Two Stars

There were two stars at BKB tonight.

First, E did her first V3. Congrats. After only a few weeks of climbing, not bad at all.

Second, the amazing Sasha DiGiulian showed up. Although I thought I recognized her, the absence of pink threw me off a little. Maybe its NYC getting to her because she was all in black.

E and I did V0, V1, V2, V2+ in the front. Marco joined us at some point after working out in the back on his own and did V0, V1, V2.

E then worked a long time on a V3 which she finally sent. After that she worked another V3 where she could make it almost all the way (2 moves from the top) but could not finish.

I then did V3, V4, V4, V4, V5, V4. The last V4 was fun with a huge dyno to start.

Marco worked on a V3 then went back to the beast I believe.

P.S. On Sunday K, E, S, and I went to TRC to climb some ropes. It was fun to change it a little. Lead climbing there is definitely more fun.

7 x 2 = 14

Went down to BKB with K and E where we met Marco, Will, and Luca. K and I took it slow (K has problems with his shoulder) but E was on fire. After a V0 and a V1, she sent seven V2s. Some onsight, some she worked at. At this point, if she would be more precise, have her body more stable, and not pull with her biceps as much, she would get to V3 really quick.

Marco worked some old nemesis, including a pink V2 in the back. He made clear progress on it (he used to fall on the first move); now he gets to the end but can't pull the last move. Actually, I think he can do it, but his brain is getting in the way. Its a move where your body is angled to the left (your right foot is to the right of your hands and you need to swing your weight on that foot and grab the top which is to the right of your foot. Because your hand hold is not very good, it means that for about 1 foot its the momentum that's moving you, but your hand is not really holding anymore. He just needs to learn to let go.

Kenway and I worked some fun problems, including a green V4 in the back with a horrible 2 finger pocket on which you almost had your entire weight. In the front we did a fun orange V4 with big holds and big moves. We also worked a nice aqua V5 that involve a very slow and delicate high step with both hands on a thin crimper.

K and E: The Yardbirds! Not The Kinks.

Recap

Too busy to post here's a recap of what's happened since I returned from sunny Florida.

BKB: Kenway and I have been getting on ropes more, typically at the beginning of the session, then bouldering at the end. We need to practice more on ropes. as we have no endurance.

E has decided to try and come regularly. She was there on Friday and yesterday. She is climbing better than about a year and a half ago when she stopped.

Yesterday K, Marco, E, and I went. I thought everyone was climbing well. Marco and E both did a difficult V1 that they worked on for a long time. E sent her first V2 since starting to come again. Marco was showing clear signs of improved technique. Kenway and I did a fun V5 in the alcove. Kenway played with the zebra V4 on the beast that I tried when I came last Friday. I did a fun V4 that was all friction but it took me forever to do the first move for which I am not flexible enough. Everyone did a lot more than that, but that's what I remember.

Second pitch of Limelight

Gunks: Went on Sunday with K. Super cold and windy, worst than a few weeks ago (http://www.themonkeyclub.org/2013/03/march-madness.html). We setup on Limelight, I had forgotten that I had done it before. I lead the first pitch (5.6) and felt sketched out and uncomfortable. Then Kenway lead the second pitch (5.7) which I thought was hard to even second. Looking back and realizing I had lead both pitches surprises me (http://www.themonkeyclub.org/2009/09/climbers-log.html), I guess I am in much worst shape than I used to be. It was so cold we then decided to do short single pitches. I setup to lead CC Route but backed down before the traverse under the roof. Kenway went for it and slipped past the roof and fell on an old piton. Doing so he grabbed the rope and burnt his hand, but nothing that couldn't be solved with tape. I went back and finished the thing. We then TRed BB Route. Really fun climb.

Under the roof of BB Route

A bit depressing to see I am regressing. Its also clear that after all these years of climbing height still gets to me, I don't really trust the pro, and I am afraid of falling. This leads me to overgrip and get mentally exhausted. i guess the upside is that we have climbed more this year and in the past 2 years at that same point in time: practice makes perfect!

Coles: Did a few exercises this morning, really quick session. Trying to get back in a rhythm.

15 inclined situps (+30 - dumbbell on chest).
Bench presses 5x5: 135, 140, 145, 150, 155(F).
15 inclined situps (+25).
Standing straight, raise arm straight all the way to shoulder level, palms facing out, 5x5 (weight per dumbbell): 20, 25, 20, 15, 15.
15 inclined situps (+15).

Late

Bench presses 5x5: 135, 155, 165, 155, 145.
Squats 5x5, highbar: 135, 155, 165, 175F, 155.
pullups: 5 wide grip, 5 wide grip, 20 narrow grip.

Woke up late (alarm clock malfunction). Ran over to Coles to meet up with Marco and Ragan. Witnessed Ragan's first ever unassisted pullup (in fact she did 5, including some towel pullups).

This or that

While Ragan and Marco were taking their intro to rope climbing class; Carmen and I started bouldering in the front.

Carmen was on fire, onsighting 3 V0s on only her second time climbing: nice! I started with V0 and V2, and then we moved to the small cave area where they setup a bunch of brand new problems. I did a V3, V4, and a great black V5: no feet, two big hooks in sequence, one on the same piece as your hand.

Once Marco and Ragan finished their class, we did a bit of rope climbing. Marco did a 5.9 clean on the pillar, not bad for his first time. After a failed first attempt, I did a 5.10 on the pillar (some guy did it on lead after I failed and his beta was key). Carmen did three attempts on a 5.7.

We then went back to bouldering, M, R, and C working an interesting pink V1 (Marco managed to do it). I did a crimpy V5 yellow.

We finished with some board training. I think the training is finally showing its effects. My climbing is improving, but it might also be because bringing M, R, and C is motivating me. They are improving so much (Both R and M managed to climb a few pieces without feet during training: i.e. pullups) that its making me want to get better I think.

P.S. Some guy fell on lead on a vertical climb, flipped over after his leg got caught in the rope and came banging into the wall... he had a pretty nasty burn on his leg: ouch.

Slow Start, Strong End

Brought another newbie to BKB, Carmen who is visiting Columbia from Munich. Met Ragan and Marco. Started in the section we spent most of our time in last Tuesday (the section with the small cave near the front) because Marco wanted his revenge on the green V2. Carmen completed a 0 and worked on second one. Marco tried hard on the 2, but it would not surrender. Ragan climbed some 0s and tried some 1s. I did 0, 2, 3, 4; then I had a long stretch of failures. Finally I was successful on a orange 4+ right outside of the cave area where the wall starts getting taller. It mostly involved large pinches.

We moved to the back where Marco and Ragan worked a white 1 and a red 2 (they had also worked on those on Tuesday). Carmen did two more 0s. I did nothing for a while but finally found something to work on, on the little wall before the beast, a lime 5, that involves a one arm mantle at the last move. Really cool (to do without the arete). I also did a red 4 in that section that involved a bid mantle on the last move with a dropped knee, really cool.

To finish Carmen did a 0+, and Ragan and Marco broke the code of the white 1: success!

We finished with some board training. Good night, but we have some work to do to be as good as those guys: 2013 ABS Mens Highlights

Fast start, slow end

Headed to BKB with Ryan, met Marco and Ragan there. We started strong in the small alcove towards the front where there is an overhanging section. I did V0, V2, V3, V4, V5+. The 2 was a fun overhanging (green) climb going across the little cave with good hands and feet. The 3, 4, and 5+ were hard, each in different ways. The (orange) 3 has a difficult finish going left to right on a small foot which is a bit far to really rock your weight over. The 4 involves mostly small hands. The 5+ is the yellow I tried last week, after a few fails trying to use the last hand hold before the top, I decided to just gun for the end. It worked on the second try, its more a mental thing than a physical challenge.

Ryan got stuck on the tricky 3 and spent a long time working it. Ragan and Marco worked some 0s and 1s; except for that green 2 that Marco spent a fair amount of time on. By the end he clearly had made progress, but was running out of juice. Ragan is learning to swing sideways and twist her shoulders; however she showed us she probably has the most hand strength of any of us on a sideways start with a flagged foot: impressive.

We then went in the back where these guys worked the 2 red that involves laybacks. I tried many things but couldn't come close on any of them.

We finished with some deadhangs and pullup training.

Back at it

Headed to the Gunks today with a group of Coles climbers: Jess, Joanna, Miguele, and Gregg. As I have not climbed in about 2 months and was not certain of my toe (which I broke a little while back), I made sure to start slow. We first did Short Job, 5.4, G-PG, *. A two pitch climb, the first pitch is a shot 5.3 and the second 5.4. The second pitch was interesting, and plenty for my comeback with some strange moves to ledges on the side. After that we headed to Double Chin, 5.7, PG, **. A single pitch of crack, ledges and corners. It was hard enough to get me nervous and happy I didn't tackle anything harder. The end is particularly bizarre. It now seemed ludicrous that I once took Evangeline there to learn to belay a leader (http://www.themonkeyclub.org/2010/09/double-chin.html).

Given the size of the group and how busy it was, that's all we managed to do. But to be frank, I was happy we did not do more. My head was not ready for more, and my toe had enough.

A beautiful sunny day where now one got hurt, can't ask for more.

A lot of car and some climbing

Jess and I headed to south lake Tahoe this weekend. After coming back from Texas, I had only 4 hours of sleep before I left to pick Jess up. By 6am we had left her place, we drove for about 4 hours until we reached the campground close to Lover's leap. We setup camp and drove toward Luther Spires. It took us a while to find the place and when we found it, it was quite a hike to the base of the cliff, 25min of solid uphill hiking/scrambling. On our way we passed two climbers coming down who warned us it was VERY windy, but we decided to ignore their warning. Both of us were exhausted when we reached the base at 1:30. We had lunch in the sun before getting started on Jane Spy 5.7. The climb was truly great. Its a slab with nice handholds which although you cannot see them from below, are really incut and often allow you to put one or two phalanges in. Unfortunately the bolts are really spaced out, 4 bolts for 60 feet of climbing. Which mean that you could hit the deck past the first and you could hit a ledge past the third. The wind was blowing so hard it almost blew me off the wall right before the anchors. Jess did it on TR. I then did it on TR and placed 5 pieces of pro and cliped in all the quickdraws so that Jess could lead it (it then had a piece every 5 to 10 feet). She did a great lead (her first on American soil). I then went back on TR because there's one piece she couldn't take out.

After that we moved toward Dog and gri gri two bucks 5.9. Getting there was hard, at least 4 scrambling, maybe low 5, and I had to tie Jess in so that she could get there. In the usual craziness of my approach my helmet fell (but I managed to retrieve it later). The climb was a great 4 bolts (well protected this time) 30 feet slab following an arete most of the way, but the left foot which follows the face often has only tiny feet. By the time Jess did it, it was so cold, she had a hard time finishing.

We got back to the car by 6pm and headed to camp. We froze all evening and by the time we were in the tent it started raining, or so we thought. At midnight we looked outside and everything was covered in snow. By the morning, there were at least two inches of snow on the ground.

We headed back to San Fransisco since we couldn't climb in the snow and stopped at the Mission Cliffs gym. There we did the following.

Jess: 5.9, 5.10a, 5.10b, 5.10c (2 takes), 5.10b/c (2 takes).
G: 5.9, 5.10a, 5.11a, 5.11d (1 take), 5.12b (multiple takes).

The 12b was great, I managed the first 1/4 clean, but then it became really balancy and thin and I fell on almost every other move.