The Red

I have been training endurance for about two weeks now, because me and sarah are going to the red this friday for a bit over a week! I am so very psyched to gain endurance, but sad to stop bouldering. This last weekend we went out to t-wall to go route climbing for the first time in about a year. I warmed up on Curb sandwich 5.12A and found myself a bit pumped at the top, sarah bolt to bolted it and easily crushed it in a few goes. I did it again feeling a bit better and headed over to psychopath. I have tried this route last season and felt as though it was really hard. It starts with chossy 5.5 climbing to the first bolt which is about twenty feet of the deck! From there you climb a beautiful wall of perfect pockets to the crux. It is four bolts of good medium sized holds into a redpoint crux after a difficult clip. The crux is about V6ish and you are a bit tired. I remembered the crux being really hard on link. I bolt to bolted the route and I felt much much stronger than last season, so I lowered, untied, tied back in and sent!! Me and sarah felt accomplished for the first day of routes and our day projects sent so we headed home!

So psyched for the red!!!!

Bouldering season is coming to an end...

The weather is getting much warmer and I am still not wanting to let go of bouldering. I had an amazing season bouldering with good friends and good sessions. Lots of laughs and new people to laugh with. In two weeks the route season will officially begin because me and Sarah are going to the Red for a week, so I hope I can build some endurance there and maybe even send some new climbs!!
This weekend was extremely warm and we had plans to go to Alabama, however the whole crew, which included my lovely Sarah, Joey and Daniel Bakos, and myself decided to drive up to rocktown instead. We left after I got off of work and headed up. I wasn't too extremely psyched to go, but was really exited just to climb on rock. Right as I began to warm up I realized it was extremely warm and route season is coming. I think every one of us realized that. We warmed up in the orb area where joey and daniel played around on the greasy slopers of the orb, but no bueno for either of them. Next we headed down to the vagina area where Sarah tried the Island of beautiful women and Daniel and Joey tried the vagina. Every body came super close but no sends, just lots of grease. Right before we headed down to the vagina area I ran down to see if the little cave that the womb was in was cooler in temperature and surely enough it was. Having done the womb I was interested in seeing if there were any close and similar lines, and found one. I found holds that came out of the middle of the womb, so I excitedly brushed them off, had sarah take pictures and started to attempt the moves. At first they felt extremely difficult! I could hold them but not move off of them but after about thirty minutes of figuring it out I managed to send! The climb felt much harder than the womb but it was a little warm so I estimate it to be V9ish. Assuming it was a first ascent I called it the Discharge. After that we went to the back, I sent the sit to the comet, than climbed on some classics and we all hungrily headed out.


Sarah on the Island of Beautiful Women



Joey on Swamp Sauce


Me trying to figure out which holds to use

Me on the fourth move with a retard looking hand ha!


Checkin out the holds


Video of the Discharge V9?? I need consensus



If anyone knows of this climb or knows if it isn't or is an FA than please comment!!
Peace!

Rocktown

Sunday we had another great day at rocktown. After work me and sarah left for rocktown to finish off what we couldn't do last weekend. After warming up in a crowded bunch of gumbies we were off to our projects. I tried iron claw V10 for the second time and got really frustrated that I made no progress. Fifteenish minutes later, after reworking beta, it wasn't so bad and I sent! After that we hiked over to golden harvest and it still whooped my ass. This was my second real session on it and still no bueno. Sarah managed to crush golden showers v5 no problem and than went on to send blue V6 very quickly!! Strong! After all of that we hiked up to blackout v10 and I tried it for about an hour. It was a while before I decided to change my beta, than I chalked the holds put a tick so i could see and sent!! We were both feeling pretty worked at this point but still got on little bad boulder v5, which is a must do at rocktown!! After this tiring day I managed to send aluminati v9 on the way out adding to the day's psych!

Sarah after topping out Blue V6!



Me on Blackout V10

Me on Ironclaw V10

Ironclaw

Sarah floating up Blue V6!

This next weekend is prom so it will be just a bunch of gym sessions for twoish weeks and than some more climbing!!

Life... and climbing!

Ever since I have had a job at Dunkin Donuts I have not had much time to climb on the weekends, but I do get to train at the gym on the weekdays with my buddy Brad Weaver and other gym locals. A few weeks ago I made it out to Island Ford, with Sarah, Bobby, Tanner, and someone who actually knows the place really well. I went in order to attempt to snag a few first ascents but mainly about this project I kept hearing about. The Garfuna Project which was estimated to be v11-13. That day I ended up doing 8 first ascents as well as the garfuna project, which weighed in at about V7 after jumping to a jug rather than a gaston crimp. HA! But the day was really cool and the climbs also.

Me on the FA of Right Handed Despise V7ish?

Here is Tanner Ayers on the 2nd Ascent of the Garfuna V7ish?

This last weekend was perfect! On friday I had a fun gym session with Brad Weaver, this kid is so strong and motivated and has been helping me progress significantly in climbing. Saturday me and sarah left right after I got off of work at 12 and had a session at rocktown. Sarah forgot her camera but we both had a good day. After warming up we headed to the vagina area where I sent digital scales V9 2nd go of the day! After that I looked at the womb V10. The holds all looked good so I decided to give it a go and fell at the very top of my flash. I soon sent on my third try after finding better beta and we were off to nitrous oxide V9 where I also sent! Than we headed to helicopter V6 where sarah quickly dispatched!! Psyched! At the very end of the day I tried blackout v9/10 a few times and came close but no send, but I did end up flashing big bad right V8 and called it a day!

The very next day we followed the same schedule but this time sarah brought her camera! Warming up I felt extremely heavy and weak, but after a while felt a bit better. We headed down to the vagina area where I tried the move on speculum. This move is really hard for me off a left handed jug and a right handed crimpy pinchy ok hold and throw to a good little pockety thing. The move at first seemed ridiculous but after a few attempts I stuck it so I decided to try it from the start. It felt really difficult but after about 5-6 good tries I was able to send!!! For the rest of the day we just ran around the boulder feild trying to burn out finish the day off well..

Here are some pics of me rockin the rock pillars on Speculum V9

Island ford

I went climbing about a week ago in a metro Atlanta area with almost no guide so I will be headed up soon with some people who know the area. Here is a quick vid of my short session.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d2jY87XM6vY

Fight Club

Video of me doing the FA of Fight Club v8/9. If for some reason this video does not work for you, than go to youtube.com and type in Fight Club V8.

Rock Pillars!

I apologize that I have not been updating my blog lately, but I am happy to say that those days are over. School and climbing have been keeping me extremely busy, but it's all good now. Anyways...

Some of you already know that I have switched shoes to a company from the Czech Republic, called Rock Pillars. At first I was skeptical about the shoes, but after about five minutes of wearing them I realized that the eastern Europeans had narrowed down shoe making into an art. These shoes, not only stick to just about any foot hold, but they are like climbing in socks. Once your foot slips into them they immediately take the shape of your foot. I first tried them while helping host at a comp at Escalade Climbing gym, and they were magnificent! I was psyched. So today I went over near the Chattahoochee River Park to see how they could perform on real rock and I was really surprised. Any foot hold I placed them on, no matter how small, they didn't even budge. Wowawoowa!! Any time I heel hooked or toe hooked they stuck. I am really psyched on them and would love to see more of them out here in the states. If anyone is interested in getting a pair just visit my facebook and tell me, or email me at e_unit_soviet@yahoo.com, but the easiest way would be talking to the U.S. rep who lives here in Georgia, by going to his facebook: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/climbnchase?ref=ts

So far I have tried the Pearl Slipper and the Top Gun(velcros) and am extremely happy!!

The Top Gun


The Pearl Slipper

Today Was the First day I took these shoes outside and ended up sending a really cool, yet a kinda dirty first ascent, calling it Fight Club. Hopefully vid and pics will be up soon. I called it about V8/9, but I really have no idea and would love some consensus!!

Peace