video of Adam Ondra sending Action Directe

Adam Ondra - Action Directe 11 (+video)
euroclimbing.com - May 23, 2008
kinda rad photos, super rad video at the bottom

J-Trizzle

I spent the Memorial Day weekend at Joshua Tree. It was good. The weather was unseasonably cool, making conditions unusually comfortable. It's been like 12 years since I was in the park. The group was a bunch of trad climbers... and me. I don't trad climb. Ever. I think it's stupid. But whatever, I gave it another chance. And had fun in the sense that walks on the beach are fun. The trip in general was super rad cuz everyone I met was cool and the park is great.
There's some runout routes at J-Tree. As a friend put it:

"Bachar and Long are assholes." - Gary

On one hand, it was nice of them to put up these routes. On the other hand, redpointing is way harder when I'm crying. Had my cell phone been with me and had there been reception, which it wasn't and there isn't, I probably would have called my mommy in the middle of one 5.9. Three bolts in 50 feet of hell slab is pushing it.

Deb, Marcela, and me trad climbing. That's right, TRAD climbing.

Reflections on a nugget.

Rad light.

Katie Brown. rad.

Katie Brown's rock talk
yourclimbing.com - May 22, 2008
"The clouds rolled in late in the day, and we headed back to town where we sat in a local bar watching, what else, a Spurs basketball game, sampling various cocktails, and munching on sweet potato fries."

something is not right with Czech kids

Ondra, 15, Repeats Action Directe
climbing.com - May 20, 2008

"Surprisingly for a climber who’s most famous for his outdoor leads, Ondra trains in the off-season almost exclusively on a small bouldering wall—he says he visits indoor lead-climbing gyms only a couple of times each winter."

tons o' fun

Saturday was hot. Real hot. And excruciating. Excruciating because not only was the weather extra hot but Phil and I got on a bunch of routes in quick succession. I joined Phil on his quest for better endurance. We each did 8 laps. Though not a ton of volume the heat made it seem totally epic. We also got on No Skill (5.12c), the variation from Pro Skill (5.12d) to Chips Ahoy (5.12d), as part of our send-athon. This was my first time on it. It's OK. We then proceeded to send almost nothing. After warming up on Power of Eating (5.11d) and When the Sea Doesn't Want You (5.12a) the only other redpoint was from Phil, once, on Hell of the Upside Down Sinners (5.12b). Pretty poor performances from 2 purported 5.13 climbers. I blame much of this on the heat as Phil put down 12 laps the previous week. I'm actually not completely bummed about the day because the effort exhausted me. Any training that painful has to be good for you.
Marcela was back this weekend. I was psyched about that. And I think she was too. She lead for the first time at the Tor, on Power, and looked leagues better than on previous top rope burns. Mary was back as well, working things out on Power, looking close to a redpoint. Everyone had a good time - nice try, Tor.

Marcela on Power of Eating (5.11d)

Me on Old Pro Skill (5.12d)

just like the old days

It was just Phil and me at the Tor on Saturday. Just like how it used to be. For years. And it was rad. We did a lot of climbing in not much time. I did 8 laps, Phil I think did 12, maybe 8 redpoints. I redpointed Better Than Chips (5.12d) for the first time. Super rad route. Instead of the stupid top moves on Chips Ahoy (5.12d), Better Than opts for a dyno (that does not suck) in to Better Than Life (5.13c), then finishes on those chains. The dyno comes right after the obvious rest and it's brilliant. All the Chips variations are genious - Better Than Chips, Bacon Lettuce and Tomato (5.13a), and Atreyu (5.13b). To do these 3 variations in a day would constitute a Chips Triple Crown, which I'm thinking about trying this summer. That will take a truly fit person. Ideally, I will become that fit person during my attempts.

so many routes, so little time

I've been climbing a lot lately. A lot. And I gotta say... it's been rad. This whole 'never working' thing is great. Case in point: I went to the Tor Saturday, Firecrags Sunday, and the Tor again Monday. And the two weeks prior I was lifting, climbing, running, and "stuff" every day, usually two and three times a day. I put in two burns both Tor days on Better Than Chips, falling a total of four times after the Chips jugs, and I feel like I've climbed a whole lotta Chips. My body feels like a chew toy and I love it. In the bad news department, I may have to return to work Monday. I know, I know - no one wants that less than me. I'm working on a couple schemes to avoid the grind so hopefully I'll pull another month of unemployment. A guy's gotta dream.

The rad dyno on the Chips Ahoy (5.12d) variation in to Better Than Life (5.13c), Better Than Chips (5.12d).The longest clip I've ever done. Step 1: get the quickdraw off my harness.

Step 2: Put the draw on the hanger.

Step 3: Bite the rope.

Step 4: Clip the draw.

Step 5: Get chalk (because this stupid clip just pumped me).

Step 6: Finish the route.