Moss Rock preserve is a little boulder field in Hoover, Alabama. Located about 25 minutes from my house it's an easy after work/school destination. I have been probably 10 times in the past year or so, since the weather has been so bad, HP40 is only 25 minutes past that, and I really don't have the feelings for bouldering as I do roping up.
Yesterday came the Shades Crest Show down (moss rock). An endurance style comp with all the problems that you can do in your category. My category was v7 and up. Since the recent guidebook has emerged for moss rock, the Adam H. down grades have taken place. Needless to say there wasn't allot of things to do above v7. All the problems v9 and up I hadn't done until these past 3 weeks. So the comp was scary, I had done most of the hard things, but only once. Repeating them all in a day would be a challenge.
After slowly warming up I did a few v7's and hopped right onto Reignition Sit. It's probably the best line at the boulder fields for the grade. The thing use to be called v11 for many years, it hadn't been done but a half dozen times until this year. Me and Casey Culp made quick work of the sit. I found some sneaky knee bar beta that makes the hard move, well... sporty.
I had only done this rig once, and that was 4 days prior. I was psyched to dispatch this thing first try and with in 30 min of the comp start. Then came the rest of the cave, God Father v10 and reignition reverse v9. Reignition reverse is a really cool movement (non classic) problem. I had never tried it and was psyched to put it out on the 3rd go. Then onto God Father, I had also done this line a few weeks prior, but I am intimidated by this problem for some reason, it's long and powerful and at the end it has a nasty iron cross that seems to spit me off right onto my back. Not a good one to waste time, energy, and most of all SKIN in this horizontal cave.
I fell three times off the last jug of God Father and decided to give up. Knowing Casey had already done these problems I was realizing beating him would almost be impossible. There just isn't that many hard problems to do.
Then we see Jimmy Webb and Brion Voges come into the cave and kill every problem. They both flashed God Father, Both killed Reignition sit with a few miss haps on the 25 move beta intensive problem. And then decided to cool down on a project going out the left of the cave. It's hard, and reachy. Super core intensive, and well... just hard. Jimmy put a few ticks on it and almost flashed it, with just a foot pop going to the jug. Second go, he pissed on it! So sick to watch. Very little effort. Voges came in and got the quick second ascent. I know it was no test piece, but still sick to see a project done at such a small boulder field. Feel like the thing is tapped out. Jimmy Decided to call it "Out Of Touch" v10 for the southern legend him self.
The project put jimmy and Voges way ahead of the game. 3000 points to be exact. We all new it was now a race for 3rd place. Since first and second was secured with the proj send. The race was on. I ran around using other peoples pads and hopping on what ever had the tag with a v7 or higher on it. Doing just about everything first go. Psyched.
As always, I was down by allot of points knowing my only chance was redemption on God Father. I had fallen off the jug 3 times that morning and only had 10 minutes until the comp was over. Casey new he had won. Me and Joe cranked up some music opened a beer and relaxed. We had both decided to give it one last go.
Joe killed it first, I got on as he was topping out and walked it as well. So proud to do it that late into the day and my last problem. That might had put me on the podium!
I ended up beating Casey with only 50 points taking third in open.
All in all it was killer to sample all the problems I do and forget about in a day. With the motivation to win some cool stuff. I ended up taking third place behind Jimmy and Voges.
My prize was a killer 9.5 sterling rope with a couple odds and ends. Most notable prize was a Adam Henry Magnet that will for ever be on the center of my pull up bar. As I do my pull ups I will be able to look into the eyes of the legend, and that will be all the motivation I need.
My Comp Ticklist
Tree Problem V7
Reignition Sit V10
Reignition Reverse V9
God Father V10
Beef It Direct V8/9
The Process V7
Teseract V7
Hoop Dreams V7
Serenity Now V7
