Californicator

On Tuesday, July 14th I redpointed my hardest sport climb to date: Californicator 5.12.d/7c.

(click to enLARGE)

It's taken me a lil while to process, but I know now that
I can climb harder. On my first go of the day, I climbed sloppily, distractedly, and hurriedly, dry firing off a hold after just four clips. When I fell, I hung there on the rope kinda pissed- I felt like I was fighting the rock and the moves- my head just wasn't in it- and to make matters worse I tore the skin off my right hand pretty good gushing blood. Time to come down I realized. "Dirt me," I asked. BREATHE.

On redpoint, my second go of the day, I didn't feel strong, I didn't feel necessarily confident, but I gave my commitment, my patience, and my vulnerability to every hand and foot placement. When I linked to the typewriter hold, I was suprised, but I figured a fall was inevitable, I decided to hold on and see how far I could go. Taking a deep breath, feeling my heart beating, and then exhaling, I commited to my new beta for the last crux seperating me from the huge rest jug and last 3 bolts of 5.11- to the anchors. I stuck it! Hanging, pumped stupid at the rest jug, I was dazed at having eclipsed my previous high point- I suddenly felt my mind crashing into a frenzy as to what to do next. "COME ON NICK! You GOT this bro!" Micah yells up to me. I feel confident with Dom on belay, so I fire into the final requisite 5.11 sequences, trying to stay on my feet, breathe, (and pray)... to be frank with y'all even the very LAST move to the finishing jug, I didn't think I was gonna send... but I did! I threw myself sillily off the wall laughing. Such a RADICAL route and day of rock climbing.

(NOTE: props to Micah for sending this same day Slug Lover 5.12c/7b+ second go !)

So what's next?

I have my eye on a couple of awesome rock climbs, but my heart is set on just one.

My project now is Chronic 5.13b/8a. One of my dream routes of Washington State for years, Chronic has two easier variations that share its first seven bolts' worth of climbing:
Californicator (the route I just sent) & Californication 5.13a/7c+ (Californicator extension into Technoriginee 5.12c/7b+).

Although it's naive of me to think that I've got Chronic "half done", I do have a honed instinct now of what climbing a route of this caliber will demand of me.