New Blog...

I'm not killing this blog yet, but I'm posting on a new blog.  Check out my posts here on Cristina Mastrangelo's blog.

http://www.livestellar.blogspot.com/

I wasn't responsible enough to have my own.  =)

Marathon

I'm a climber, not a runner. Sure I can slog up multi-day approaches to climbs or summit glaciered peaks, but usually I'm rewarded with accomplishment or a sweet climb at the end. Running for pleasure? Running just to run? uhm.... check please.

About 3 weeks ago my sister announced that she is going to run a half-marathon at the Long Branch Half Marathon, in Long Branch, New Jersey. My Brother in Law has run it a few times, and my aunt has run it 3 times. They invited her to join the escapade, since she's been looking for a good way to break down barriers and get in shape. She was hesitant at first, but after I said that I'd run it with her if she got in shape and trained for it, she agreed whole-heartedly.

But this means that I have to now run a half-marathon in May.

There is no sweet climb at the end... maybe just some GU packets and a t-shirt. And this is fun?

Breaking it all down, the good part is that I get to spend time with family during the event, and get in better cardio shape.

But the best part is that I get to watch my sister transform into an athlete again, take pride in her athletic abilities, looks, and health... something that she's wanted for many years.

Hell, I'd fly to Kenya and run a full marathon in summer for her to have that.

But, lucky for me, I can just run in New Jersey in May.

My sister and I ran together yesterday for the first time since she chased me around the yard when we were kids. It was great to see her try, struggle, and then step it up to push through. I'm incredibly proud of her and can't wait to see her skinny ass and big smile cross that finish line in May.

East Coast...

I'm spending some time back on the East Coast for the next week or so. It's a welcome change, as its giving my body a chance to recover from winter training, soak up some good food and spend time with family, old friends and new. I had an especially good evening with my father and sister at a restaurant last night that specializes in locally acquired food. It was incredible, and thanks to dad for paying the tab!

I'm heading to my old stomping grounds in Vermont on Friday, and hopefully getting some climbing in up there, either on icicles, or at my old climbing gym haunt.

In the past few weeks, trips have been planned, changed, canceled and created. Many things are up in the air, but one thing is for sure... my van is complete for the season and ready to travel. After Vermont, I'm hoping to be heading south for warmer stone, as I haven't climbed on real rock since Christmas Eve. The weather in Oregon has been atrocious, and I'm hoping SoCal is due for some high pressure.

Thanks to Bruce, John, Harry, Tony and Beth (a few of the East Coast climbing crew) for the company at the climbing gym here. It's good to always have a good belay wherever you go. (And good people to eat dinner with after...)

In an effort...

In an effort to provide more "pizazz" to this humorous attempt at a blog, I've added some photos of a recent climbing day at Smith Rock taken by photographer Tyler Roemer. (www.tylerroemer.com)





Go Dog Go, left dihedrals, Smith Rock State Park. ahhh, gotta love fall conditions.

Forever Ago

It's been a long time, but now that winter is approaching and my time will be spent traveling and adventuring, I'll try and keep this thing updated.

Since my last post....

Joshua Tree Bouldering and Cracks
Red Rocks shenanigans
Bishop Bouldering
Owens River Gorge sport clippin'
City of Rocks Idaho splitter Granite
North Umpqua River, Oregon towers
Leavenworth, WA mountain biking and climbing
Mt. Hood 'pine antics
Bugaboos - big balls on big walls (something like that)
Smith Rock sends
Was the cover photo for the new Smith Rock Climbing guide
Lost the spot as the cover of the Smith Rock Climbing guide =)
Route setting at the New Gym in Bend, InClimb
Bought a Van
Lots of New friends and re-acquaintances with old.

I'm skipping things that have happened like I'm skipping bolts, my apologies if your trip with me missed the list.

Like I said, I'll try and keep this going. More photos, stories and updates coming.

Lost Rocks, California

Mike Rougeux and I had decided a few weeks back to take a trip South to explore the climbing of Northern California. With a bunch of rumors "spraying" around about proud beach bouldering and long endurance test-pieces on fresh Limestone, we decided to check it out. The area is relatively untraveled, which only added to the excitement of the trip. With a hand-drawn map on the back of an envelope from one of my friends and a small ball-point pen guidebook that did little more than get us to the coast, we set out to see what Humboldt County, CA had to offer.

Driving south at break-neck speeds, weaving in and out of the largest redwood trees that I've ever seen, we landed in a small stone parking area overlooking the Pacific Ocean. About 400 Feet below, waves crashed against boulders with infinite climbing potential. Some of the place has been developed, some has not. We climbed whatever we could get our land-lover hands on, randomly naming problems that involved eloquent pirate-isms.
Because of the fluctuating tides and sand levels, some problems were possible to climb, others not. The sand can make a V4 into a V8, therefore no accurate guidebook exists for the beach boulders. No other medium in climbing besides ice changes as much as the water, sand and rock of bouldering on the coast.Mike and I also found (thanks to LarryB, Matt Battarbee, and Greg Garretson) a fantastic free campsite, complete with grass fields, picnic tables and a shitter. Granted "Samuel the lunatic" was also living there at the time. He wasn't a climber... but more of a drugged-out, homeless artist who lived on salmon, ice-house beer and pot. He was somewhat intelligent, rambling on about "regan-omics" and how we have to save all of our pre-1981 pennies. Apparently the copper in them is worth more than the actual piece of money. He told us to get all of our savings in pennies, bury it, and then dig it up and cash it in when we "wants" to retire. This leads me to believe that somewhere out there, on the California coast, there is a treasure chest buried with thousands of Samuels pennies.
The bouldering on the coast was one of the most beautiful settings that I've ever climbed in, aside from the Buttermilks of Bishop far to the South. Waves crashing, and not another climber in sight, we had the place to ourselves.

High-ball problems, sit starts... all of it was clean and new to us.

After we wiped out our fingertips on the boulders, we drove just under two hours inland to a magical place called the Trinity Aretes. Limestone, limestone, everywhere! We only had a few hours to sample the routes here, but immediately we found it to be steep, sharp and exciting. I'm currently trying to pull some people together to go back, as this is a place that will keep you strong and stoked for a while. It's true... Limestone does exist within an easy morning drive of Central Oregon!

Until next time...

Teddy Bear Picnic

Katy and I ventured out to Smith without a plan. For me, thats like going on a road trip without gas money. But, on this particular overcast day, since we didn't have a plan we decided to jump on a three pitch sport route that we had both wanted to do, but hadn't remembered or though about for a while. It's called "Teddy Bear Picnic" 5.10b/c. It's located on the massive Picnic Lunch Wall inside Smith Rock State Park. It's one of only a handful of routes on this wall because of the lack of solid rock. This route is the exception!

Ok, ok... 5.10b/c.... whopt-dee-doo.... but this three pitch climb really packs a punch. I've not yet felt exposure at Smith Rocks as I did on this climb. This climbing was sustained, long, and airy. The wind was blowing (which always seems to make exposure on a wall seem so much worse) and the air was cool. Coming from Las Vegas temps, I felt as though I was climbing in Siberia.

The first pitch was decent... sustained 5.10b knob pulling with some interesting moves. Katy led it fantastically well and with grace. I followed up behind, feeling somewhat less impressive. I was wearing my bigger "comfy" shoes, which make edging on small holds harder. I also forgot my chalk-bag at the climbing gym, which isn't detrimental but is somewhat inconvenient.

I led the second and third pitches, combining both of them into one long pitch. The third pitch is the MONEY pitch, putting you 250 feet off the deck on the very corner of a huge arete (a narrow spine of rock) From this position, I had to slap to micro-crimps and small pockets with minimal feet. The pitch was bolted, but not the kind of bolting that one wants to fall on. Any fall would have been at least 20 feet.

Rapping off, we both agreed that it wasn't the best route in the park, but it was one to write about! I highly recommend it. Bring plenty of draws to link the 2nd and 3rd pitches, and you only need to rappel twice to reach the ground.