So i've been in Salt Lake City Utah for the past week attending the 2009 OR Trade Show. Hanging out, walking around what is basically the biggest outdoor retail store in the world. I competed again this year as well. Having my best finish in a large scale competition yet.. placing 7th after qualifiers, and ending up 4th after the finals. Definately syked with the 400 dollars that will help me get my ass back to the south. We've also been climbing now 2 nights up at the Little Cottonwood Canyon. First night i was able to take down Bully.. a project i left undone from last years trip. Also did a couple cool lines called Copperhead, and All Thumbs. Tonight we went to an area called the Gate. By looking in the guide book it seemed to have the most variation of easy to difficult boulders. So we warmed up and Kasia, Jon, and Isabell were able to climb a nice 7b+ called Bar Fly. While i was able to finish Pro Series, 8a. Also checked out a few other classics up the road: Triple Threat, and Ben Moons Eclipse. Though we didnt really climb on these boulders they were most definately two of the best blocs i've seen in cottonwood canyon and probably any area ive visited. I will return. Here's a small clip i threw together of us bouldering at the Gate Boulders. Enjoi
Aight so i've been in Colorado now for a little over 2 weeks, and things thus far have been incredible. I've set up shop in Denver with my good buddy John Gass(Chattown OG). Been skateboarding TONS at a sick local park just down the street. Always syked!!! Also got some new kicks yesterday. BLAM!!
So, life for me and John is basically revolved around 2 days of climbing and 1 rest day. (rinse and repeat) We've made our way through some badass spots, cleaning house wherever we go. Johns been climbing super well! Having already smashed a few v9s , v8s, etc etc.. I have also sent a few a cool lines that i got owned on last season including: Clear Blue skies, Wildcat, Ground Control, and some others.. and since its getting quite hot out at Mt. Evans i see us spending alot of time up at the RMNP. STOKED! Also been getting quite a bit of footage, but have had little to no time to update. So here's the first vid from the trip so far. Check out my Vimeo account for the next 2. They're taking a while to upload. so i can't update them to the blog just yet. ENJOI
So recently i've started skateboarding again. Chaz bought himself a board, and ryan is syked. Tonight we decided to do a little street skating. Started off in our pkng lot. went down to a church.. which we got cornered by some dude and his bible... you can just figure the rest.... After we broke from the vortex we found a nice spot with a bank, and a loading dock. Got kicked out. then waltzed up to this 4 set and screwed around. I ended up throwing down and ollied over the handrail. I still got it!!! and stoked to get back in the game!
So here's a clip of me sending this cool route in alabama called Unshackled the Movie. Tried it one day a few times with luis, and came back a couple weeks later and fired it first try. Luis sent right after. Sick route!
Man, i've been living in chattanooga now for almost 2 years now.. and have been climbing in the area for the past 6. and it seems like every other month im hearing of new areas, old areas, possibilities, etc etc. Its amazing to think how much rock is in and around chattanooga. and how much rock is still out there just waiting to be developed. stoked!!
So while we're on the subject. Me, Luis, and Kasia made our way out to a cool area today with some fun and interesting stone. Me, being sore as SHIT from the past weeks training, was only able to get in a couple easier routes.. but I had a great time belaying, and watching Luis, and kasia tear it up.
Here's some shots of Luis sending an unknown 12d up the main buttress. Gorgeous.
Aight so kasia and I arrived back in chatty yesterday evening from our 5 day trip to New Jersey for the Gravity Brawl. The trip was really nice, the competition was fun..although I didn't perform as well as i wanted to in finals i still enjoyed the experience. The NE2C ALWAYS throws down the best comps with the sickest scene. PROPS> The problems in finals were stellar, most fit my style pretty well.. but all in all it came down to wether or not i did problem number 2.. which i didnt. i was really close, but on my final attempt i stuck what i thought to be the crux move.. got my left foot high and as i was going for the finishing jug my left hand greased out... bummer. Time was called and i finished the comp strong, flashing problem 3 and meeting high point on 4. The comp was super close, and im syked for the trade show comp coming up in around a month or so.. hopefully the problems will be a bit harder, and the field will become a little more spread out.
Aight, so with the comp scratched me, kasia, Issabel, Kevin, and Lesley ladladd spent the next day stomping around NYC. We hiked out to central park, saw some boulders, climbed a little. and then decided to pack it up and take the hour or so drive out to New Paltz and check out the Gunks. We got there around 5ish and got syked to go up and check out some of the blocs for a small sesh.. We started off at the Buddah boulder, where everyone warmed up. then me and Kevin started trying a problem above called The Crouching Dragon, 8a. I was able to dispatch on my 3rd attempt, while kevin continued to tick off the stand start,7c. After this we chilled out, rented a hotel, got some grub, etc etc
The next day was a FULL day, to say the least. Started off warming up in the Welcome area. I was syked to try and flash the classic Karajo, 8a. Which i was soo close to doing. Sending on my 2nd attempt.. and the girls were scoping the stand start A new pair of Glasses, 7a+. Which they all sent. After this we took the hike to Venus in Scorpio.. a super classic 7c+/8a. Which i was able to dispatch rather quickly. I would just like to say that i LOVED this problem.. one of the best i have climbed for the grade. a must do in the Gunks. hands down. So then we rolled back to the Buddah bloc were the girls made progress on the buddah, 7a+ but there were no sends. Then me and kevin threw our selves at a party trick v10 called freak. I was able to send, while almost snapping my spine. ha. After this we just started to trudge back towards karajo.. stopping at every other bloc we saw to try and climb some classics and what not. With our last stop being back in the Karajo area where we all threw ourselves at a cool 7b+ called Jackson Pollak. Me and Kevin sent quickly and left the rest of the sesh up to the girls. They were all SUPER close to sending.. linking move after move.. but in the end it was kasia coming through with the ninja beta. Sickness indeed. Unfortuantely no vids from the trip.. but i can now confidently tell you that the Gunks are more then worth the trip. :)
So whats up!! Seems like life has been super lo-key recently. Nothing spectuacular, nothing groundbreaking.. just me training at TBA and sport climbing occasionally. It's been fun, and motivating.. especially since jwal recently rolled back in town and is keeping my syked. BOOM!
So word, despite the hot weather recently me, kasia, and jeremy decided to take a trip out the the new spot they're calling "Royal Blue" near ktown. We hooked up with Mitch Trice who took us out and showed us around. huge thanks. So while we were there we got to check out a cool little spot they called the golden nuggets.. and the twelve's. Gold nuggs was first. which hosts some stellar rock, small roofs, fun warm-ups and a couple projects. One of which i was able to snag. Calling it " the glory of kings". This project basically consists of some badass sandstone, perfect start holds, followed by two nice incuts, and a huge toss out to a sloper on the arete.. hard match then a dicey highballish finish. SICK. to say the least. Unfortunately we weren't able to get footage of this climb due to my absent mindness.. but whatever. stellar bloc. go do it! After this we packed up and drove out to the 12's. which is somewhat of a smaller area.. and was actually one of the first areas developed in this facinity. This area seemed to be based on one mini cliff line that ran for around a mile? Not bad stone, some classic moderate roofs, and whatever. A couple nice lines we did in particular included a wave featured v6. This problem is almost identical to the wave we all know at LRC. Just continuous slapping up a slopey arete. Its veeeery nice. Then we trudged out to a problem mitch first climbed called "bird of prey" Me and J both flashed and started to focus our attention on a proj. to the right. J battled a wasp, and we started to chalk up some holds, and figure some beta. J quickly flashed for the F.A and i followed behind in a few efforts. No name for this problem yet.. but its definately one for the books. Nice jug start, intense and bunchy two move crux.. and a nice head wall to finish. Get out and do this one mitch! You will enjoi.
So with our day finished at royal blue, we headed back to the Mtown and stayed with my rents for the night. Got up the next day and rolled out to the lilly boulders. It was nice, i repeated some classics, and J straight stomped Testify in the near 80 degree heat. Monster.
WORD.
Also, heading to the Gravity Brawl in New Jersey tomorrow. No expectations. Just syked to chill with some peeps and climb some cool problems. Come out and ball!!
Here's a clip i threw together from those 2 days. Enjoi
