In the face like a can of mace baby!

Wednesday I had a pretty good day at Castle Rock. Thursday, I had a better day at Mordor…I mean Mortar Rock. The weather is PRIME everywhere. From Bishop to the Bay, it's sending weather. And I've taken advantage of the window of weather.

"If god took a dump, it would be Mortar Rock." -Gregor Peirce

Mortar has benches. Does your home area have benches? Didn't think so.

Mortar Rock normally isn't an area where you complain about weather. Unless its hot as balls out there, in which case you probably are better off not climbing there, its good. Today was perfect. Windy, cold, not cloudy. It provided a window to send some unfinished business. But let's be real, I had barely just started. Jungle Fever is a contender for the hardest V8 in America in my books. It hasn't seen many flashes. And onsights? Good luck with that kids.

I've played around on it for years. At first I couldn't touch the first hold. Simple right? Foot holds have broken and the holds accumulate chalk and sweat over years. First done by Scott Frye in 1979 (someone correct me if I'm wrong here please), it sits as a test piece for boulders to come and try, get spanked on, and eventually do it. The closet I got was before my trip to Hueco Tanks in November. I got to the "crux" (the whole thing is cruxy) peanut hold and stabbed into the the finger lock hold before falling yet again to the pads. Today, I would not be denied.

Jungle Fever V8

After doing the poor mans version of Full Fever (the sit INTO Jungle Fever), Yellow Fever (do the first two moves of Jungle Fever, use the slopey gaston to the left and grab the triangle and top out Per Jungle Fever. Basically skips the "crux" of Jungle), I rested for 22 minutes. After telling myself I could finish the six pack off (have fun with your Gatorade kids!) if I sent Jungle today, I put my shoes back on and fired it off first try today. Its the first time I've felt psyched to send something at Mortar in…a long time. I was able to go down the street to Indian Rock, see my friend Austin Cheung, and repeat The Bubble for the first time in years. It's still committing as it first was and I remember why I never repeated as I topped out. I think some guy, some funny guy said, "That was terrifying." and another funny guy, some wise guy said, "Terrifying. Define: TERRIFYING. When you think you're life is going to be over. likethat."

The City and Golden Gate

It's an awfully long walk…back to the train from here

Thanks for reading, have a good day.