Monday, January 31, 2011

All night long

The past few days have been absolutely exhausting.  Having been filled with hiking all over Chattanooga's hillsides my knees and the arches of my feet are sooo sore.  On Friday, Jimbo, Kit, and I returned with pads to a place we had checked out a few days before. WHOA!  Climbing here is really good.  It's littered with 20-30 ft. roofs that are pocketed and juggy enough to keep most everyone psyched, just don't get pumped! We managed to climb the best lines on what we saw as the best rock.  I know I did three knew problems, which I am very glad to have done.  Projects await as others fall.  We will be back for sure.


Jimmy cleaning up a PJ.
Saturday was interesting to say the least.  With the installation of a nice 8 car parking lot, Pep Boys has made a name for itself calling people from all corners of the south.  I pulled up at about noon and to my surprise there wasn't a spot to be had.  And I wasn't the only one, people were already lining the side of the entrance in an effort to enjoy the serenity of the wilderness just down the Cumberland Trail.  However bummed I may have been that there were soooo many people here the time could not have been better to rally the pads for serious attempts on Salo's Roof.  We KILLED it too!  Andrew and I were focused on the take down.  So, after about 20 minutes of trading burns and refining beta I topped out and Andrew followed soon after.  Perfect.  I am sooo stoked to have done this mega-roof climb.  From here the plan was to try Big Gulp, but sheesh, I was starting to feel tired.  So, I called it quits.  

Antman on Undercover Cutie V8
Brion on the hard start to one of many exits.
Sunday was all about the solo mission to take down Big Gulp.  I got all psyched around one that afternoon and drove out feeling pretty good, until I pulled on to climb.  UGH!  I was soooo sore.  The previous two days of 20+ move V8's and harder had taken it's toll.

Here's a shorty from Friday.  I can't say this is the best spot to go check out as the parking and access are not ideal.  

On the horizon awaits the Eastern Outdoor Reps Association show this weekend.  I'll be in SC for 5 days kickin it with The General, Kurt Smith.  With tons of knew products from Evolv, Metolius, and Sterling we will have our hands full.  Hopefully, I'll return the following week well rested and feeling good.  

Later.


Monday, January 24, 2011

Video post

Every day in Chattanooga is a blessing in disguise.  All you have to do is recognize it.  On this particular day I had done nothing but piddle around the house and go to the grocery store.  With each hour that passed by, the outdoors called and called louder and louder.  I thought to myself, "man, it is way to nice out to pass this up for a rest day."  So, I called Chandler up to make sure she had her stuff with her and we were gone ten minutes later.



Psyched.

Cheddar

Evolv @ Float the Boat 2011

It's 6am and my alarm clock is ascending to it's peak.  Why?  Oh yeah, I'm going to Boat Rock today!  As I hurry to get things packed I wonder when the sun will rise.  It's now 7am and the GreenLife parking lot is as dark as Gotham without Batman.  All I can see is Amanda and her mom and the lights on inside the store.  "Before we leave", I said, "we need to get some goodies for the ride."  Perusing the shelves it seemed that some dark roast coffee and a blueberry muffin would be all I need for our two hour drive.

Off we went.  It's 7:30 and still no sun.  My CD player was loaded with a fitting Sound Tribe recording that took us all the way to Calhoun, until......THE SUN!  We changed out the electronic jam for some bluegrass and made our way to the urban rocks of Atlanta.

After a quick redirection from a nice fellow at the bus stop we were just minutes from the boulderfield.  "There it is!"  Boat Rock Rd. is one of many suburban streets off of I-285.  However, it is the only one with 25 ft granite bowling ball and egg shaped boulders on it.  The pull off was obvious as we rallied down the road trying to make up lost time.

"You can't park there."  Why thank you, glad to be here I thought.  "We'll just be a minute, let me unload my car." The pull off was crowded with volunteers, vendors, and the first wave of competitors unloading off the shuttle.  A few fire pits were all we had to help us stay warm on this frigidly cold and crisp day.  Thanks to Todd and Barry from Unique Outfitters the Evolv tent was up in less than five minutes of arrival and the demo was in full swing shortly after that.





"It's soooo cold."  "I know.  Go walk around or climb some."  It seems as though the parking lot is getting less and less sun as the day goes on.  Colder and colder too as the wind blew making me wish I had the opportunity to climb.  "Hmmm....where is Preston anyway?  He can watch the booth or maybe Amanda could when she gets back from her tour of the boulderfield."  

Eureka!  The time had come.  Amanda and I grabbed our favorite pair of shoes and took off up the short hill to climb the first rounded clump of granite rock we saw.  But first, how do we climb this?  There aren't any holds?  Slab arete?  "Put your foot here."  "What!?" 

The rest of the day was all about sending new problems.   It's a really aesthetic place here.  Smooth,  clean, and very little weakness in the rocks.  



The one problem I wanted to try was Paint Can Sit.  I took a walk earlier that morning and checked it out.  With shoes in hand I managed to jump in the rotation of competitors and flash the stand start.  "Word.  Let's check out the sit now."  A small left hand crimp and right heel hook lift you off the ground, followed by some fancy foot work and core to gain the better holds leading into the stand.  

Check it.



Up next on the agenda is some business time in the boulder fields around chatty.  I want to send these projects of mine soooo bad.  Golfers don't wiff, runners don't walk, and climbers don't fall so much damn it!

Cheddar

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Team USA

If you haven't heard, the south got a whole hell of a lot of snow.  Snow that is now frozen three days later after it was just beginning to melt.  This repeated scenario has left Chattanooga under a solid sheet of ice.  Word.  It's been fun, but oh man, my back and tailbone are killing me.  I must have moved 500lbs. of snow building this thing.


We called it the North Chatt Grand Prix.  I think this event was the first of it's kind.  Anthony, Kit, and I teamed up to build one kick ass luge track.  The downhill track started with an abrupt drop off the Savas start box straight into the first berm.  Kicking right, you hit a left facing Teresa Wood mogul.  And with plenty of speed now your eyes are watering as you bomb the next and biggest right facing berm.  Your momentum builds and the turn tightens.  SWOOSH!!!!!   Off the top you go, flying into the Crape Myrtle that is now in intensive care recovery this spring.  An ideal run would lead you around a gracefully left turning berm that heads straight into to the finish.  I think we won.  I'm not sure who won it for us, but we did it.

Just before all the snow hit I took it upon myself to motivate for a three day weekend of climbing outside  every day.  First up, was some hiking.  We found some cool shit too.  Check this out.

The crux on Ride the Lobster.


So then it was Saturday.  Rocktown was SOOOOO cold!  We couldn't stay warm really.  Wind can turn a pleasant 35 and sunny into an all out suffering.  I tried some projects and made some progress.  I can do all the moves on The Womb now, so I'm gonna try to do that thing here soon.  PJ!!!   That, Golden Harvest and Nitrous Oxide are pretty dope so IT'S ON!!!!  Sunday I drug Kit out of the house to come along with me to venture to the Ride the Lobster project.  I SENT!  WHOOO!!!  It was sooo cold too.  Kit didn't even climb.  Bummer.  Thanks for coming though man.  We were there way longer than expected too.  It came down to literally sending on the last try.

And now the week is in full effect as we are setting for the ABS Junior Regional here at Urban Rocks this Saturday.   It should be pretty killer as the problems are all looking really good.

Until next time.

Cheddar

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

First HD vids

As promised, I went out and shot some HD footage.  The first video is at one of Chattanooga's many obscure pull offs.  The second is of Bionic Rats at Rocktown.  This is a cool boulder for sure. Peep it yo.




I managed a few pictures as well from our trip to Rocktown.  The day consisted of me trying The Womb, followed by what felt like an eternal session with 20 other people on the Sherman roof.  SHEESH!  But it was really fun.  Berry and Chandler both should have sent their mini projects.  Shame on them!   We then headed to the Lab Rats boulder and I sent the Bionic version.  It's a cool problem with a few solutions to the crux.  Glad to do it.  








That's all for meow.  

Cheddar.



Sunday, January 2, 2011

Chattanooga's Paparazzi

Ok, so not much climbing has been going on for me, outside at least.  In the last two weeks of holiday madness I have not made it out once, which is fine with me.  I really needed to get off the grinding project train and climb for fun.  So, I spent the past few days climbing in the gym.  Sending plastic problems and tinkering with new ideas for motivation.  The time has come and with good weather, for me to return to the outdoor scene.  Tomorrow we head to Rocktown for a full day of crushing.  I hope to try some new problems, maybe The Womb, and some old projects like Golden Harvest.

Here are few moments from the last week.










Later.