[shark]

like a true athlete I have taken advantage of this by guzzling food and wine.

I got a shock this morning when I saw your doppelganger getting out of a BMW estate and heading in to McDonald's

hopefully you haven't drifted into my anti-athlete mode

If it's the one on Queens Road then I was just going in for a McPiss tm

[tomtom]

like a true athlete I have taken advantage of this by guzzling food and wine.

I got a shock this morning when I saw your doppelganger getting out of a BMW estate and heading in to McDonald's

hopefully you haven't drifted into my anti-athlete mode

If it's the one on Queens Road then I was just going in for a McPiss tm

McChinny-recon....

[lagerstarfish]

that's what they call their coffee?

[tomtom]

I got an aeropress for my birthday ideal for some field barista-ing

[lagerstarfish]

guess you don't need me any more then 

[tomtom]

guess you don't need me any more then 

I imagine I'll need some lessons and a patisserie tester..

[pyrosis]

STG - regain mobility to be able to return to work 11/18, be able to rock climb again
MTG - Planet of the Apes (7A+) at Joes in April
LTG - Checkerboard, Stained Glass, Mandala

M - rested
T - worked 12 hrs, some pain, survivable
W - worked 10 hrs, had to leave 2 hrs early 
T - rested
F - rested. Follow up appt with ortho, said I can climb again in 1 week.    Then went to the dermatologist who turns out to be - Stupid me believed his recommendation and let him cut on me - He made two 6cm incisions in my back to remove two moles that were no more than 6mm each; not even cancerous; 6 stitches each, then said no climbing for two weeks.    Met Squatch for a beer and discussed training which was awesome and informative. Thanks again Squatch!
S - Worked 12 hours - now my ankle feels ok but my back hurts. Came to find out the holes in my back were not actually medically indicated, apparently this dermo recommends stuff like this all the time to people like me who dont need it. And he cuts out way more than necessary because he gets paid by the cm. He is well known as a money hungry quack.
S - Worked 12 hours. fumed.

Going crazy. Cant wait to climb. Will try some fingerboards this week, hopefully its ok on the sutures in my back.

[nathanie1]

STG: Ben's groove, Fight on black, Fractal, Ju ju club,
MTG: 7C, all the 7B+s at Caley
LTG:  Zoo york, Jason's roof, Heaven in your hands, Rhythm??

M - rest (after a weekend climbing in Wales)
T - lamp session Almscliff - managed Matterhorn SDS 7B+
W - rest
T - lamp session Almscliff - SS to pebble wall, got spanked by Streaky's
F - Ab ripper x
S - Grim weather so Almscliff - couldn't quite stick the top of fractal, next time.
S - Ilkley - ticked Olicana arete and opened an account for Super Set, keen to get back.

Just put up a beastmaker but I've a tweaky finger so I don't dare use it yet.

Plan - ice ice ice, antagonistic training and not getting (more) injured.

[a dense loner]

Pyrosis did you look at the size of the mole when he took it out? My girlfriend had one removed about a mth ago, 6mm on surface but she said it was massive when the doc showed her after he took it out. She was shocked! She's been left with a 5cm ish scar and she couldn't exercise for 10 days, or get it wet etc. Sounds similar

[nik at work]

STG Do something climbing related that doesn't involve the BM
MTG Either cave project and 8c
LTG Fuck it 9a

M BM session. Unweighted. Can't remember exactly what I did...
T nothing
W BM session. Tried long hangs. Did one minute hangs two handed on all holds down to bottom row shallow two finger. The did 30s middle finger monos and 20s ring finger monos, 45s and slopey two finger.
T swimming 40 lengths
F tried to cross train by going to a judo class (first time ever) my impression that there probably is a degree of crossover in terms of upper body/grip workout but unfortunately the group is only small and the other three adult males are all at least twice my weight. I'll probably give it another go cos it as bit of a laff but a training session it wasn't...
S diy fuck
S daddy daycare on the mintiest day of recent memory. Did 10 sets of 40 pushups. Which is 400 in total, hmmm didn't quite clock that at the time, might have been a bit much...

Not a classic week. Need to get out this weekend if at all possible.

[Sasquatch]

TomTom-  That sounds horrific.  Hope you start healing soon!

Cheque - Fantastic news on the finger.

Habrich - Glad to hear the knee is getting better. maybe?

Shark - Bummer on the neck issue.

There's a lot of injury stuff going around.  Hope everyone gets healthy and fit soon.

My post will be a long one as it's also a trip report   WARNING LOADS OF SPRAY

STG - Mandala - CHECK   
MTG - Break and body rehab, then start route training
LTG - To Bolt or Not to Be, 8a OS, and 3-5 new local routes in the 8th grade

In Bishop all week -
M- Climbing Day 3
Warmed up in the afternoon on the top of Fall Guy (an ultra-classic highball v9 that backs up to a other boulder, so you actually top out at around 3 feet high ), Then Psuedo-flashed it from the start (The top is maybe v2/3 for about 6-7 big moves on good holds, which I did three times to warm up, then I sent it first go from the start.)  Rested for a bit, then headed back to the smooth shrimp boulder to re-warmup for Mandala.  Did a couple laps on Perfectly Chicken-v5, and Smooth Shrimp v6, then on to Mandala.  Did the bump move over and over, but kept having my left foot pop off the jug.  really frustrating, and the crux left crimp felt slick. Then headed up the hill to Saigon Direct-v9 3rd go.  Got dark, so headed to the Happies for a night session.  Failed miserably on Acid wash right....  Too tired.  Also started coming down with a cold today. 
T - Rest - Sick with a cold.
W- Climbing Day 4
Fighting a cold.  Started day warming up for Mandala again.  Warmed up on the Bachar problem Right and Left -Stout v5's.  Then headed to Smooth Shrimp boulder again.  Did a few laps on the 5 and 6.  Then a few burns to send Bubba Gump-v10, then down to the Mandala again.  Same problem as the last two days.  Couldn't get the left foot to stick.  Extremely frustrating.  The foot is actually a really good incut foot, that should be easy to keep, but for some reason, it just wouldn't stay.  I felt strong, and my body felt good.  I would get the crux left crimp, and when i would go for the right hand intermediate, my foot would just kick out.  REALLY Aggravating.   
Headed down and flashed the Sharma Scoop-v8, and sent Letting Go - v10 in a few tries.  Headed over and re-climbed a nice v2 highball called the Hunk, and also ran a quick lap on High Plains Drifter-v7.  Then I headed down to check out Alex Megos trying Lucid Dreaming.  He was really close and did all of the moves, but I don't think he sent....  Then I headed over to Dale's camp to check out Xavier's roof.  I climbed it to the lip move, and just couldn't get my foot up to press out the mantel.  Need to improve my flexibility   Then went down and flashed Gastonia-v8, and did Cuban Roll-v4.  Then headed back to the Happies to see if I could end the day by firing off Acid Wash Right-v9, which happily felt much better in the daylight
Th - Rest - Try to get over cold.  definitely pushed too hard yesterday.
F - Rest - feeling better, but still a bit sick.
S- Climbing Day 5
Felt much better in AM.  Really good nights sleep finally.  Had a nice long warmup. Started the day off at Roadside highball-v3, Roadside rail v3-v5ish, and an unnamed v0,v2, and v4 on the Roadside boulder. Then went and climbed a rarely climbed problem called Heavy Grit-v7 (good name as well- very painful ), and then did Gleaming the Cube-v8 in a few goes.  A friend of mine who lives in Bishop showed up who I was stoked to climb with and we headed back to smooth shrimp to finish warming up again.  I did the 5 and 6, then did repeated Cocktail Sauce-v10 as the final bit of warming up.  Then got back on Mandala. 

It was partly cloudy and a good breeze, so the holds finally felt sticky   I pulled on, reached up left to the gaston intermediate and bumped to the crux left hand crimp perfectly. I hit the intermediate and finally the foot stayed.  I stepped the right foot up, hit the next intermediate, then went righthand for the ear and hit it perfectly.  I walked the feet through feeling solid and hit the next small left hand crimp, starting to get nervous.  I adjusted the feet and bumped the right hand in to another small crimp (this was my previous high point).  I surfed the left hand out to the fingerbucket and stuck.  My heart was instantly pounding and in my throat.  I switched feet, matched the finger bucket and pianoed the fingers to get the right hand solidly in the finger bucket.  I stepped the left foot high and fired for the lip.  I hit the good sloper and knew it was over.  I kicked the left heel up, matched, grabbed the bucket and manteled over.  I was in shock and disbelief. I couldn't believe it.   I had just climbed the Mandala.

The rest of the day was a total high, and fit the good feelings of the morning.  My friend also sent cocktail sauce, which he'd never tried before and was pretty stoked. We headed down the hill toward Thunderbird-v11, which my friend wanted to try, and stopped by the Croft Problem-v8 which I managed to flash. We both got shut down by Thunderbird, although I felt like it would go if I could deal with the painful crimps....  Next stop was Haroun and the Sea of Stories-v11/12(the low start to Fall Guy which I had done earlier in the trip).  I came close, but the sun started hitting a couple of the slopers, and it got too slick.  Maybe next time.  My friend tried Stained Glass Right, but was too worked from the earlier problems. 

He had to head home, so I connected with some new friends and we headed to the Pollen Grains for the late afternoon session.  We started off at the boulder with Suspended in Silence, which already had a good crowd.  I did Lidija's Mouth, a really unique v3(super height dependent), then flashed Drone Militia-v6 (I'd say this problem is in the top 5 problems in the Buttermilks areas) and then flashed suspended in Silence-v6/7ish?.  I'd heard all week that one of the holds on Suspended had broken the week before and was now much harder-in the v8/9 range.  It didn't seem too bad to me, but only two of us were able to climb it out of the group, so maybe it is in that range. 

While the rest of the crew was working Drone Militia, I grabbed a couple of pads and headed down to climb Jedi Mind Tricks-v4.  This is a stellar highall v4 crimping techy face, and was so much fun i did it twice   One of my new friends had highly recommended trying Return of the Jedi-v10 on the arete to the left of Jedi, so I decided to jump on that while I was there.  I shocked myself by flashing it for my second v10 flash ever (the first was earlier in the trip on Cocktail Sauce).  Still feeling good, I met the crew at the Finder's Fee boulder to do a few more classics.  I managed a 2nd go send of Finder's Fee-v9, a Flash of Cindy Swank -v7/8, and broke a key patina hold on a v9 to the right of Finder's Fee, pitching off the top onto my back no harm no foul. I finished off with a couple of easy lines on the same boulder including the fantastic Cover Me With Flowers-v2. 

We headed out after that to a spectacular sunset and a celebration dinner and Whiskey

S - Climbing Day 6
Seeing as this was my last Day, I decided to go through and climb a bunch of v8's and easier classics in the Milks.  I warmed up with a few easy 2-3 star lines like Birthday Mantel-v0 and Sheepherder-v2, then headed to Hard Grit-v8, a funky arete line next to Ironman Traverse.  After a bad choice for a heel on the first go, I managed to knock it out second go.  Then I headed down to the Leary Bard Arete-v5 (A must do if you're visiting and in the range) for a quick repeat.  Next up was Brian's Project-v8.  This one felt really hard and nearly blew out my right hamstrong heelhooking, but I managed to pull it out after a few goes as well. Then I headed over to Soulslinger Right-v8.   I was suprised at how good and how delicate this one was.  I didn't know any of the beta and this one was pretty tricky, so this took a few goes to work out.  Once I got the beta right though, it went down as well.  Next up was a v7 called Pain Grain sit.  despite the name this is actually a really good climb with a tricky topout.  Then I finished out the day on the classic v0-Robinson's Rubber Tester, and then drove out of town at noon.

Big ticks for the trip were Mandala-v12 and La Ballette, which were my first two problems harder than v10 that were not an FA and flashing my first ever confirmed v10's. 

This was without a doubt the best trip I've ever had, with success on big goals and overall climbing well.
I'm really glad I managed to end the season fit and on a HIGH note...  Now for a few weeks off

[shark]

OMFG

 

[tomtom]

Wow! What a trip. Nice write up of Mandela Sasq \o/

[Wood FT]

well done!

[erm, sam]

That is a mind crushing amount of climbing! You had an amazingly good week. I am inspired.

[kelvin]

Strong strong strong

[Schnell]

STG: rehab finger
MTG: classic 7B/+, try to get route climbing trip in around new year.

M. aerocap session, did 3x20 mins on the wall on easy problems. hard to get intensity right. I'm going to try to do this session once a week for the next while to start building endurance for a possible sport trip around the new year.
T.
W. decent indoor session, doing strength phase of medium volume of slightly less than max exercises. Continued with adapted fb routine that avoids middle finger crimping
T.
F. same as wed but a bit less volume
S. outdoors for the first time in a few weeks, got a good bit done considering that I'm a bit injured. I made progress on a tricky 7A+ which I would have done if not injured. The first move is crimpy and I was just about managing to openhand it but it was messing me up for the rest of the problem. Retro-flashed a 6C
S.

Had a decent week despite the injury which is not a2 as I'd thought but collateral ligament/extensor tendon, basically it doesn't matter though because it means no crimping either way. This is fine for training but outdoors it's pretty restrictive. I've also rearranged training days so I'm not cycling so far to the wall which is helping with general tiredness and hopefully will reduce future injuries.

[Sasquatch]

Thanks all!  It was a trip of ups and downs for sure.  The cold was really annoying as I am normally really high energy, and I was not full of usual pep.  Where it really impacted was in keeping psych high when things weren't clicking.  Normally I'm optimistic, but this trip I was pretty down until the cold broke.

I will say there were two guys I met there who were really helpful with their never ending psych - Especially at the end of the week on Friday and Saturday.  One was a low key, but ever positive guy by the name of H.  The other was Dan Beall, a semi-local crusher who's done almost everything in the buttermilks, and was working the project to the right of Evilution.  Hopefully he sends soon.  I got to see him do it in overlapping sections, so he's SUPER close.  It's definitely next level.  Evilution is v10 to the lip, then either a v8 (Evilution) or v6 (Evilution Direct) move over the lip.  This line is v14 to the lip, then a v10 crux over the lip. 

[pyrosis]

--Sasquatch, what an epic trip!

Pyrosis did you look at the size of the mole when he took it out? My girlfriend had one removed about a mth ago, 6mm on surface but she said it was massive when the doc showed her after he took it out. She was shocked! She's been left with a 5cm ish scar and she couldn't exercise for 10 days, or get it wet etc. Sounds similar

I didn't look, perhaps that was the case. Still - the pathology said 'atypical - mild', they recommended removal which I did. Read more up on it after because - it sucked, found out the American College of Dermatology does not recommend removal for 'atypical - mild' so I am still angry, definitely won't go back to this dermo again.

[LB]

Great Trip report, Sasquatch, and commiserations on the injury's everyone. This arse thing sounds horrendous Tomtom.

ST: Look after knee. Get scan and appointment wiht specialist.
MT: 7B and 8a.
LT: Avoid further problems with my knee.

Mon: Rest

Tues: FB Max Hangs, Rings Antagonist stuff, Foot on Campusing (one footed).

Wed: Elbow stuff

Thurs: Repeaters, Core, FOC.

Fri: Physio. Told I have probably seriously damaged meniscus, need a scan and will probably be looking at mid-long term recovery.

Sat: FB MH, Rings Antagonist stuff.

Sun: Repeaters, Back Lever stuff, Core, Some Foot on Campussing.


Going from getting out 3 days a week minimum to nothing with little prospect of climbing for a while is hard. I'm planning on getting out with gf this weekend. I guess I'll take a camera and a book but at least I'll be outside. Weather was lovely today. Probably need to start thinking of somethign to replace climbing other than dangling around and a few press ups, although I may try indoor routing one legged. I did intend these post to be more interesting than this, but there's obviously been a hitch.

[T_B]

Great report Sasquatch - you must have skin like a rhino!

[SA Chris]

I was thinking that. Both Bishop trips I couldn't climb more than 2 days in a row due to crap skin (but I did wear gloves every day for the preceding 6 months and did no climbing which probably didn't help)

[AndyR]

...long list of awesomeness...

Holy shit Sasquatch, that was some trip - most inspiring!

[Sasquatch]

Yes, I have remarkably good skin   Mostly, I think it comes from 15 plus years of sharp granite abuse on the home crags.  It's both toughened my skin, and also taught me to climb in a style that saves skin.  It takes me quite a while to get into the sloper slapping and sliding that you do on sandstone....  I am also really careful of the skin though, and take really good are of it.

I was thinking that. Both Bishop trips I couldn't climb more than 2 days in a row due to crap skin (but I did wear gloves every day for the preceding 6 months and did no climbing which probably didn't help)

I almost never do two days on during a bouldering trip.  I find neither my muscles nor skin can handle it, so I tend to do day on day off, but bigger days on. 

This trip I did:
Thurs-Climb - short 1.5 hr session first day
Fri - rest
Sat - Climb
Sun - Rest
Mon - Climb
Tues - Rest
Wed - Climb
Thurs - Rest
Fri - Rest
Sat - Climb
Sun - Climb - skin hurt like hell, and didn't climb very well (relatively) but it was last day so figured go all out to the end.....

[andy popp]

Incredible. Looking forward to seeing the video.