NYTimes - performance is better later in the day?

This NYtimes article is interesting; it seems to indicate that performance is higher and more efficient in the late afternoon/evening.

"And not only are performances better in the late afternoon and early evening, but, contrary to what exercise physiologists would predict, heart rates are also higher for the same effort."

It seems intuitive to me; that is, I definitely feel more sluggish in the morning than in the evening when working out.There are a couple variables: 1. it only really applies to people who work out regularly and 2. it's unclear if it applies to anaerobic activity (e.g. climbing).

Anyone have clear experience with this and notice that you tend to send harder later in the day? It might be difficult to assess this notion since people tend to climb all day on trips, making late day climbing just more tired climbing.

HCR - Thanksgiving Weekend 2009

Climbers - Josh, Leigh, Morgan, John, Jaime, Conor, Angie & Calvin
Weather - Really, it's November

From

Thanksgiving weekend was a blast. We headed down on Friday morning early and met up with the Krefts and Wilsons to get some holiday climbing in. A 5am start landed us at HCR around 10:30am, and we were on the walls around 11am at the Cliffs of Insanity, by the Roman Wall. There, we climbed some warmups 5.6's and 5.8's with the Wilsons and their extended family visiting from Louisiana. After warming up a little, we headed over to Magoo Rock to sample some of the climbs we hadn't tried before.

Mad props to Jaime for flashing a 5.9+ and .10b on her first outdoor trip, both on lead. Also big props to Josh (aka Big Sexy Daddy, or "BSD") for flashing an .11a on Magoo. All the routes were great fun, although the .11a was more of a short crux; the .10b was more fun and required varied climbing using sidepulls and stemming.

Here's Angie on the 5.9+:

From HCR 11-28-09

We headed down to get comfy in a cabin with daylight failing around 4:45pm, had a couple beers with dinner (thanks again to the Wilson family!) and headed back out to do some nighttime bouldering at the South Idahos. Angie, Josh, John and I climbed on some V1 to V3's, including Crescent, which had thwarted me on the last trip. Topping out in the dark felt a little scary. :)

Day 2 was a bouldering day at the North Forty. We started by the Warmup boulder doing various problems before heading over to the Honeycomb boulder. This boulder has a series of good face problems with a decently high and slopey topout to make you thankful for spotters.

From HCR 11-28-09

At the HC boulder, the quote of the day is attributed to Jaime. John and Jaime worked on the left-most V3 (name?), figuring out beta and trading burns. After John got the send, Jaime immediately said, "Well, I'm not going to be shown up by my husband" and promptly threw down the problem. First V3 outdoors too! Nice job. :)

I sent a V4 two problems to the right of that problem on the same boulder, then looked towards the Leatherface boulder for a good try on the namesake problem, V7. I'd tried this several times on my last trip and felt reasonably sure I could get the send, but it was not to be. I ended up getting very close to making the last crux move and linked it from the middle a few different times, but couldn't pull it off. John & Jaime even tried to motivate me by telling me Big Steve Xu had crushed the problem (not going to let some kid show you up, are you?), but even that wasn't enough to get me up the boulder. Heh.

Around mid-day, we had to say good-bye to the Krefts. The Wilsons had left that morning to return to St. Louis because of a prior commitment, so it was just Angie and I. Angie was saving skin for the next day and I was wrecked, so we called it an early day.

We awoke to a gloomy Day 3 and hurriedly packed the car fearing rain would shorten our day. Angie had never done the routes at the North 40, so we had a good time running up a 5.7, 5.8, another 5.8 and a 5.10a to the left of Crimp Scampi (name eludes me). Angie did a great job with the send of the .10a second go. I had spied a V5/5.12a/b 30 foot route on the backside of the Warmup Boulder and took a recon burn on that. The V5 has apparently been solo'd several times by intrepid boulderers, but it's a full 35 feet tall with the crux at the very top. I fell at the very end on my second go (roped up), and that would be a very scary move to pull that high up. The fall would almost certainly result in a hospital trip (or worse) because of a large tree directly in the fall zone.

We had to get back to St. Louis early, so we packed it up and called it a day. Nice weekend trip. Here are the rest of the pics.

A Conversation Between Thom and Calvin

From the depths of the depraved mind we call Joey Kreidel (Team Tuesday)... note that Thommy is the one in the skirt. And I somehow have a mustache. Nevermind, it's all about the conversation, right?

The Spot - Vid from some locals

Well, somewhat locals. Aaron's moved back to Cincy now. You may have seen this already, but here's some cool shots of Peter Hill and Aaron Schneider, a local strong kid sending V4-6 and working a V10 at the Spot, So Ill. Got this from Schneider's FB page.

The Roost - Nov 22, 2009 - UPDATED 12-4

Climbers - Topher, Chad, Dave & Calvin
Weather - is it really November?

Here are the rest of the pics. See the new video below. Sorry, no vid of the send - I missed it.

A couple of weeks ago, we headed down to the Falls to do some bouldering at the Roost. I'd been hearing about this spot for a few years, but never got the chance to go. The Roost is a series of small cliff lines jutting out, with few stand alone boulders. This makes some of the topouts susceptible to runoff and dirt accumulation, but the climbing was very fun. I suspect a little cleaning will go a long way.

Warming up was a little hard; the easiest problem we tried was a V3 with a powerful pocket move, but we made do and had great fun. After warming up a little, we met Eric and Greg (or Graham?) - Eric we'd met on a prior trip to the Beach and Greg was cleaning a new problem to the left of the Oriole.

The Oriole V5 is a stand start off two good underclings, to a decent sloper-pinch and a fun topout. The first move is the crux, then it eases considerably. Hard to grade such problems, but V5 sounds good to me. Eric was working on the sit-start that Jason Kehl had put up a while ago. The sit goes at V9 (apparently) and involves falling into an awkward sidepull pinch, pulling through and standing into the right undercling that is the standstart of Oriole.

Here's a vid of Chad working and sending Oriole (nice job!):

The Oriole V5/3 from Chad Tenbroek on Vimeo.

Afterwards, we climbed Cold Turkey V2?, the new problem Greg had just cleaned and climbed and moved to the right into Redneck Swing V5. Not in the book, and not sure if that's the real name, but we have some video to post of it so if you know the real name, let me know. Here's the vid:

Redneck Swing (Really Harvest Swing) V5 from Calvin Hwang on Vimeo.

We got excited about trying Eternal Sunshine V8/9 after that. ES has a really stout side-pull start leading into decent slopers, heel-hooking and using these uber-fun undercling pinches. The crux is falling into the last undercling pinch and controlling the swing into a long move out right. Then topping out is no easy matter either. I couldn't pull the crux at all. Topher did a good job launching for the hold, but no dice.

We finished out the day on a V4 that is the stoutest V4 I've worked in a while. Name anyone? Definitely hard to do at the end of the day, but quality.

I left thinking it was too bad some of the topouts were so dirty, but that also made me think I could contribute a bit of time helping to keep some of the boulders cleaner. I sometimes take climbs for granted and it was good to see the amount of work necessary to make climbing good problems a reality for others. More pics to come.

Last weekend was a trip to HCR; I'll post pics and a TR later.

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....