shelf whip

This is a video of a friend of mine climbing on the wall opposite where I was climbing. He's the light blue figure moving almost in the center of the frame. It has a sad ending and graphically illustrates the meaning of the word "whip" as it applies to climbing. I'm the one snickering at the beginning of the video and then the rest of my climbing group is cheering the climber on.

getting sporty at shelf

I enjoyed hanging out at shelf this weekend...it was the first trip I've ever taken for climbing where I camped out with other people. Usually my trips are just me and what ever rope gun I'm hanging out with.

One weird thing though...everyone was a sport climber. Sport climbers are strange. Really, really strange. Some examples:

• They give each other beta before and during climbs. That would be a good way to get your ass kicked if you're with trad climbers.
• People who have been climbing for only 6 - 8 months can climb 5.11b sport routes. That amazes me. Hell, even I climbed some 5.11 routes. How is that possible? I suck!
• They talk obsessively about climbing. Literally, from the time they get up until they go to bed. They seem to remember every move on a route, in fact, they MEMORIZE moves on routes. Weird.
• They put chalk marks on holds so they'll remember them. That seems a bit like cheating to me.
• They file holds if they are too sharp. They make new holds by knocking stuff off that's loose. They always argue that routes are over rated, or under rated. You never hear a sport climber say "that route was rated 10d and it felt like 10d".
• No helmets, so they get cranky when you knock rocks down. But then they climb on chossy shit that has loose rocks.
• They share ropes and slings. I was amazed when climbers would leave their draws on a route so someone else could climb on it.
• They hate to walk. They're like boulderers. They'll climb crap rock because the good rock is a half mile further and that's too far.
• They bring their annoying dogs that pee everywhere, bark, and eat food from your backpack (I think trad climbers are better about that, but maybe not much better)

Definitely a different scene than what I'm used to. Most of the trad climbers I've hung around talk with their feet, not their mouth. But spray is common in camp and on route. There were times when I was climbing and three different people were yelling advice to me. Or, as I was tying into a route, people would come up and say "the key hold is blah blah blah". But then they'll sit there and argue if someone red points or flashes a route "oh he climbed that two years ago so it's not a red point" or "he only flashed it because I gave him beta".

Though, to be honest, I'm enjoying sport climbing because it's convenient, easier than trad, on face rather than in cracks which I hate because they're always full of shit or snakes, and I don't have to commit to a full day of hauling up some huge face only to get lost finding the bolts at the top, then run out of water, then be starving too, and then have to hike down in my climbing shoes.

My favorite things my fellow climbers said to me this weekend:

"I won't try ice climbing because it's stupid" (whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa? the closest sport to crack cocaine stupid???????????????)
"Some day I want to try a multi-pitch climb" (from a guy who had been climbing for TWENTY years! my second climb I ever did outside was a multi-pitch climb)
"All those trad routes are rated soft" (like they forget you have to put your own pro in instead of just clipping into a bolt - for the record, the FRG agrees with me on this)

how climbing is like life

I was talking to my neighbor Carol on Monday. She's coming out with a new addition of her book (http://www.amazon.com/Freedom-Fall-Carol-Hampson/dp/0615208347) and wanted some feed back on the changes she had made to the cover.

She noticed my hands and forearms are torn up and scabby from climbing at shelf. I was telling her about how I need to work on my foot work. She knows about climbing at shelf because she did a lot of research for her book, which is about her son, a climber who died in Yosemite.

Then we started talking about my book. I told her that I was very frustrated, and that I felt any time I made progress and got excited that something was going to happen, events always transpired to slow down everything. Carol, who knows I'm not the most patient person in the world, was telling me (for like the millionth time) to slow down and enjoy the journey, and that things would happen as they should.

We started talking about how, in a lot of ways, climbing is like writing a book. You have to have good technique to get anywhere. You have to be aware of what you are doing and plan ahead. Then you can't rush things or get into a mental tizzy because things aren't going as planned.

Which is the theme of a post recently on gadd's blog (my smart ass comment at the bottom of the post): http://gravsports.blogspot.com/2011/02/helmet-fire.html

Anyway, I'm trying to enjoy the "journey". Even though it's taking a LONG fucking time. Ech.

Doesn't anyone out there know an agent????????

parents who hate parenting

I know this is going to piss people off, but seriously, seriously....


http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/parenting/parents-who-hate-parenting-the-latest-trend-2466533/

For everyone out there who tells me I will regret not having kids. Science says NOT.

I spent my weekend camping, climbing, and drinking wine. Yeah, my life sucks.

shelf

Just returned from a weekend climbing at Shelf with some friends from the gym. Will post tomorrow, and may include a funny video if the FRG gives me permission.

Quote of the weekend, from Gordie, an 11 year old climbing phenom (leading a 5.11a when we met), who was belaying his dad on a route - his dad has put up some really hard routes in Clear Creek and Devil's Head):

"There's a good hold up there dad. You just have to figure out how to climb up to it."

The essence of climbing...

Second best quote, from Gordie's dad (paraphrased, I'll try to get the exact quote) to Gordie:
"As long as you are under my roof and I'm paying your expenses you are not allowed to downgrade any of my routes".