March 15, 2010

The First Year

This is the first year I haven't route climbed through the winter. In the past two years I bouldered, but was never bouldering. I always did it on the REALLY cold weekends, or times where I couldn't find anyone psyched enough to numb out on the bitter cold routes.

This is the first year to do any competing. It's been a change that I really like. I was very skeptical towards the comps until I went to Triple Crown. Some of my funniest times carrying a boulder pad around. I'm still in the mid range of Advanced and Open range, so maybe next year I hold a chance to place.

This is the first year to climb in a gym. First Avenue Rocks opened late this summer and has changed the climbing scene in Birmingham. People are getting to know each other, hanging out outside of the boulders and crags.

This is the first year to have a camper to travel in. The ability to have a good nights sleep and good food is easy to do. No more excuses for not climbing my projects.

This is the first but not the last. I can't wait for the many other firsts to come.





The Red River Gorge's steep lines full of perfect pockets is only 3 days away. I will get there the 18th and come home the 28th. A spring break trip like this is huge for me, I will be able to kick off the route climbing game and really get back into my fitness. I'm anxious to see what the power from hard bouldering has done once my endurance comes back. No better place to get fit besides the Red.


To get fit I have come up with a must do circuit. A circuit that I believe will be used for the next 2 years by pretty much everyone. It's the 2012 circuit. I am planning on doing 20 new 5.12's during my stay at the Red. It will not be my main focus as there are plenty of hard routes to be done in my grasp. But just so I don't get sucked into the project mode, I will have to get the mileage in on 20 new 12's. I don't know what my rules are yet, but I would like to on sight at least half of the circuit. Throw this in on every route climbing trip, and guarantee some good endurance when you leave. You can also use this as a weekend warrior for the month or even for the year. I think making goals is a huge part of any success.


Hope everyone has a good spring break!

Willcutt

March 9, 2010

It's not eazy being squeezy!




It's one of those times I sit and stare at the screen trying to remember what all happened. I lost track of time 3 days before the hprocks climbing/music festival started...

Hprocks, or as we all know it as Sloperfest, is not your normal climbing event. It's a laid back time hanging out with friends and hearing the different bands echoing through the boulder field. As soon as you fall off problem in comp mode and your cuss words start flying, you can't help but laugh at the guy who slept by the stage and woke up drinking. It's that kinda event.







The comp started at 10:00 A.M. with the format being all the problems you can do in your category. Open was v7 and up.





I had a good day comparable to last year, but a bad day comparable to what I should have done. But like I mentioned before. It's just not one of those comps. It really puts climbing events into perspective when you attend a sloperfest. Not to mention we had some bullet weather. Sunny and high 50's.

After the comp was called off at 5:00 P.M. the fun really started. First Ave Rocks was selling Good People high gravity beer for dirt cheap. The music still playing through out the park. Everyone came over to grab a BBQ sandwich and a beer. It seemed like no one was talking about the comp... at all. It was all positive, fun conversations among a group of friends and family.


We had thrown the idea around to raise cash for the Alabama Bouldering Fund by soliciting something. I had decided to use my bushy Jew fro as a donation. I got the macgyver Joe Ortega to pull out his handy knife and make the better than bought box for donations. We had 6 different hair cuts to choose from. They where each drawn up and posted next to the slot on the box. The money stayed separated inside the box, and the one with the most money in the end, was cut onstage that night.





At first, people were skeptical. I had a few quarters and many laughs. After the high gravs kicked in and the speeches got better, I ended up raising around $55.00 cash money.





And the embarrassment began, the hair cut that won by a land slide. Was just the front bangs staying.









I ended up taking third in Open.


The problems I fell off at the top is bigger than the my actual tick list.


Sadly this is all I did.


Short Long v7

Ghetto Super Star v8

Chattanooga Plow v7

Hugs And Kisses V8

Megatron v8

Slabalicous Low V8

Slush Puppy Low v7

Litz Pocket v7

Cuts like a Knife Low v7

Boomslang Low v7

Slider v9

kiss v7

Don't rock the boat v7
I am bald.

Can't wait till next year.
Willcutt