Thursday, October 14, 2010
Sunday, September 5, 2010
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Proper Soul 5.14a(R/x)
Sunday, July 18, 2010
The NEW
Photo Credit: Taylor Strohmeyer.
With funds getting tighter, i picked up a job serving tables at Porter Jarrard's new restaurant the Vandalin. I have never served tables or even worked in a restaurant and i am excited for the opportunity and experience. If you stop through Fayetteville, I highly recommend the restaurant. The dinner entrees that come out of that kitchen are 5 star pieces of art that taste as great as they look. Check it out.
Friday, July 9, 2010
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Proper soul, Day 6
Proper Soul, Day 5
Went out and hung a static line on Proper Soul this morning. Rapped down and brushed every key hold on the route. After hanging a line and rapping and jugging around for a while i felt decently warmed up. I got on the route around 10am and felt great. I blew by my previous high point and cruised through the powerful traverse. I skipped the last bolt and grabbed the finial holds when my left hand popped off one off the small crimps guarding the chains. I was both psyched and disappointed to get such a high point. I have one hung the route a couple of times now and feel really close. Heading out this morning for attempt before it heats up to much.
Monday, July 5, 2010
Proper Soul, Day 4
Sunday, July 4, 2010
Proper Soul, day 3
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Proper Soul
For the past month or so I have been staying at a small campground located in the heart of the New River Gorge in West Virginia. The climbing in the Gorge can be very challenging with thought provoking movements up beautiful white and orange Nuttal Sandstone. Most of the areas I’ve climbed at around the US, take an average of two weeks to really start to feel good and comfortable on the rock. The New on the other hand has taken more like four or six weeks before I am finally starting to feel comfortable with some of the movements. I am sure the weather has played a huge role in this, with average temps soaring well into the 80’s. Take the heat and add in some tropical like humidity and well, conditions have been tough. With the manky conditions, I have really had to take my climbing down a couple of grades. That being said, I have gotten on some truly amazing rock climbs here at the New. The locals in town and staying at the campground are really friendly and have made me feel right at home. While climbing though out the gorge, I have been eyeing up some of the harder lines looking for a cool project to zone in on. Proper Soul 5.14a is a proud looking 100-foot line that climbs through a beautiful steep dihedral on it way to the top of the cirque at endless wall.
After sweating it out waiting for good conditions I finally decided to just get on it and see what it was all about. My first working burn up the route took about an hour. Conditions were not great, I got rained out of the first crag I went to and ended up at the cirque because it stays dry in the rain. Most of my time on the route was figuring how to get into and then back out of the crux dihedral. The other half of the route climbs through a couple of powerful and tricky traverses ending with a sure to be heartbreaking last couple of moves to the top. After my first burn, I was absolutely trashed. After not climbing that hard for a couple of weeks my body felt like it had been run over by a train. Anyway, I think I have found a pretty good project.
Day two on Proper Soul was really inspiring. I had a pretty good burn and fell leaving the dihedral. I was third day on, however conditions were way better for this go. Temps in the 70’s with humidity probably down around 60 to 70 percent. I was really psyched to get a high point on the route and also make it to the chains with only three hangs. Feeling good about the route at this point. Can’t wait for a rest day.
Thursday, June 17, 2010
80 New Routes in 2010
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Thursday, May 20, 2010
New River Rendezvous recap
Sunday, May 9, 2010
Two new lines for the Red!
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Man Show
Monday, March 22, 2010
80 New Routes in 2010
Thursday, March 11, 2010
New Goal for 2010
This is the finest multipitch free-climb of its grade in the Southeast. If you want sustained climbing with big air and on perfect granite, this is the route for you. The Glass Menagerie is the obvious overhanging line up the center of the North Face of Looking Glass. It is equally good as an aid climb, as it is a free climb. Its cruxes are well protected and the rock is almost always stellar.
I have been on and aided the climb a couple of years ago. It took about 12 hours car to car. My plan for feeing it would take three to four days, or two weekends. The first two days, i would go up and figure out the crux pitches. The first crux pitch is Pitch 2: (5.12+ or C1) and the second and main crux is Pitch 4: (5.13 or C2). Day three rest, and day four go for the ground up send!
Monday, March 8, 2010
Cycling Journal
Friday, March 5, 2010
80 New Routes in 2010
T-Wall and LRC
Went out to the Tennessee wall Wednesday to plug some gear and take a look at some of the sport climbing routes. Felt good to mix it up and climb on some cracks.
Monday, March 1, 2010
Weekend update
Saturday was probably the best weather the Chattanooga area has seen in a while. Temps in the low 50's with the sun shinning all day. LRC was a packed house with climber and parking slots filled. It was great to see everyone out! Pads everywhere!! Got on and sent a classic semi high ball problem called Kaya. So psyched to have 10 - 15 pads under me for this one. Was also able to send one of my nemesis called Instinct. I have probable tried the problem which is well within my limits something like 50 times. Changed my foot beta from a heel hook to just toeing down and sent second try with the new beta.
Cycling Journal
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Week Upadate
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Knoxville Upcoming climbing events
Date : February 28
Time : Sign Up 10:30 – 11:30 am Comp 12 – 6 pm
Location : HYPER building on the University of Tennessee Campus
Cost : $15 (all proceeds go to the Access Fund and the ETCC)
Date : April 18
Time : 10:00 am
Location : Torrent Falls (sign ups at Miguel's)
Cost : TBD