Getting excited!

I just got this picture from my friend Dave. This was about a month ago out at Sandrock. The name of this climb is Windows... it's just a top rope (5.8 i think) but I tell you scrambling to set up the top rope here was the scariest part of the climb!

Hadn't gone climbing since HP40 the other night, so there's not much to report... unless you want to hear about the Sierra Nevada Summerbrew that I had while watching Law and Order SVU last night (Robin Wiliams played the perp... good episode)

However, Erin and I leave in 2.5 weeks for Reno!!! We are going to spend a week with our friend Alex climbing around Lake Tahoe and having the time of our lives! I'm getting so excited. I need to make a packing list.

SO far I know that I'm taking:

crash pad

2 pair climbing shoes

rope

quick draws (have 5 need to buy 5 more before we leave)

harness

slings and webbing

camcorder and point and shoot camera (debating the SLR)

tent

sleeping bag

stove (debateable if I want to attempt to fly with it or not- 'cuase I have to check it and I HATE checking luggage...)

pots and pans

chacos

bathing suit

2 pair shorts

1 pair long pants

sports bras

tank tops

1 dress (i mean we'll be at lake tahoe over memorial day weekend!)

toiletries...

WHAT am I forgetting?

Why do we climb?

Sometimes when I'm out bouldering I start to wonder, "Why the hell am I doing this?" Especially when I know that if I just stood up, I could be on top of the rock. It amazes me the strange positions we attempt to put our bodies into and the amount of time it takes us to move two feet to top out a boulder.


I went to Horse Pens 40 yesterday evening and just couldn't seem to get the motivation to lift my ass off the ground- literally. I'm sitting on the pad with this beautiful formation in front of me with AWESOME positive holds for my hands and pretty solid feet, but I was missing the key ingredient- core. I sat there and starred at this rock for a good minute, just begging my body to tighten up and stand UP! This is one of those times when I asked myself "why do I climb?"


I left HP40 (slightly disappointed in my not-so-hot climbing performance) and drove back to Hoover to spend the rest of the evening playing photographer. I love climbing, and I love taking pictures, and now I've managed to find a way to do both. The boys have been projecting a problem called Serenity Now. It's a V8... like the juice. It's on an overhung slab at about 45 degrees and it's a highball to boot. We had to anchor in to the slab below just to hold the pads in place.

When they first started this project- we had 5 or 6 spotters and 8 or so pads, Khoury and Tyler have become so dedicated that they will do it with two pads and only one spotter (me on camera, so if they asked me to I could put the camera down and spot...)

Why do we climb? The pictures, of course!!!




Tyler and Khoury started a trend, others wanted to try it out too...

Why do we climb? Adrenaline!

But at the end of the night, (without an ascent) we packed it in with plans for tomorrows attempt...

Why do we climb? Passion!!

Why do we climb?



I cannot speak for everyone, but after ending my evening with the guys and their project I was reminded of some things:

1- I just started climbing, and if I stick with it, I too, will be doing ridiculous projects that get you out of bed in the morning

2- Climbing is not only physical strength, but also mental

3- Everyone looks like a bad-ass when they climb (especially in pictures)

4- I climb because it reminds me that I have to take it one step at a time, or I'll fall off the rock, but if I'm climbing with the right people, someone is always going to be there when I fall

Some shots from HP40

Horse Pens 40 trip about a week ago, just now got the pictures from my friend.

This is my first V2 send ever... it's called Pearl Necklace. It took me about 20 minutes of working it before I got it. You can't tell here, but it's about a 60 degree angle coming at you.

These are all of Chicks... V0, a little warm up problem. Took me twice before I sent this one
Ok, more to come later... it's late and my eyes are hurting form staring at the computer screen.

Well, here goes...

I really have very little to say at the moment, but that seems to be how it goes everytime I've tried to write in this thing. Everyone seems so much wittier and smarter than I; I'm just afraid I can't live up to the other blogs out there. I'm not doing much in my life right now other than rock climbing, so I'm thinking that this would be a cool way to let friends and family know what's going on with my newest passion.

Saturday night we had inventory at the store, so I was there pretty late, but as soon as we wrapped up there, I was off to Sandrock. Erin and I got there around 11:45 and hung out with the boys for a minute, did some bouldering, then set up the tent and went to sleep. Sunday morning we all woke up early, went and got some breakfast at Jacks and then started climbing. Tyler and Dave and the other hot-shots took off in one direction for some higher-grade climbing and Erin and I accompanied by Daniel and Swack took off in the other direction to climb Lichens (5.9). Daniel lead it, then Swack lead it then I was ready to clean it. Now, I've climbed Lichens once before, but I've never cleaned a route. I was all excited about it for various reasons, the main one being that if I can clean the route without falling, I should be able to lead it too. It went off without a hitch, and then I top ropped it just for fun, pretty sure next time we go I'm going to lead it.

After runnin up lichens twice, it was time for me to attempt my first lead... on a whopping 5.7! I didn't want to puch myself too hard on the first lead, needed to get my confidence up first. But I lead it, only took one hang, and I'm pissed that I did, 'cause I should have red-pointed it (not take any hangs), but my head got in the way a little. Erin went up to clean it, but she had worn herself out on Lichens and forgotten to save the energy for Girl Scout 7... so we just pulled the rope down and I lead it again, cleaning on the way down.

After that, it was lunch time... ate some soup and took a rest, hid out from the wind in the tent, then cleaned up camp and headed to hang out with the big boys for a while. David lead Heave Ho (I thought was a 5.10c/d but accourding to Willcutt it's actually a 10.11b) David, then Wilcutt then Tommy, then I decided to hop on it and give it a shot. It's the second time I've tried this route (well third, but the first time I barely worked it at all). I got above the third bolt (which is a little over half way up) , and it was not easy, i'm not gonna lie. The last time I worked it I was a move behind this time, so I'm thinking next time I'll get a little further and maybe even send the route. (the picture at the top is Heave Ho, but that was taken the weekend before last... we always forget to take pictures when I do the cool stuff)

After that, the sun wasn't hitting us anymore and we were getting tired, and cold... So Cracker Barrel fed Erin and I some dinner and we headed home.

That's this weekend's recap of the crag.



I'm going to go get ready for bed (I'm a looser, it's only 10:30). But I am getting up early to work out before work... so NIGHT all

PEACE!!!
Tricia