grigio

grigio = grey

The weather is grey and so is my mood. I'm tired! Too much work, too much travel time, and too much climbing in short bursts. My attitude sucks right now. I went out yesterday and really turned sour. I think it's time for some change, but what?

Crying Times Again

So I went out to the Ice Pond twice this week. And I sent: NOTHING! Time to cry right? Hell no, I had never been able to do either of the (2) hard moves on Official. Both days this week I was able to do them both and even multiple times. Now I know I can do it I just need to do it. Also Unleaded is feeling closer and closer. Double threat which at first seemed impossible now seems doable and the Howl is still hard. I will rest my skin for a few days now then it will be time for the Pond again on Monday, so I'm hoping for good weather.

Then back up north for a few days...

Crankin in Rhode Island

So me and Jess went to Lincoln Woods on Monday and Tuesday. It was the first time for both of us there. It's always cool to visit a new area and this was no exception. We had good conditions and we took advantage of that. Jess did well sending a few V1's and a V2 second try. I also did well sending a V8 first day and a V9 second day, although I then got shut down by a V4 and a V5 oh well. The area is pretty cool and would be even better if it was larger, but... It is only an hour away from Jess' new/temp house so more to come for sure.

The new season

It's a new season for bouldering. The leaves are changing the temps are dropping and the air is drying out. I am very happy because I fell really good at the start of this season. New problems are coming together for me very quickly and my physch is up.

Here's to hoping for a good year.

Time

Time is way to powerful. You have no control over time. It is once again raining in NY, although I have to sit in a car for 4 hours today anyway, so no climbing outside for me. I don't work that much, or that hard, but I still find it hard to find the time to climb.

Anyway I haven't been climbing a lot but each time I feel better, so I have hope. 

speriamo

Real rock

There's nothing like the real thing baby. Yesterday Pete and I went out to the Gunks and I had a wonderful day. I sent my warmups only, but I had such a nice time. Pulling hard, losing skin, and bleeding a little bit = the real thing.

I finally tried Even Lovely again. One year later so it took me awhile to remember my beta, but it eventually came back to me. Also Pete gave me the beta for the start and it felt very "doable".
So 2nd day out and things look good...

Temps & Pyshc

So I actuaully saw the thermometer read 56* this morning. So I guess it's time to get serious. I started to play around in the gym about 4 weeks ago and can already see a huge difference. Now I can pull a little bit! Now I don't think that I'm old, but I know I'm not young anymore. So this season I am going to try to train for the first time since I did a little bit with the boys before we went to Squamish. I'm going to set some GRAND goals for myself this season. I hope that I can stay focused and motivated too make my dreams come true...

Hope to report later, positively

Tendencies

In life as well as in climbing when we are scared of failure we often times set ourselves up for failure. This way we know what is going to happen and therefore we're not scared of the outcome. Chrystal clear right? Yeah I don't understand either. I feel I have touched on this already and that I will again in the future. My plan is to try and slow things down, pick things that I can accomplish and attack them. Then hopefully if I have cleared up a few things I will be able to focus better on other things that seemed to be bigger than they are.

1. listen
2. observe
3. think
4. plan
5. act

Where did the time go?

It's been 3 weeks since I last tried to turn over the stones in my head, hoping to find something meaningful and inspiring for my many fans. So, here it is!!!

I have been working.

OK that wasn't all that inspiring. On Tue. I will start working @ the gym, so hopefully I will be inspired to train a bit.

Without training at all since I closed my last project, I have however seemed to have stayed in decent shape. I went out twice:

Ice Pond - almost did Unleaded 7c
Peters Kill - did Village Idiot 7a+ second try (probably would have flashed it if my tired brain would have seen the enormous right foothold, oh well!)

Both days I felt surprisingly strong. So maybe working a bit, as long as it is physical labor and only a little bit, isn't so bad.

Summer is here tomorrow= 95' 95% humidty. Probably won't be writing much until the fall, but then I will be writing a long list of assents...

Clarity

Clarity? I think I figured it out. I enjoy climbing! I enjoy that it is hard, that it is a challenge. I don't enjoy training. I do enjoy being strong.

See my dilemma?

I think I will just keep trying to find projects that inspire me to train for them and "just keep on trucking". This year I have done hard problems (for me), but I haven't really done any training for this except to go out and enjoy myself, often. I feel that I am continually getting stronger and this though causes my dilemma. What if? OK I am going to try to be content with how I am. I am improving, I am strong (even if only for me, but why should I compare myself to others?), and although I do have times that are tough, I am enjoying myself.

Conclusion: Keep climbing! It's also the challenge that keeps it interesting.

Now I lay thee down to sleep...

I do have great news for you. I have found the ultimate training routine. Rest and relaxation and some beer drinking. What? you say. For the last 2 months I have been dealing with the frustration of working more than one project (maybe you can understand this). I have been doing nothing but pounding them, always making a "little" bit of improvement here and a little there, but without being able to close down a project. I have been so close for so long I was afraid I might go completely crazy. Now back to the new training routine, 3 days rest, no climbing specific training just yard work, and a few beers everyday. I wasn't thinking about the projects, mostly because the weather forecast was for rain, just relaxing. Then there it was, the temps cooled down a little the rain is coming later. SHIT! I feel a little hungover and I wasn't mentally prepared for today. Oh well let's just try anyway. My warm up felt easy, cool! Second burn on the warm up and the sun is in my eyes, but I just laughed. And third burn on my warm up I just closed my eyes and did it. OK time for the business. Today I don't feel any pressure, I think I won't even yell on the first move, which has been crucial for me. OK let's try, but try hard. First move latch the left hand, done, it's not perfect but good enough, OK left foot now the right heel, solid the heel is buried. Now cross into the match, damn that felt good OK move the feet, holy shit I still feel strong, OK now everything you've got, fire to the lip. Nice not perfect you hit a little to the right but it's fine, slight adjustment, OK focus it's easy now, bury the right heel, good, now pull hard with it and grab the jug. OK it's done just turn the heel to a toe and flag the left under and grab the jug. WOW! I did it! 12 days of effort but now it's all over. I feel really good, happy, satisfied, content. Now the next...

Here's a link to a video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hcB2l5mqODk

Done, or maybe not!

So I finally made the move on my project and now I just need to finish up on a V4 or 5. No problem right? WRONG! I froze. After I was to gassed to get there again. Now everyday I have tried this problem I have made progress, but I still haven't closed it. Should I be happy I am continually doing better or should I be frustrated that I haven't finished yet? For me both. I feel that for me it is probably a mental hurdle now more than a physical one and this is the frustrating part. To see myself come so close and yet find a way to fail is tough to digest.

So here it is. This is a hard problem for me. I have spent a lot of time on this. I will be so excited to finish this. Why? For the grade? I don't believe so. I feel that in the beginning I knew that for me this problem was very hard, but I felt that it was possible. So now that I am so close to the end I can look back and be proud of my efforts. And I can finally say "I DID IT"!

Under the project!

Springtime

Spring I feel is when most climbers start to get excited about climbing. They have made it through a dark and dreary winter and now the sun is shining and warming the rock. For me I get scared! I try not to panic, I try not to think about how much time is left before the heat of the summer arrives. I long for the days of winter when I had the rocks to myself, when the temps were between 20* to 40*. Cold crisp days when the slopers feel sticky.

Ok so I am going to be calm. I going to focus on having fun, on pushing myself harder, and yes I have to admit try to tick some projects. Things are going well for me now. I am felling strong and I am very close to finishing some projects. I also have a trip coming up with Jess and I am really looking forward to seeing a new place. It's awesome that I keep learning new things and increasing my strength even now that I'm an old man.

Here's looking to the future!

Climbing Naked

Climbing naked is something I wish I could do! No, not naked how all you perverts are thinking. Naked in the sense of keeping my mind clear of all the distractions; pain, self doubt, fear, noises, smells, bugs. I feel that I am only able to focus my mind for very few of my sessions or only for a very short time during my sessions.

So here's what I'm going to do. Relax, enjoy, have fun, and let it happen. I'll try to train hard and get stronger. I'll try to be content with my progress.

Crazy huh?

I know that I have had some amazing moments from climbing and I hope to have more.

Subtle

It's strange when you watch someone climb and they make a move look easy and yet when you try it you can't even hold on. Today I tried to watch as Pete casually pulled off the ground on my project. I have a problem with A.D.D. when I am bouldering, but I want to do this problem, so I studied him as he tried it. When I tried it however I could barely hold on let alone pull up. Today was different though, my A.D.D. was still there, I kept trying. Sounds simple right? Right to me too! But it's not always so simple to do. Today though as I kept trying I would gain a little bit of height, I would hit the hold and stay a little longer. And today I stuck the crimp! I gave a half ass try on the next move, but I hit the crimp and because of that little bit of progress I now feel confident that I can do the problem.

Climbing is cool!

West meets East

Yikes, Gunks

OK "they say California is the place to be". Well they just may have something there. Let's see: 300+ days a year of sun, Bishop in the cold times, Tahoe in the warm times, Utah, Smith Rocks, Squamish. Sounds pretty good to me, in fact I was and still am in love with the West.

Now the East : 300+ days of rain or snow, humidity, too many people, bugs, millipedes... Ok maybe it's not quite that bad, but close. Or maybe not, I have a really cool bouldering area the "Ice Pond" only 40 minutes drive from my place and usually I'm the only one there. I have the Gunks only 1 hour drive away and although I feel it doesn't live up to the hype, there is so much rock that I have found some really cool lines. First day at the local gym I met the owner and he gave me directions and the beta on the "Ice Pond". It is awesome! Don't expect to have skin left when you leave though. My first trip out I met Chucky. Chucky is super pysched about everything. We climbed all spring together and had a great time. Then along came Pete and a perfect January. I had started to give up on the carriage road at the Gunks, but Pete assured me there was some great stuff awaiting me. He wasn't lying, except maybe about the Buddha's though? All 3 variations had to be done for me to be satisfied. The first one I did second try, the second a few days, and the third a few more. I was covered in bruises, blood, and tears. Also I finally tried Dragon Turns, my current project. I came so close on Monday, but fear got the better of me, so this weekend I hope to finish it off.

So yes the West is better, but it ain't so bad out here.

Thanks Jessica, Chucky, and last but of course not least Pete (because I sent harder problems with you than with Chucky).