R.I.P. John Bacher

Guiding the Monkey

Guiding season is in full swing, and I had a great time guiding clients on Monkey Face on Sunday. Three other guides and I set up a tyrolean from the "Springboard" to the mouth, and then took them up via Panic Point to the top, from where they rappelled 200' to the ground. Great day of guiding for me, and fun for everyone.

Test of Endurance/Summertime Guiding

School's finally out for summer, and last week I started my "vacation" off right. I drove out to Smith Friday night, worked a guiding gig all day Saturday, drove to Corvallis Saturday night, raced the Test of Endurance 50-mile mountain bike race (5 1/2 hours on the bike...tough!), drove back to Smith Rock, and did a multi-pitch guide training all day Monday. I drove back home Monday night thoroughly worked over, but very psyched.

I'm hoping to get as much guiding work as possible this summer; it looks like I'll be out at Smith quite a bit. Monday's training renewed my motivation to pursue an AMGA Rock Instructor certification so I can legitimately guide multi-pitch terrain (of which there is plenty at Smith Rock). My fellow guides at Chockstone are great to work with; they are all quite unassuming, and totally accomplished climbers and guides. Monday's training was challenging, and gave me the perfect shift in perspective about climbing/guiding.

The Test of Endurance was very hard, but I expected as much and am happy that I finished. The amount of hard climbing in that race is sickening. I'm content with how I've been able to balance my interests in cycling and climbing...both are demanding and you can never stop improving in either pursuit.

Le Mur de la Coquille

Voila mon ami . . .

«Ici, mon guide était Jo, la forêt était son domaine, et il évoluait avec une telle aisance qu'il paraissait avoir saisi les secrets du grès. Petit à petit, je m'imprégnais de sa science.»

-Jacky Godoffe, on learning the subtleties of bouldering in Fontainebleau from Jo Montchaussé

Pourquoi on grimpe?

"After years of practice, I believe profoundly that climbing means placing your feet, hands, and emotions on the same line, and that in order to accomplish this goal, it must be a way of life.”
-Jo Montchaussé

Hick Rock

Jordi and I happened upon this fine speciment (complete with fern in mouth) in the Gorges d'Apremont. Rest day in Fontainebleau.

Faces of Font

You can never get complacent in the Fontainebleau forest. There's always someone there watching, laughing...

C'est FONTastique!

Jordi and I have been training like headless chickens for our upcoming trip to Fontainebleau, France. I'm furiously studying frog language by day, and pulling down at The Circuit by night. I'm hoping for magical synergy by the time we arrive.

For me, Fontainebleau represents the best aspects of rock climbing: subtle, technical bouldering in a beautiful setting, in the context of an interesting culture, language, and climbing history. It's the best.

Revelations

"The book I had read had produced incredible results. I told noone one about it, or about how I had achieved my success. It took place behind closed doors. My training, too, was mostly done in secret, as I never wanted anyone to know what I was up to, or how good I was. I was becoming an introvert, distancing myself from my friends, and it didn't suit me, Success came at a price."

-Jerry Moffatt, in his new book "Revelations"

The Ol' Ball & Chain

"...Now you ride each and every day (sometimes twice a day) seven days a week. Now you deal with the bike full time. No car rides around town--all your local transportation must be by bike. You live with the bike, you are married to the bike. I'm sorry for you if you don't think this is necessary. Believe me, it is what it takes to be a top rider." -Eddy Borysewicz

Summer Session 2006

Photo of me on Tommy's Arete, RMNP, summer 2006, after returning to the states after a month in France.

Missing the Ski Weekend

We would normally be celebrating MLK weekend by heading up to Mt. Hood with our good friends to do some cross country skiing, tele skiing, and just generally gettin' busy with the snow. But family duty calls this weekend . . . We need to help Jordi's dad. Athletics can quickly get pre-empted by family; I surprise myself when I realize that there was a time in my life when I would have truly been bothered by this...

Silver Creek Falls

Yesterday, Jordi and I went on a much-needed 37-mile run around Silver Creek Falls multiple times. Nothing too special, but refreshing after a weekend full of driving (the purpose of which I won't rehash). The run was pretty atypical for me; while I was doing this, I know full well that a bunch of my cycling friends were getting in massive base miles. I was content to run around the above scenery. After the run, we drove back to P-town and I went to the Circuit for some endurance work: 30 easy problems and lots of pull-ups.

'Cross Season '08

This photo was taken at one of only two good 'cross races I had all season. My 'cross season didn't turn any heads for any good reasons, but you get what you pay for. I didn't really focus on 'cross at all, and more importantly could not muster any amount of motivation to go out there and be competitive. This was bad timing on my part, because most folks around me really focus on 'cross and were really firing this year. Nonetheless, it's always fun to take part in the Oregon 'Cross Crusade series. This year upwards of 1000 folks showed up each weekend to race, which is by far more than any other 'cross series in the country. Add to that the very competitive "A" field and the fun-loving nature of the events...I can find very, very little to criticize.

Active Recovery

I drive this desk when I'm not ridin' bikes or climbin' rocks. It is from here that I punish young minds with the pain and suffering of hard hittin' literary genius.
"This is the true joy in life, the being used for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one; the being thoroughly worn out before you are thrown on the scrap heap; the being a force of Nature instead of a feverish, selfish little clot of ailments and grievances complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you happy."-George Bernard Shaw

Top Ten 2008

(in no particular order . . . )

10. Stumbling upon a perfect, lonely granite boulder in Steamboat Springs, CO. in mid-June. A classic V4-5 and the eleventh hour send (see "Eureka" below). Who says there's no climbing in the 'Boat?

9. One of my clients getting her hair sucked into her rappel device, necessitating a rescue. There's nothing like putting theory into practice.

8. The so-called "Team S&M Epic Ride," August, 2008. 60 miles of glorious mountain bike adventure with the homies. Best ride of the year by far.

7. Wintertime sending spree with my old bike racing buddy from our junior days, Ted Lanzano (who now climbs 5.14), on Flagstaff Mountain, CO. "Damn Jeff, you should just climb full time . . ."

6. Coming close to death while putting out a roof fire on Jordi's mom's cabin in the Ochoco's during Spring "Break." Exhilerating workout.

5. October trip to Colorado to attempt "The Naked Edge," Eldorado Canyon. 900' of air between your legs & "5.11 Eldo" does strange things to your head.

4. My sister's wedding. The 100+ degree "dry heat" of Colorado taught us all a few things about the glory of shade.

3. Sending "The Right Side of Red Wall" on Christmas Day after years and years of effort. Praise Jesus.

2. Guiding for Chockstone Climbing Guides. Maybe one day they'll update my profile on their website.

1. Backcountry skiing Berthoud Pass with Matt "Ping Ping" Battaglia. That put a little more hair on the bear...

Circuit Sessions

You pull and pull and pull your hardest, but there's always a teenager there to pull even harder.

You convince yourself that V6 is passé, and proceed to get spanked.

You fall on your butt and look like a fool.

& yet you pull, and pull harder still.

Christmas Present

On December 25, 2008, I sent the classic "Right Side" problem on the problem packed Red Wall of Flagstaff Mtn. The send came after years of work. and years of falling off just the first move of the thing.

Like most problems on the Red Wall, the problem is only a few moves long. It is extremely hit or miss. The temps were in the high 30s/low 40s, perfect for Flag.

Sequence: LH on the Soapdish, RH on the 2-finger divot. Crank up to the bad pinch with RH, and punch again with RH to the good pocket. Topping out takes yet another kinda spicy move. Done. See photo. Merry Christmas

Time To Get Serious