Training

This week has been all about training for my upcoming trip to Hueco Tanks for the week of Thanksgiving with my friends Chris Bloch and Jen Atkin. It’s a good thing to train for as I would enjoy completing some problems I tried when I was first there in 2009 (See Spot Run, Mojo, Meddle Detector, Better Eat Your Wheaties to name a few) and get on problems I looked at but deemed above my head at the time (Full Service, The Egg, Babyface to name less than 1/10 of what is on my list). Some of these problems are on my to do list simply because I didn’t have enough pads the first time. Either way, I’m excited to go back and have been going in to the Bay Area gyms and Bridges Rock Gym to get some milage in.

Friday night was the second full climbing session I had. My friend from Hawaii, owner of Volcanic Rock Gym Justin Ridgely, has been visiting California for a about a week climbing. He was on his way to destroy the problems (or be destroyed whichever came first) at Bridges with Spenser (STS setter at Bridges) and his Hawaiian crew. it was good seeing him as the last time I had I was in Hawaii and had a mohawk (back in the day).

August 2010. Volcanic Rock Gym.
photo: Steve Miraglio

He’s one strong mother-shut-yo-mouth on the wall. It was cool seeing them climb and getting to climb with them, despite the feeling of tiredness and sleep creeping up on me. After they departed, I was fading fast. In moments of haste, I forgot to make a lunch before I left the house yesterday morning. It proved to be almost fatal to my climbing that night. I had to act fast. I was cold, tired, but needed to climb some problems. I put on my down jacket and walked to Peet’s Coffee (saved the session!). If I haven’t been thankful for having a coffee shop close to work, today was the day. It was a good thing I got out for a bit at Bridges because $5 Friday was in full effect when I returned 10 minutes later.

5
5 Dollar
5 Dollar Friday 

Usually the chaos on Friday nights at Bridges drives most people away. I tend to stay home or go to other gyms, but a friend of mine wanted to climb so I agreed to go in Friday night. It ended out being a good atmosphere to get a lot of climbing done (surprisingly). This week has made my Mad Rock Demon 2.0s my favorite shoe to train in. Comfort and style in one package, I can’t wait to take them out to Hueco (and Bishop…and everywhere else).

Plus, the post climbing tacos at the taco truck at Hotsy Totsy  is pretty god damn good as well. 

Thanks for reading!