The Summer Fall Season

A month with no updates??? Bummer. I've been real bad about dragging the camera along lately, and pictures are usually what motivates me post up here. I guess a few words will have to suffice for today.

For me, this has been the summer of trying hard. Not just attempting harder climbs, but pushing myself to try as hard as I could every day and every attempt. Trying to say 'take' as little as possible. Committing to solid onsight attempts. Squeezing in a extra route into each session, instead of kicking back and soaking in the views. Not being intimidated by difficult climbing, or intimidating runouts. Trying to really go for it, which hasn't always been a strength for me.

The results? Well, the first result is through repeated whips and dogging at the Orifice, I trashed a rope in just over a month. At the beginning of July I bought a brand new 9.5mm Mammut rope. Since then it has logged innumerable falls, and I've already had to cut both ends off - on one end it was tattered so badly that the core was exposed. Yikes. The middle of the rope still looks brand spanking new, but my new 70 meter rope is now down to about 65.

The next result has been results. I've managed to tick off my three hardest redpoints and my hardest onsight this summer. It's been a nice feeling to see a convergence of psyche, training and experience finally paying off. Climbing with a diverse group of talented and unique climbers has also been a huge factor, as I've managed to learn a lot from watching so many different people. I've been slowly getting better as a climber the last few years, but this summer I have really felt like I've been making big strides. Lots of trying, lots of falling, but then the rewards. This also helps create a positive feedback cycle, and helps keep the motivation for climbing and training riding high.

Hopefully the camera will find it's way back into my pack soon. And maybe I'll even get to climb with the posse again - DP (who, after crusing a bunch of 12's, decided sport climbing is too easy and has been freakin TRAD CLIMBING!) and C-Money (who has been too busy monitoring the police scanner in the newsroom to come play with us).

After a summer of sport climbing, the boulders are starting to call my name again. I've got my eye on a few problems and a couple potential new areas, so stay tuned...