It felt like the same old finger injury, it will need a couple of weeks to heal. Well I didn't end up doing that and decided to tape it up and climb through it. I decided to stay off of anything harder than V4 since those climbs make it hurt. After doing 4x4s on V3's it ended up hurting anyhow. I went to the Red recently even though my finger was still messed up. I did mostly easy stuff the first day to see how it went, the hardest climb of the day being One Armed Bandit 5.9. The next day I decided to climb some easy 10s, and I managed to onsight 59" Drillbitch and then Bethel. Bethel felt harder since I was already drained and it felt more sustained, but 59" definitely had a harder crux. Recently I went to Knobs State forest and developed about 8 new boulder problems. On a 5 star rating scale none of them were even a 4, but I did manage to make up a couple of cool ones. It was nice climbing on sandstone just 20 minutes from home, and I didn't mind being out there alone. I like this quote from Lynn Hill concerning bouldering: "It's kind of the most purest form of climbing in some ways because it's just you and the rock and that moment". This feeling is even more enhanced when you know there isn't anyone around for at least a mile. My finger is doing a lot better now and I have decided to keep working on my reproject at Rocksport. I almost sent it today and I was only one move away from sending it.
October 8: RRG: My girlfriend and I decided to go back to Animal Crackers Wall since we went there almost a year to the day:
We also went to The Boneyard to climb some 9's, but we missed a couple that I wanted to do.
October 9: RRG: Johnny's/Techtonic Wall: We started out the day with the 8 at Johnny's wall. That thing is a little bit scary considering if you take a fall you will probably be cut to pieces. Next my girlfriend decided to lead the 9 right next to it. She got stuck for a while and finally figured out to traverse left, then up, and then right. After watching how far away from the bolt you have to traverse I decided to just top rope it for some care free climbing. After that we went to go climb some of the classic 10's there. I onsighted 59" Drillbitch and my girlfriend sent it on top rope. After that I onsighted Bethel. Even though I couldn't find any distinct crux on it, it felt harder endurance wise, which probably had to do with the fact that I just climbed 59". Finally we finished up on the Tall Cool One at Techtonic Wall.
October 16: Knobs State Forest: I had wanted to go here to check out the bouldering potential for a long time, but the only bouldering pad I had weighed a ton and I couldn't hike in with it. I decided to make my own light-weight one using foam from a Dodge van seat and a tarp. The finished product worked great and I put a strap on it and hooked it to my backpack. I couldn't find anyone to go with me and so I decided to head out there alone. I left my trip itinerary with my folks and headed out. The 1.3 mile hike to the boulders isn't a walk in the park; there are many hills and one knob you have to get over. I quickly developed many problems and had a great time cleaning them and working out the beta. One problem Dismantle, took me many tries. Not because it was particularly hard at V2, but because it was so balancey. I ended up with two projects, one V7ish problem and one V5. The place isn't the next LRC or HP40 or anything, but the hiking and scenery at the bouldering spot is excellent, and I'm sure you will think at least a few problems were fun.
October 23 RRG: My brother and I like to do a trip out there together once every fall and this was it. My plan was to go to Easter Sky Bridge and climb some of the problems there. I found a bouldering guide for the area: http://purdueoutingclub.org/files/climbing/docs/rrgbouldering.pdf and my plan was to climb The Pearl, which is thought to be the best problem at the Red. While halfway to the Red I realized I forgot my new bouldering pad I made, and so we went hiking instead. WE went to Double Arch and let me say that the Auxier Ridge area is absolutely amazing during fall. The tree tops were completely brilliant with color of course, but so was the ground due to millions of baby Maple trees. I found a couple of cool boulder problems on top of Double Arch and then we hiked to another arch that I can’t remember the name of. Of course I found some bouldering near it as well.
October 24 RRG: We went to Muir Valley and my plan was to climb all of the ones I wanted to do last time but missed. We got on Cinderella and then One Armed Bandit. During out lunch break at One Armed Bandit I realized I was sitting right next to Johnathon Siegrist, it was cool getting to meet him considering how many times I've watched that Pure Imagination video. Next my brother and I climbed some of the newer 9s there. Stealing Melinda was way too short. I liked the bouldery moves but the no hands rest in the middle of the route kind of ruins it. Hijacked Project had a very hard awkward crux, but pulling the roof with the healhook at the start was a lot of fun. Some people were complaining about the holds being sharp, but I thought they were great and had that virgin rock feel to them, which I love. For our last climb we decided to do the tall 8 at Animal Crackers wall.
October 28: Rocksport: There is a new pink route that feels really hard. Harder than 11A that's for sure. I climbed it over and over and after watching someone else climb it I got some good beta, but I was too beat to send it.
October 30-31: Kings Bluff: People say it's a choss pile, people say the routes are too short, people say it's not worth going to, well I say that place is a blast and with the river below you the scenery is great. We had the whole place to ourselves, there is no approach, the entire wall is gridbolted, and so it was non stop climbing the entire time. The rock sometimes had texture on it that was way more textured than sandstone, and sometimes the rock was smooth which made for some good slopers. I will admit the very end of a bunch of routes did turn in to choss, but as long as your belayer isn't standing directly below you I didn't see it as much of a problem. The short routes annoyed me a little, but they were all good. We at least found a couple of tall ones, and so that made the trip a little more fun. We stayed at the A&W Motel for about $43, but boy did we screw up; it smelled really bad and we realized it was a smoking room. We got used to the smell real quick and decided not to switch rooms. Well I woke up in the middle of the night with allergies and couldn't get to sleep for hours. Lesson to learn, always look at the room first if you go to a cheap hotel. Here are some pictures from our trip:
November 4: Rocksport: I sent the newer pink route on my first go. There were two new routes put up, I onsighted the 10B, and got the 10C(the route is easy except for the 11B crux) after a few attempts.
November 11: Rocksport: I finally sent a project I have been working on there for months. The route says 5.11C, but I think it's a lot harder than the only 12 I have sent there.
November 7: Knobs State Forest:
November 13: Knobs State Forest: I decided to take my girlfriend to knobs to see what she thought of the place. Instead of bushwacking strait there like I normally do, I took the blue trail and turned right on the yellow trail. The yellow trail is a logging road, and it comes to a split, where the official yellow trail goes left, and an unmarked logging road goes right. I decided to go right since I had been on that road before. You walk a little ways and then bushwack left for a short ways and you come up on the canyon where the boulders are. We had a great time there, and afterwards we decided to bushwack back so that we could hike to the top of a random knob. The wind was blowing so hard it felt like we were mountain climbing. The view was great as always, and I just can't get enough of this place.
November 18-19: Kings Bluff: I went back to Kings Bluff with my girlfriend. We warmed up and decided to do our first multipitch sport route. You don't have to do it in two pitches, but since the route has two sets of anchors and a great ledge to belay from, we figured it would be a cool experience and it was. On Friday we had the entire bluff to ourselves except for two other people who we only saw once. Our goal was to try and climb as many routes as we could, which went almost too well considering how tired we were at the end of the day. On Saturday there were a few small groups of people, and one guy who was trying out his new Silent Partner:
November 28: Over the last week I started a new bouldering project at RS. The best girl boulderer at Rocksport estimated that it was a V8, but my guess is a V7. I finally sent it today, with enough energy left over to do 7 pullups.
November 30: In the middle of the night I decided to do a bunch of pushups. I guess I should have warmed up first because it led to an injury in my right tricep.
December 7: My arm finally healed and so I went to Hesters to boulder. I tried to take it easy, but I felt week anyhow. I ended up sending a bunch of problems, and I left with 4 projects.
December 10: Hesters: I sent 2 of my projects and made tons of progress on the other 2.
December 12: My girlfriend and I decided to shoot a video with her new Iphone 4s. The climb is in Louisville about 3 minutes away from my house. A couple of the shots got messed up/glitchy. They seemed fine until we hit cancel while the phone was being backed up in iTunes. We hit cancel so that we could hurry up and upload them with iPhoto. I first uploaded the video to Vimeo, but then found out that you can only display videos in 1080p if you have a plus or pro account. After uploading the video to Youtube, I could see a definite improvement(at least in the second shot) when 1080p is selected compared to Vimeo's HD(720p). I will put both videos below, but note that you can only see a difference in full screen and if your monitor is displaying in 1080p or higher.
December 14: RS: I decided to boulder every problem V4 and under. I'm not feeling very strong. I have decided to take the rest of the month off to try and recover from a year of climbing.
December 27: I took a hot shower and afterwards started to brush my teeth. As I was brushing them I walked out in to my cold room. All of a sudden my neck felt like it got hit with a bat. Days later it still hurt so I talked to a doctor and he said it was most likely a muscle spasm. A week later and my neck is still sore. With all of the hard climbing I do, I can't believe I hurt my neck just brushing my teeth.
January 1: I went to RS and just climbed 10B's and under to get back in to the groove. I did attempt my 11+ reproject, but failed miserably.
January 3: I went to RS and tried to climb every V3 and under, but by the end of the day I couldn't get these two super overhanging ones.
January 5: I went to RS and got both of those V3's and then sent everything V4 and easier.
January 8: I went to RS and tried to send all of the V5's. I got 3 of them and saved the easiest for last, but was too tired to send it.
January 10: I went to RS and sent that V5, and then tried to send all of the V6's. I got two of them but couldn't do the dyno one.
January 12: I went to RS and still couldn't get that dyno problem. I started reprojecting that V7/V8 boulder problem, but after a few tries I got totally worn out.
January 14: I went to RS and took out that dyno problem. I don't think I warmed up very good, and I think all the falls on the dyno problem hurt my back.
January 15: It's official, my back is screwed up, my guess is for a week. Next time I take a bunch of time off, I'm going to do situps every other day to make sure my core and back stay strong.
January 22: I went to Vertical eXcape in Indiana. It stinks as far as lead climbing goes, not much there. There is tons of top ropes. The quality of the routes suffer, but at least they're always changing them out from what I've heard. The bouldering was good but hard, the upstairs was the most sandbagged ratings I've ever seen. Probably because there are some strong climbers in that gym. They top ropes went up to 5.13.
January 26: I went to Hesters but the climbing gym was closed because of flooding, I think from a water-main. One thing I love about that place is the staff, they gave me two free passes for my troubles.
January 27: I went to RS and took it pretty easy since my back isn't 100% yet.
January 29: RS: They put up some new routes. I got on this 10C, but the crux got me.
January 31: RS I sent that 10C using some crazy beta where you skip a hold. Apparently the new yellow 10A/B is the running joke of the gym, as in it's sandbagged. Funny because the last yellow 10A/B was super sandbagged as well. I got on it during my last climb of the day and took a couple of hangs on it.
February 2: RS I sent that yellow route, and it didn't feel too bad, maybe 10C/D. I started working on a new route that feels like a 12- to me.
February 4: I went to Cherokee Park to boulder. I found a new line, but couldn't top it out due to moss at the top of the cliff.
February 5: I went to Knobs State Forest to boulder. After warming up I went to get on my project, but couldn't do the first move. Later after getting home and watching my video, I realized I wasn't using one of the start holds today because I thought it was out. O well.
February 7: I went to RS. I decided to do some lead climbing since there was a new route. I messed up on the onsight because according to someone’s beta, I should have been underclinging more on this big hold.
February 9: I went to RS. I sent that new lead climb, it felt surprisingly easy. I'm still reprojecting that boulder problem, and I can't see much improvement.
February 11: I went to Cherokee. I sort of sent that new line, but I'm not counting it since I had to grab a tree to top it out. I brushed the top of it before I left so that next time I could top it out for real.
February 12: I went to RS for a few hours. Pretty much got worn down on my reproject real fast. I tried to do a new boulder problem someone made up, but never got it.
February 14: I decided to go visit my girlfriend for Valentines Day. I plan on staying for a week, and my plan is to boulder trees to stay strong.
February 15: I found a couple of great tree boulder problems, and I found two different trees I can do rounds on, and one of them even has a V3 crux.
February 20: I went to Cherokee Park with a few people. We set up some top ropes and had a great time. I made it to the top of one of my projects but it was all muddy up there so I couldn't top it out.
February 21: RS: Worked on my 12- project and my boulder reproject.
February 22: RS: Worked on my 12- project and my boulder reproject.
February 24: RS: Worked on my 12- project and my boulder reproject.
February 26: Cherokee Park. I made some huge progress there today and sent all 3 of my projects. Thanks to the cleaning on top of that new one I was able to top it out without using the tree. I then went and cleaned up some mud from the other one and then sent it. Finally I sent my traverse project. Using new beta it felt like it went from V6 to V5. When I actually sent it the crux felt like V4, but then I got to a second much easier crux section and it felt like the hardest part.
March 1-9: I went to RS a bunch to Work on my 12- project and my boulder reproject. I also did some lead climbing.
March 10 - 12: Jackson Falls at Shawnee National Forest: What can I say, this place is great. Non stop routes for over a mile with no approach. My only complaint would be that most of the routes aren't very tall compared to the RRG. The rock was sandstone like the Red, but it was featured in a much different way. There were tons of slopers, and the cliffs were either slab, or overhung. The first climb we did was a highball boulder problem. It had anchors, and so I threw my rope over the boulder and climbed up the rope to set up a top rope. After that we did a bunch of easy routes. One of the best was a chimney route. We also climbed a pinnacle that had an easy top out. Most of the routes we climbed were about 70 feet tall. Here is some pics:
March 14: RS
March 17-18: Went to Mesmor Ridge near Hemlock Cliffs to go rappelling off of a 150 cliff. We also used our frog systems to climb back up. After we did that a couple of times my brother and I went camping. I developed a few boulder problems, all of which were on surprising good rock(Indiana has chossy sandstone).
March 20: RS: Climbed like crap.
March 22: RS: One hung my 12- project. I also did some lead climbing.
March 28: RS: I worked on a new V7 boulder project, and did a bunch of 4x4's.
March 30: Went to Cherokee to boulder, but it was pretty wet. I found a few dry lines and managed to have a good time.
April 1st-2nd: RRG: The first day we went to Eastern Skybridge. We warmed up on a few boulder problems. I flashed a V1 and Wino Dyno(V3). Sadly enough it took me a few trys to get the V0 next to it, that top out is hard. After that I attempted The Pearl. It felt impossible, maybe I was supposed to heel hook, I don't know. I think I would have sent it had it not been for the mosquitoes ;) I didn't spend much time on it for that reason, and my boulder pad was a little too small for the job. After that we climbed the 5.8+. Someone left a brand new biner on the first bolt, we had a good laugh. In their defense the crux is after the first bolt. It's not physically hard at all, just balancy/technical. The next day we went to PMRP and climbed a bunch of easy stuff. We had a blast though, the weather was awesome, well except at the gold coast where it felt like a barren desert, even in the 70 degree weather. The last climb of the day was the 9 at The Darkside. The hardest move on it was probably easier than a 9, but that thing is a pump fest, reminds me of Sunshine and Moonbeam.
I made a short little bouldering video. The first problem is one I made up at Shawnee, and the second is one I made up at Mesmor Ridge:
April 5 & 7: I went to Cherokee Park. I made up a couple of easy problems, and worked on a couple of projects I have there.
13: We got to our cabin, went hiking along the river, then went to a bar to celebrate my friends bachlour party.
14: Hiked to Kaymoor mines. I found some bouldering along the way. Instead of taking the 800 steps back up the mountain, we went down to the tracks and hiked back to the road. From there we ventured up a steep creek full of boulders, which took us to our car. Then we drank a lot.
15: Went to Orange Oswald Wall at Summersville Lake. We warmed up on a 85 foot 5.7 called Hippie Dreams. It was really easy. Next we climbed a 5.8 called Sniff the Drill. It was overhung and was really pumpy like Sunshine/Moonbeam. After that we climbed a 7 called That Eight. For a 7 it was pumpy too. The last route we climbed was a 5.9 called Souled Out. I had a true gumby moment; the first bolt was way up there and my stickclip couldn't reach it. Someone warned me that climbing up to it and clipping it is sketchy if you're short, so a random nice climber offered to climb up and clip it for us.
16: On Monday we went to Bubba City's Tattoo Wall. We warmed up on a 70 foot 5.6 called Bobby D's Bunny. It was a cool route for the grade. Next we did Geisha Girl, a 95 foot 5.8. Again our stick-clip was too short, so we tied a log to it and made the clip. After that we did Mrs. Field's Follies, another 95 foot 5.8. I climbed up to the roof and had a bad feeling. The last bolt was way below me and it sits behind a sharp flake. I realized my helmet wasn't on, and I decided to down-climb to the last bolt. Sure enough the rope was behind the flake. I lowered and got my helmet, made sure the rope was on the outside of the flake, and pulled the surprisingly easy roof. After that we did Butterfly Flake, an awesome 5.7:
The last route we climbed was Shady Lady, a nice 5.7 with some cool crack action.
April 20: Hesters. I went to Hesters and thank god my project was still there. I jumped on it and forgot all of the beta, but ended up getting it my second go. Then I climbed until my arms were mush.
April 29: I went with my brother to set up an extreme rope swing. I also made up some boulder problems on a limestone wall. Here is the video:
May 1: I got a month pass at Rocksport. I bouldered for a long time and finally went to toprope. I was hoping to onsight this 10A, but not only was I beat, but some jackass yelled "it sucks" when I did a huge move during the crux and of course I didn't stick the hold. Not because it sucked, more because I thought it was going to and I might pull a tendon, so I never even tried to lock off my grip. After I came down he was like "are you serious" turned his head and walked away. What a douche, but I guess he was surprised considering I can send harder routes then him, yet I couldn't onsight a 10A. After that I tried to climb this 9 using someone else’s beta, but fell during the crux. Got back on it and got to the top. Then on my second attempt I did the same thing. What a bad day, but then again I haven't been climbing much lately because of work.
May 6: RS: the first thing I did was send that 9 on my first go using my own new beta. Next I took out the 10. After that I just bouldered every V4 and under.
May 10: Knobs State Forest: My GF and I went to hike to the top of a knob where there is a great overlook and some bouldering. The ticks were insane, and I'm never coming back here during the summer again. I ended up having a mishap at the end of the day(on video). I should have had a spotter, but every time I fell there before I was fine. Well I had to learn my lesson the hard way, and now my ankle is screwed up, but not nothing serious. Here is the video:
May 17: RS: I bouldered and climbed some 10s and 11s.
May 21: RS: They put up some new routes, so that's always fun. One said 10 B/C, and this really good climber I was climbing with fell like 10 times. He thought maybe he was weak sauce that day, but then I got on it and fell more times then he did. The crux is definitely up there and requires me to dyno to a mail slot crimp that is slopey above it. So whenever I throw to far my hand slides down the slopey part right past the slot. It's definitely a low percentage move for me.
May 24: Cherokee Park: In my earlier video I climbed a line about half way, and in the description I said I thought it might keep going. While climbing the route I found a slopey crimp higher up, and then from above I cleaned a three finger dish. I was almost able to send it but the landing felt too sketch and so I kept chickening out.
May 27: RS: Just bouldered today. I am finally climbing V5 again. I pretty much tore them all up.
May 30: Cherokee Park: Since I'm feeling strong again I decided to try and take out my Cherokee Park project before my big trip. I upgrading the landing using a bunch of logs, and after doing some test falls I went for it. Well I finally took it out. I'm not sure if it's a V4 or a V5, it's hard to tell when you are concentrating as hard as you can on not falling.
June 1 - 11: YOSEMITE: My plan is to climb Half Dome's regular Northwest Route (5.9, C1.) using nothing but home-made gear. My brother and I constructed a full set of stoppers using nothing but stuff we bought at the hardware store. We did extensive testing on the gear on some short 25 foot trad lines at Cherokee Park, and the gear appears to be bomber. In case you haven't figured it out I am just messing with you.
June 1: Got to Newport beach where my brother lives at about noon. We went out to eat some overpriced california hippy meal full of veggies, and then set off on a bike ride. We took the Balboa Island Ferry and rode past millions of flowers and multimillion-dollar houses and got to Corona Beach. There are a lot of established boulder problems there, everything from really overhung to slab. The slab was slick as snot, and I couldn't help but wonder what kind of rock it was, but my guess is limestone.
June 2: We did a hike called 7 falls, too bad they were all dry. I got some bouldering in though:
After that we went camping on the beach.
June 3: Big Sur: We went to a pirate cave, and then Mcway Falls:
We camped at a cool State Park.
June 4: We went on a hike through a Redwood Forest at the park we stayed at and checked out a waterfall there. Next we drove to our hotel just outside of Yosemite. It was raining hard and so we didn't go, that and we didn't have much time left before it was dark anyhow.
June 5: The drive in to the south gate of Yosemite is brutal. We did Ponderosa Grove, Bridal Veil Falls, and Yosemite Falls. Next we hiked to Mirror Lakes, which is more of a creek then a lake. Lastly we went to Camp 4 to do some bouldering:
After that we went back to our hotel.
June 6: Today was our big hike day. I wanted to hike to the top of Half Dome but we never got our permits, stupid lottery. We did the Mist Trail anyhow, and what a hike. Once we were at the Top of Nevada Falls I wanted to keep going to Half Dome since someone said they weren't checking permits, but everyone in my group was too tired. We took the John Muir Trail back down, the view from the top was awesome. I found more than a few boulder problems on this hike, you can see them in the video. We camped at Wawona where I got the FA on a boulder problem that I discovered in the woods.
June 7: We drive to Glacier Point in Yosemite. That place looks like it has some awesome bouldering potential, but we were in a pretty big rush. We hiked to Illilouette Falls which is one of the main watersheds for the valley. After that we drove down Big Oak Flat Road and explored an amazing creek full of giant boulders and waterfalls that's right off of the road. You could go in a cave behind one of the waterfalls, which is in the video. We camped somewhere not far away.
June 8: Time to leave Yosemite, but not without going through Tioga Road. We stopped at Tenaya Lake, then Tuolumne Meadows. I was determined to hike to the top of at least one dome, so we did Lembert Dome which overlooks the meadows and glacier covered mountains. Next it was a long drive home. The whole trip it was 70 degrees and so when I got out of the car in the desert (10 miles from death valley), I didn't know what was going on, then someone told me it was 100 degrees, I thought I was just being a wuss.
June 9: We went to the beach where I learned to surf within minutes. I always knew I was going to be good at it. The water was cold even with wetsuits, mainly it was the wind.
June 10: Went to Huntington Beach. It was a perfect day and the waves were insane. I surfed with dolphins and had one of the best days of my life.
June 11: Flew home.
Video:
June 13: Cherokee: I worked on my high traverse project and later found out I had a bad run in with chiggers.
June 16: Went to RS with my GF. I didn't climb very hard, but I did lead some new routes, and I onsight led a new super overhung 5.9. I also worked on this insane hard new route. I'm sure it's a 12. It's hard enough that nobody appears to be projecting it. I made it half way, and then my fingers started hurting.
June 20: Climbed on the side of my house until my pads couldn't take it anymore. The tiny crimps always make my fingers feel like mush afterwards, which means they're only getting stronger.
June 23: I went to my local bouldering spot and climbed my butt off. Then next day I felt completely run down.
June 25: Cherokee: I sent my traverse project and made a beta video:
I also got another bad case of chiggers.
June 28: RS: Got a day pass and it was like 115 degrees due to a broken airconditioner. O well I figured it would be good training for my trip this weekend. I sent all of the V5's which I was proud of considering the heat.
June 29, 30, and July 1st: Stone Fort / Little Rock City: We got to my friends hang glider establishment on Friday night. We set up our tents only to find airconditioning and bunkbeds in the clubhouse. We took down the tents and slept in there. On Saturday the heat was insane. I bought a fan mister(spraybottle) which kept me from passing out. I didn't climb very well as far as hard stuff goes, but I sent every classic easy problem I got on. On Sunday my plan was to send Super Mario (V4) which I did pretty easily. A few minutes later I sent it again but this time I got someone to shoot video. It was an awesome trip and I can't wait to get back there. Here is the video:
July 3: I got a 3 month pass at Rocksport since it's buy 2 get one free if you like their Facebook page. I just bouldered for a couple of hours. They put up a new hard problem, and so that gave me something to do. I was still a little sore from my trip so I took it pretty easy.
July 5: I went to Cherokee to finish my bouldering video:
This time I put on a ton a bug-spray and didn't get any chiggers.
July 9: RS: I decided to take it kind of easy and stuck with 10s. I also onsighted a slopey 10D/11A and I onsight led a new really overhung 9 that is really a 10A.
July 11: RS: I took out couple 11s and started working on my orange reproject. It says 11B, but it's the hardest 11 in the gym, even harder than the 11C that used to say 12A. I am also reprojecting that 11C/12A.
July 13: RS: I sent a solid 11 and then took out another 11. I also worked on my reprojects
July 14: I went to Hesters with some friends. I took it pretty easy, but had a great time thanks to there being lots of new stuff. I sent at least one hard line that I was quite proud of.
July 15: I went to a cookout at Tyler Park. I climbed that limestone wall for hours afterwards. Instead of using the easy horizontal cracks above each block, I only used handholds that were on the faces of the blocks.
July 16-17: my arms are super screwed up, it must have been the campusing at the playground.
July 18: RS: I took out that 11C/12A reproject, but no luck on the orange reproject.
July 21: RRG: First we went to Left Flank and I climbed Mr Bungle to warm up. Next I started on my new project: Wild Yet Tasty 12A. The fourth clip is as bad as they say it is, but at least I figured it out. It took me a while to figure out how to do the easier beta for the crux, and by the time I figured it out my bicep started hurting pretty bad. After that we went to Phantasia. My GF is projecting Creature Feature. She has sent a 10B in the Red but not that thing yet. It's such a guy route, all upper-body. No luck though. Twinkie was a mad house, not that I was feeling good enough to get on it anyhow.
July 22: RRG: We went to Muir. First we did a bunch of stuff at Land Before Time Wall, and then we climbed the easy stuff at The Great Wall. It was really hot, but at least we had both of those walls all to ourselves.
July 24: RS: I climbed really strong today. I warmed up fast and climbed this 10A and felt so good I immediately jumped back on the wall and sent an 11. After that I took out my orange reproject, jumped back on and got halfway up the 10D. Next I sent that 11C/12A, and then tried to immediately climb an 11 but fell at the hard low crux. After that I sent a 10D, jumped back on and sent a 10B/C. Finally I climbed a "10" with a hard 11 crux, jumped back on and sent a hard 10, and finally jumped back on and sent a hard 9 almost twice in a row. It was a good day. It's hours later and I'm still feeling great, not sore at all.
July 28: I dropped the biggest open air pit in Kentucky: Frenchmans Knob. I ended up finding a couple of sandstone boulder problems near the entrance. All FA's I'm sure :)
August 5: Little Rock City: My girlfriend and I went to Stone Fort. It was about 97 degrees, a little better than the last time I went. We warmed up on a few V1s and then I worked on a very overhung V3. It took me a while to get the tricky top out, but I finally got it. After that I worked on a V4 I had picked out earlier. It had a slopey pinch way up high, but after a few attempts I got it. After that my girlfriend worked on Brians Brain, but finally got too tired to get the send.
August 6: We went to Leda, it was wicked hot out. The trail to the easy climbs was overgrown and full of downed logs. I started having doubts that it was a trail at all and we finally gave up. Once we got back to the car I did some scouting and found out we were on the right track, but o well it was just too hot. We decided to take a swim in the river and the first thing we saw at the parking lot was a busted out window and a cop. He told us he was leaving and if we had any valuables to hide them. We decided to take a quick dip and then get out of there. After that we went to Lookout Mountain and let me say, Point Park is awesome.
August 7: We went to Foster Falls. A lot of the climbs were wet, but we finally found a dry easy one and climbed it. After that we tried to take a dip at the falls but it was freezing, so we didn't stay long.
August 9 - August 23 at Rocksport: Just a lot of top roping. My main project is to send the Orange hard 11 followed by the Green hard 10. I bouldered about once a week to keep my strength up.
August 25: We got the climbers cabin at Torrent. We had a beginner climber with us and so we climbed all of the easy stuff there.
August 26: We went to Bruise Brothers since it's full of easy stuff. I had already sent Rising on top rope, and I got too pumped last time I lead it, and so I gave it another shot. I clipped off of a crimp and almost gave up, but immediately after that I found the clipping jug and got a good shake. I found the rest of the route very easy, unlike the first time I sent it on top rope.
September 1-14: My girlfriend went back to college and so I did a ton of bouldering and just a tiny bit of top-roping at Rocksport.
September 15-16: I went to Rockcastle to go caving and hiking. On our hiking trip I discovered some awesome boulder problems. One was a horizontal roof full of heal-hooks. Another one I enjoyed was a very techy slab problem with a dyno to a slopey hold. I found out the only way to stick the hold was to pinch as hard as you could.
September 18 - 22: Sick with bronchitis.
September 23: RS: I bouldered today and finally was able to repeat the pink boulder problem Ariana said was a V8. I also almost sent my Orange-Green project, but fell after almost completely finishing the crux on Green. Not bad for just coming back after being sick.
September 27: RS: I mostly worked on all of my boulder projects.
September 29: I finally sent Ariana's other "V8" boulder problem, the yellow and black one. I remembered some beta where you bump off of a foot-chip so that you don't have to dyno.
October 1: RS: They put up a new top rope route, a hard 10. I fell on the last move during my onsight. Later Scotty offered to belay me and again I fell on the last move. He suggested I wait a few minutes and then get back on, and since the beta would be so fresh I would be able to make a good attempt. I doubted that I had the energy to do it, but I ended up succeeding.
October 3: RS: I bouldered a ton, and then at the end of the night I ended up lead climbing in the cave. It was a hard send but I got it. After that my partner climbed it and then I sent it again.
October 4: OMG, I am so sore!!!
October 5: RS: I decided to work on a bunch of boulder projects I have, but all in all it was a crappy climbing day. I would have taken two rest days, but I'm going to the Red on Sunday and I need my rest day to be tomorrow.
October 7: RRG: We got the latest start ever, and then went to Military. I was able to Redpoint all of the 9's, but didn't have any time to work on my project at Left Flank.
October 8: RRG: Woke up and it was raining. We slept and slept but it never stopped. Finally around noon it stopped and I thought the rock would be too wet to climb anything easy so we went hiking. I found a ton of boulder problems with sandy landings, so I didn't even need a crashpad. Around 3 o-clock it got nice and I regretted not sticking with our original plans to go and climb at the Gallery. It was a great hike anyway, but I was sad we didn't get much climbing in on our trip.
Redpoint, not just setting new posting standards, but new traversing standards as well:
