Bolting at the Red

Omaha Beach. Done!!!!

Photos: Mark Large

Man Show: Done!

Pictures by Mark A. Large

Man Show

So its been a while since i have updated. I am really psyched on sport climbing right now. It took one route to turn me from bouldering mode back into die hard sport climbing mode. The Man Show 5.13d at the Little River Canyon in Alabama was the route that did it. My typical style of climbing is slow and methodical constantly controlling the pump from the ground. Well..., I had to throw that style out for this route. The Man Show forces me to try really hard from the third bolt to the chains. The kind of try hard you just don't get from bouldering. I am screaming and flying around on most of the moves. I had a really good Flash attempt. James Webb gave me spot on beta for every move on the climb. Really impressive seeing that Jimmy probably hadn't been on the climb in over a year. Since my flash attempt, i have one hung it 4 or 5 times. This is sorta how it goes. Really steep climbing on decent holds through the first couple of bolts to reach the first crux. The first crux for me is a wild rip in which my feet feel like they flying behind my head. After controlling the swing, I paste a foot back on and make a reach to a good edge, slam a heel toe cam sneak a quick breath and clip. Then make a huge reach to a slopey pistol grip pinch and slowly move left hand to a one pad gaston. After grabbing the gaston i re-adjust the right pinch and throw up and left to a better edge. Quickly i match the edge with one finger and throw again right hand to a jug and rest. First and hardest crux down. After resting and trying to recompose I make seven tick tacky moves, that seem to zap any remaining core strength, and set up for the red point crux. The red point crux is a huge dead point up and right off a in-cut side-pull and good left foot. If it were on the ground it would probably be a V4 boulder problem. However, it is not on the ground and i have fallen here a hand full of times. I am heading back this weekend to give it one last go before heading north in search of cooler temps. Pictures to come soon!!

80 New Routes in 2010

1. Nomad 5.12c Obed, TN

2. Twisting in the Wind 5.12b/c Tennessee Wall, TN

3. Pod Right 5.13a, Little River Canyon, AL

4. Placebo 5.11c, Little River Canyon, AL

5. OutPatient 5.11d, Little River Canyon, AL

6. Bitless 5.11b, Little River Canyon, AL

7. Toomsooba 5.12a, Little River Canyon, AL

8. Hooligans 5.13b, Little River Canyon, AL

9. Whatserface 5.13a, Obed, TN

10. Trundlerama 5.11a, Obed, TN

11. Electric Rats 5.10c, Tennessee Wall, TN

12. Hungry For Heaven 5.10c, Tennessee Wall, TN

13. Rocktoberfest 5.11, Little River Canyon, AL

14. Dave's Corner 5.11b, Little River Canyon, AL

15. Silverback 5.13a, Little River Canyon, AL

16. Glow in the dark bambi 5.13b, Obed, TN

17. Mojasha 5.12c, Little River Canyon, AL

18. Dave's other corner 5.11, Little River Canyon, AL

19. Touch of Grey 5.11d, Little River Canyon, AL

20. 720 5.12c, Little River Canyon,AL

21. Cornerstone 5.12c, Obed, TN

22. Centerstone 5.13a, Obed, TN

23. Solitary Movement 5.13a, Obed, TN

24. Buster Brown 5.11c, Little River Canyon, AL

25. Wet Corner 5.11c, LRC, AL

26. Blocky Start 5.11b, LRC, AL

27. Silver Man 5.13b, LRC, AL

28. Man Show 5.13d, LRC, AL

29. Gray Pole 5.11d, LRC,AL

30. Monkey Tails 5.12c, LRC,AL

31. Taste the Rainbow 5.13a, RRG, KY

32. Omaha Beach 5.14a, RRG, KY

33. Name Dropper 5.13a, RRG, KY

34. Hog Wild 5.12d (FA 5/9/10), RRG, KY.

35. Easy Rider 5.13a. RRG, KY.

36. unknown 5.11d. RRG, KY

37. Unknown 5.12b. RRG, KY

38. Warm Up 5.11. NRG,WV

38. Finders Keepers 5.12c. NRG, WV

39. Sloth 5.12c. NRG,WV

40.Almost Heaven 5.10 NRG,WV

41. Betty Bravo 5.11c. NRG, WV

42. Fifty Year Storm 5.12b. NRG, WV

43. B.C. 5.13b/c. NRG,WV

44. Satisfaction Guaranteed 5.11a. NRG,WV

45. Narcissus 5.12a. NRG,WV

46. Handsome and Well Hung 5.11a. NRG,WV

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80.

New Goal for 2010

Free the Glass Menagerie 5.13a 7 pitches, 900 feet, Grade IV, Looking Glass, NC

Description

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!

Cycling Journal

Ride Three, Farragut,TN. Partly cloudy with temps in the mid 50's. Casual solo ride.

Miles: 18

Ride Time: 1:03 minutes

Average speed: 17mph

Average Heart Rate: 155 bpm

Average Cadence: 84 rpm

Max speed: 35.1 mph

Max HR: 173 bpm

Max Cadence: 108 rpm

Calories Burnt: 501 kcal