making wine does not make for good climbing

These photos are from a week ago. I was just too lazy to write about it last week.
Elhanan and I "helped" Justin drink some of the grape juice he's making in to wine before heading over to Owl Tor. Hopefully when this stuff is finished it will taste better than it does now. 6 oz of it just about ruined my day.

Good thing Justin felt strong, cuz I didn't. He took some time off recently, usually a recipe for disaster at the Tor, and returned briefly to crank out his best day on Power of Eating before re-injuring himself.

I'm glad I have a photo that shows how Better Than Life makes me feel after getting lowered off. Obviously, it doesn't make me want to start running a marathon right this instant.
da routes:

1. Power of Eating (5.11d) - redpoint
2. Auto Magic (5.12a) - redpoint
3. Better Than Life (5.13c) - 3 takes
4. Better Than Life (5.13c) - 2 takes
5. Chips/Pro Skill variation (5.13a?) - 1 take

SD is rad

I love San Diego. However, I hate traveling. I'm a creature of habit and I guard my routine ferociously. Leaving town for the weekend is a disruption I can barely tolerate. But it had to be done; a wedding had to be attended and the Grandparents had to be visited.

Elhanan and I swam with the fishes at La Jolla Cove Saturday. It was alright, kinda cold for my liking. Actually, it was way frickin' cold and reminded me again that this, arguably California's best dive spot, is still no Hawaii.

Then we went to Solid Rock Gym. This was more rad than the Cove. Getting on gym routes felt good. Although, I need to be cranking these down more quickly and at higher levels. It's about time I start dispatching 5.12's first and second go, not projecting them.

Next stop was Glendale for dinner with the G-units. Their property is rad, got tons of good photos here.

that which does not kill me makes me madder

Owl Tor made me mean. She had to have seen this coming. Probably she knew all along her special kind of relentless derision would make a person mean if it didn't break them. Which explains why on Saturday, on my second consecutive weekend of uncharacteristically strong performances, I still feel beaten. What else could I feel? There aren't any other emotions left. Failure is all I know from the Tor. Better Than Life saw me 1-fall her on my first attempt of the season. That's a hard route for me. One fall is about as much as I could expect on day one. And yet, it's not success. In addition to making that perfectly clear, Owl Tor covered BTL in a thick mixture of mud and spiders and turned the heat up to 102 degrees. My leg still hurts from a spooky fall at the third bolt. She will not be giving out breaks this season, I know it.
da routes:

1. Power of Eating (5.11d) - redpoint
2. Auto Magic (5.12a) - redpoint
3. Better Than Life (5.13c) - 3 falls
4. Better Than Life (5.13c) - 1 fall
5. Chips to Pro Skill variation (5.13a?) - 1 fall
6. Hell of the Upside Down Sinners (5.12b) - 1 fall
7. Anchor Punch (5.12a) - 1 fall

see Andy on Chips Ahoy (5.12d)

gr8

Did a bunch of routes at the Tor this weekend. Two days after my fifth monthly recognition of my graduation from Cottage Hospital's advanced pneumonia program I had my most productive day at Owl Tor: 8 routes, 8 redpoints. The previous day I re-set my dynamic no-fin apnea record at the UCSB pool: 50 yd, short course. Twice. It's been several years and a couple liters of lungs since that last happened for me. I'm not saying it yet, but I'm becoming suspicious that this, my 30th year in existence, may be my most bodacious yet.

da routes:

1. Power of Eating (5.11d)
2. Auto Magic (5.12a)
3. The Natural (5.12c)
4. No Skill (5.12c)
5. Better Than Chips (5.12d)
6. Hell of the Upside Down Sinners (5.12b)
7. Anchor Punch (5.12a)
8. When the Sea Doesn't Want You (5.12a)

All redpoints.