Pebble Wrestle

2012 Goals

2012-01-20T22:44:00.000-08:00

I've given some thought to goals for the new year.

Graduate/find job/pass NCLEX exam/relocate with girlfriend --- May/June (ish)
Climb (duh)

a. Learn how to crack climb (i.e. trad) Trad, for me, is where I see my biggest evolution as a climber. I dream a lot of bigger faces, more air beneath me, and cleaner, more

sustained lines. It's amazing how climbers are blending the power/dynamism of bouldering and the face climbing prowess of sport climbing to re-imagine trad climbing.

b. Do a one-arm pull up This is a "left-over" from 2011. I choose to see this as a reason for excitement- I suck at the upper body stuff!! I've been training for this one by doing off-set pull-ups; using an elastic band for one arm. In theory, as my strength builds I should be pulling with the hand on the elastic band lower and lower and less and less until all my weight is managed by exclusively the other arm. The other training method I'm experimenting with are these things called negative isometrics (I think)- basically starting from the "top" of a pull up, letting go with one arm and holding with one arm the engaged pull up, slowly lowering as strength wanes. I've recently learned that push muscles (i.e. push ups/bench press) actually help to improve pull muscles... hmmm. Anyways, if anyone has advice for the one-arm pull up thing I'm all ears lol.

c. Motor Engrams In the climbing book I'm currently reading- Performance Rock Climbing (highly recommended), the authors are discussing engrams- the brain's complete record of the movements that we've made; the mind-body's "vocabulary," based on sensory feedback from our muscles, tendons, joints, and skin. Basically, I want to heighten the "IQ"of my climbing movement. For me, this equates to:

i. more dynamism

ii. greater precision/economy of movement

iii. focusing in on my style (note: look at this interesting article for more on what I mean by my"style": http://www.theboulderingbook.com/2012/01/interviewwithcarlotraversi.html)

iv. footwork... I already have good footwork, but I want to push, pull, and hook even smarter. (any suggestions for exercises?)

v. better onsight climbing

d. Climb harder... the inevitable topic: grades. I do have number goals for 2012. v11/8a bouldering, 5.13+ sport (solidification of 5.13- is a priority), and 5.12a/7a+ trad. We shall see...

Well, that's all for now. I leave you with a short clip from the (crazy) grand opening celebration of the expansion of EarthTreks-Rockville I attended this past weekend! Closest thing to a comp I've climbed at in years!

Next post will probably be on what training will be looking like leading up to my spring break - seven (7) weeks away. Thanks for reading!

Bless God al(l)ways.

Martin Luther King Jr Day

2012-01-17T02:55:00.000-08:00

Rad session at the gym yesterday...

dispatched .12c I'd worked on 10 times or so

onsighted a ".12a" (soft)

got to work on the new steep section of the expansion with Brian (I've got some projects there now)

sent two hard (for me) new v7s

Time to begin a new training cycle (st0ked)... stay tuned for training and climbing goals 2012.

Stay blessed and bless'n, be thankful for your civil liberties, and pass on the vision of a brighter tommorrow.

Old Sharma Article...

2012-01-15T14:01:00.001-08:00

http://espn.go.com/magazine/vol6no01sharma.html

Tour of the [Expanded] EarthTreks Rockville Gym

2012-01-12T13:03:00.000-08:00

This is now the largest gym in the United States !

v7 that I hurt my right hand on (I bet you'll be able to hear where I mess it up...still hurts)

"pretty well sums it up don't it?"

2011-12-04T17:33:00.000-08:00

"The first question which you will ask and which I must try to answer is this, 'What is the use of climbing Mount Everest ?' and my answer must at once be, 'It is no use'. There is not the slightest prospect of any gain whatsoever. Oh, we may learn a little about the behavior of the human body at high altitudes, and possibly medical men may turn our observation to some account for the purposes of aviation. But otherwise nothing will come of it. We shall not bring back a single bit of gold or silver, not a gem, nor any coal or iron. We shall not find a single foot of earth that can be planted with crops to raise food. It's no use.
So, if you cannot understand that there is something in man [and woman] which responds to the challenge of this mountain and goes out to meet it, that the struggle is the struggle of life itself upward and forever upward, then you won't see why we go. What we get from this adventure is just sheer joy. And joy is, after all, the end of life. We do not live to eat and make money."
-- George Leigh Mallory, 1922

THE EXPANSION

2011-12-03T15:50:00.000-08:00

JUST QUICK UPDATE: THE EARTHTREKS ROCKVILLE GYM EXPANSION IS GONNA BE SICK.

ONE OF THE NEW BOULDERING WALLS

THE NEW WORKOUT ROOM

Dean.

2011-10-19T17:11:00.001-07:00

Yosemite Falls High-Line from Camp 4 Collective on Vimeo.

Climbed ONE (1), lol

2011-09-22T21:26:00.001-07:00

GYM DAY

2011-09-20T14:35:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow, I've decided is V8 day

No, not the vegetable drink.

No, not the automobile engine.

The climbing gym-rat, crowded cave, bouldering kind.

If I'm fit, (and a gym sets honest) v8 bouldering equates to 80% of my maximum effort.

I'm not fit right now .

With the next six months of life invested in my senior year exams, clinicals, papers, presentations, & independent study I feel blessed if I get in the gym once a week ...

Outside climbing , roadtrip plans? - not even a possibility for me right now (note: all my friends out there on the road this fall - I hate you. Just kidding, savor it!)

Nonetheless, I've decided to boulder-my-lights-out tomorrow- I'm aiming for as many v8s as I can do in a session (it may not even total one (1) people lol).

After I get out of class Wednesday evening , I'm giving my v8 challenge 100% for the 100+ minutes I have to spare before my 1 hour commute back home to get 5 hours sleep before 6:45am clinical at Georgetown University Hospital the next day.

Cultivate the attitude of glorifying God in all that you do.

Yosemite: Land of Many a Dream

2011-08-16T21:11:00.001-07:00

Time Lapse Tour of Yosemite National Park from Henry Jun Wah Lee on Vimeo.

one day...

PROPAGANDA, GOOD FRIENDS, & DAS BOOT !

2011-07-31T21:42:00.000-07:00

(photos courtesy of Micah Humphrey.. thanks bro for all the pics over the years)

My last weekend in Washington was amazing for a whole lot of reasons, but on the climbing side of things we had some major group sendage that happened at Little Si! I am grateful for any trip to the northwest gem that the Snoqualmie area is, but it was especially cool to share one last, unexpected climbing day with good friends, sunny skies, and great ascents! We all decided to drag Dom to Little Si one more time, and I'm glad we did; Lisa dispatched her project Psychosomatic, 5.12d, Jimmy, Dom, and I sent Dairy Freeze, 5.12b, and I finally got the redpoint of my project Propaganda, 5.12c! This line, which follows the black streak in the photo, is one of the more sustained sport climbs I've done - it's difficulties are matched by it's quality of movement and rock aesthetic - a classic at Little Si for sure. I look forward to coming back to climb the extension - Black Ice, 5.13b/c- one day.

(attempt just prior to the redpoint... note: Lisa working Psychosomatic adjacent to me)

(Propaganda... believe the hype)

After a full day of climbing, to top things off, all had a good time at Micah's going-away party in Seattle - e.g. drinking out of a 64 fl oz Das Boot at bar 1 of 3 on the night! I marveled that evening at how many good people I know that truly make the northwest great. Quality people, quality place, quality vibes. I left this summer - my last of undergrad- full of gratitude for all the memories! Now time for my long-awaited senior year of college !

God Bless You .

MOKULEIA

2011-07-06T02:14:00.000-07:00

(photo courtesy of Camilo Lopez)

Yes, rock climbing exists in Hawaii .

(photo courtesy of mountainproject.com)

RED FEVER

2011-05-20T09:01:00.001-07:00

Me working on The Force, .13a

(photo courtesy of Lily Cornett)

First off, I apologize to the five loyal followers of this blog, holding their breath for the next post, lol. Second, the Red River Gorge in Slade, KY kicks butt! I now know what all the hype about Red River Gorge rock climbing is... and it's a well-deserved reputation.

I was fortunate to tag along on a ride to the Red with my friends Lily and Scott for a whopping 1o day road trip, April 22nd - May 2nd. It was definitely not a planned trip; I was definitely pushing it- cutting into my finals reading period- but I'm so thankful that I made the spontaneous decision to make my inaugural visit to this climbing mecca.

The Red is probably the single best sport climbing destination in the nation, and one of the best on Earth. Although Smith Rocks and Little Si will forever hold special significance to my rock climbing, I cannot deny the quality, great selection, and consistency of rock climbs at the Red River Gorge. Seriously, most climbs are atleast 3-4 star classics! Oh, yeah, the community around there is tight too, which is awesome (thanks Miguel & co. for the hospitality).

One goal that I'm in the process of accomplishing is visiting every major rock climbing destination in North America. The Red River Gorge is one such destination. Before venturing to more distant climbing locales, I want to explore all that we've got "in our backyard." Our home here offers SO many fine climbing destinations, of all disciplines and rock types- granite, sandstone, volcanic tuff, limestone, quartzite, gneiss, rhinorock (yeah Little Si!), etc.

Enough of me blabbering, I'll let the pictures/video (i.e. top one in video bar ) do the talking...

40 ounces of Justice, .13a @ Motherlode

the ancient creation of textures, colors, and formations are intriguing to look at and hold

Scott on the 1st crux of Table of Colors, .13a ... next time I go I want to do the direct start

One I'll be back for ... Golden Touch, .13b

My favorite wood sculpture of Miguel's

Twinkie, .12a -this line never gets old- steep, big holds all the way to the top

God bless.

SPRING BREAK @ SMITH ROCKS

2011-04-06T21:18:00.000-07:00

Smith Rocks is an amazing place to rock climb. I've enjoyed a lot of success as well as weathered bitter defeats (e.g. tons of trips/attempts on Chain Reaction years ago) but there is an ambiance to this place that keeps me coming back, with every trip making my memory glow.

This spring break, I was fortunate to enjoy some R&R with my friends Scott, Dom, Andrew, Jake, and Alex. It was so cool to do a new multipitch route with Andrew and see him project his first Smith 5.12a to completion. It was inspiring to see Jake's tenacity and psyche to learn the technique involved with Smith Rocks' climbing style for the first time. It was impressive to watch Dom make quick work of The Quickening - a steep "5.12c." It was good to reconnect with Scott over some beers.

as for me... well, ... it was frustrating.

No hard sends, lot's of training invested, and too many expectations left me feeling short-changed. I love my friends and rock climbing all the more for how they teach me the enjoyment to be found in humility. Favorite climb of the trip for me was with Andrew on the 400' multipitch Zebra Zion, (.11a variation) team ascent/descent!

Andrew sending Middle Aged Vandals, .11c - a great (overlooked) route with just enough holds in just the right spots to hold down the grade

Dom making the clip before the first crux on The Quickening, .12c/d

Butt shot. Me working on Churning in the Wake, .13a

This trip I finally had the balls to run it out to the top, while working Heinous Cling, .12c

a quick video

Til next time Smith Rocks.

God Bless.

PREAMBLE TO MY RECAP OF SPRING BREAK

2011-03-31T19:51:00.000-07:00

Progress is a slippery concept.

Sometimes gains are pronounced, other times it's the old "two steps forward, one step back " (or something like that). Recently, I've been feeling my attitude about progress is all wrong... here are a few of my treasured misconceptions as a rock climber that I'm letting go of after this spring break trip

1st : Progress is linear

this is false. I'm in the paradoxical situation of feeling stronger than ever before without sends, reaching the next grade, nor with anything to add to the 8a.nu scorecard. There are many layers, dimensions, and contexts with growth and development as a rock climber... not to mention as a person.

2nd: I HAVE to send

not really. Well, (lol) okay who am I kidding! I want to be able to do climbs I aspire to, but if I don't, what's the real consequence? What really happens even if I am able to send? I've had projects that have lasted years, and the investment was real... and so was the bottom line. I want to be more skillful at onsighting, flashing, and just plain not taking as long as I do to figure things out. In the end, I don't always have what it takes to do a rock climb, nor do I have to. Your best effort isn't necessarily the one that will get you to the top of the wall. It's possible to extrapolate the same- possibly even more- meaning/lessons from a climb if you don't get the send.

3rd: I want to be better than you at rock climbing

this one is a little hard for me to talk (err, type) about. I've been thinking a lot recently, in the wake of a lot of doing- training, flailing, ego pumping, camera working (lol), and scavaging the web over the latest Adam Ondra feat. I thought about climbers at the professional level- say a climber in the mid 5.14, v13 range, and what their impression would be of his dominance ? Chances are they're not all that bothered by it- ...but I am ! lol. This childish part of me still holds onto wanting to be the best. The reality is that there will always be people warming up on rock climbs that I'll never be strong enough to project, there will always be distant, dreamy climbing locales that I'll never accrue enough sick days, nor money saved, to go visit, and you (the one reading this) will out-climb me someday... I am okay with all these things, because I need to continue to enjoy my experience, your company, and the blessing that climbing is in our lives at any level.

Excellent Gym Session : )

2011-02-19T21:18:00.000-08:00

Saturday, February 19th, 2011:

Progress is being had with my training! It's a special moment when you can savor the process without concern for the end result...today was one of those moments. Here's what went down:

12 boulder problems v5-v10 (2 v5s, 1 v6, 4 v7s, 2 v8s, 2 v9s, & 1 v10)
Quality Campus Board Workout (8th and final one I've decided before Smith Rocks)
5.12a/b 3rd go (hardest lead of 2011)
5.11b flash as brutal "cool down"

With three (3) weeks remaining before Smith now, I'm going to scale back on the bouldering (30 min max/session) and focus primarily on lead climbing. I'll supplement this with core work, endurance cross training, and probably some hangboard'n at the house to keep the fingers snappy.

Here's the footage of what might just be the hardest boulder problem I've scaled at EarthTreks.

Climb hard, have fun.

Glorify God in all that you do.

SMITH ROCKS “Ticklist” – March 12th-20th, 2011

2011-02-15T21:43:00.001-08:00

Here is my ambitious itinerary... in reality, sending any of these would be fantastic !

Shipwreck Wall

Liquid Jade 5.12a/b, bolts (note: get Scott back on Blue Light Special 5.11a?)

Aggro Gully

Aggro Monkey 5.13b, bolts

The Quickening 5.12d, bolts

Scene of the Crime 5.13b/c, bolts

Honeycomb Wall

Up for Grabs 5.11d, bolts

Seasonal Effectiveness Disorder 5.10a, bolts

West Ship – River Face

Feet of Clay 5.12b, bolts

Power 5.13b, bolts

Solar 5.9 (three pitches), bolts

Time’s Up 5.13a/b, bolts

The Blade 5.12a, bolts (note: need stick clip)

Skeleton Surfer 5.11b, bolts

Cocaine Wall

Freebase 5.12a, bolts

Powder Up the Nose 5.10d, bolts

Rolling Stones Wall

Exile on Main Street 5.11a, bolts

Churning Buttress

Oxygen 5.13a/b, bolts

Da Kine Corner 5.12b/c, bolts (note: need stick clip)

Kings of Rap 5.12d, bolts

Churning in the Wake 5.13a, bolts

Morning Glory Wall - Overboard Area

Taco Chips 5.12d, bolts

Magic Light 5.12b, bolts

Morning Glory Wall - Zebra Area

Zebra Seam 5.11d, bolts/gear?

Zebra Direct 5.11a, bolts

Zebra 5.10a, gear to 3” (three pitches)

Choss in America 5.12c , bolts (note: starts at 2^nd pitch ledge of Zebra Zion?)

The Four Horsemen

Calamity Jam 5.10c, bolts

Pack Animal Direct 5.10b, bolts

The Dihedrals

Latest Rage 5.12b, bolts

Watt’s Tots 5.12b, bolts

Latin Lover 5.12a, bolts

Karate Wall 5.12b, bolts

Sunshine Dihedral 5.11d, bolts

Take a Powder 5.12a, bolts

Peepshow 5.12a/b, bolts

French Connection 5.13b, bolts

Last Waltz 5.12c, bolts

Heinous Cling 5.12c R, bolts

Darkness at Noon 5.13a, bolts

Vision 5.12b, bolts

Go Dog Go 5.12c, bolts

Christian Brothers – The Prophet Wall

Boy Prophet 5.12b R, bolts

Choke on This 5.12d, bolts

Rude Boys 5.13b/c, bolts (note: get Scott’s son-in-law on Dancer 5.7 @ Combination Blocks Area?)

Monkey Face – West Side

West Face Variation 5.8, gear to 2.5” (three pitches)

Monkey Face – North Side

North Face 5.12a, gear to 2.5” (two pitches)

Monkey Face – East/ South Side

Pioneer Route 5.7 A1, gear to 1.5” (five pitches)

Monkey Space 5.11b, bolts/optional gear to 2” (three pitches)

Astro Monkey 5.11d, gear to 2” (six pitches)

Miscellaneous

Delirium Tremens 5.10a

Drilling Zona 5.11c

Badfinger 5.10b, gear to 2.5”

On the Road 5.11a, gear to 2.5” (small TCUs)

Pure Palm 5.11a

Wherever I May Roam 5.9 (five pitches)

Two of many ...

(click to enLARGE)

Looking forward to good friends, good climbing, and good times.

God bless everyone.

photo courtesy of : http://www.mountainproject.com

2011-02-12T14:32:00.001-08:00

Glimpse of a workout (02/08/11) during my six-week campus board phase of periodization training. The set of rungs I am using are the medium size (largest is the middle set)... I'll start to use the small rung set soon.

(note: soundtrack is a free music download courtesy of djshadow.com)

Current Inventory of My Gear...

2011-02-02T19:12:00.000-08:00

Ropes (1)

1 x 60 meter (on its way out)

Harnesses (2)

Rock Shoes (3 pair)

Chalkbags (2)

Helmets (1)

Cams (7)
w/ 7 carabiners
1x3”
1x2”
1x1”
1x.75”
2x.3”
1x.25”

Draws (15)
i.e. 30 carabiners

Nuts (20)
1x full set (w/ some hexes too)

Locking Carabiners (5)

Belay Devices (2)
1x ATC Guide
1x Gri Gri

Slings
3x48”

Miscellaneous
3x Rope Bag
1x Personal Anchor System
1x 8’ Cordelette

Training Continues...

2011-02-01T22:15:00.000-08:00

footage courtesy of Suradetch

New Year, New Training, New Goals

2011-01-15T06:48:00.000-08:00

Rate of improvement is based almost entirely on your willingness to fail.

-Todd Skinner

"Uhh... ...campus board training is hard, and not fun" I say aloud, thinking to myself that must be the secret to why it's so effective yet elusive for climbers. Clearly Wolfgang Gullich was a genius innovator of rock climbing. Although, my objective isn't Action Direct (it's Smith Rocks in March), I am learning a lot and committed to my training with the campus board now.

(click to enLARGE)

After 7+ years of climbing, I'm finally getting around to the sane use of a campus board lol. That is, for t-r-a-i-n-i-n-g. Ironically, only one week into a structured six-week campus board training regiment I've started, I can see the rewards. I am optimistic for sustained gains to come in my contact strength/crimping confidence, and my power/lock off ability; nonetheless, I am proceeding very cautiously... a word for the wise. Campus board training is scary. Pushing your body and tendons to the brink of injury, it's flirting with disaster to become stronger. It's uncomfortable.

I climb with an earned level of familiarity and confidence with what my body can do, but I don't train with that intent. I am working for humility in my training. My workouts are equal parts muscle confusion and ego confusion lol. To investigate where my attitudinal and physical limitations are takes work! This is where I'm at with this whole campus board regiment; where are my weaknesses?, how do I exploit them?, and how do I best experiment with ways to forge new boundaries, new states of being, .... new formulas for untapped potential.

1-4-3-4...

My campus board training regiment is two (2) workouts per week, with two (2) days rest (i.e. Ø climbing) between workouts. Each workout is approximately 30 minutes; with 30 minutes prior to warmup bouldering/stretching. I throw in at least one session per week of just fun climbing to prevent burn out

Workout for the first couple weeks:

1. LADDER 1-3-5-7-9
(2 sets w/ 1min rest between)

2. LADDER 1-4-6-9
(2 sets w/ each arm - 4 total- w/ 1min rest between)

Rest 4 minutes

3. LADDER 1-4-7
(3 tries w/ each arm leading - 6 total- w/ 2 min rest between)

4. TOUCHES 1-4-1
(3 sets of 1-4-1-4-1-4-1-4-1 leading w/ alternating hands, i.e. L hand touches rung 4 two times as does R hand, w/ 2 min rest between)

5. TOUCHES 1-4-3-4
(2 sets of 1-4-3-4-3-4-3-4 for each arm, for each set keeping other arm constantly on rung 1, w/ 2 min rest between sets)

Note: For those interested in campus board training, I'd recommend researching, resting, and taking tendon/shoulder health seriously.

Resources I've found to be good:
Eric Horst's books http://trainingforclimbing.com/new/books.shtml
Nicros http://www.nicros.com/archive/archive15.cfm
Moon Climbing http://usa.moonclimbing.com/campus-boarding-c-334_351.html

Time for getting back into shape!

2010-12-07T22:15:00.000-08:00

(my 1st v8 in gym since return from rehab for hamstring tear)

After such a long hiatus from training... it feels good to get back into the swing of things. I've now headed to ET for three lengthy training sessions, focusing my efforts on just lot's of bouldering at all grades.

My upcoming trips are sport climbing- so why boulder? My rationale with all this to start off training is something Jerry Moffat once said, "if the hard moves at the bottom of a route start to feel easy, you're going to be less pumped once you reach the top." Wise stuff. If I want harder routes to become a reality for me (i.e. more 5.13s & 5.14) , I need to be able to execute harder moves, and more of them with a degree of efficiency previously unknown to me. Thus I boulder : ) ... plus its fun (fyi: I am capable of taking bouldering seriously though too lol).

Here are my notes from the last workout on Monday, December 6th:

10 minute traverse warmup

stretched

repeated v8 from last time

finished v8 w/ tough start

"Dots" v8 in 10 goes

sent one new v7, two v6s, two v5s, four v4s, & two v3s

Projected tricky v6, cool v9, and a very doable v10

... psyched for wednesday

I'm baaaaaaaaack : )

2010-12-02T19:20:00.000-08:00

After confirming that I had a unilateral bicep femoralis muscle tear in my right leg earlier this fall (I had been having leg pain @ varying intensities since April after a pickup basketball game) I made the difficult yet necessary decision to stop ALL physical activity to let it heal properly. The injury was nagging and painful enough, but moreso was having to sacrifice a precious outdoor fall climbing season (thanks everyone who've kept great blogs for me to read : ) and having to freeze my gym membership (I appreciate Earthtrek's staff looking out for me with that).

Well, I am happy to report that, after 1.5 months, I am back! I've been slowly stretching, jogging, bike-riding, and now climbing (first time on Wednesday) pain free! This is all without my 800 mg Ibueprofen too lol.

First time back in gym was mainly just light traverse work and some bouldering (up to v7), with some yoga and jump rope thrown in too. I have confirmed plans to spend my spring break (march 12-20) at Smith Rocks (everyone's invited) so that's what I'm gonna start training for.

More soon.

God bless everyone.

A Good Day at the Gym

2010-09-10T10:26:00.000-07:00

With my newly acquired annual membership, I'm off to a promising start. My goals for this fall are to recover my bouldering prowess, while continuing with my progress on the ropes from this summer. I want to peak my fitness for fall outdoor trips coming up soon (stay tuned : )

(click to enLARGE)

v8 project that I got completed yesterday

(click to enLARGE)

soft v8 I've got dialed now

I also roped up and onsighted a 5.11d, redpointed another 5.11d (3rd go), and started projecting a 5.12"a" that will be short-term work I presume... soon to begin system board training, more v8-v9 projects, and lots of roped-up laps too.

Good News from Index, WA

2010-09-08T20:56:00.001-07:00

The Washington Climber's Coalition (WCC) has succeeded in its fundraising campaign and bought the land that Index's Lower Town Wall sits on- a premier granite rock climbing area near Index, Snohomish County in Washington state.

Index's Upper Town Wall is already owned by the WCC. Upper Town Wall is home to one of my dream routes- the single pitch trad testpiece Clay 5.11d (shown below)

Photo by Larry Kemp

More information about the WCC's land purchase for all us climbers and the upcoming celebration on September 19th can be found @ http://washingtonclimbers.org/.

Much Respect WCC.

Back to the gym...

2010-08-31T21:36:00.001-07:00

After some serious consideration (not really) I've decided to buy an annual membership to the Earthtreks Climbing Gym in Rockville, MD !!

Cons:

pricey ($65 bucks/mo taken out of my bank account + $5 roundtrip metro/sesh)
crowded
not same family feel as Warehouse Rock Gym : (
I'm not allowed to set routes or boulder problems... yet.

Pros:

well... yeah, there are pros who climb here (and set), which for me is inspiring and makes me climb harder more often
excellent training faculties
challenging routes and boulder problems (i.e. VB-V12 boulder problems & 5.4-5.13c lead climbs currently)
opportunity to maintain a lifestyle balance with academic life @ HU
coming off a breakthrough summer, now I can take it to the next level with a regular training routine again : )

here are some pics taken @ gym tonight (note: clusters of people EVERYWHERE-_-smh & uptstairs the EXCELLENT system board, campus board, hang boards, and sloper ladder- yes!)

click to enLARGE

Addendum: tonight was a chill day returning to gym after a doctor-prescribed 1-week hiatus (no exercise + 400mg Ibuprofen q8hrs) due to hamstring strain. I flashed three steep lead climbs: 5.11b, 5.10d, 5.10a, bouldered: v2, v3, vb, v7, v6, v5, v4, v4, v7, & got close on a v8 (next time)

...time to get new gym projects and get strong before fall outdoor season!

My first 8a ! ! !

2010-08-09T21:38:00.000-07:00

Chronic and I (click to enLARGE)

On Thursday, July 29th, 2010 I completed my hardest rock climb yet-the 25 meter testpiece Chronic .13b at Little Si's World Wall 1 in North Bend, WA. To y'all who know me you know how much this ascent means to me. This climb holds clout among many climbers that I admire, and has been a labor of love of mine for quite some time now (i.e. 2 summer's worth of effort). I am proud to join the list of climbers blessed to have scaled this thing. Anyone who's considering this joint (ahem! Dom, Micah, Lisa)... DO it!! Make the investment. I did and in so doing I surprised myself by skipping the letter grade of 5.13a in the process...a grade I've yet to achieve.

Me navigating the final moves of Chronic 5.13b (click to enLARGE)

SPOILER ALERT! The following is not for would-be onsight attempt readers. Chronic is an excellent first 8a* for someone such as myself looking to break thru to that level. The climb is rare for the grade in that there is no sequence of moves harder than v4. For me, there are three distinct cruxes of "v4-ish" ; right after the 3rd clip, again near the middle of the route reaching and exiting the "type writer", and the final bulge guarding the chains. The key to success on this route is climbing it as lazy as possible. If you relax on holds with as little exertion as possible, milk the rests til breathing is back to normal (thanks Drew ; ), and punch it hard through areas of resistance there is a rhythm that can be established on this climb that can help you build momentum all 80' to the top.

(click to enLARGE)
*note: 5.13b is 8a translated on the French rating system

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh hahaah !!!!" I was surprised to redpoint Chronic on my FOURTH go of the day! Never before have I redpointed a project that late in a day. The final moves felt automatic, even though my forearms/hands were so pumped it felt like I was wearing two baseball mitts! This proves to me three things about Chronic: a. the soundness of my beta on it b. the abundant spots to recover on it c. it is not at my limit any longer. This climb will always be known as my first 8a- a milestone and a gateway to advanced climbing. It is extremely gratifying proving now that I am capable of this level of climbing. This and Chain Reaction I consider to be my proudest sends.

(note: two photos of myself on Chronic are courtesy of Micah Humphrey... thanks bro)

P.S. Here are two video clips I've made showcasing both climbs:

(Chain Reaction) http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-3424729979370549087#

(Chronic) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CewOxWmtOG0

Interesting article on quickdraw gate orientation

2010-06-30T20:56:00.000-07:00

I never thought it mattered which way the caribiner gates faced in relation to one another on a quickdraw. This article is making me reconsider:

http://www.spadout.com/a/face-those-gates/

Training Continues...

2010-06-27T22:21:00.000-07:00

my best attempt on "The Brain" v8.

I'm getting close on my gym project "Furry Killah" 5.12c: a VERY difficult route for me (sandbagged IMO)- my anti-style- slopey pinches, very steep, and tricky shake outs! PSYC'D!

... stay tuned.

6.30.10 UPDATE: I sent FURRY KILLAH 5.12c ...hardest lead climb thus far this year

New River Rendezvous Ocho Loco !

2010-05-22T19:37:00.000-07:00

WARNING: this will be a blog post in progress for a lil while

(Addendum--- I added some pictures below + here's my ticklist from the trip: Lambda 5.12b (2nd attempt), Yowsah 5.12b (2nd attempt), Narcissus 5.12a (2nd attempt), Pockets of Resistence 5.12a (3rd attempt), Control 5.12a (2nd attempt), Bourban Sauce 5.11d (flash), Scenic Adult 5.11c (flash), Cross-Eyed & Blind 5.11a (flash), and some 10's, 9's, and 8's (all flash or onsight); I met Chris Sharma (got autographed poster), Lynn Hill, Kurt Smith, Joe Kinder, Chris Lindner, Nick Duttle, Brittany Griffith, Peter Kamitses, and the list goes on... SO many strong climbers, which is really important for me to see. More significant for me than my ticklist or the superstar climbers, were the people I got to hang with...shoutouts to Van, Hunter, Suradetch, Lilly, Jacquelyn, Laura, Megan, Shane, Andrew, Rachel, Mark, Christa, Nick, Greg, Jeff, and, of course! Roger! Oh, I got to projecting a really cool .13a called Trapped in Paradise; this route is seldom done and I really enjoyed the process of cleaning it, leaving draws on it, and sussing out the moves- there was one sequence which proved stopper for me, but I clipped the chains twice and definitely can climb at this level, it's just a matter of time and having the proper conditions. I will be purchasing a 3 month summer pass to Earthtreks Climbing Gym and can hopefully be in top condition to send Chronic, Crawling from the Wreckage, Californication, or Propaganda later in the summer, when I plan to hang out in Olywa for awhile...miss all the crew out there!)

I have just returned from my 10 day trip to West Virginia's New River Gorge for the eighth annual (my first) New River Rendezvous festival. I had looked forward to this for sometime now and I am happy to say it surpassed my imagination in terms of awesomeness! Great company (e.g. hanging out with TONS of my climbing heroes face to face), partying, good beer, and sampling some of the choice sandstone rock climbing was so much fun! It was definitely an experience to remember... I've never been around so many climbers at once lol!!

As I get more settled both physically and in my recollection of the past week and a half I'll post more, but for now check out my photos below and Joe Kinder's good blog post (http://www.joekindkid.com/?p=3899)

(click to enLARGE)
photo: Suradetch J
Over 1000 people showed up!

photo: Suradetch J
Just one more walk...

The legendary Lynn Hill

Lynn making it look easy on a .12a

Watch out for snakes!

Brad... local badass.

Group photo... great day out all together.

photo: Suradetch J
The deepwater soloing is as good as it looks guys!

Me on toprope (I led some great stuff too lol!)

Photo: Joe Kinder' Blog
Can you spot me!?

photo: Suradetch J
One of our rental cars got broken into : ( ...praise God for insurance!

One of the New's many impressive bridges

photo: Lilly & Hunter
Me cruxing on the first bouldery section of Lambda .12b

Me and one of my heroes Lynn

Photo: Andrew

Cruxing during my flash ascent of Scenic Adult .11c (best one I've ever been on)

Photo: Andrew
Cleaning draws off Scenic Adult .11c

P.S. Huge congratulations to my friend Laura for her milestone redpoint at Little Si !!!!!! : )

Training 3

2010-05-10T08:04:00.000-07:00

Hit the gym again Saturday. Dispatched:

three v6s
one v7
five lead routes ---- 5.10a, 5.10a, 5.11b w/ 1 fall : (, 5.10d, 5.10c.
Interval training (up to 3min count) with Suradetch

I must say interval training is TOUGH! I am working up to a 4 min count pyramid (i.e. climb with partner resting 1min on steep wall, switch, then same pattern for 2 min, 3min, 4 min, and then back down to 1 min again). In total the workout will take 32 minutes.

SO siKed for the New. I'll post tons of whatever happens!

PS--- couple more motion pictures

Crimpy v7 I finally got worked out

COol v6 "route" traverse

Training 4

2010-05-06T10:47:00.001-07:00

Training 5

2010-05-06T10:13:00.000-07:00

Tough (but really good: ) cave v6

"Back on the Saddle"

2010-04-18T15:42:00.000-07:00

(click to enLARGE)

Yesterday marked my second consecutive Saturday of climbing- a first for the year 2010. I finally feel like my body is working for me again... I do believe there is a balance possible between mental fitness (i.e. academics/studying) and physical fitness. Here's what I've been up to in my journey back to climbing form for my upcoming 3 month summer break from school:

Saturday 4.10.10

20 minutes on the wall (fell 3 times)
bouldered for 1.5 hours (couldn't manage anything harder than v4)
4 minutes jump rope
25 curls @ 15lbs/arm
stretching

Saturday 4.17.10

15 minutes on the wall (no falls)
bouldered for 2 hours (sent a v5, v6, and v7... almost another v6 & v7 ; "cooled off" on 8 v3's)
two 5.8 onsight leads & a set of whippers on a 5.10a
4 minutes jump rope
25 curls @ 15lbs/arm
5 minute jog

In the last two weeks (14 days) I've done everyday:

5-10minutes run
25 pushups
25 crunches
25 bicycles
25 count "V's"

Wheew... well it's a start. Stay tuned for more updates of my progress. Feeling good.

4.17.10 flash attempt on a cool crimpy v7

Lord bless everybody,

p.s. two links to check out real quick; first one is a rock climbing festival I'm going to in May (yes I am psyK'd:) and the second is my favorite climbing training article @ the moment.

http://www.newriverrendezvous.com/

http://www.rockclimbing.com/Articles/Training_and_Technique/The_Making_of_a_Rockprodigy__258.html

Moon Board Training System

2010-03-16T20:17:00.000-07:00

Looks like I'm going to be staying on the east coast this summer, with a couple possible trips thrown in.

Yesterday I was at Earthtreks climbing Gym in Rockville, MD- where I plan on purchasing a summer pass to train at- and low and behold (!) the two recent winners of the Adult National Sport Climbing Championship were there training- Magnus Midtbo & Sasha Digulian; it was super inspiring to watch these two climb and to hear about there upcoming summer plans.

As I contemplate my own upcoming summer, and my future with climbing period, I've realized more the specificity in my preparation that I'm going to need. Some day in the future, I'd like to install a home training board- the Moon Board Training system is an excellent one that I am interested in . Check it out: http://usa.moonclimbing.com/images/website/SchoolRoom/pdf/MoonBoard.pdf

(click to enLARGE)

Train hard. Climb easy. God Bless. See y'all out this summer!

a COOL trip to Leavenworth!

2009-12-29T13:38:00.000-08:00

Write up to come... for now here are a couple pics from Rita, Jimmy, Lisa, and I's trip on Sunday.

Finger strength, body weight ratio, and confidence. God speed.

2009-10-10T18:16:00.001-07:00

As Far West As You Gotta Go!

2009-09-07T08:27:00.000-07:00

My [controversial] new Fayetteville, West Virginia sticker. DISCLAIMER: All my friends out west, please don't send me hate mail... I'm still a LEFTY fo LIFE! ! lol

a sample of the fine deep water soloing @ Summersville Lake.

Californicator

2009-07-19T13:58:00.000-07:00

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.

Bad Forecast, GREAT Weather in Leavenworth! Part II

2009-07-07T16:04:00.000-07:00

NOTICE: Okay, sorry people for the MASS-procrastination on this post, I know how much each and everyone of you were holding their breaths... lol.

(click on any pic to enLARGE)

(Top to bottom)"30% chance of showers w/ overcast skies", Whitey slam dunking a move, Meg & nice(um) scenery

A couple weekends ago, Meg, Jeremy, Whitey, and I got out for the day to LEAVENWORTH- our own little Bavarian village and bouldering mecca right here in Washington state. It was my first time back here since summer '08 with Micah.

We started out the day bombing down I-5 in a sweet new Volvo luxury sport wagon supplied by Meg. We made good time all the way to Leavenworth (besides almost hitting a self-entitled flock of geese crossing Hwy 18!).

After the requisite pit-stop at Safeway (were I picked up a BOMB sandwich for $5 bucks), we decided to start the day out at Mad Meadows; only after getting turned around trying to find the Clamshell area.

(Top to bottom)$1.00 per lb/foot of sandwich!, Meg's approach : ), me getting my ass SPANKED on some v5 (I fell)

After bouldering at Mad Meadows, we finally did find the Clamshell area, and checked out Forestland too.

It was great to sunbathe in weather WAY better than forecasted, talk, laugh, and boulder all together.

One thing I realized on this day trip, was I enjoy bouldering a lot more NOT having a structured tick-list of objectives for the day. It's nice to preserve the spontaniety and goofiness of a day unstructured.

(Jeremy on a BOMBER rest hold... : )

Highlights for me:

Occum's Razor v5 ( It was cool to all session this superb boulder problem!)

Pentaphobia v5 (Meg was IMPRESSIVE on this hard, crimpy testpiece for the grade)

The Octopus v7 (My first outdoor v7 of the year!)

The Real Thing v4 (hard but SO good to repeat...good way to end the day for me)

The Pocket v4- (not that hard, but super bad ass)

The Cube v1+ (highball perfection)

One Summer v5 (Whitey, Jeremy, and I all stuck the big move crux to unlock the line!)

To conclude, here is a video of Jeremy on a silky smooth ascent of The Pocket v4:

Bad Forecast, GREAT Weather in Leavenworth!

2009-06-25T17:13:00.000-07:00

Here's a short clip preview (write-up on the way)...

Me on a superb & stout v3 named Crimp, Crimp, Slap, Throw!

A Great Week!!

2009-06-16T15:52:00.001-07:00

This past week of summer has been the essence of what I've been looking forward to all school year. I got outdoors climbing three times this week... all three times with my good friend Dom.

Wednesday, it was great to participate once again (after a two year hiatus) in the great tradition of Wednesday Night Climb at Off's Wall in Tenino. The intimate local community vibe, supportive atmosphere, and jokes, not to mention the technical (at times heady) climbing make it a great place to crag!

(click on any pic to enLARGE)

Doug getting it done on an area classic @ Off's Wall in Tenino

Dom nearing the chains of "Confucious" 5.11b

Highlights @ Off's Wall in Tenino:

reuniting with Ed, Duke, Doug, and Off again
my onsight lead of "Confucious" 5.11b (Off says it may be the first onsight of the route)
my flash of a really cool 5.10+ called "Gloater" which includes, vertical, slab, and (sort-of) dihedral climbing in a single pitch with some cool mantels.

Footage of Dom nearing the chains on "Confucious" 5.11b

STOP THE PRESS!

Yesterday (6/17/09) @ the Quarry, Jimmy made the historic 3rd ascent of Legends 5.12c!! I have tried it multiple times on TR and can attest to how hard it is! Excellent send Jimmy. Also Dom and I redpointed Futility Bill 5.11d and Doug sent Squirt Theory 5.10d.

It's really been cool reconnecting with the social scene in Olympia again. There have been alot of potlucks, BBQs, game nights (Thanks to Erica!), and just righteous conversation and energy being shared by all. My favorite game lately is called Settlers of Cataan (shown below)

I'm not even gonna begin to try and type instructions/strategy for this game here.

...oh yeah playing Boggle was DOPE too (even though I sucked @ it)!

Friday Dom, Laura, and I decided to go cragging at Exit 38. We initally had planned to hike all the way to Bob's Area (approx. 1 hr approach), however we found enough to do just at Amazonia and Actual Cave.

Dom and Laura en route to Amazonia

FYI: Amazonia has a really good warmup 5.10a to the left... everything's moderate from 5.9-5.11a so it's a good spot for that (some routes are chossy though).

Laura dismantling the crux moves of an unkown 5.11a

When we moved over to Actual Cave I FINALLY managed to redpoint Mr. Big 5.12a and surprised myself by nabbing second go a successful lead of the improbable-looking roof Cyanide 5.12b! I definitely feel stronger than last time I was here. Both routes climb waaaay better than they look...so next time you're walking by Actual cave, on your way to Bob's Area, check IT!

Dom on his onsight lead of Mr. Big 5.12a (sick)

Saturday Dom and I got out with Scott to BOTH exit 32 and 38! for a great day of climbing . We started the day @ Little Si and then made our way to the Gunshow sector of Far Side @ exit 38. Scott started the day off well with a rad TR onsight of a cool 5.9 slab @ Repo Wall, and then I lead Mambo Jambo 5.10b on all-gear for the first time, which I felt good about. I had been inspired after Dom's skip-the-bolts ascent.

Scott and I rock'n @ Repo Crag! (video footage of Mambo Jambo on the way)

After Repo Wall we moved on to World Wall I (home of many trials, tribulations, epics, and victories). Dom had come really close to sending PC7 5.12d last time he was here, so he went for the redpoint today... the way he was climbing the route I KNEW he was gonna send until... he got to a key upper crux hold that had been broken between when he was on it and now. No hard feelings, but it was a definite dissappointment for all of us. Here is a (poor) video clip of Dom on it:

Dom & PC7 ...to be continued.

Feeling inspired nontheless after Dom's bummer redpoint burn, I decided to have a go on a project of my own- Bust the Rhythm 5.12c. I felt pretty dialed on the easier 5.10 climbing and then went into the first crux perfectly...wheew, I collected my breath and composure, and then proceeded to fire the cruxy stemming moves in the hanging dihedral and clipped the anchor. I look forward to gaining more experience and efficiency on climbs with stemming/dihedral situations...there is definitely a feng shui to it.

From Little Si, we rocketed up I-90 for our last stop of the trip: The Gunshow. Scott and I had never been here (one time we looked for it, but didn't hike far enough) so Dom was a gracious guide. It's a great area that I definitely would like to return to sometime. The highlight here was onsighting one of the best long slab climbs around, with a title fitting for the conclusion of this blog entry: Endless Bliss

The COST of being a climber.

2009-05-17T21:40:00.000-07:00

(click to enLARGE)
I estimate that I spend somwhere in the range of 280 US Dollars each year on climbing equipment (i.e. new rope, gear, shoes/resoles) plus maybe $500.00 each year on climbing trips. Total, less than a grand- that's it (right now anyways!). For something that cost less than 10% of most people's annual salary (e.g. tithing @ Church), climbing's role and value in our lives I'd estimate to be of MUCH higher percentage than that. Looking at it that way the price is not bad!

I find the demanding cost(s) of climbing isn't money, but the sacrifices we make...
for the trips to happen,
for the lifestyle to be LIVED,
for our body's fitness to be sustained at a level up to our potential,
for our relationships with one another to thrive,
for waiting out crappy weather!

The COST?... money is measureable- that isn't it. The cost of being a climber is our more personal sacrifices made to make experiences happen.
Let's face it...
memories, dream destinations, and climbing projects
...priceless.

NM

Good session today (5.2.09)

2009-05-02T21:40:00.000-07:00

Lead climbed some steep stuff w/ Kawai (including a .12a onsight); bouldered for the rest of the time with a great crew, including Sasha Digulian ...she's a sponsored young climbing talent who first broke onto the climbing scene sending a v10 @ 13 y/o, and more recently 5.13c @ 16 y/o)

The video footage is of a burly v6 that I couldn't figure out 'til I figured out the knee bar (sans knee pad...haha).

Two more Exams to go til SUMMER 2009 !!!

2009-04-29T07:05:00.000-07:00

It goes without saying that I am psyK'd for the summer. Most noteably I am looking forward to seeing everyone in Washington state that I've sacrificed spending time with lately to be here in DC in nursing school. I am also VERY pleased with the prospect of climbing lot's, enjoying good living with some new friends, $aving lot'$, and just chill'n, hopefully. Till then... studies and training continue:

(click pics to enlaRGE)

My beloved Dojo in the carport: Moon hangboard, jump rope, running shoes, yoga mat, & ...

Iron Gym "pull-up thingy" (if you're wondering why I don't have it set up on a door frame like it's advertised for, it's out of respect for my grandparent's house which is from the 13th century A.D.) lol

Recently I got two pairs of discount climbing shoes :

$39 bucks. Madrock Maniac (I'm hopeful these'll perform similar to the 5.10 Moccasym)

$34 bucks. Five Ten Zlipper

Note:

My Evolve Es Pontas need to be resoled...the rubber on 'em is still good, but they've both got a small hole- down to fabric- on the top of ea. big toe (if anyone has a recommendation please let me know). On the subject of Evolve, did you notice that you can now customize your shoe on their website!:

http://evolvsports.com/flash_app/index.htm

(for the fashion conscious climber or the climbing girlfriend that wants to be color coordinated it's PRETTY COOL, though not the $145 price tag)

Three of my main sport climbing objectives for this summer are...

"Mr. Big" 5.12a/b

This airy, gymnastic route begins inside a 12meter tall cave. After traversing the entire cave's lip you pull a couple more strenuous overhanging moves before the chains at the top of the cliff band. "Mr. Big" is actually a 5 meter bouldery extension of the route "Giant 5.11c." I flashed "Giant" a couple years back; no single move on the extension is really a problem for me neither...now I just need to put it all together from the ground up. Very fun. I look forward to the encore.

"Chronic" 5.13b

This route is a gem. Arguably the most popular hard sport climb in Washington state, "Chronic" is more than the sum of it's parts. In terms of sheer difficulty, I've been told no single sequence is above v4; the redpoint crux is the stamina due. I've worked the first third of the route (while working its coveted variation- "Californicator/Californication" 5.12d/13a- a route I also plan to climb this summer). Some of "Chronic's" moves I got pretty dialed last year, however, I am not expecting it to be linked easily; the climbing is crimpy, has various lock offs & compression moves, and its steepness is subtlely burly (i.e. you get pumped stoopid w/out realizing it!). The rock quality is excellent, it's got a good history (e.g. Lynn Hill got the FFA on it), and the route's difficulties are matched by it's pure enjoyment factor... last year I caught myself laughing on it as I would fall off!

"Propaganda" 5.12c

The only thing suspect about this line is why I haven't focused more time on it...I must've been brainwashed! The 20meter deceptively vertical line follows a black streak up the wall on a very sustained series of slopey crimps, tension moves, technically demanding & balancy footwork, few shake outs, and a pumpy, heartbreaking, dynamic finish. Proud for the grade.

Y'all know who you are...see you out there soon.

P.S. Props to Jesse, my buddy up in Seattle who just sent "The Practitioner" v11/12 @ Leavenworth, WA!

4.4.09 session @ EarthTreks

2009-04-06T16:29:00.000-07:00

Took the redline metro to Rockville, MD today for a solo sesh...I was envisioning tUning out to my iPod and just having some zen time.
However, the day @ the gym turned into a cool mix of productive bouldering with some folks and a lil toprope route climbing thrown in with this cool kid I met there named Eduardo (from Spain...he's actually one of the 34 Spaniard citizens who are not professional climbers!)

On the boulder's the "highlights" were:
I flashed a soft v7 that would've been a v5 outside.
I sent 4th go a LEGIT v8 that had a heinous right hand bump to a crimp at full extension + dyno finish.
A 1st-go repeat of a cool v7 (see video footage below of a past attempt)

It was a bummer... a young lady in the gym broke her ankle off a boulder problem today...she missed the mat ):
...
I managed a [desperate] roof v6 @ the end of the session too...proud send.

On the toprope routes (Eduardo isn't certified for lead climbing):
I warmed up on a flash of a really neat, long, sustained, just-past-vertical .11a
I sent 2nd go a .12c/d that felt really just like a two-move v3 and a two meter v4 boulder problem, w/ the rest feeling like .10a climbing; very good stEEP climbing up the "wave" upper headwall section...good for the ego fo sho : )

I look forward to climbing more often during the summer.

NM

P.S. Jimmy and Lisa, the Chulich Siblings, aka "Children of the GYM" aka, "Teen-Grade chasers", aka "the Playa n Diva of WRG"(sorry Dom 'n Laura) have been enjoying the God-given gifts of their anti-gravity genetics! Okay, sorry. I'm a little too psyKed. But hey...

Lisa just sent her first 5.12a ON LEAD (nice one girl!)
+
Jimmy's well on his way to making Micah, Dom, and I jealous this year with his meteroic rise on the ropes ...in less than a month: Chain Reaction .12c, three .12a onsights, .12a,c, d (his 1st 7c route) in a day! WOW. Good job.

Pro Tips

2009-01-16T21:49:00.000-08:00

As a climber, I often look for training media to help me improve my game. I found a great series of climbing video shorts (from the former Climbxmedia) that highlight tactics/training strategies used by the pros. Enjoy + send all your projects for 2009!

Viagro .

2008-07-16T23:44:00.000-07:00

Location: North Bend, Washington State

Sector: World Wall I @ Little Si

"Viagro" (5.12B) is an extension to the route "Viagra" which is a soft (no pun intended) 5.11+ face climb; the extension features a cool bouldery V3 crux surmounting the first roof system of the upper wall.

Yesterday I redpointed it after 6 attempts.

I was really stOked to nab this one and decided to keep going after the "Viagro" chains and try to punch it to the 'top' (note: picture) of the route "Viagrophobia" (5.12D). I got agonizingly close but ultimately just got too pumped on the upper headwall's crux - a left hand bump @ full extension to a sloper peppered w/ a couple elusive thin edges just enough to make a 2-finger crimp and thumb catch.

The move demands proper commitment, body alignment, and footwork - my indecisive feet were dancing all over small edges which was time consuming, & power-draining. Sonja's beta was to use a left heel hook on a crescent-shaped hold below the edge my left hand leaves from; I have high hopes that will unlock this full-value line.

NM