Vitamin D Deficiency

The lack of sun shine has made my bones weak. Finally, we see a good week ahead. Going out to HP tomorrow afternoon, Boulder Fields Comp on Saturday, and the HP40 Rocks (sloper fest) the following Saturday. Lots of good things on its way.

Not to mention the Red is in 3 weeks or so. Hopefully be there for 2 weeks!!! Up my game big time. Enduro!

Psyched, get back at you after J Webb kills my home town crag comp on Saturday.

To play the lottery....

The next few months are going to be flying by. I base my months on the weekends (thats when I get to climb). So I have been looking at my next few weekends for climbing.

Today is the First Avenue Rocks climbing comp.

Tomorrow is 95% chance of rain.

Next weekend is my Birthday.

Friday night at Casey's lake house.

Saturday Tuscaloosa climbing comp.

Sunday..... The day after my 21'st birthday... I'm gonna need to rest.

o

I'm starting to feel that my days are numbered for hard bouldering ascents.

There is no time to project anything when you can only work it once every month or two.

Not to mention Sloper Fest (Hp40 Rocks) will be coming up march 5th. So soon!!

I need ample money, and a degree in nursing. . .

Or just win the Lottery!

Somethings are better said, not written.

This past post has caused more of an up roar in the Birmingham community since they realized John Gill didn't put up "The Gill" at Moss Rock Preserve.

I am in NO way a good writer, even a decent one. I don't take pictures, video's, or even think of different posts to write for my blog. I will every now and then have something that strikes up a question or point that I would like to see answered or noted. Not a serious blogger...

My last post was not read in the same text as I intended. Ironically, it was written as a motivator.

I got fired up to write about dragon slayers while I was on a hunt for climbing videos. What I quickly realized is there are no "new" video's surfing the web, from anyone around our area. But a lot of them where climbing in "our" area's.

Now, you wouldn't believe the amount of NEGATIVE feedback I received for the past post. I left for the weekend with out checking any of the comments and had my phone turned off. When I turned my phone on Sunday night, I couldn't believe what I was hearing. I honestly thought people had read the wrong thing.

Quickly clear up some points about Slaying Dragons.

When I talk about Birmingham, I am talking about me as well.

I will be the first to help a new climber out. Show them beta, cheer them on, spot, what ever. Might be bad form to some southerners, but if your passionate about something, thats motivating to me.

You don't have to be flashing v13 for me to want to climb with you, or even want to know you for that matter. With out question, a majority of the people enjoy setting goals and trying to achieve those goals. If that goal is to regress, thats your goal. My goals are to progress in the sport. With out that, these beautiful places we all climb out would not be developed.

I hear about people climbing things the "LOGICAL" way. Well logically climbing things and not using the giant holds to the left or right isn't logical. . . This is a dictionary long topic that will be frowned upon more than politics and religion.

So we are all clear... I have never been judgemental towards anyone because of how hard you climb.

Good Day Alabama!

To slay dragons, you must hang out with dragon slayers.

-Brooks Walker

Climbing is a lot like slaying dragons. There are plenty of people who excell on their own, but climbing with dragon slayers will no doubt speed up the process.

What I'm saying is, if you climb with gumbies all day, how hard are you really gonna climb?

Swap those gumbies out with guys who climb harder than you, it's gonna be a stronger day. Hands down, it's like having a personal trainer. You see how it is done, you believe you can do it, and the pscyh is usually high. The stronger guys generally have more knowledge, advice, and BETA!

Not to mention secret stash crags, people to stay with, and places to camp/eat/whatever. EVERYTHING!!!

Now take Birmingham, there are plenty of climbers. There are very little of them climbing hard. I know I will get shit about grades and what not. But for my own personal wants and goals, I want to climb harder grades. ESPECIALLY ROUTES! I can't name 3 people who climb 5.13 in birmingham. You can't meet someone who doesn't climb that hard in Chattanooga. . . Or any where really. The routes are here, and in great quanity and quality.

What needs to happen? Why the lack of motivation? Why the lack of strong climbers? We have a great climbing gym now, that is no longer an excuse. .

Deano told me the other day there are 300 spots to climb at within 3 hours of birmingham. He pulled out his fancy phone and showed me abunch of stars he had on google maps where he has climbed at. He was as nice as any showing me how to get there, where to park, and what the boulder problems are like. . . Hell, I feel like I have climbed at some of these places now!

I dunno, we need to step it up Birmingham, and Alabama for that matter. I'm tired of those TN boys warming up on our projects!

My Talent!!

Not saying that I had much, but this past week, it's all gone...
I feel like I can't climb. Exchange the ball for a chalkbag. . .
Who ever stole it for the Comp, please give it back.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=exekMBu0NFo

Start it at 1:30. Thats the only explanation.

Let's all sing along!

As of my last post I was complaining about me and competing. Now I am complaining about not having anything to complain about.

Adam Henry and Joe Ortega rented a house in Chatt for the weekend. Perfect... Heading up with Joe in the morning. This will be my first time to Little Rock City, so I am excited to see the place and being in the "comp mode" I will either do really good, or really bad. Either way, I will have plenty of shit talking. Not to mention a warm bed to sleep in.

http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%253A%252F%252Fwww.vrbo.com%252F143599&h=f6f71b53d91694d698a3fb51ba356c07&ref=mf

Just got back from the Red on Sunday. Took a 9 night 10 day trip to find out that my endurance was bad! Fit for some places, but not the enduro routes up there. I mingled around going on an onsight spree and finding the more bouldery routes the Red has to offer.

Excited to really cut my teeth with On sighting, a technique that is (in my opinion) so impressive. I usually ask for beta, beg for beta. I don't have much time, so tell me what to do, kinda attitude. With the Onsight, you have to Rock Climb. It's killer. Of course I have OS routes that where pretty straight forward, and easier in the grade. But I had set my goals for 12d/13a onsight for this trip. Nailed it with 8 ball. . . fantastic route and a classic at the Red. Psyched.

I also had set a goal for 12, 12's. 6 had to be Onsight and they all had to be new. I believe I scampered away with only 11, but that was enough for me. On the other hand my goal was to do 5, 5.13's. Like I said, enduro is down. I chased after short classics like Paradise Lost 13b, and Golden Touch 13b. Both of those went 2nd go after a quick recon burn.

And did my anti style of a route Convicted 5.13a. It is a pumpy line full of decent slopers to a dirty little red point crux just below the chains. I fell there last year no less than 6 times the first day I tried it. Felt good to come back and do it 2nd go as well.

I also narrowly missed on two other great routes. Prometheus Unbound 5.13a and Table of Colors (direct) 5.13b. I fell on both where I shouldn't have, with Table being the last second of the last day. I fell with my hand inside the jug pocket!!!

The story goes on and on. Give you a ramblin quick recap, as it comes to my head.

Rode up with Leslie Warnock Friday, I had met Les about 3 times before that ride...

Ripped the biggest flapper ever on the first route of the first day. Awesome.

I told the Canadians allot of things Canadians don't need to know.

Les almost crushed a 13b, but got miserably defeated on a 12b! (haha Red River Gorge)

Les also got "weird" the last night of the trip as he made everyone around the fire sign his Atlas with there E-mails.

Through a Carabiner into the fire, Next day took it out to the Mother Load.... Todd Clark took a fall from the chains of Bohica onto it only to hear a loud pop and a new x-mas ornament and or paper weight was formed. (the biner exploded)

I watched Natalie cry the first day, then send her first 12a the 4th day... (maybe I should cry)

Brooks climbed more 5.12's than he probably ever has in his life. He had mad game on some of the harder stuff, but just no dice this trip. "It's not going anywhere Brooks."

Linda still hates me, but did let me stay in the campground. Todd let me stay in the cabin with him.

My Send Fuel ended up being x-mas tree cakes and honey buns. (Adam Ondra Tip)

What I'm getting at is I have never had a bad trip to the Red. Any bad trip to the red is better than any good trip at home??? You know what im saying.

See yall at LRC!

Caught up in the GAME!

The Triple Crown isn't a mystery to any climber in the South East. I've never heard any bad news about it, always run very smoothly. Here is the situation I'm in.

Rolling up to the first leg on the Triple Crown I knew climbing "advanced" would be a hard task. Being the first time to ever be in NC much less climbing a new area, 10 of my best would be proud. I feel like this mindset is what makes competition fun. I had tons of fun, executing moves in the best manner to save skin and energy. Ending up climbing harder than I ever thought.

Now, here we are at HP40 for the second comp. I have tons of the "advanced" problems wired. I will say I hadn't tried/sent any of them before these past 2 weekends. My chances of screwing up is as good as anyone. This isn't competing, this is winning, with out getting bumped.

Now look at the open category. A competition for me for sure, the guys who will win open will warm up on my projects. This isn't fun either.. But is that how the Advanced guys feel? To know you can't keep up with locals is enough to make me not want to spend the $60 to compete.

I hate the fact that I have to "Down Play" my climbing. Not trying my hardest, just climbing what I have to do to win, and not get bumped. A month ago climbing 1o v6-v8 at hp would have been laughable. It isn't like I have been running a circuit for the past 3 years, and now I wanna get some free gear.

If I win, I sandbagged.. If I lose, I should have done the problems I didn't want to do and get bumped. . . I don't know if I'm cut out for this climbing comp thing.

I'm rambling... What ever, I am going to HP to climb hard, talk shit, and have fun.