A good idea......

Well - I had this brilliant Idea - I got this little self-powered portable hard drive for my laptop for my music..well....I got some Velcro stickers and just stuck the thing to the back of my laptop with Velcro - its awesome - it stays out of the way, stays connected, doesn't get jacked......wow....even a blind squirrel finds a nut sometimes huh?

I am getting really really psyched for HP40 this weekend. I didn't get to train yesterday - I ended up just playing video games all night - I'm justifying this by saying that I needed a rest day.....

HP40 Guide = = AWESOME!

I just go a copy of the HP-40 guide by GreenerGrass Publishing, written by Adam Henry. Its about time someone put out a guide to this place, but all the years of waiting has been worth it - they definitely did the place justice. Its full color - and awesome.

If you're worried about the "grades" - man - your in the wrong sport - and I have a box of tissues for your teary eyes.

One thing that I like in a bouldering guide is "userability" and with a plethora of topo maps, you are definitely going to have no doubts when it comes to finding the specific name and grade of the V2 that you're not going to be able to do.

The Maps themselves look great and are comparable to a work of art. All in all - SWEEEET!

You can pre-order them now or check them out on the Publisher's website:

http://www.greenergrasspublishing.com/guidebooks/

Been a While...

Its been a while since I've posted - I guess it was that I didn't want to admit to myself that I'm back to having a steady job - its funny - I think that my training and climbing is more consistent now that I have job to sit down at four times a week.

I've been at "classes" for the past month learning and getting certifications for my job (bridge engineering job) - but have been running and training - mostly abs, but now that our basement homewall is awesome (45 degree) - I am planning on some bouldering training as well.

Matt Fanning, Katherine Pabody and I have done several trips to Chattanooga this winter, with mixed weather/results.

I'm doing a 4 dayer this weekend to HP-40

The new guidebook is awesome and I was quite happy and lucky to snag one of the 40 "pre-release" books. I managed to score three images in the book. There's a photo of me on "Pop-eye" so I guess I need to go and send that problem huh?

I'll make a point of updating my blog now that I have come to turns with "being back in a real life" again.

Oh - and we've been just as busy as ever establishing new routes at the Meadow - Once we get most of the routes sent - I'll post the PDFs...

23 degrees at Coopers Rocks...

At least, that's what Lena's car said - but it was sunny.

If it were any warmer, the snow on top of all the boulders would have melted and the problems would have been wet, but it didn't and they weren't.....

One thing I learned yesterday - you need SOME moisture for good friction - the friction was actually terrible - the chalk wouldn't even stick to my fingers - it was crazy!

Making holds again...

So - I've been hanging out in Pittsburgh for the past week and will be here for another week, before heading on a four day trip with Matt - to who knows where - then to Charleston for the winter season.

I've started making climbing holds again.

The motivation came from climbing at Climb North here in North Park, Pittsburgh.

I bought some pottery clay at the craft store. Now - the mold is the hardest part.

I got a request from Bob for a type of hold that I've made before. So I made a cast out of clay (though this one is a big more positive than the requested hold) - and I used All Purpose Silicon.

To get the viscosity down, I boiled it (in its tube) - it took a whole tube for one mold - and its tough to not get air bubbles.

Its "drying" right now - I'll let you'all know how it turns out and if it works, I'll make another hold (using my other tube of Silicon) - if both of those turn out, I'll get some expoxy resin and color sand and go from there!

Now - to get a really GOOD mold - you need to get a $100.00 per gallon rubber molding...if I get my hold thing going again - I'll start using that and go big time with it.

I've been thinking about several cool hold ideas....

Stay posted =)

A day at the New with Matt...

Matt, his friend Paul, Ryan and I did a day at the Meadow - at Area 51 and the Pebble...what a day! It was PEEEERfect - like maybe mid 50s and cloudy....I was feeling pretty good about my day - I warmed up on one of the 10s, then managed to do Sam's 12a/b (If You Lick It, They Will Come) second go - a good route - I managed to trundle a laptop sized block out of it though! Its a good route - for sure.

Then we went to the Pebble where I onsited Gray Goose (12b) - though I hear eddie said he thought it was more like 11d - I can't really tell since I've been away from the new for so long.

I did "Brown Star" second go - a 12a - I totally missed a dead-point at the crux on the onsite, pulled the rope, no rest and then did it (though I was really really close to pumping out on it!)

Matt did really well - as well - doing almost all the moves on "One for the Gipper" (13b/c?) - He was really really close to sticking the crux dyno and basically hiked the lower crux (bolt to bolt)

Some Lilly Video

So we rolled into the Obed late Friday night - as we roll in - there's two dudes (Hunter and Tom) getting ready to go bouldering - a night session with lanters....we couldn't turn down filming that! Stay posted ! We filmed several problems - including Laurel Arete, Long Arm of the Law, Take that Kelly Brown and Some jump (next to Laurel arete...)

Heading back to WV today!