Spring sends

Rock Wars 10a

"Can you take along a fourth?" Jeff asked me while finishing up in the hostle kitchen. I imeadiately assumed he meant a total newbie. I dont know why I did that. Guess I'm just use to tag alongs.
"Do you climb trad?" I asked. "I lead trad." The young guy says in an Austrian accent.. Jeff smiles and says,"He climbs thirteens". I was completely taken by suprise. I told him we only work eights and nines, but he was Ok with that.
We met Chris and Ed and went to Long Wall. Chris sent Autumn and Flourine stepped up to follow it and clean, or so I thought. Instead he pulled the rope, leaving the gear. It was odd but once he started leading up it I realized he was just warming up. It was like watching majic. Beautiful and fluid. His footwork was so precise it was mind numbing. A little backstep where Chris had struggled. Chris was taking video with his camera. "I have a huge memory card in this thing,"he says. He shot the whole route while everyone there watched in silence. It was like majic. I can't think of any other way to describe it. I had my turn and finally sent Autumn. I was really happy about getting it.
The moves were hard for me but after watching Flourine my head was into it and I didn't worry about falling. I knew where I wanted my gear to go so I wouldnt hit the ledge if I did fall.
Flourine cruised through the Gift 12a next. It was inspiring to watch. I caught a friend when he took a huge fall on the same route,years before and watched a couple others struggle and not finish that same route. This quiet unassuming soft spoken young man just flowed up it like it was casual, using my slings for draws. He wasn't able to bring his gear from Austria and we used my worn rope and rack all day. He sent Mailbox 8 ,Rockwars 10 with some extra gear from another group, both of wich I followed and cleaned. I managed to fall off the top of Rock Wars right after I pulled the last piece. We finished up on B3 an 11b. Well...Flourine did. I was worn out after Autumn and Rock Wars. I was happy to belay. I wish I could describe what it's like to watch someone do something so well that you struggle to be mediocre at. I wasn't jealous, more like fascinated. Everyone there was. I guess its like the guy that tinkers with cars going to McDonalds on friday night and getting a suprise ride along in a Porshe.
It was a nice weekend. Chris sent all 3 pitches of Good Tang 7 while it was snowing off and on.We all sat on the top of it and yelled obcenities for fun while we watched the snowflakes go up. Yes,up. The wind was hitting the cliff and driving the snow up. Wierdest thing I have seen in a long time.
I am excited about my trip to Seneca next month and may not go climb again till then.

Makes you wonder...

"You ever hear of people falling on thier Bro's and them ripping out and dieing?,My friend asked me one night. The question took me by suprise.
He knew I used my Bro's a good deal climbing wide cracks. Maybe it was a well meant warning,I don't know. I have never fallen on one. I do know they take body weight.
The next day I hooked up with all my best climbing buddies to do Full Moon.
While leading the second pitch I got sucked into a chimney. I could have went around it but I wanted to run 2 and 3 together so I went up the chimney.
I placed the big blue one and 10 feet later I plugged the green one in there and kept going. Ten feet above the last bro with no more options for pro close, the going got sketchy. I looked down and there was both bro's underneath me.
Then I hear Ryan's question in the back of my head. Damnit! Why did he have to ask that? I have to make this sketchy move and worry about falling and dieing when those things rip out. I sucked it up and did the move but it's a safe bet I was overgripping everything I could get my hands on. I'm sure I have made harder moves but that situation was just unerving.

I was on my way home from work yesterday. I really wanted some coffee but I had already drained my thermos. Then I noticed Courtney's bubble gum in the truck. I should have known, the first hit is always free. Hubba Bubba Max it says on the wrapper. I tried a piece. It was casual for a minute or two, not sickening sweet like regular bubble gum.Then slowly the flavor goes ballistic.
It was devine! Lasted a good long time too. All the way home and then some.
I'm hooked on it now. A darn junkie.You know you got it bad when you scour the candy shelves at the Quikey Mart and nothing else will do. Next I'll be learning that strange english dialect that brown people at Quiky Marts speak so I can score some more. Yup, I think I'm hooked on that time delayed MSG in Hubba Bubba Max.