Red River Gorge

A few pictures from the...

photo - Jeff Sillcox

This is our little hobo village in the corner of Miguel's.

photo - Jeff Sillcox

The rest of Miguel's. The pizza lives in the yellow building. Click it for a larger version.

photo - Jeff Sillcox

My tent doesn't have a floor and Kentucky has a lot of animals living in the woods. I had lots of insect visitors, including a crazy looking green bug that looked like a leaf. A couple spiders stopped by... lots of daddy long legs and a scary looking furry one. A toad hopped across my sleeping bag in the middle of the night and several inchworms tried to make the long journey through the tent, but they're too slow so they only made it about halfway across during my 10 day trip.

This was my favorite creature.

photo - Jeff Sillcox

Kentucky

photo - Jeff Sillcox

It's kind of like a rain forest down there... fortunately, we got away with very little precipitation.

photo - Jeff Sillcox

Carl on some 5.10 at the Roadside Crag.

photo - Jeff Sillcox

Andy on To Defy the Laws of Tradition (5.10a).

photo - Jeff Sillcox

Carl sending Wild, Yet Tasty (5.12a).

photo - Jeff Sillcox

Me sending Stunning the Hog (5.12d). It was hot... I don't normally climb in shorts.

photo - Carl Hertzog

Andy warming up on Buff the Wood (5.12b).

photo - Jeff Sillcox

The gold streak on the right is Golden Touch (5.13b). I fell off pretty close to the end a couple times on the last day of the trip... I will be back.

photo - Jeff Sillcox

Utah

After squeezing in the FA of Paralyzed (V9) at Way Lake in the morning a few weeks ago (check out the video here), I hit the road for Utah. First up: Joe's Valley. Jamie sent her first V3, the beautiful Buoux Problem and came pretty close to doing another, Bad Genes pictured here:

photo - Jeff Sillcox

Chris sticking a really fun eliminate dyno in The Closet area.


photos - Jeff Sillcox

Next up was the HERA Climb4Life in Salt Lake City. This was a pretty cool event that raised over $100,000 this year to help fight ovarian cancer; thanks to everyone who donated! I accidentally spent both climbing days in American Fork, but got rained out the second day...

Clouds building over the Wasatch range and the HERA tent in the morning.

photo - Jeff Sillcox

American Fork

photo - Jeff Sillcox

Toproping in the rain

photo - Jeff Sillcox

Also got to check out Little Cottonwood Canyon for the first time. After a quick warmup on the first day, Isaac sprayed me down with the beta for Copperhead (V9 or 10) and I almost pulled off the flash. I got on for a second try and quickly realized that I didn't have enough skin to pull on the nasty crimp again in those temps so it will have to wait until next time. That's okay though since there are lots of amazing looking problems to go back for.

Jamie trying The Ramp (V2) in LCC.

photo - Jeff Sillcox

Stay tuned for the Red River Gorge report soon.

Stop Breeding...

The subject of this blog was inspired by a truck that I saw on my way home for lunch... (please click the picture to observe the writing in the window)


Photo - Eric Lang

Just in case you are as near-sighted (read: short sighted) as the owner of this vehicle is, the back window reads: start drilling. As if the slightly lifted, F250 with king cab and cap, Idaho tags, and an EPA estimated 12 MPG wasn't enough to clue you in... I would like you all to know that I found this truck so intriguing (or mind numbing... I haven't recovered yet) I actually brought my camera back to work after lunch.

I really don't want to get into this since I have yet to make up my mind about further oil exploration, but I am sure I have spent more time thinking about this subject, than this guy has spent thinking about... well... anything in his life.

I don't mean to be so judgmental (actually I do) but I just wish people would think of long term effects of their actions instead of trying to get cheaper gas at the pump (for about a week)... idiot...

sorry and back to climbing... later

Oh and by the way Jeff, you can't get mad since you posted about the price of gas a while back!

New Problem update 6 of 6

For the next couple of weeks, I'll be driving this thing. But don't expect me to makes too many stops... since I am incredibly lazy...


Photo and Lighting - Eric Lang

It was a busy weekend on the Talladega Nights boulder, with "I'm Too Drunk to Taste This Chicken" seeing approximately 400 sends (slight over exaggeration) over the course of two days, and the "Paralyzed Project" seeing its first and second ascents. Due to a combination of Wes' unwillingness to crimp harder and my unwillingness to do Drunk Chicken on my first go and Jeff's unwillingness to tie Randy's hand behind his back, I missed the second ascent of Drunk Chicken by mere minutes... Kudos to Randy for the flash!


Shannon eyeing up the crux of "Drunk Chicken (for short)", V6
Photo - Eric Lang

In good style, Jeff sent his project that he had been "too busy" (aka too lazy to move pads down the hill) to send, on his second attempt of the day (I believe). The following day (under a false name and shrouded in secrecy) Wills sent as well.


Jeff on "Paralyzed", V9?
Photo - Eric Lang


Jeff on "Paralyzed", V9?
Photo - Eric Lang

I also climbed with Wes and Way Lake newcomer, Mike T. aka Big Dumb Animal... Mike had a great day flashing Crimp Ladder V7 and sending Meadow Roof stand V8! Meanwhile, Wes was working his nicknames such as Mr. Inviso, Pigpen, or Capt. Chalk Dust... You can decide based on several of the pictures in the slideshow... CLICK ME!

...and as you can see below, we had a blast at Jeff's place without him! Have fun in Joe's and SLC and the RRG... we won't use the oven!

Photo - Eric Lang

Oh and if anyone is interested, I have re-FA'd Hosemonster (now V8?) due to a very important hold "disappearing"... thanks Wes, stop drinking porkchop milkshakes...

Still to come... bugs, Tram, etc...

Breaking News

Isaac sent the project on the Meadow Roof boulder today. He called it Chumscrubber and gave it the big V12. (See Wills, I told you it wasn't V9.) Wills is close also and I'm hoping to get it done before I go sportclimbing and lose all my power. And Lisa continues to plow her way through the hard lines at Way Lake with a quick send of Prune Candy (V9).

Isaac Caldiero working out the moves on his Chumscrubber (V12).

photo - Jeff Sillcox

Lots of rock climbing happened this weekend also, but I didn't take very many photos. Here's one of Lyn sending One Dragon. This is a tough one to grade for some reason and the votes range from V5-V8 right now.

photo - Jeff Sillcox

And a couple new problems went up: Justin added Sacrificial Sherpa (V8) which is pretty scary (I'm the Sherpa). And I added a link up of Green Mamba and Penis Envy called Green Penis (duh).

Almost forgot about Beth's linkup of Donkey Kong into the start of Donkey Kong Jr. dubbed Princess Peach. No idea how hard this one is, but probably V5 or 6ish. Picture on Justin's blog.