Vegan Climbing

[chriss]

Hi all, haven't been on for a bit hope everyone is climbing well. Thought I would start a new page to keep climbing shoes as shoes, training as training & this as general climbing etc...
I have managed to shake my cold & flu & have had a few dry days out on the rock, I'm really syked to get fit & strong again as i have my eye on some cool new lines.

[Dave Noisy]

Wow - you're getting outdoors this time of the year??

My indoor climbing has been going well, averaging a couple days in the gym each week. Back up to tackling 10c's after a month of climbing (been off of climbing since March, too hard for me to race bikes well, AND maintain climbing fitness). When i stopped in March, i was doing 10c's as well..so my goal is to try and get up to 11b's or c's by next March. =)

Of course, i'm mainly climbing for fun, i don't plan to do any training other than the climbing i'm doing, but that's my goal!

[chriss]

Cold weather is best for friction, its all go go in the winter... Glad your climbing well and able to race hard. Also glad your keeping the FUN element high, thats why we all do it.

[Frostfire]

All indoors for me now, everything outside is under at least a foot of snow and I hate cold too much to brave ice climbing yet. My gym changes their routes about every month and the last sets were boring. Either too hard or too easy, but this month I have found a little boulder problem I can work that has kept me entertained so far. I'm actually on the train headed to the rock gym now . . .

[Dave Noisy]

I dunno, there may be more friction, but it's harder to keep my hands on the holds..haha..

Sucks when the routes are like that! You just gotta keep at 'em..

Speaking of which, had an *excellent* session on Monday - cleaned two 10c's, made good progress on two others, and spent the rest of the session on 10b's and a's until my fingers could hold no more. =)

Wanted to go tonite, but closed for the holidaze..gaah.. Back at it next Sat!!

[Gelert]

I dunno, there may be more friction, but it's harder to keep my hands on the holds..haha..

Try some chemical handwarmers stashed in pockets and chalk bags, or in mitts when you're mincing around. I find they help. There's the iron fillings kind which last longer and are gentler, or the rechargable ones which you activate by clicking a disc. They're warmer but briefer.

Alternatively, as mental encouragement, consider what Toni Kurz could do with cold hands.

[dublin dave]

I'm off to the Anti-Atlas in Morocco for 2 weeks climbing (trad) at the start of January. I'll post pictures when I'm back...

[chriss]

I managed to get outside again earlier this week & got a few good bits done so 2008 has been rounded off nicely- to be honest this has been my best climbing year & my first full year as a vegan.
Happy 2009 to everyone out there, hope it's a good one.

[remixrobot]

chriss--thats awesome that you have seen improvements since going vegan...it was the same story for me.

anyone have any specific goals for the year? anything from specific routes to learning how to solo aid....whatever....

the past few weeks have been a crazy blur for me and I haven't given too much thought to my own goals. I do have a few local projects that I am pretty focused on sending...nothing too big though.

[revolushuneyz]

This year's goals are to lead a 5.11 (I don't lead) and to boulder a V6. This past season I top-roped a 5.10b no problem but that was the only sport climbing I did. In bouldering, I made it to V4s and almost hit a V5 but by the time I stuck the crux I was exhausted (20 or so tries at the end of the day), then it snowed and the season was over.

To get there, there will be some major training and some major body-fat loss. I'm also planning to get a vehicle just as the season starts. I've definitely noticed that a lack of a vehicle is a major hindrance to personal growth, so it's on.

[remixrobot]

I got in the gym yesterday and had a really good workout. I have a few different gym schemes and now that it is too damp to climb on our super soft sandstone, I will more than likely be in the gym for the next bunch of weeks.

Yesterdays workout went something like this:

Warmup:About 10-15 problems in the V1-V4 range...with thorough rest between

Worked hard moves or probems: For this I either pick out some hard moves to do on the wall or just work a problem a little above my onsight level...there is a stiff V8 I started working and then moved on to a longish V9...spent about an hour total on these. Sent the 8 and got pert dang close on the 9

Endurance circuit-I did laps on circuits made up of 3 problems...usually in the V4/5 range...Start with the 4...immediately do the 5...then do a different 4..by the end of the 4th circuit I was pretty gassed and couldnt finish the 5th lap.

Warm down by climbing decreasingly difficult problems starting at V5...

20min. on the rowing machine.

That is typically my hard day and i'll do that once a week.

Today is some light route climbing and Cardio...

Later in the week will be onsight practice followed by campus board regimen...that is usually pretty fun.


And to end this lengthy post is a very short trip report...

I got out on the 31st for a light day with my dad...he has never climbed outside...

It was one of the only climbable days recently and we led some fun slab routes and I got him in a couple of good handcracks. We were out for about 4 hours and it was 41f in the sun...the rock was perfectly tacky and the handwarmers in my chalkbag provided me with a warm chalk coating for my hands every now and then.

To top out the day we led up a 3 pitch 5.9r/x route. I lead each pitch and my Dad followed, cleaning the gear (we used mostly knots and one #2 BD nut). It was a super good day and we finished off with a little bouldering at one of my favorite local boulders...with probably the best problem in the area. An uphill traverse with really fun moves into a sustained and butt dragging crux sequence (pictured)

[Dave Noisy]

Woohoo, glad to see peeps are getting out. =)

I've been hitting the gym 3x a week the last few weeks, my hands are taking a beating tho! (Combined with riding the other 4 days, makes full recovery a bit tough. ;)

I'm still working my way through the 5.10c's...i've got most figured out, just a matter of piecing them all together (some are *very* dependent on doing them exactly..)

Was hoping that i'd be through more of these by now, but i guess it's a bit tougher when this is a secondary sport to me. ;)

[chriss]

Like the traverse & love the mono remixrobot, my local climbing is also super soft sandstone so it's a treat for me to get outside in the winter. My aim for this year is solid font 7b. I'm hoping to go away for 4 months from April taking in Italy, spain, switzerland & doing some surfing on the way back up., thats the plan anyway. Good work Dave, don't stress about the grades as enjoying the climbing is the number one thing, which is a bit rich comming from me as im a real grade whore haha! Probably one of the main reasons i love climbing so much is you can go out with a bunch of mates all shapes & sizes, different abilities & all have a good day doing what is hard for you or just spending a day on your own working projects in peace & quiet.

[Dave Noisy]

Probably one of the main reasons i love climbing so much is you can go out with a bunch of mates all shapes & sizes, different abilities & all have a good day doing what is hard for you or just spending a day on your own working projects in peace & quiet.

Exactly, climbing is perfect this way!

And my competitive nature can't ignore the grades..haha.. I don't take it so seriously for climbing tho, since it is mainly for 'fun'. =)

[remixrobot]

Howdy all...

We have had some really good weather out west lately. I have had a few good days on the rock and am planning a little Bishop trip next week...50's all week...perfect

Anyone down for a Bishop meet up?

Here is a little report from this week...

Headed out to this little Valley near my house. This valley is where the notorious Family of Love lived and ran their LSD factory back in the day. Apparently they had some good stuff out there...and a lot of rock. They lived in the caves that are all over the are. There are a ton of old run out slab climbs that the old Yosemite Stoneys put up in the 70's/80's and a little bit of bouldering. There is still a ton of bouldering to be developed...

I took a trip to the project cave...

There is really only one standing project in the cave and it is super good (i think) It is a sit start that traverses on some Hueco like shallow pinches and unfriendly features...really no feet...just heel and toe hooks the whole way...really tough.

I ripped my hand open while I was warming up...I caked some chalk in the gouge and taped it up and had a great day!

Didn't send the project. Honestly, I didnt even get close.

After I was done getting beat around I went over to a rock that some friends and I established a couple years ago. The shots below are a really fun problem called Real Time. It goes at about V7 and is really only two moves. A sidepull flake to start...to a decent left crimp and a tiny tiny slopey right crimp...up to the top...It climbs really well and is on a goregous piece of stone.

Some photos...