Charged The Drill!!

Nearly two months have past since a post, Damn!! Sorry, but things have gotten hectic in several ways. First of all I started a new job and energy and focus have been siphoned away to concentrate on getting things right. A good job that pays decent is a rare thing these days, so I have been racing to get up to speed and make an impact so I can keep the position. So far things are going well. The other thing is my crappy old PC, which is creeping slowly toward oblivion. An upgrade is in the works and that should help with sound and movie concerns.

I have been climbing, quite a bit actually. Bouldering days have been fairly regular for the past two months, though the occasional splotchy weather drives me into the gym on climbing nights. I have been to the Bridge Bands on several occasions and strung up the long easy tens on the right end of the Cliff. I feel mentally solid but my power level isn't quite where I'd like as evidenced by my two days of failure on the 25' long 12c, Fossil Crack. This climb is steep with a distinctive powerful crux and reachy jug haulin before a thin crimpy sequence to pull the lip. It climbs like a V6 boulder problem. I chose this climb because I have done it several times in the past decade since it went in, and I felt it would be a good transition from bouldering to bolt clippin'. My last visit was great and I linked through the crux twice and fell higher sorting out the powerful reach moves above. I'd like to polish it off and try to finally redpoint its neighbor Bobbys Big Bulge 12d (yes that is a Bobby Model reference).

The Tensleep season is nearly upon us and I am ready to start making pilgrimages. Routes to bolt and routes to send! Syked!! I have unfinished business on the granite here in Cody as well, and promised myself to install and open at least one other route on the plug formation below the Island. Also there are FA climbs bolted and waiting that may be out of range now, but if I can get to where I was last year I may have a shot at sending.

So I dumped my bolting bag out to see what shape I had left things last fall. I use an electricians bucket which is a great durable catch-all and it does just that. The usual suspects rolled out, various bits, a blow tube, wedgies, a hanger or two, a link of chain, some spare biners, and a cloud of dirt and rock dust along with a few rock pieces. For some reason that always gets me fired up, so I began assembling the rest of the kit and making a list of stuff to buy. A few days later and all the necessary stuff had been rounded up and the drill charged. I bolted 3 last year and 5 the year before, which is good for me considering I have been juggling a family, my small business and general ennui. Wait, I'm still doing that, its just with a different job and I'm actually fired up right now. If all goes well, I should get that many or more done this year, with several routes planned in Cody and a new wall or two with Charlie in Tensleep this year.

Its not that I don't have any new or old media to share. I have shot a lot film clips just nothing I have been psyched to sew together. Last night I was at the Homestead V5, a fairly high overhung arete and at Studs V8 right next door. Between the double send train on both problems, a nearly 20 foot fall I took off the prow and the massive relandscape job done to the Studs landing Zone, I was kicking myself for leaving the camera at home.

I have been climbing with Drew a lot lately. This is probably due to the fact that he is on the mountain nearly everyday either climbing or landscaping or both, so he is almost always available. He is climbing better that ever but his perma-psych and energizer-bunny motivation isn't allowing any rest or more importantly recovery. I think I climbed 8 days a week when I was in my twenties too, so I can relate, though I understand how vital rest is. Granted I am twenty years older now and climb marginally better than in my twenties, it seems like I need 3 times the rest to really recover.