Brief Updates - 24HHH and Jackson Falls

Props to all our friends who climbed at the 24HHH comp last weekend!! I heard times were great, although this year I opted not to go. Each year the comp appears to grow bigger, flashier and better. More sponsors, more schwag. I guess my breaking point was knowing I'd have to pay $35 to volunteer. I did that the past 2 years, but with the comp now starting on Friday, and with precious few vacation days, I couldn't swallow the fee and the loss of time.

We're hoping to have a guest post by a couple of our climbers Jaime and Meg, who crushed their first time at 24HHH... 60 and 41 routes, respectively!!

A special Thank You to Sterling Rope for taking old ropes for recycling and giving Good Karma gift certificates towards the purchase of a new Sterling rope for each recycled cord. Thanks Jaime/Meg/Yusuf for taking those down for me!

Now, on to the climbing:

2 and 3 weekends ago, we headed down en masse to Jackson Falls: Jaime, John, Conor, Angie, Meg, Yoli, Christian, Frances, Justin, Colleen, Michael, Topher, Blair, Carine and Calvin.

Major kudos to Jaime, who has upped the ante and took her climbing to a new level. The Reckoning, .11d fell second go. The Farmer, .12a, went second go the next weekend. We're waiting to see what falls next!

Christian,Topher and I worked on Disco Fever, .12c, sometimes noted as the hardest .12c at the Falls. Not sure about that, but it's pretty effing tough, with a shutdown finger-strength dependent move at the 4th bolt. The name is apt: smearing, delicate climbing and dancing on your toes, interspersed with powerful moves off shallow two finger pockets and pinches. The final crux involves an interesting left heel-hook off a right handed bad pinch while rotating your left hand past perpendicular to a 2 o'clock-situated edge. A final throw gains you some required Jackson Falls bulges and finishing moves, but nothing too strenuous. We'll be back for more. Everything else is pretty doable, but the finger pocket is heinous. I've been hitting the finger board specifically for this move. I guess I should thank Wolfgang for inventing it.

In case you're wondering, I don't update nearly as frequently anymore because I've been disconnected from the internet for the last 8+ months (at home).  It's liberating, but not conducive to blogging. It's good that we have multiple authors.

First RRG Trip of the Fall

Climbers: Justin, Frances, Carine, Eric, Dave, Calvin and Angie

Laughter echoed along the cliff-line. It was raining: an intermittent, misting, drizzle, punctuated by bouts of heavy downfall. I felt content. Angie and I were waiting for our friends to finish up a last climb at Purgatory in the Red River Gorge. Our goal was spitting sunflower seed shells for distance (which I handily won) and hitting a small plant (during which I felt the sting of defeat). We'd spent the day climbing in almost pleasant weather. Almost pleasant, if you know the joy of climbing with sweat pouring out of every pore. Still, a welcome change from the day before.

I didn't know it at the time, but that was to be the last climb of our trip. The rain slackened enough as we tidied up to leave, but soon returned and steadily dripped its way through the entire gorge. I hopped behind the wheel and wove the car around a series of puddles and gashes that forms the steep entry road to the Southern Region.

We camped at Lago Linda's and had a great time. This time, with some new faces. Justin joined us from the gym at the last minute - he of the negative ape index when wearing shoes. Eric, who manages the downtown Upper Limits franchise and rebuilt his 70's era VW van engine. Frances, who loves yoga, spouts random TV commercial jingles and joined us this summer as another new climber-friend addition from South Carolina. And Asian Dave, (it's not racist when I say it), who boulders mostly, is uber-strong and shares beer with a smile. These are our newer friends, some a little newer than others, who filled the days with easy companionship and the evenings with laughter and fun.

Some random highlights of our trip included getting to try new climbs, watching Adam Taylor redpoint Lucifer .14c in the heat and meeting some fun peeps from Alabama and Milwaukee. I love big, slobering dogs who love to fetch things.

The weather prematurely sent us back west to St. Louis, where I type this. Our trip was rain-shortened, but the weather is now fantastic. The promise of fall is in the air. Walking outside today heightened my excitement to climb again, climb outside and to dream of new possibilities.

Hopefully we'll have many more stories to share soon.

Day One Crags: Muir Valley, Sunnyside and Great Arch:
Virgin Bolter Tag Team, .10b
Machete, .10b
Kokopeli's Dream, .9
Suppress the Rage, .12a (no send)
Some Humans Ain't Human, .10c
Dingo the Gringo, .10c
Dyn-O-Mite, .9-
Black Powder, 10a
Lip Service, .11c (no send)
Night Moves, .11b

Day Two Crags: Volunteer Wall, Left Field and Purgatory
Darwin Loves You, .9+
Unknown 2, .11b
Family Tradition, .10b
Autograph, .11a
Jet Lag, .9
Thru Space and Time, .10a
Special Boy, .11c (no send)
Gluttony, .12a (no send)
The Gimp, .10a

Calvin
P.S. I saw O'Connor today in the Loop. He's headed to Jackson tomorrow... expecting great things. :)