FIRST FLIGHT

Aeropostale Part 2

A pretty awful story greeted my return to the Southwest of France. After more than 4 hours of train ride, we were 5 minutes from entering Agen's train station, my final destination when we heard a very loud noise as if the train had rolled over rocks. Then the train halted right away. Long story short.... "accident corporel". A very "litterary" way to tell us someone had thrown him/herself under the train. Oh gosh. In hindsight thinking we actually rolled over someone. YUK. We remained at standstill for two hours. I do not have to draw you a picture what the police and firemen were busy doing..... Thanks god it was dark.. Did not have really desire to look out! Sad story.

On a happier note....
While all of you were eating, no doubt, some most excellent turkey and other pecan pies, I spent the day going through a most interesting media marathon. Yes a new one for me.
8 in the morning, Yves (the writer) and I are at a local radio station for a speedy 10 minute interview live. I drove from my parents house about 80 miles from Toulouse that very morning so by the time I get to Yves' house I have had 3 or 4 cups of coffee and little food. I'll let Yves do most of the talking on the interview trying to mute my gargling stomach! Great on live radio. Fine timing! That will teach me to think an overdose of coffee was a good idea!

As we exit from the studio, Yves rushes to a boulangerie thinking he definitely needs to help me adjust my diet! Sweet! One pain au chocolat and all is well.
Then it is on to the newspaper (where one of my brothers happens to work). Interview for an article which came out today, and lunch with my bro and his wife.


An hour and it is on to a small airfield where the official launch of the book will take place towards the end of the afternoon,
which is spent talking to different medias, "playing pilots" in the beautiful replica of a Breguet 14, the only flying replica of that plane specially flown to Toulouse for that event. Judge for yuorself. yes getting in the plane is a V2 in itself, which I am proud to say I sent in a skirt! :)


Being in that cockpit is quite an amazing sensation which gives me a bit more of the measure of these pilots "madness". Once sitting in position, you are so deep in that you barely see anything, not to mention the fairly bare look of the mechanics surrounding you!
Yes Burke I am pretty sure the cabin is a bit different on the MD80! Would you dare?


I did the following day, invited to take a stroll! Unbelievable, and exhilarating to think I was flying on a machine held by a few cables and stretched plastified fabric! Any little wind gust was quite effective in giving you a bit of a thrill.
Suddenly the pilot's hand rose up holding a camera pointed back at me. Hummm he is taking photos, who is holding the stick? As far as I know 1914-18 planes had no automatic pilots! Great! I do not have these pict yet but I am sure they will look delightful since these leather pilot hats and goggles look so fashionable! He He.

I did not have th chance to fly the day of the event as the night came quickly and Yves and I started a marathon of book signing. About 115 books within a couple of hours or more I do not know.
I know the cold came as we were in the hanger and I drew the last ones with freezing hands. Ah the road to glory is a hard one!

And this what happens when exhaustion takes over...a blurr


The evening ended in a restaurant (but of course!) with some most delicious French food. Yup. Life is hard.
Tomorrow I leave my parent's house for Paris for another crazy week (I'll be back in Toulouse in 2 days...back in Paris in 5)

ONCE APON A TIME IN PARIS

One member of Team Saucisson leaves the rope in the ropebag for a bit (no no not too long I hope) and embarks in a new kind of adventure:

Aéropostale, chapter 1.
Yesterday night was the first event organized for the launching of my book, my first step in a totally unknown (to me) world of book tour and speed signing, yes an adventure indeed.
The location: Avenue Marceau, 2 minutes from the Arc de Triomphe in a beautiful old Hotel Particulier which was the very location for the office of Pierre George Latécoère, founder of the Aéropostale airline in 1918, of which the book tells the story.



Weather...beautiful. No one told me the Indian summer is lingering here. Yes my down jacket is a bit too cozy!
I arrived early to make sure I would see the book before people started to come in. Indeed this was to be my first look at it...the downside of living so far away!
Emotionnal moment. The real pleasure and pride to see these months of hard and passionate work find their conclusion in something beautiful.
My brother in law Gilles is already there. Then people start pouring in. In 5 minutes...I have the time to see a few pages and Philippe the editor takes me around to shake hands. Smiles....people telling "how beautiful..." more smiles more hand shaking...compliments.... my head is already spinning. I am floating in a semi state of conscious foggy euphoria. The jetlag is kicking in a bit. Nothing a glass of wine will not cure.



After Philippe Terrancle, the editor introduces us and the host of the night, PG Latécoère's grand-son's wife, Yves (the writer) gives a little speech and hand it to me...to talk to the crowd. Oh great. Now it is the time to embarrass yourself Sof, Sweaty palms. Words come out of my mouth..... Do not ask to tell you what I said, no clue. Wonder if few words in English slipped out. People smile, applaud. Good they must have understood most of it!
After mingling a bit more with dear cousins, nephews, sister...friends and total strangers who keep smiling at me, it is time to get busy. Yves and I are invited to sit at a table and the signing saga starts. I do not know how many books came under our pens, that part is a total blur! Finding the words, trying not to repeat yourself too much. Attempting wit or pseudo poetry...and then the first person who comes asks for a little drawing, Ah the trap! Because of course as soon as I did it for one.....the rest of the guests in line want one too.

Jean-Michel, Cecile and Hubert, friends from Art School (...back in the eighties...)



And here I went drawing the little Breguet 14 (the bi-plane which was one of the main airplanes used by the Aéropostale). By the end I was on automatic pilot (ah ah Burke will relate). It was like I was watching my arm draw. My brain was not involved anymore. And my hand was cramping. (Great so I get a tendonitis on my left elbow because of climbing, now a "signing elbow" is looming for the right arm...he he.
And this was the "un-official launch" of the book! The 26 is the actual date of the book release in the bookstores, and the date of a special event in Toulouse with an actual Breguet 14 rebuilt as it was in the 20s. I am "bracing" myself.
26 of November. Thanksgiving day.... A good omen.
Happy Thanksgiving to all of you. I do have a LOT to be thankful for. Indeed.
Till Chapter 2....

Joe Kreidel on Righteous Beast - Tucson

From Team Tuesday - go check out their site!

AEROPOSTALE

Thanks Calvin for the promo!
I made it to Paris and will make sure to update the blog with the stories from the the homeland.
To give a bit more precisions about the book, AEROPOSTALE, les carnets de vol de Léopold, iy recounts the story of the first airmail airline which was launched in 1918 by PG Latécoère, and for which the famous Antoine de St. Exupéry, the author of "the little prince" flew. Yves Marc, a jopurnalist/writer tell the story, I give you the images.... More to come. Here is the cover

Other News - Sophie in Paris

In other, related news, Team Saucisson member Sophie is in Paris for a book opening tour. Sophie is a gifted artist who has recently done the art and design work for a book recounting the start of air travel in France. I've implored her to start posting on the blog so we can enjoy news from the Continent.

Jackson Falls - Nov 15, 2009

Climbers - Angie & Calvin
Weather - a little warm

In other news - found out that St. Louis local Zavi was elected to the ICA (Illinois Climbers Association) board. Also, that starting Dec 1, the rope ladder is going to be removed and bolts installed to create a 5.7 route. The rope ladder by Lovely Tower will stay, which isn't that far from the current rope ladder, so it's not that big of a loss.

Also, news is that a new bill has being introduced to reclassify "recreational use" in the recreational land-use statute in Illinois, hopefully leading to the re-opening of Draper's Bluff in the not too distant future. Please contact your Illinois representatives if you're on that side of the border!!!

I don't think chopping the rope ladder is that great of an idea. But, to be fair, there aren't that many "easy" routes at JF and rumor has it that the Forest Service wasn't happy about the rope ladder because of safety concerns (which doesn't explain the Lovely Tower one staying, but whatever).

On to the Climbing
Angie and I headed out to Jackson to enjoy the weather and do a little climbing. I was planning to set at the gym, but found out we have a charity event lasting most of the night so that idea was nixed.

We started out slow and got to the Falls a bit late around 10:30am. We decided to head over to Cheerio Bowl and met Jon Richards, Jeff, Zavi and (Z's girlfriend? wife?) over there. Angie led Stubborn Swede, 5.8 at the Monument. It's got some nice slabby climbing at the top, very fun. Afterwards, Jon loaned me a couple cams and I put up Unclaimed, 5.9 (mixed). Unclaimed seems hard for the grade, with a couple moves requiring pull-ups and tough smearing, but with rewarding slab climbing at the end. Running it out isn't recommended, but I've runout the top before. Spicy.

In the meantime, Jon tried Space Cowboy, .12b a couple times and Z redpointed Detox Mountain, .12a. nice job! Described as a "tendon-friendly" route, DM is a classic enduro-climb, with good holds most of the way and no real definitive crux (unless you're really short). I hadn't been on this route in 2.5 years or so and didn't really remember the beta, but I sent it hanging the draws. It was getting somewhat damp and my foot skated off between bolts 3 and 4, eliciting a giggle (you know, the "wow, I should have fallen, glad I didn't" chuckle). I also completely missed another hold and re-fired just in time... all in all, a pretty ugly ascent.

Afterwards, Angie worked on a .10c (name?) right before the Town Square wall. Soph, we've climbed this before... it's before we get to that short wall of three 5.9's and one 5.10b across... Angie got to the last bolt but didn't pull the crux. She's psyched about the climb and has added to the project list. The best news is that her finger seems almost completely healed.

At this point, it was around 4pm, so we started hiking out. I looked for Iniquity, .12a, which is to the right of Aggro-Sheen, but when we finally located it, we saw that a tree had fallen directly over it. I'm not sure what the solution is, but it looks like you'd have to rap in with a chain saw and cut the tree away (it's a pretty big tree). Until then, no climbing.

That made me opt for Hidden Treasure, .12a at Lovely Tower. I think this is a really good climb. Fun opening moves, with good rests lead into a sustained, crimpy crux of about 15 feet. I worked the sequence a couple times and felt confident and came down to rest. Of course, I forgot how fast the light fails around 4:45pm these days... and started getting nervous 2 minutes later when darkness literally fell around us. I hurried up and tried to climb it but one-fell it. I actually felt nervous about even finishing it because it was getting dark enough I though I'd have to pull out the headlamp to see the holds. They're definitely small and a bit tough to use. I felt thankful just to get my draws back (although I was probably being a little paranoid) and we called it a day.

Very nice way to spend the day. Hope your weekend was great!

Panther Peak Bouldering - Team Tuesday, Tucson, AZ

In news from Team Tuesday and Chris Prewitt, a new area is going up around Tucson. It's relatively close, with a decent hike (45min?), but with lots of good potential. Given the paucity of good bouldering close to Tucson, this seems like a great find.

Check out Team Tuesday and a new site about Tucson bouldering put up by these guys (under construction). They've also opened up information on mountainproject.com.

Good luck with the discoveries, cleaning and rewarding FA's!

NIAD - Nose in a Day

By Mark Hudon, age 54, and apparently quite the climber back in the day.

Read this excellent TR if you have a few min.

The Red, November 6 - 8, 2009 (UPDATE - Day 3)

Climbers - Yusuf, Little John, Calvin
Weather - Crisp, Clear and Cold... and then a bit warm

It was a weekend of fun tries. Sometimes, you don't send. John and I drove down to meet Yusuf at the Red. Yusuf had already been there for several days and had already sent Tuskan Raider .12d at The Dark Side. We got there at 2am Friday morning, setup our tent and quickly crashed for the night. A few minutes later, I heard a car approach; little did I know it was Yoli and Christian, freshly married and returned from a honeymoon/wedding in Hawaii. Congrats!

Day 1 was Friday. We awoke to a brilliant blue sky, but very cold temps. We ate breakfast quickly and headed to the Sanctuary in Muir Valley. John's project was Jesus Wept, .12d, a brilliant climb starting on a slight overhang and moving into precision vertical climbing at the crux.

Yusuf started with a beta run on Prometheus Unbound, .13a, one of his mini-goals for his trip. PU starts to the left of JW, but looks heinous, with a variety of difficult pockets, sidepulls and devious cruxes. After sussing beta, Yusuf lowered and John gave a strong attempt on JW. Our plan was for a beta run, but he felt good and progressed through the lower crux to the high crux that involves moving from a right two (or three) finger pocket, a left 1 pad crimp to stabbing to a right mono. Yusuf claimed you could stack your fingers into this mono, but I couldn't manage that. John fell at the high crux, but felt pretty good.

I then tried JW (what the eff, the draws are already there, I thought). The lower crux involves a good left-handed crimp, and a pretty small right-handed crimp, angled the wrong way (to the left). You step both feet pretty high, and swing through to a hard deadpoint to a good pocket with your right hand. If you're not careful, your feet cut, but it's a good hold. After this, it's moderate .11 climbing to a very good rest, then .10 climbing to the high crux. I basically climbed it bolt to bolt, and thought, this is a bit beyond me.

Yusuf then promptly sent PU, skipping a high bolt for some spicy climbing! Nice job dude. That inspired John and I, so we geared up for a strong burn. John fell at the high crux again, after looking very strong. I surprised myself by climbing almost to the high crux, then finishing the climb after a brief rest. 1-hang on my second try, I thought I might have a chance to send that day.

Well, I thought. John looked strong on his third try, but fell at the same spot. I fell at the low crux a few times, and knew I was out of gas. Yusuf then worked on Triple Sec, .13a (soft?) to the right of JW, and we called it a day.

Day 2 started as another brilliant day at Solar Collector, a popular winter crag. Solar is studded with massive huecos throughout the wall, which is really weird looking, but striking all the same. It's also gang-banged by all the climbers looking to warm up for the Gold Coast and Dark Side climbs. It was a bit too hot to be there, but we had a good time, starting with Super Pinch, .10d (hard?), and moving steadily to the right. Solar is home to some of the best .11's in the Gorge - see Ethics Police and Buddha Hole, .11d. Our intent was Blue Eyed Honkey Jesus, .12c, but I knew very early on that was out of the question. You know those days where your arms tell you ahead of time that you're not sending anything hard. No sir.

John and I both sent BH, which has some great climbing. Yusuf got a bit of beta on BEHJ, fell early by accident, lowered, and promptly sent. Nice. John then flashed Supafly, .12b (soft?), making it look like a stroll in the park. Very nice! I biffed somewhere in the middle, and struggled to finish, gasping for air.

We then headed to the Darkside for a bit of reconnaisance; John worked Tuskan Raider, and I decided I was recovered enough to try Mama Benson, .12a, something I'd tried a long time ago. The high crux is a couple of long moves to small crimps, and I predictably fell there. Still, it was fun to try. :)

Day 3 was our last day. Another fine start, with temps even warmer than before. Yusuf took a rest day in preparation for an assault on The Force, .13a for Monday. We headed to the Gallery to check out Mosaic, .12c. After warming up a bit, I gave it a recon burn and hung draws. The route starts with a small scramble, then a minor crux leading into an overhung but moderate, say .10+ section to the 5th bolt. You get a great rest here.

Moving out of this, you criss-cross left-right, from a good sidepull to a bad right hand, move up to some bad slopey crimps (clip), then move hard left to a very good finger-sized sidepull (left). It gets both delicate and powerful here: you have to grab a bad right hand hold to move your left hand up to the positive top of the sidepull, and stab to a good two-finger pocket. Good footwork really helps. From here, it's a hard clip, then two worse holds lead to some high stepping into a left-hand undercling, which is the so-called crux. I think everything from the 6th bolt to the end is one big red-point crux, with no super hard single move. It really burns your forearms to make it though. I made good progress and one-fell on my third try. John manned up and hiked it second go!

That was a common theme for the weekend; I struggled with endurance and power. John simply got stronger and stronger as the days went by. After encouraging me on my 3rd try, he hopped on the .11d left of Mosaic and flashed it as a parting gift to himself. Nicely done.

We got back late to St. Louis Sunday night, happy the weather was so great and thankful to be outdoors for another great fall weekend. I took away a couple lessons: 1. I need to train more to do well at the Red if I expect to do better on mid-hard 12's and 2. Training is no longer just climbing a couple hours at the gym. I need to work on finger strength (read: hangboard) and forearm endurance, no easy thing in a gym only 32 feet tall. At the end, I'm still having great fun, so I'm looking forward to more great times outside!