I Need More

The photo below documents Joe H.'s glorious failure, pitching off casually from the infamous "Chain Reaction." I made every effort to prod Joe up this thing, even going so far as to remind him that surely he could send a route that was the state of the art approximately 25 years ago. To no avail...Still, for every fall Joe took off of Chain, I took at least two off of my own path to personal glory...the ever-so-elusive and oh-so-mighty "Liquid Jade." Indeed, perhaps I am TOO STRONG TO SEND?! Why the magazine writers didn't come flocking to the Shipwreck Wall to document the power I emanated from my fingertips is beyond my comprehension. You people have no idea how truly amazing Joe and I are. Go on, diminish yourselves.

Meanwhile, the final 'cross race of the gargantuan Cross Crusade series is over, and while most folks in the ol' "blogosphere" were babbling about Molly Cameron's late race bobble, nobody expressed any interest in the REAL tragedy that took place not two laps in: my shifter getting clogged with mud, rendering it inoperable. Here's me, pre-tragedy:So graceful, so wonderful. Oh, what might have been!

Shattered

Another Sunday, another 'cross race. Looking ahead...and looking behind...Either way it was ugly.

Another Saturday, Another Sunday

Saturday, October 17th: Great day of guiding a couple students at Smith Rock! We did some great multi-pitch climbing, followed by some cragging, all in a marathon day...left Portland in the early AM, returned home late, shattered, and psyched.The next day, Sunday, October 18th...an incredibly hard 'cross race in Sherwood, Oregon. I look like a spring chicken in the photo below compared with how I looked when it was all over. Totally shattered...it took me four days to recover.

Recent Saturday, Recent Sunday

I've been getting in some solid Saturday climbing sessions, followed by Sunday 'cross races.

Saturday, October 10, Liquid Jade (12b) at Smith Rock:
I didn't quite get the send, but all the moves are easily there...it's just a matter of linking. Next trip.

And then...Sunday, October 11th: a 'cross race at Rainier High School, Rainier, OR.:Tough race, as all of them are. The course at Rainier is incredible.

Liberatory Education & Killing The Thousand-Headed Dragon

Jordia on September 19th, 2009, after finishing 2nd in her age group and 7th woman overall in the Timberline Marathon, Mt. Hood, Oregon:
Then, after resting a few days, and enduring a week-long, influenza-induced torment, Jordia ran the Portland marathon on October 4th:


Meanwhile, school is full steam ahead, and I still have the wise words of Paulo Freire ringing in my ears after a good summer's read. There's lottsa learning going on, what with Jordia and her marathon, loads of bouldering, some cragging, and happily, a bit more late summer guiding for me. Finished up a great route called "Kashmir" (5.12a) at Broughton Bluff--a full 100' of climbing with trad and sport all mixed together. I managed it without too much difficulty.
Meanwhile, it's cyclocross season, and for me to be a part of it after 11 years, I have to check my ego and just go for it, despite now having fully made the transition to making climbing my primary extra curricular activity. There's always something new to learn, as I was reminded the other day by this befuddled broseph:I leave you with this little ditty, and some summer bounty...
'Tis the night before the 'cross race
butterflies in my trunk
but the worst of it is
my bowels be carryin' funk...

Summer Fun Time

This summer has been very busy with guiding and a little traveling here and there. Nothing too exciting. The above photos were taken at the City of Rocks in early July. I spent most of July guiding at Smith, and most of August renovating my garage. Yeehaw.

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.