Man Hands

Well, I got my second v8! I'm really psyched because the climb was super fun and I think this is a much more solid climb than the redhouse extension. That said, there are still boulder problems to be completed before roping up for the spring. But I'm also super excited to get back on routes and try to really push myself on a rope this season. Hopefully I can tick off a couple more projects by the time it gets too hot to boulder. Hope everybody's crushin!!!

80's Babies and a Soggy Day

So we at Chatt Nasty just had our second annual back to school bash climbing competition! This year we decided to call it "80's Babies." Of course, everyone dressed in their best 1980's attire and we all got down to some Bon Jovi while crushing plastic boulder problems. Myself and drew were the only setters for this comp and I think we did a pretty good job. The turnout was fantastic and we even had some newcomers take Men's open. I took pictures the whole time and then decided to play around with some new photo editing software I've acquired. The pictures might not be classically beautiful, but I've always had a thing for high contrast, crazy effect photos. So here they are. Oh, and the soggy day was when I went out solo climbing at LRC on a major snow melt day last week. I was barely able to climb anything cuz of sloppy top outs, but I was able to claim my first send of A Face in the Crowd v7, a flash of Boro Traverse v6, and a few other fun v4s and 3s.

Brett working his way through one of our Advanced Problems

Elliott working his way up to brush a hold I think

Fellers figuring out how to break more holds

Dayton Pocket and a New Year.

So in case you missed it, the new year has officially begun and it's high time those resolutions start getting the attention they probably don't deserve at all. As far as climbing goes, I'm not going to put a number on the grade I want to climb this year or name any specific projects although they do exist. Instead, I'm just going to say that my resolution is to climb harder and enjoy it more. Keep it simple, right? So to start off the year, I went with some buds out to the super-secret-stash-that-no-one-but-us-has-ever-climbed-at (ha, yeah right) Dayton Pocket. This was my first time and I have to say that the hype surrounding the roof and the other various boulder problems didn't overshadow how cool the climbing was. The only thing I wasn't expecting was how beautiful the landscape surrounding the boulders and river was. That place is stinkin' beautiful, especially with all the ice. Oh yeah, and the climbing was sick.

To start off the day I wanted to hit up the super sweet river problem, River Dance. I wasn't expecting to flash or to send at all considering it's a grade harder than anything I've ever done, but I was super psyched to get 3 of the 5 moves on my first session. Considering how out of shape I am and how good the holds felt, I think this problem could go with some more work. Oh yeah, and Kyle crushed this thing in good fashion after working it only once before. Dude's getting seriously strong, which I guess means I have to start listening to him when he tells me to do ab workouts with him. 

practicing my product placement shots

Next we hit up the roof and I have to say, it's not quite as large as the elephant sized rumors would suggest, but it's still impressive nonetheless. First I got on reconciliation which was pretty fun then it was on to Torpedo. This is one of those stupid stories that should be accompanied by a video but since I'm limited to a still camera, you'll just have to use your imagination. So I got on the problem once after having it explained to me and dropped after the first move I think because I needed more beta. Then, on my second go I cruised the thing up to the very last move. Now the last three moves are just campusing on jugs once pulling the lip and for some reason I was unable to hit the very last of the three. So dumb. So I fell and yelled some words/phrases I'd care not to repeat (sorry to anyone who was around) and continued to be humbled for the next 10-15 tries. Didn't get the send because each sequential attempt felt worse than the last. So I'm going to choose to look at this as a positive considering I almost got a v7 second go and felt good on a v9. Now I just need to get back out there and finish that business. 

Mike working the right sit to River Dance

Ya know, I'm starting to believe that head game is a bigger part of climbing (even bouldering) than I used to believe. Who cares how long the projects take or which problems feel stupid hard. This year I want to stay positive and continue to enjoy climbing because after all, that's what it's all about. I love pebble wrestlin' 

PAIINN!!!

Ok so after an amazing week last week, I've spent most of this week in the serious dumps. On Saturday we had our first CCS comp of the season and our team crushed beyond all reason. Chatt Nasty came out in huge ways taking 1st through 13th place in mens and 1st and 2nd in women's! The comp was a lot of fun and although we missed our App state homies, we still had a blast throwing down on the plastic. On a personal note, I spent about half the comp working on the last move of one problem which I came painfully close to sending just about every attempt. The ending move was a giant grab for the top rail and at the very end of the comp elliott and I figured out new beta which made the move a little more doable but neither of us was able to send. That problem caused my body so much pain because I was landing on my back from the top bar time after time after time. I wanted to send it so badly because I thought that if I didn't get it then I wouldn't get third. I know it sounds dumb to use so much energy on a problem like that at a comp, but it was a personal goal of mine to make the top 3. Well as it turns out, I got third place without the problem and have spent the past week recovering from all the climbing I did last week. First I was sore, then my back started hurting and now I pulled something in my wrist that's making it go numb whenever I tweak it. So I'm leading a trip out to LRC tomorrow for UTC outdoors but besides that I'll probably be keeping it pretty low key for the next few days in an attempt to get over all this hurting. Oh yeah, and I'm missing the ETSU route comp tomorrow because I can't climb on this wrist. Suckssss!! But I'm not worried cuz I know the team will crush. 

peace out! 

Great start to the season!

So after about 4 trips to LRC in the past week, I'm more psyched than I've ever been!! The projects have been falling one by one. First I sent Redhouse extension which is my first v8, then I got a sweet 5 called Fat Cat, then a really fun 6 called Main area traverse (I did it from left to right), then I got Jerry's Kids!! Not too bad for one week. I'm feeling strong and climbing really well and I can already tell that this is going to be an awesome season. I've had to not climb the past couple days because I needed to save skin for today, which is our FIRST CCS comp of the season!! In about an hour I'll be headed to franklin, TN to compete at the Crag (the place that started it all for me). I can't wait to climb some sweet plastic and kick it with old friends. Anyways, here are some pictures from the past couple times we've been out. There aren't any of me cuz I'm the one that took them.