Bishop Trip! Part VII

Leaving the cold, brisk parking lot of Rocksport with Sebastian, heading down on 395 South. Driving past Carson City and talking about how awesome we are, we were way to psyched for this trip but that cant be bad right? Driving down in the dark and just about making it to the little town of Bishop when I get a text message. Telling me how to get to camp were my friends are at. With there very vague directions, Sebastian and I were on a adventure of craziness trying to find them. Eventually we gave up trying to find them and slept in the front seat of my car. That was the most unconfertable sleeping position I have ever been in. Walking with a chilly car we drove to find everyone, and eventually found them. Getting everyone up and ready to climb, I went down to Owens River Gorge. I was helping some of the team kids that were down there and getting them on some classic routes down there. We warmed up at the Warm Up wall. While warming up, we ran into Bird Lew and Mark Stacks. Friends from Reno, we hung out and talked. We later went down to the Banana Belt area and I put a rope on Love Stinks 11a. After the sun faded away we hiked out and headed over to the Happy's to boulder. Walking around trying to find Sebastian and Jonny and everyone else, I lead everyone to try Rio's Secret Arete v3. Watching Tanner and Jenna struggle with this problem they asked me to try it so I can show them the beta. After doing it first try, which was a surprise, Tanner tried it a couple more times and then did it. Getting ready to leave i got a hold of Sebastian and Lindsey and I raced to go pick him up at the Sads. Heading back to camp and lighting a fire for the night, we talked about our adventures. We woke up and packed up the car as well as we could due to the three of us and two pads. The hardest part of packing was putting Lindseys six person tent. That was so much of a pain. We headed over to the Happy's and ran into Josh Levin and Cicada Jenerik at the Acid Wash Area. I also ran into Trevor Seck on the way up. I didnt warm up really and convinced myself to get on Acid Wash v10. I sent it third or fourth try and proceeded to try Acid Wash Right. From the sit it gets a grade of v9. After making quick work of  it we all headed up to Atari v6. I remember trying Atari but never really pulled on it due to me not having the arm span so now it was my chance to go for it now that I have grown. Watching Josh do it and Rick Gentry flash it, it was my turn. Getting up there and slapping up the sides and heel hooking it to death, I got up and hit the good thumb pocket and then you huck for the good lip and pull up and over. After doing Atari we left so I can go to work. Heading home for some while I headed for work, it was a great last day of training before I headed for ABS 13 Nationals. Seventeen hours of a drive to Colorado Springs, Colorado, it was great to get some climbing in before than. Nationals on the way and sending my resume to Trango for a sponsorship.  

Bishop Trip! Part VI

Driving down south under the stars, listening to some Three Days Grace, talking and having to much fun for our own good, Lindsey and I headed down to Bishop for a weekend of greatness. Driving down betting on if she will pass out or not (which she did btw) Me just trying to get down there cause I wanted to get back to Half Shark. Getting there around  11pm. Waking up with a nicely frosted tent I made Lindsey oatmeal and getting her up was the biggest crux of the day. (Lindsey if you are reading this I am sorry but you know it was true) then heading down to town to get some hot coco and head up to the Buttermilks. Warming up and waiting for Dustin to meet us down there cause he was running late due to him and his issues. I hopped on the Southwest Arete again and then decided to do the down climb to Grandpa Peabody. After making it to the top and looking down at everyone it was time to come down off this huge rock. Now that was the scarriest thing I have ever done in my life. After making it down I did it again to get some photo's. After doing this we met up with Dustin at the Sads and tried the proj. After realizing it was way to hot we went to the Happy's and tried Standing Kill Order V10/11.  After watching Dustin do it we went back to Half Shark and tried to send it. I came really close till I tore part of my finger open. Heading back to camp to eat some food we went to Vons and got some stuff and headed back to camp. Waking up and packing up we headed down to the Happy's and we got on Redrum v7/8. After figuring out the beta for the stand and sending it, I gunned it for the sit, V10. I came really close many of times but didnt send. Sad face I know but next time I will send it along with Standing Kill Order and Half Shark. Nationals later this month in Colorado. I shall keep you posted on that when it happens. Keep on gunning!

Bishop Trip! Part V

Driving down the freshly snowed 395 which not many people do, looking out the window and looking at Mt Tom with a crazy blizzard, trying to get excited on Half Shark Alligator Half Man. This Problem was recently put up by Dan Mills in the Sads. Originally known as the Sun Catcher Problem not enough was known about it. The only thing I know was that I needed to try it after watching Eric Sandchez do this problem for the 3rd ascent. Heading down there late on Saturday due to Dustin haveing to work till 10 we were able to gun it and try about 2 hours of this problem getting the beta and working moves. After firguring out how to do the first moves up to the crux it was dark so we had to save the crux for the next day. Heading down to town to hangout and eat some food we got way to psyched for our own good. After going to Vons to get some stuff and realizing that shit head A.K.A Oscar at my Apple Jacks and Dustin's burrito, we headed up to camp to get some rest. Heading up there and warming up and trying the moves that we worked the night before. We decided to work the crux which is this big move to this good edge from a weired three pocket and a really wide pinch. This move stumped me forever trying to get it. After just psyched I was able to stick the move. Trying to do this from the start was hard! Its hard to try to have enough power to finish the move since this thing is V11. It was a good way to try and get famileure with the problem and be able to understand and do it! Next week I went back down but that's another story to be told.

That shit is The Real Deal

Yesterday, January 17, 2012 I yet again sent another V10. I did The Real Deal up at Donner Summit in California. This problem was put up by Dustin Sabo back when he was my age. This problem has two crux, the first one is when you start. You have this good block to start with, with a really bad smear with you left foot and a good foot with your right foot. You then pull up and literally fall and grab onto the nice edge. You match with your feet and match with your hands then pump your hand to this pinch next to your hand. You then reach up to this nice pinch edge. You have to spragle this thing to even hold on. You cut your feet and place your left foot on a smear and then reverse toe hook with the right foot and pump to another pinch stab your left foot up to another smear and toss for a crimp and try to keep your toe hook. Once when you stick the crimp you have to move your hand up and hit this pinch and with your right heel and then pump your hand onto this other pinch and then flip your heel to toe and then use your other leg to help swing yourself over to the edge with your right hand and pull up and over. This problem was one of the coolest v10's I have done. It was really great and fun. I am excited for bishop hopefuly this weekend. Half Shark Alligator Half Man for sure! 

Acid Wash

So last weekend I did my first v10 down in Bishop. I did Acid Wash. So many people go out to the jug for the first move, now let me tell you that doing that does not make it a v10. You must do it the orginal way. Which is the same start but you hit the gaston and the up into the sloppers. So anyways I was able to complete my first v10. I was so excited! Finally a double digit for once. It was really exciting to get to the top of the boulder and just think about how I did it. It was great. Now its time to move on to other climbs. Beef Cake and Slow Dance soon.

Bishop Trip! Part IV

So last weekend I, yet again, went back down to Bishop to go climbing. This time I was with my friend Lindsey Bath. She has only been climbing for 5 months and is working v6 and 11b. She got in Wednesday night from her trip to Texas and I was closing that night as well. She got in about the same time I got off so it worked out perfectly. After closing and picking her up we had to stop and get food for our trip. Leaving the town of Reno at the time 11pm, we drove down to the town of Bishop and  rolled in to camp at about 3am. Setting up the tent and then fell asleep. Waking up and getting really excited, he headed over to the Buttermilks to warm up and try some hard stuff. We warmed up on the Sunshine slab boulder. After doing the nice easy highballs we went over and tried the Cave Problem v3 on Grandpa Peabody boulder. I then got on the Southwest Arete 5.9 on the Grandma Peabody. After doing that I hoped on Go Granny Ho v7. I sent it first try which was pretty nice. After that we meet up with my friends and went over to where Moonraker was. After showing them how I did it we went over and got on Bowling Pin. Watching my friend Trevor Roosen flash the v4 part, I decided to get on and try the v6 sit  start to this problem. Flashing that problem we went back into town to chill and eat some food. We get back to camp and chill for a little bit and set off some bottle rockets. Waking up and going down to the gorge to get some endurance going action going on. After doing some ropes and hiking out of the gorge, we went to the Happy's to get some bouldering going down. There I sent my first v10. I did Acid Wash but I did it to the jug then did it the orginal way to do it since Dustin Sabo was the FAer. After doing that we went to go climb by moonlight. We did another climb but scared ourselves cause we thought we saw something. Waking up after dealing with some problems that night we went back to the Happy's so Lindsey can do some last minute climbing. After we were done with the day we drove home. That Bishop trip was great and exciting. I was very happy to have spent it with Lindsey. More bishop trips to come soon.

Moonraker

Two weeks ago I did my first Bishop V9. This v9 was named moonraker. This problem was put up by my best friend Dustin Sabo. He first ascent this problem back when him and Vic Copland were roaming down in Bishop when they were my age. After being tired and complaining about how my skin hurt that day I went back to go try some other problems and some how ended up doing moonraker instead. It was great. My friend Nick Bradly was also there trying to get Gleaming the Cube sit V8. Second go we were so close and later both sent our problems third go. It was pretty cool to do moonraker. First move is off these underclings with ok feet to a ok small edge. After sticking that you have to place your right heal next to your hand on the undercling. Your heal sits on this supper small crystal and you pray to god that it holds while you do everything else. After sticking the heal you go out right to this good edge then bump to this small edge. After sticking that you get another heal and fall into the first hold you bumped off of. Now the beta is to turn your heals into toe scums. With that you are able to get most of your body weight on that right arm to be able to hold the swing when you cut your feet. After holding the swing you then now have to find a way into the scoop and crawl through the hole and up the v2 to finish it.
 Here is a link to my vid of me doing this climb.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9uFBxyTiID8&feature=youtu.be